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How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality

While religion and science often seem at odds, there’s one thing they can agree on: people who take part in spiritual practices tend to live longer, healthier, and happier lives. The big question is: Why? In How God Works, professor Dave DeSteno takes us on a journey to find out how spirituality impacts our minds and bodies, as well as the world in which we live.He speaks to leading scientists and philosophers, religious thinkers, and thought leaders to explore what we can learn from the

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All Episodes

51:57

One Nation... Under God?

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2026/10/04

The United States is a country founded on the separation of church and state. But what did the founders really mean by that? Should religion be banished from public life and policy debates? Or could it serve a purpose in the pursuit of happiness and freedom for all? On this episode, recorded during the Aspen Ideas Festival, we'll explore what the US founding fathers really thought about the different roles religion could play in society, how that view has changed through history, and what

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41:42

Rethinking Purpose

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2026/09/20

These days, it seems like advice for how to “find your purpose” is everywhere. But what if purpose isn’t some hidden answer waiting to be found? And what if anxiously searching for our one true calling actually makes it harder to live with purpose?On this episode, we explore some other approaches to the problem. Clinical psychologist Ross White tells us about how psychological flexibility can help us form purpose over time, and stay connected to it, even as our lives change. And we talk to

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03:18

Season 11 Trailer

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2026/09/13

Join us for Season 11 of How God Works, starting next week!

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45:18

HGW Presents: Oh God Now What

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2026/08/23

How God Works will be back with all new episodes in September. In the meantime, we're excited to feature an episode from our friends at Oh God Now What, hosted by Niala Boodhoo.*In the debut episode, "Voting Your Morals," host Niala Boodhoo welcomes public theologian Curtis Chang and Rabbi Jill Jacobs. Using their expertise as religious thought leaders, they help us navigate aligning beliefs with how we vote. And they offer perspective and tools for strengthening democracy outside of

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45:35

Bonus Episode: God, Code, and Consciousness (Aspen...

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2026/08/02

As humans increasingly turn to AI for moral guidance and answers to life’s biggest questions, the lines between technology and religion are blurring—even leading some in Silicon Valley to wonder if AI might have a spiritual life of its own or be destined to change the world’s religious landscape. What does the impulse to see a god in the machine reveal about our enduring hunger for meaning, belonging, and spiritual growth?Dave explores these questions and more with psychologist Paul Bloom,

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34:48

Aliens and Spirituality (Encore Presentation)

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2026/07/12

Religion is often about powerful beings coming down from the skies and humans yearning to go up to join them. Does that mean we can swap aliens in for God? More and more people seem to think so. In fact, many spiritually-minded people are looking to UFOs as opportunities to commune with enlightened alien teachers. Some believe they’re even aliens themselves, sent here to prepare us for a new age. But when religion gets mixed with conspiracy theory, things can sometimes take a darker

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44:31

Searching for Signs

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2026/06/21

Throughout history, humans have searched for signs and symbols to help them navigate uncertainty. From ancient Chinese divination texts and Greek oracles to astrology, tarot cards, and modern occult practices, divination has appeared in nearly every culture on Earth. And while some might think of these practices as relics of a more superstitious age, divination turns out to be far more central to human history, and human nature, than most of us would ever guess.On this episode, we explore

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37:06

Humor and Judaism: A Conversation with Robby Hoffman

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2026/06/07

According to a 2020 Pew Research Center survey, more American Jews cite having a sense of humor as important to their Jewish identity than things like keeping kosher and studying Torah. Humor has long been associated with Jewish identity—from Jerry Seinfeld to Mel Brooks, Adam Sandler to Joan Rivers.On this episode of How God Works, we'll talk with the latest member of the long tradition of highly successful Jewish comedians, Emmy award-winning actor, writer and comedian, Robby Hoffman,

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01:02:59

Rethinking Sin… Again

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2026/05/24

We’ve all done things we’re not proud of. But why do some people seem to struggle so much more than others when it comes to avoiding harmful behavior? And what does it mean for how we think about blame and accountability if the answer has something to do with our genes?On this episode, we’re rethinking sin from the perspective of behavioral genetics. We’ll talk to psychologist Kathryn Paige Harden about the surprising ways ancient religious debates are still shaping modern science, what

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58:20

Deus Ex Machina

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2026/05/10

We’ve always assumed that if there IS a God, that God made us. But what if it ends up being the other way around… and we’re already further along than we think? Artificial intelligence is now offering moral advice, generating new forms of scripture, even simulating conversations with the divine. For some users, the line between useful tool and spiritual authority is already starting to blur. Why does it feel so natural for us to imagine there’s a ghost in the machine? And what happens when

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45:05

Doubt (Part II)

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2026/04/26

Uncertainty about faith can be anxiety provoking and even cause people to leave religion altogether. But that's not the way it works in all traditions. In fact, some are exactly the opposite.In the second of a special two-part series exploring the promise and perils of doubt in faith, we talk with Rabbi Angela Buchdahl about how debate and questioning are central to the Jewish faith—both as methods for seeking truth and living a spiritual life. We also explore the guardrails that Jewish

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38:58

Doubt (Part I)

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2026/04/12

Religion can help provide answers to many questions in life - big and small. And in doing so, give a sense of security and understanding of the world and our place in it. But what happens when doubt starts to creep in? As more and more people leave organized religion, is doubt the cause, or could learning how to embrace doubt actually be the answer to the modern crisis of faith? In the first of this special two part series on doubt and spirituality, we'll talk with author, poet and

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42:59

What Women Want

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2026/03/29

In conversations about women’s rights, religion and feminism are often cast as incompatible. But religious women tend to see it differently. In this episode, we’ll explore how religious women around the world are defining what liberation looks like on their own terms, and ask what we can all learn from their efforts, regardless of what we believe. We’ll talk to writer and lawyer Dania Suleman about how women of faith are defending their religious freedom in secular spaces while also

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31:20

DIY Spirituality?

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2026/03/15

About 70% of all Americans consider themselves spiritual in some way, whether it be a belief in the soul, spirits or just the idea that something's going on beyond the natural world and what science can prove. But that doesn't mean they're ordering off the menu of organized religion. In this episode, we’ll talk to religion professor Liz Bucar, about this “spiritual salad bar” approach: where people pick and choose ingredients from various religions. What’s lost if we take these traditions

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02:14

Season 10 Trailer

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2026/03/08

Join us for Season 10 of How God Works, starting next week!

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01:22:26

Uniter or Divider? Explore Religion in Modern...

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2026/02/22

We’ll be back on March 15 with an all-new season of How God Works! In the meantime, we’re excited to share one of our favorite episodes — our very first live event.If you ask people what they think about religion, you often get one of two answers: Religion is the source of war, violence, abuse, and hypocrisy OR a route to love, kindness, tolerance, and mercy.Put another way, it’s either what divides us or it’s the thing that can actually bring us together. In a country deeply divided over

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36:52

The Spiritual (and Political) Crisis in the US (From...

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2026/02/08

A brand-new season of How God Works returns March 15! In the meantime, we’re revisiting a powerful episode from our archive that feels particularly relevant today. Anger, loneliness, and despair are hitting record levels in the US. Our social and political fabrics are fraying. Is the turn away from religion in the US part of the problem? And if so, might a spiritual renaissance (even among the secular left) help us find new ways to flourish? Join Dave as he talks with podcast host Krista

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34:58

Mattering

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2026/01/25

Feeling that our life is meaningful - that we add value to the world and are valued by the people around us, isn’t just a good feeling, it's a fundamentally necessary one. In fact, the need to matter is a universal human motive, second only to the needs of food and shelter. On this episode we'll talk to author Jennifer Wallace about her new book on the topic of mattering, why we’re in a “mattering deficit,” the worrying impact this is having on our physical and emotional health, and what

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38:27

Rethinking Sin (From the Archive)

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2026/01/11

For many people, the word “sin” is associated with harsh judgment and shame. Or, it’s used to talk about guilty pleasures like consuming decadent desserts... But is this concept as harmful or outdated as it seems?Join Dave as he talks with Elizabeth Oldfield about Christianity’s Seven Deadly Sins, and how reconceptualizing them for modern life can offer a science-backed user’s manual of sorts to find joy and connection in this world, whatever your beliefs. Elizabeth Oldfield is host of The

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39:52

The End of the World As We Know It

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2025/12/28

These days, it feels like the end of the world is always just around the corner. From RaptureTok to climate doom and geopolitical upheaval, someone always seems to be predicting an impending apocalypse. But how does believing in The End affect how we are in the world? And is there a healthier way to navigate living in uncertain times?On this episode, we’ll talk to writer Dina Nayeri about growing up in a community that saw the apocalypse as right around the corner, and what she now sees as

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