Give and Take
Conversations at the Heart of the Matter
About the show
Someone once observed that if Howard Stern and Krista Tippett had a love child, it would be Scott Jones. Scott liked that.
At "Give and Take,” Scott Jones talks with artists, authors, theologians, and political pundits about the lens through which they experience life. With empathy, humor, and a deep knowledge of religion, current events, and pop culture, Scott engages his guests in a free-flowing conversation that's entertaining, unexpected, occasionally bizarre, and oftentimes enlightening. He likes people, and it shows.
Past interviewees include Mark Oppenheimer, Melissa Febos, David French, Miroslav Volf, Dan Savage, Nadia Bolz-Weber, Rob Bell, and (yes) Krista Tippett.
Scott is the former host and producer of the popular Mockingcast podcast (https://themockingcast.fireside.fm) and an in-demand consultant on all things “pod.” He’s also the co-host, with Bill Borror, of New Persuasive Words (https://npw.fireside.fm). Scott is also a prolific writer, a frequent conference speaker, a PhD candidate in Theology, and an ordained minister.
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Episodes
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Episode 316: Mary, Protestants, and the Mystery of Christmas
December 24th, 2025 | 1 hr 4 mins
On this special Christmas Eve episode of Give and Take, Scott Jones is joined by Professor Matthew Milliner of Wheaton College for a thoughtful and unexpected conversation about Mary—seen through Protestant eyes. Often sidelined or approached with hesitation in Protestant theology, Mary nevertheless stands at the very center of the Christmas story. Milliner, an art historian and theologian, helps recover a richer Protestant appreciation of Mary by drawing on Scripture, church history, and the visual imagination of the Christian tradition. Together, Scott and Matthew explore how Mary’s faith, obedience, and vulnerability shape a deeper understanding of the Incarnation—and why reclaiming her place need not blur confessional lines.
On a night set apart for wonder and anticipation, this conversation invites listeners to slow down and reconsider the woman who first said “yes” to God, and what her story still has to teach Protestants about Christmas, discipleship, and the mystery at the heart of the Christian faith. -
Episode 315: The Gospels as History, with Edward J. Watts
December 22nd, 2025 | 1 hr 22 mins
It’s the holiday season and the devout are fond of reminding everyone that Jesus is the reason for the season. But what do we really know about Jesus? How reliable are the Gospel accounts—and how much can historians really know the mysterious man from Nazareth? In this episode of Give and Take, I sit down with renowned ancient historian Edward J. Watts to explore what historical methods can (and can’t) tell us about the life of Jesus. Drawing on Roman, Jewish, and early Christian sources, Watts explains how historians evaluate ancient texts, where the Gospels align with what we know of the first-century world, and where questions and tensions remain. The conversation moves beyond simplistic debates about “proof” or “myth,” offering a careful look at how memory, theology, politics, and oral tradition shaped the Gospel narratives. Throughout, Watts reflects on how historical context shapes interpretation and why Christian teaching has always been dynamic rather than fixed. The episode closes with a compelling claim: that the teachings of Jesus, understood historically and thoughtfully, continue to offer real guidance for life in the modern world. For believers, skeptics, and anyone curious about the origins of Christianity, this episode offers a clear-eyed, historically grounded discussion of the historical Jesus—and why these questions still matter today.
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Episode 314: What Makes a Movie a Christmas Movie?, with Todd McGowan and Ryan Engley
December 18th, 2025 | 1 hr 6 mins
It’s the holiday season and for many of you that means curling up on the couch with some popcorn and some candy and watching one of your favorite feel good Christmas movies. What if all those cozy Christmas movies aren’t really about comfort at all—but about desire, loss, and what we’re missing deep down inside? Today I’m joined by Todd McGowan and Ryan Engley from the Why Theory podcast to psychoanalyze our favorite holiday films. From small-town miracles to last-minute reconciliations, we’re digging into what these movies reveal about enjoyment, fantasy, and why Christmas keeps pulling us back in year after year. Grab some eggnog—this conversation might change how you watch Christmas movies forever.
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Episode 313: Can Deliberation Cure the Ills of Democracy?, with James S. Fishkin
December 17th, 2025 | 48 mins 24 secs
My guest is James Fishkin, professor at Stanford University and one of the world’s leading scholars of democratic reform. His new book, Can Deliberation Cure the Ills of Democracy?, argues that polarization, mistrust, and democratic dysfunction aren’t just political problems—they’re failures of how we form opinions together. Drawing on decades of research and real-world experiments in deliberative democracy, Fishkin makes the case that when ordinary citizens are given time, information, and the chance to engage across differences, democracy can work better than we imagine. In this conversation, we explore what deliberation really means, how it differs from our current political debates, and whether it can help heal some of democracy’s deepest wounds. It was a great conversation. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I give you James Fishkin.
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Episode 312: Finding Grace in the Holiday Grind, with Mandy Smith
November 24th, 2025 | 45 mins 33 secs
On this episode of Give and Take, Scott sits down with pastor, theologian, and author Mandy Smith for a deep and timely conversation about cultivating a spirit of gratitude as we head into the holiday season. For many, this time of year can feel harried, consumeristic, and stressful—an emotional whirlwind that leaves little room for reflection or joy. Mandy offers a gentle but compelling invitation to slow down, pay attention, and reclaim the simple, grounding practices that open us to gratitude. Drawing on her pastoral experience, her writing, and her own honest encounters with the pressures of the season, Mandy shares practical ways to resist the cultural rush and reconnect with what truly matters. It’s a conversation filled with warmth, wisdom, and a refreshing kind of hope—just what we need as the holidays approach. Tune in for an encouraging guide to navigating the season not with exhaustion, but with intention, wonder, and grace.
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Episode 311: How to Stay Fit When the Holidays Hit, with Lindsay Lombardi
November 18th, 2025 | 1 hr 8 mins
In this episode of Give and Take, Scott sits down with Philadelphia-based fitness and wellness coach Lindsay Lombardi for a smart, practical, and totally doable guide to staying healthy during the holiday season. From navigating parties and travel to actually enjoying your favorite foods without derailing your goals, Lindsay offers strategies that go beyond quick fixes and guilt cycles. Lindsay introduces the Melt Method, a holistic approach to wellness that encompasses movement, eating, living, and thinking. She emphasizes the importance of integrating small, sustainable habits into daily life rather than adhering to intense, non-sustainable programs.
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Episode 310: The Conservative Civil War, with Bryce Eddy
November 17th, 2025 | 1 hr 11 mins
In this conversation, Scott Jones and Bryce Eddy delve into the current state of the conservative movement, discussing the internal conflicts, the rise of the 'woke right', and the influence of figures like Nick Fuentes. They explore the generational divides within conservative media, the cultural tensions surrounding immigration and identity, and the implications of these dynamics for the future of conservatism.
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Episode 309: Reclaiming Jewish Identity in an Antisemitic World, with Sarah Hurwitz
November 13th, 2025 | 1 hr 7 mins
In this episode of Give and Take, Scott sits down with Sarah Hurwitz—former Obama speechwriter and bestselling author—for a sharp, lively conversation about her new book, As a Jew: Reclaiming Our Story from Those Who Blame, Shame, and Try to Erase Us. Hurwitz takes aim at the loudest misconceptions about Jewish identity today—whether they come from bad-faith critics, confused allies, or within the community itself. With her signature mix of wit, rigor, and moral clarity, she lays out what’s at stake when a people’s story is twisted, minimized, or stolen—and how reclaiming that story can be an act of both resistance and renewal. Scott and Sarah trade insights on antisemitism, cultural belonging, spiritual hunger, and the surprising power of rediscovering an ancient tradition in a chaotic modern world. It’s crisp, candid, and deeply engaging—an episode that cuts through the noise and gets to the heart of why this conversation matters right now.
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Episode 308: The Romans: A 2,000-Year History, with Edward J. Watts
October 31st, 2025 | 1 hr 18 mins
In this episode, Scott sits down with historian and friend of the show Edward J. Watts to explore his magisterial new work, "The Romans: A 2,000-Year History." From the founding myths of Romulus and Remus to the sack of Constantinople, Watts offers a sweeping narrative that refuses to let the Roman story end in the Western part of the Empire— instead, he argues for a more expansive conception of “Roman” identity that endures for 2 millennia. Stay tuned for history, ideas, and a deep dive into one of the longest and most complicated political experiments humanity has ever attempted.
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Episode 307: Hamilton vs. Jefferson: The Battle That Still Shapes America, with Jeffrey Rosen
October 13th, 2025 | 1 hr 30 secs
In this episode of Give and Take, Scott talks with Jeffrey Rosen, president of the National Constitution Center and author of the new book The Pursuit of Liberty: How Hamilton vs. Jefferson Ignited the Lasting Battle Over Power in America. Rosen explores how the clash between Alexander Hamilton’s vision of energetic government and Thomas Jefferson’s dream of individual freedom continues to define American politics. From the founding era to the present day, their competing philosophies echo through our debates over federal power, states’ rights, and the meaning of liberty itself. It’s a conversation about history, ideas, and the enduring struggle to balance freedom and order in the American experiment.
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Episode 306: Nations Apart: How Clashing Regional Cultures Shattered America, with Colin Woodard
September 24th, 2025 | 1 hr 28 mins
In this episode of Give and Take, Scott Jones talks with Colin Woodard about his latest forthcoming book, Nations Apart. Woodard maps the deep regional cultures of America, tracing their historical roots and showing how they continue to shape today’s most urgent issues—from gun violence and health disparities to the tension between individual liberty and the common good. To truly understand the roots of America’s political polarization, economic inequality, public health crises, and democratic collapse, Woodard argues, we must examine the country’s longstanding regional divides. Together, they explore why America struggles to find common ground, the risks of fragmentation, and why a renewed civic national story may be essential to protecting democracy against rising authoritarian threats.
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Episode 305: Charlie Kirk, Donald Trump, and Christian Nationalism, with Bryce Eddy
September 19th, 2025 | 1 hr 15 mins
On this episode of Give and Take, Bryce Eddy—former President of Turning Point USA and a close personal friend of Charlie Kirk—pulls back the curtain on his time with Kirk, charting Kirk’s rise and influence on youth culture. The conversation doesn’t shy away from the hot-button issues—faith, race, Trump, Christian nationalism—and asks what it really takes to have honest political dialogue in a culture wired for outrage. Scott and Bryce wrestle with the need for context—cutting through media spin and bad-faith narratives—the power of grace, and why navigating today’s political landscape is harder—and more necessary—than ever.
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Episode 304: Playback, with Carla Malden
September 16th, 2025 | 45 mins 9 secs
In this episode of Give and Take, Scott Jones talks with novelist Carla Malden about her new book, Playback. The novel is a haunting and beautifully layered exploration of memory, loss, and reinvention—blurring the lines between past and present to show how grief reshapes identity and how the stories we tell ourselves can both hold us back and set us free. Together, Scott and Carla dive into the inspirations behind Playback, and the ways fiction can illuminate the most intimate corners of human experience.
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Episode 303: The Politics We Can't Escape, with J. Kameron Carter
September 11th, 2025 | 1 hr 23 mins
In this conversation, Scott Jones and J Kameron Carter explore the complex themes of whiteness, authoritarianism, and the historical context of race in America. They discuss how whiteness is not just a racial identity but a civilizational logic that has shaped political structures and ideologies. The conversation delves into the implications of Trump as a revelation of underlying authoritarian tendencies in American democracy, the role of W.E.B. Du Bois in understanding these dynamics, and the intersections of political theology with contemporary issues. They also touch on the importance of the Black church's perspective and the need for a deeper understanding of history to navigate the current political landscape.
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Episode 302: Is the Earth Growing a Brain?...with Topher McDougal
September 9th, 2025 | 53 mins 21 secs
On this episode of Give and Take, I talk with Topher McDougal, author of Gaia Wakes: Earth's Emergent Consciousness in an Age of Environmental Devastation. In the book, McDougal explores the provocative idea that the planet itself might be waking up—that Earth, long treated as a backdrop to human drama, is revealing itself as a conscious, responsive system in the midst of ecological crisis. We talk about what it means to think of the Earth as a living, even sentient, entity; how this vision challenges modern science and philosophy; and why embracing a more relational way of seeing our world could be key to surviving the environmental devastation we face. It’s a wide-ranging conversation about philosophy, ecology, and the deep stories we tell about our place in the cosmos.
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Episode 301: Morbidly Curious: A Scientist Explains Why We Can't Look Away, with Coltan Scrivner
September 7th, 2025 | 47 mins 3 secs
My guest today is Coltan Scrivner, a behavioral scientist who has spent years studying the psychology of why we’re drawn to the dark, the eerie, and the unsettling. His brand-new book, Morbidly Curious, takes us deep into the strange territory of horror films, true crime, haunted houses, and all the things we’d rather pretend we don’t think about—but secretly can’t look away from. In our conversation, we explore why being curious about the morbid isn’t a flaw—it’s a fundamental part of being human. From evolutionary survival to modern entertainment, Coltan makes the case that leaning into our fascination with the macabre can actually teach us something about ourselves and the world around us. It’s a provocative, fascinating, and—yes—morbidly fun discussion.