Episodes

My guest this week is Cindy Wang Brandt, a writer and the founder of the Facebook group Raising Children Unfundamentalist. In this conversation, Cindy and I talk about her evangelical pedigree, which includes attending Wheaton and being a recipient of the Billy Graham award, her faith shift, her resignation from an evangelical institution due to her LGBTQ affirmation, which she's written about publicly for Sojourners, and what led her to starting Raising Children Unfundamentalist. In the final s...

This week's guest is Jamie Finch! Jamie is a writer and certified integrated health coach. In this wide-ranging conversation, Jamie talks about her experiences growing up in the church (including a formative memory of saying the "Sinner's Prayer" at age 7), expressing her sexuality amidst purity culture, her time in a cult, and her path toward wholeness outside Christianity. Follow Jamie online: @jamieleefinch on Twitter & Instagram jamieleefinch.com Follow Blake on Twitter @brchastain, and foll...

This week's guest is Alice Connor, author of the book \*Fierce: Women of the Bible and Their Stories of Violence, Mercy, Bravery, Wisdom, Sex, and Salvation\*. In this conversation, Alice & I start off talking (and needing out about) the Episcopal Church, as well as Alice's background, before launching headlong into a discussion of the women of Bible she profiled for her book. It's a great discussion that covers a ton of ground. Buy Alice's book! https://www.amazon.com/Fierce-Stories-Violence-Br...

My guest this week is Ashleigh Hill! Follow her on Twitter @ashleighfhill! Read her websites: afracturedlife.com & http://www.continuouslyfracturedlife.tumblr.com/tagged/yourveryowngenderstudiesdegree Follow the show on Facebook, Twitter, & Anchor @exvangelicalpod. Follow Blake on Twitter @brchastain. --- This episode is sponsored by · Charity Promotion: Democracy Works: This advertisement is part of a charitable initiative in partnership with Democracy Works. howto.vote --- Send in a voice ...

Another minisode for you as I work on producing another full-length interview! In this one I talk about having a heavy heart, but also wanting to share something hopeful. To that end, I want to intentionally explore that part of exvangelical stories: the good parts. Backing Tracks: "Under Pressure" by Effin Queen & David Effin Bowie, and "Grace Under Pressure" by Elbow Links: Take the Exvangelical Twitter Community Survey by @jekahben: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdTF7p82Ii-MFNnkeqT...

On this episode, I speak across the International Date Line with Nicola Stevens, my first guest that lives internationally. We talk about evangelicalism in Australia, creationism, and so much more. Follow Nicola on Twitter @mytwocompanions. --- This episode is sponsored by · Charity Promotion: Democracy Works: This advertisement is part of a charitable initiative in partnership with Democracy Works. howto.vote --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/exvangelical/message Support this p...

It's a Memorial Day minisode! Show notes: Read & share the Exvangelical review on Religion Dispatches: http://religiondispatches.org/exvangelical-podcast-is-safe-space-for-those-living-in-leaving-or-coming-to-terms-with-evangelicalism/ Read Niebuhr's Moral Man & Immoral Society: http://amzn.to/2rcBjDW Tell #dadjokes. Reminders: Leave the show a review on iTunes! Follow the show across the web on Fb, Twitter, IG, and Anchor @exvangelicalpod! Support the show via Patreon: patreon.com/exvangelicalp...

This is a wide-spanning conversation. An integral part of Dan's story is his experience within church, evangelicalism, and purity culture (I know those are all overlapping things) as a gay man and how damaging it was to his development. That summary doesn't do it justice, which is why we are all lucky that Dan can say all this in his own words--which he does very well. Profanity warning up top: this show has a bit of it, so, don't play it around kiddos. Follow Dan on Twitter @sweaterzzz. Follow ...

I try to talk about healthcare as best I can. I get a bit weepy at the end. Share your healthcare stories--good and bad--with hashtag #IWasSick. Special kudos to @laureneoneal, @dianabutlerbass, and @rmasvg for the Twitter inspiration. And special kudos to JC for taking no guff by siding with the suffering. --- This episode is sponsored by · Charity Promotion: Democracy Works: This advertisement is part of a charitable initiative in partnership with Democracy Works. howto.vote --- Send in a ...

This week's guest is Jason Stellman, author of the new book Misfit Faith: Confessions of a Drunk Ex-Pastor, and co-host of the Drunk Ex-Pastors podcast. In this conversation, Jason and I talk about his transition from being a Presbyterian pastor in the PCA denomination to converting to Catholicism. We also talk about his book as well as his podcast, how loving people is better than fighting over theological points, and why Catholic, Episcopal, and Orthodox faith expressions are so appealing to e...

Kyle Parton, Director of Epiphany Publishing, talks with me about teenage adventures in Wal-Mart evangelism, key markers of evangelicalism, war, other faith traditions, and alternate models of salvation (aka, "Finding a Substitute for Penal Substitution"). (This conversation was initially released as episode 8 of Exv.) Check out Epiphany Publishing: epiphanypublishing.us Follow Kyle on Twitter: twitter.com/kylecparton Follow Exvangelical on Twitter/Like Us on Facebook: @exvangelicalpod facebook....

This episode features a conversation with Rev. Kevin Wright from the Riverside Church in NYC. We talk about his journey, LGBTQ affirmation, and more. Follow Blake on Twitter @brchastain. Follow the show on Twitter @exvangelicalpod Like the show on Facebook at facebook.com/exvangelicalpod Follow Rev. Kevin Wright on Twitter @kevinkwright. Read Kevin's blog at kevinkwright.com Read Kevin's posts on the Huffington Post at www.huffingtonpost.com/author/kwright-488 Show Notes: Harry Emerson Fosdick: ...

Elizabeth Jeffries My guest this week is Elizabeth Jeffries, a writer and biologist (biologist and writer?). Elizabeth writes over at elizabethjeffrieswrites.com. Read her stuff, it's great. Also follow her on Twitter @EPJeff. Intro: "Night Owl" by Broke for Free Interlude 1: "The Courtroom" by Carman. (Yes, that Carman.) Interlude 2: "Here Comes Science" by They Might Be Giants Interlude 3: "Bad Believer" by St. Vincent Interlude 4: "Creed" by Rich Mullins Interlude 5: "Cells" by They Might Be ...

This week's episode is a re-release of a conversation with Emily Joy & Hannah Paasch from The Flawless Project (from episode 10). They discuss the impact their experiences with purity culture and sexism has had on their lives. The Flawless Project: theflawlessproject.org Emily Joy Poetry: emilyjoypoetry.com Ida Grey: idagrey.weebly.com Follow Emily Joy on Twitter @emilyjoypoetry Follow Hannah Paash on Twitter @hannahpaasch Follow The Flawless Project on Twitter @flawlessproj Intro: "Night Owl" b...

My guest this week is Peterson Toscano. He is a Bible scholar, actor, storyteller, and activist exploring the intersection of gay rights, human rights, and climate change. Check out all of Peterson's projects: petersontoscano.com Peterson's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/p2son Climate Stew: https://climatestew.com/ Peterson's work on gender & the Bible: https://petersontoscano.com/portfolio/transfigurations/ Citizen's Climate Radio, start from the beginning: http://citizensclimate...

This week's guest is Crystal Cheatham, co-host of the podcast Lord Have Mercy, and producer of the upcoming Our Bible App, an inclusive Bible app for the rest of us. We talk about a number of Crystal's experiences and projects, as well as why the Our Bible App is necessary in today's world. Sign up to be notified when the Our Bible App launches at http://ourbibleapp.com! Learn more about Crystal and all her projects on her website, crystalcheatham.com Follow Crystal on Twitter: twitter.com/cryst...

My guest this week is Verdell Wright. In this conversation Verdell and I talk about growing up in the 7th Day Adventist tradition, asking big questions at an early age, the difficulties of attending church when you're seminary educated, depression, sexuality, Christian atheism, and religious humanism. It's a wide ranging conversation, but I hope you listen through to the very end. In the final section, Verdell talks about his work in highlighting Black queer voices, and what we can all do to hig...

This week I talk to Samantha Field about homeschooling, Christian education, and growing up in a cult. We also focus in on why the nomination of Betsy DeVos is so concerning. Read Samantha's work: samanthapfield.com. Follow her on Twitter: twitter.com/samanthapfield. Follow the show on FB/Twitter/IG: @exvangelicalpod. Follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/brchastain. Intro/Outro: "Night Owl" by Broke for Free, available on Free Music Archive: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke\_For\_Free/Direct...

This week I talk to "Martin Luther," a pseudonym for someone who wished to remain anonymous in order to tell his story. We cover a lot of ground: Christian school networks, Betsy DeVos style student leadership training, biblical literalism, the apocalyptic worldview, and how to appeal to patriotism to find commonality w/ evangelicals and other groups. Intro/Outro: "Night Owl" by Broke for Free, available on the Free Music Archive http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke\_For\_Free/Directionless\_...

This week I'm joined by Becky, Callie, and Amanda--aka The Twisted Sisterds! The Twisted Sisterds spun out of the Inglorious Pasterds podcast, having met in The Pub, which is the Inglorious Pasterds private Facebook group. We talk about their stories, deconstruction, responses to social upheaval--as well as Doctor Who, Stargate, and Lord of the Rings. Subscribe to the Pasterds/Sisterds: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/inglorious-pasterds/id1090051747?mt=2&at=1001lba7 Follow the Sisterds ...

....and now for something completely different. I want to hear from you. How are you doing? How are you coping with an increasingly polarized social media landscape? What sort of self-care or spiritual practices are you using? I also want to hear how you are working through relationships--of any kind--where political, social, and theological disagreements have created a rift in the time leading up to and since the election. What are some examples in your life of ways you've struggled to reconcil...

This week's guest is Rev. Morgan Guyton, author of the book How Jesus Saves the World from Us: 12 Antidotes to Toxic Christianity. We discuss his life, his book, and the toxicity of white American evangelicalism. The pledge rewards for the Exvangelical Patreon have been revamped! Check out patreon.com/exvangelicalpod for more details. Follow Morgan Guyton on Facebook and Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/revmorganguyton twitter.com/maguyton Follow the show on Twitter, FB, IG: twitter.com/exvange...

This week I'm joined by Stephanie Drury from StuffChristianCultureLikes. It's a great conversation that covers a ton of ground: being a PK, leaving evangelicalism, church and family trauma, poking fun of authority, and more. Follow Stephanie across the internet: https://twitter.com/StuffCCLikes https://www.facebook.com/stuffchristianculturelikes/?fref=ts stuffchristianculturelikes.com Follow me and the show: twitter.com/brchastain twitter.com/exvangelicalpod facebook.com/exvangelicalpod instagra...

My guests are Lauren O'Neal & Niko Bakulich from the podcast Sunday School Dropouts, which is decidedly not your average Bible Study podcast. Subscribe to Sunday School Dropouts: http://sundayschooldropouts.lol/subscribe-2/ Follow Lauren on Twitter: twitter.com/laureneoneal Follow Blake on Twitter: twitter.com/brchastain Follow the show on Twitter: twitter.com/exvangelicalpod Support the show on Patreon: patreon.comexvangelicalpod Intro/Interlude/Outro: "Thou Shalt Wilt" by Loose Fur https://itu...