About

About “The Made of Clay Report”

These radio programs are some of my efforts to make us known to one another locally as the persons we are and to explore how the issues we care about and work on flow out of our humanity and faith in something greater than ourselves. It is also about inviting us into awareness of the many communities that make our lives rich.

This sets up the conversation in a slightly different way than other radio shows.

Our time will feel more like the back and forth of a conversation, with the guest taking the spotlight, but not like an informational interview.  In these shows, the listener essentially overhears our conversation, and it becomes a bit more intimate.

So, the questions for you (and all of my guests) to think about are these:

  • Tell me about yourself: Who are you?
  • What are the pieces of the mosaic that is your life?
    • What do people need to know about you to have a balanced picture?
    • What do people need to know to be respectful of you (family, friends, commitments, religious, spiritual, secular, cultural and political practices, work, hobbies, highlight a cross-section of all)?
    • What major experience has most defined or shaped your life?
  • What brought you here to this area? What keeps you here?
  • What issues do you care about? (This is where you really frame and expand upon your concerns.)
  • How have you changed?
    • What have you learned that forced you to change a deeply held commitment?
    • How have you learned that something you thought was true, was not?
    • How have you grown suspicious of what you once held as core commitments?
    • How do you let go of commitments when you become clearer about what is essential?
  • How do you work with others who are not like you and whose values differ from yours, as you address, with integrity, the issues you care most about?
  • What do you do to restore your sense of balance, optimism or strength? How do you deal with life, when things get you down?

Conversations will go more deeply into the issues raised over the hour, but these questions show you what I am going for as we are people in relationship with others.

About Eric Clay

Eric Clay, M.Div., Ph.D., host of “The Made of Clay Report” and founder of Shared Journeys, has a breadth of education and a history of relationships across religious, cultural, and economic differences. His approach fosters innovative thinking and responses to seemingly intractable personal and community issues.  An ordained minister and clinically trained chaplain, Eric has worked directly in the daily practices of most of the world’s religions, with a special emphasis on dealing with conflict in families and communities. He holds a Cornell doctorate in economic and community development planning, addressing issues of faith and reason in public life and public policy.  He is widely respected for convening meaningful conversation groups addressing issues of everyday life and aging well. 
Eric volunteers his time to WRFI and the “The Made of Clay Report” with the full knowledge and encouragement of Shared Journeys, Inc., as it is another way in which he can pursue the Shared Journeys mission:  To model living in ways that will permit people in all their diversity to become allies; to feel at home with each other; to support each of us, even in times of profound conflict, so we may all flourish.

6 thoughts on “About

  1. I recently discovered Eric’s radio program on WRFI, and I’m very pleased that I’ve
    discovered Eric and his program.

    Eric’s program is very unique, thought provoking, and inspirational. I will be interested in listening to more of his programs, and to learn more about his work!

  2. The recently released course listing of Lifelong Learning Center in Ithaca includes a series if classes by the ‘irreverent Dr Clay’. Is this the same man behind this ‘Made of Clay Report’?

  3. I would love to get a copy of yesterday’s (may 10th) show –I only heard part of it around 10:30. Or could your give me the name of your guest.

  4. Dan and Linda Finlay suggested that I contact you about my interest in working to end the private management of probation and parole. When Marie Gottschalk ( U of Pa. ) spoke last week at IC, she called for support for an amendment to the Constitution of the United States which would require kinder, fairer, more just treatment of our prisoners. Given our present Congress and our Supreme Court, that seems an unwinnable goal to me.

    A goal I would like to work for is to end the private management of probation and parole in Tompkins County. Do you know of others, individuals or groups, who are addressing the issue or who might be willing to help? Thanks, Peg Unsworth

  5. Just enter the name “Richie Holtz” into the search box. His name will appear to the left of the search box. Just click on that name and the show will come up.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *