Complexified

Complexified is a weekly interview podcast from the Iliff Institute for Religion, Politics & Culture and Religion News Service, hosted by Rev. Dr. Amanda Henderson. Each episode dives into the most pressing news stories at the crossroads of religion and politics, exploring the nuances that often go overlooked. Whether you’re religiously curious, politically frustrated, or somewhere in between, Complexified brings you conversations that challenge assumptions and spark fresh insights.

Meet the Host

Rev. Amanda Henderson

Rev. Dr. Amanda Henderson is the Director of the Institute for Religion, Politics, and Culture at Iliff School of Theology. Founded in 2021, the Institute researches how religious histories inform political perspectives and shares that information to educate public leaders for transformative action.
Amanda is ordained with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), author of Holy Chaos, Creating Connections in Divisive Times, and earned a Ph.D. in religion, politics, and rhetoric from the University of Denver and Iliff School of Theology. Amanda is also a Mom to three young adults, enjoys adventures with her husband, and finds joy in running ultra-marathons and growing things: dogs, chickens, gardens, and creative projects of all kinds.

Podcasts

	Saved by the City After the Assassination: How the Algorithm Wars Gave Us Two Charlie Kirks + Nijay Gupta Katelyn Beaty and Roxanne Stone How do we remember controversial figures honestly — especially when half the church sees a saint and half sees a devil in disguise?
	Martini Judaism How do you go from hatred to hope? + Arno Michaelis Jeffrey Salkin (RNS) — You think you've done bad stuff and repented? Just meet an ex-white supremacist who turned his life around.
	The State of Belief Faith Rising for Democracy: How to Show Up for No Kings, With Adam Friedman Paul Brandeis Raushenbush Ahead of the nationwide No Kings II demonstrations on October 18th, Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush discusses nonviolent resistance and strategies for safely exercising the constitutional right to peaceful protest with Interfaith Alliance Organizing and Election Strategist Adam Friedman
	Money Meet Meaning Give Treasure, Reap Reward: Jerre Stead Amber Hacker and Tom Levinson A former CEO of 10 public companies talks about the work and joy of giving.

	Saved by the City After the Assassination: How the Algorithm Wars Gave Us Two Charlie Kirks + Nijay Gupta Katelyn Beaty and Roxanne Stone How do we remember controversial figures honestly — especially when half the church sees a saint and half sees a devil in disguise?
	Martini Judaism How do you go from hatred to hope? + Arno Michaelis Jeffrey Salkin (RNS) — You think you've done bad stuff and repented? Just meet an ex-white supremacist who turned his life around.
	The State of Belief Faith Rising for Democracy: How to Show Up for No Kings, With Adam Friedman Paul Brandeis Raushenbush Ahead of the nationwide No Kings II demonstrations on October 18th, Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush discusses nonviolent resistance and strategies for safely exercising the constitutional right to peaceful protest with Interfaith Alliance Organizing and Election Strategist Adam Friedman
	Money Meet Meaning Give Treasure, Reap Reward: Jerre Stead Amber Hacker and Tom Levinson A former CEO of 10 public companies talks about the work and joy of giving.

Latest Episode

Willow Creek’s Midlife Reckoning: How a Seeker Church Became the Megachurch Blueprint

October 13, 2025

(RNS) — A youth group experiment became America’s megachurch model—until crisis forced a reckoning.

Complexified

Meet the Host

Rev. Amanda Henderson

Complexified

Meet the Host

Rev. Amanda Henderson

Previous Episodes

Willow Creek’s Midlife Reckoning: How a Seeker Church Became the Megachurch Blueprint

October 13, 2025

(RNS) — A youth group experiment became America’s megachurch model—until crisis forced a reckoning.

PLAY EPISODE

Baptizing the Battlefield: Pete Hegseth’s Holy War at the Pentagon

October 6, 2025

(RNS) — What happens when the Pentagon becomes a pulpit?

PLAY EPISODE

Pulpit Politics: Why the Johnson Amendment Still Sparks Political Drama

September 22, 2025

(RNS) — When the IRS shrugs at its own rules, what does that mean for churches, politics and the rest of us?

PLAY EPISODE

What Charlie Kirk’s Life and Death Reveal About Religion and Politics

September 16, 2025

(RNS) — How do we hold grief for Charlie Kirk alongside the pain his words caused?

PLAY EPISODE

VIEW MORE EPISODES

Podcasts

	Saved by the City After the Assassination: How the Algorithm Wars Gave Us Two Charlie Kirks + Nijay Gupta Katelyn Beaty and Roxanne Stone How do we remember controversial figures honestly — especially when half the church sees a saint and half sees a devil in disguise?
	Martini Judaism How do you go from hatred to hope? + Arno Michaelis Jeffrey Salkin (RNS) — You think you've done bad stuff and repented? Just meet an ex-white supremacist who turned his life around.
	The State of Belief Faith Rising for Democracy: How to Show Up for No Kings, With Adam Friedman Paul Brandeis Raushenbush Ahead of the nationwide No Kings II demonstrations on October 18th, Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush discusses nonviolent resistance and strategies for safely exercising the constitutional right to peaceful protest with Interfaith Alliance Organizing and Election Strategist Adam Friedman
	Money Meet Meaning Give Treasure, Reap Reward: Jerre Stead Amber Hacker and Tom Levinson A former CEO of 10 public companies talks about the work and joy of giving.

	Saved by the City After the Assassination: How the Algorithm Wars Gave Us Two Charlie Kirks + Nijay Gupta Katelyn Beaty and Roxanne Stone How do we remember controversial figures honestly — especially when half the church sees a saint and half sees a devil in disguise?
	Martini Judaism How do you go from hatred to hope? + Arno Michaelis Jeffrey Salkin (RNS) — You think you've done bad stuff and repented? Just meet an ex-white supremacist who turned his life around.
	The State of Belief Faith Rising for Democracy: How to Show Up for No Kings, With Adam Friedman Paul Brandeis Raushenbush Ahead of the nationwide No Kings II demonstrations on October 18th, Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush discusses nonviolent resistance and strategies for safely exercising the constitutional right to peaceful protest with Interfaith Alliance Organizing and Election Strategist Adam Friedman
	Money Meet Meaning Give Treasure, Reap Reward: Jerre Stead Amber Hacker and Tom Levinson A former CEO of 10 public companies talks about the work and joy of giving.

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