Welcome to The Upwords Podcast! In this episode, Dr. Jean Geran sits down with Dr. Chris Seiple—a renowned global leader in faith, education, and diplomacy—to explore what it means to be a responsible Christian citizen in today’s polarized world.

🎙 Episode Highlights:

· The meaning and importance of Christian citizenship

· “Triple citizenship”: our callings to our nation, the world, and the Kingdom of God

· Navigating the intersection of faith, higher education, and public life

· Covenantal pluralism: a framework for respectfully engaging across differences

· Faithful patriotism vs. religious nationalism

· How to practically love your neighbor and build local relationships

· Overcoming fear and division in our communities

· The role of higher education in forming good citizens

Dr. Seiple shares insights from decades of work on human rights, cross-cultural religious literacy, and international religious freedom, drawing on stories from Vietnam and the US, and offering practical ways for Christians to foster pluralism and hope—locally and globally.

About our Guest:

Chris Seiple, PhD, is a veteran educator, diplomat, and advocate for religious freedom, known for innovative approaches to dialogue and citizenship. He brings a wealth of experience from his service as a US Marine and as president emeritus of the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE).