Exvangelical

Exvangelical

Coming to terms with a messed up subculture. One conversation at a time. Support this podcast: https://postevangelicalpost.substack.com

Recent Episodes

Sept. 16, 2026

Katy Scoggin, director of Flood

We're back with an interview featuring Katy Scoggin, director of the documentary Flood. The documentary is available on the PBS YouTube channel until 10/13/26 at this link: https://youtu.be/Zm8AhHLTbuI?is=qoqQSvDA_KJ2zAgx Learn more at floodmovie.com or by visiting the linktree: https://linktr.ee/floodmovie Support my work directly at blakechastain.com. Buy Exvangelical & Beyond: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780593717073 Buy books from other authors who have appeared on the show: https://bo
April 17, 2026

Becoming Neighbors with Amar D. Peterman

In this episode, I speak with Amar D. Peterman, author of the new book Becoming Neighbors: The Common Good Made Local. Follow Amar online: https://amardpeterman.substack.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@amarpeterman https://www.instagram.com/amarpeterman/ Affiliate links, which support the show: Buy the book: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780802884121 Buy Exvangelical & Beyond by Blake Chastain: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780593717073 Amar's book rec: I Believe in the Resurrection of the Bod
April 10, 2026

The Good Books: BK O'Connor, author of Eve: A Novel

This week I'm talking to B.K. O'Connor, author of Eve: A Novel. Buy Eve: A Novel on bookshop.org to support the show: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9781592116690 Follow BK O'Connor on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bkivoconnor/ She and I appeared together on a panel in Brooklyn last month, which you can read about here: https://www.blakechastain.com/at-the-urbane-arts-club/ 00:00 Housekeeping Updates 01:00 Show Expansion Plans 02:19 Meet BK O'Connor 03:09 Growing Up Multi Faith 04:58 Lo
March 20, 2026

Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg Returns

I’ve got a wide-ranging interview with Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg to share with you today. It’s been a few years since I spoke with her, and the geopolitical landscape has changed considerably in that time. In the first half of the conversation, we talk about the ongoing war and genocide in Gaza, and broadly about how Jewish communities in the US have responded. We also talk touch on Iran, as well as how the revelations of the Epstein Files and how to ensure that antisemitism doesn’t creep into our
Feb. 27, 2026

What's Still Happening in Minneapolis-St. Paul Right Now with Jenny Booth Potter

Today I'm chatting with Jenny Booth Potter, a return guest and resident of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.Jenny had a video go viral back on 2/9/26, and I wanted to hear from her about how things are still going. That video is here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUjp59AjLlb/?hl=enThis interview was recorded & published on 2/27/26, and lightly edited in Descript. MN Mutual Aid: https://linktr.ee/mplsmutualaidBuy Jenny's book [bookshop.org affiliate link]: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9781514000007 0
Feb. 13, 2026

Money, Lies, and God with Katherine Stewart

This week I'm joined by Katherine Stewart, journalist and author of Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy. Her book was published in February 2025 and offers incredible insights into the various networks of influence and power that laid the groundwork for a second Trump victory. We discuss how those same networks are still at work in the US today and try to connect it to more recent developments, including the Epstein Files. Katherine had a brief window of avail

Recent Blog Posts

March 2, 2019

“Exvangelical” – a working definition.

Over the past two years, the term “exvangelical” has gained traction on social media, especially through Twitter & Facebook. One early criticism of “exvangelical” as a term was that it was overly negative. Since many of these conversations ha…
Dec. 4, 2018

Watch the CBS Religion documentary “Deconstructing My Religion” on YouTube and On-Demand

This Sunday, CBS Religion released their documentary Deconstructing My Religion featuring me, Chris Stroop, Linda Kay Klein, Emily Joy, and Julie Ingersoll, and other exvangelical voices.  The special is available on all CBS platforms and YouTube…
Oct. 24, 2018

On Josh Harris’ IKDG “Apology.”

Two days ago, Josh Harris–the infamous author of purity culture books I Kissed Dating Goodbye and Boy Meets Girl–issued a statement. That statement can be found here:  https://twitter.com/HarrisJosh/status/1054442345800716288 Long story short: he …

About the Host

Blake Chastain Profile Photo
Blake Chastain

Blake Chastain is host of the Exvangelical and Powers & Principalities podcasts and writer of the Post-Evangelical Post newsletter. He started the #exvangelical hashtag and helped popularize the term. He lives in the Chicago area with his family.

Reviews

Calm, Balanced, Compassionate, Real.

"The conversations are calm and candid, like an interesting conversation you’d have with new friends in the host’s living room on a Friday night. The guests are people with interesting but familiar-so…"

Science Fan | Dec. 14, 2020

Feels like a podcast that is breaking down my entire childhood.

"I grew up a home schooled, preacher’s kid, in the south. The grand daughter of generations of ministers and intrenched in evangelical culture my whole life. As I grew up and left the culture it felt …"

Heather Meredith | Dec. 17, 2020

So good.

"The Powers and Principalities season was rich with detail, well produced, and super helpful to a gal who is exvangelical and trying to wrap my head around this stuff. Understanding the systems at pla…"

OG_Cupcake | Jan. 8, 2021