It's the Brian Leary

on WNYC. Good morning again everyone. Time now for some fierce love for yourself and for the world.

Some of you know my next guest, one of New York's foremost spiritual leaders who herself

leads a Christian church, but who I think would describe herself also as a universalist.

It is the Reverend Dr. Jackie Lewis. Reverend because she is the

senior minister at the Middle Collegia Church on East 7th Street in Manhattan.

She is also a public theologian and we'll talk about

what that means. Doctor because she holds a PhD in psychology and religion

Universal because even though Middle Church's physical space burned down in a

fire a few years ago, its website says they have members in 40-plus states and 20-plus countries,

and those members are Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish, atheist, or agnostic and Christians

of every denomination and creed.

What unites us?

Asked the website, commitment to this movement for love and justice.

Reverend Dr Lewis has been on the show

to help us deal with isolation and grief

at the height of the pandemic in 2020.

She was on in January of last year to reinforce black and Jewish

mutual support along with Rabbi Joshua Stanton and she was on in 2021 for

the publication of her book, Fierce, a bold path to ferocious courage and rule-breaking kindness

that can heal the world.

Next weekend, Middle Church and Reverend Dr. Lewis

...