Front Light
Front Light
Podcast Description
Front Light is Mennonite Action’s podcast, hosted by Joanna Lawrence Shenk and Jonny Rashid. Mennonite Action is a movement mobilizing Mennonites and Anabaptists across the United States and Canada to use creative, nonviolent actions to demand a permanent ceasefire, an end to the U.S. and Western-funded occupation of Palestine and build a lasting peace for all.
Grounded in our peace theology, we believe we have a responsibility to use our voices as powerfully as possible for the cause of peace and justice. This podcast is for anyone who wants to make the world a better place!
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast centers on themes of peace, justice, and activism, with episodes exploring the legacy of Dr. Vincent Harding, the origins of Mennonite Action, and responses to contemporary social issues like Christian nationalism, highlighted in discussions around personal stories and collective action.

Front Light is Mennonite Action’s podcast, hosted by Joanna Lawrence Shenk and Jonny Rashid. Mennonite Action is a movement mobilizing Mennonites and Anabaptists across the United States and Canada to use creative, nonviolent actions to demand a permanent ceasefire, an end to the U.S. and Western-funded occupation of Palestine and build a lasting peace for all.
Grounded in our peace theology, we believe we have a responsibility to use our voices as powerfully as possible for the cause of peace and justice. This podcast is for anyone who wants to make the world a better place!
On this episode honoring Black History Month, we interview Drew G. I. Hart. Dr. Hart is an associate professor of theology at Messiah University where he has directed the Thriving Together: Congregations for Racial Justice program in central PA since 2021. He co-hosts Inverse Podcast with Australian peace activist Jarrod McKenna and is the author of Trouble I've Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism (2016), Who Will Be A Witness?: Igniting Activism for God's Justice, Love, and Deliverance (2020), and he co-edited and contributed to Reparations and the Theological Disciplines: Prophetic Voices for Remembrance, Reckoning, and Repair (Nov. 2023). His newest book is Making It Plain: Why We Need Anabaptism and the Black Church (September 2, 2025). Drew regularly speaks at colleges, conferences, churches, and community groups across the country. He is married to Renee and is the father of three sons.
Huge thank you to the incredible Jewish recording artist, Batya Levine for the use of their song “We Rise” as our theme song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tkmkwufRVw). The beautiful logo is by Jesse Bergen. Front Light is edited by Ken Ogasawara and produced by Jonny Rashid, Joanna Lawrence Shenk, Holly Harris, and Nick Martin. Thank you all for listening and sharing.
Sing Down The Doors: https://www.mennoniteaction.org/updates/singdownthedoors
AP article on Target featuring Menonite Action: https://apnews.com/article/target-ice-protest-minneapolis-4a9012400f6c8b44e96451a04e0113c8
Making it Plain by Drew Hart: https://heraldpress.com/9781513816364/making-it-plain/

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