
Sarah Ruden on Truth, Power, and Responsibility
From The Seed: Conversations for Radical Hope by Pendle Hill
October 24, 2025 · 37 min · Season 5 · Episode 2
About this episode
Sarah Ruden discusses the intersection of language, power, and faith in the context of sacred stories and oppression.
What happens when sacred stories are used to justify oppression—and when telling the truth feels like rebellion? In this episode of The Seed: Conversations for Radical Hope, host Dwight Dunston speaks with Sarah Ruden, an award-winning translator, essayist, and Quaker writer whose work exposes how language, power, and faith intersect. Known for her acclaimed translations of The Aeneid, The Gospels, The Confessions of Augustine, and Perpetua: The Woman, the Martyr, Ruden brings deep historical...
People in this episode
Host: Dwight Dunston
Guest: Sarah Ruden
Topics covered
- sacred stories
- oppression
- truth
- rebellion
- language
- power
- faith
Keywords
- sacred stories
- oppression
- truth
- rebellion
- language
- power
- faith
- Sarah Ruden
- Dwight Dunston
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: The Aeneid, The Gospels, The Confessions of Augustine, Perpetua: The Woman, the Martyr
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