Podcasts about black christians

"Stop Blaming White Cops?" Dr. Jemar Tisby & Pastor G. Tyler Respond to Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell In this powerful and thought-provoking episode of Pass The Mic, hosts Dr. Jemar Tisby and G. Tyler Burns respond to controversial remarks made by Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell in a recent sermon, where he stated: “Stop blaming white cops for the killing of Black children.” Jemar and G. Tyler unpack the implications of this statement, examining it through the lens of Black Christian ethics, systemic injustice, and the church's prophetic responsibility in addressing police violence and anti-Black racism. It's important to note that Pastor Mitchell has apologized for this statement, and they address his apology as well. They also reflect on how statements like these impact grieving communities, perpetuate harmful narratives, and reveal deeper tensions within American Christianity when it comes to race, justice, and pastoral leadership. Follow Us: Website: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Host Instagram: @jemartisby @gtylerburns EP Instagram: @incognitbeau Support the show: Want to help us keep creating content like this? Support us on Patreon at patreon.com/PassTheMic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Absolution or Accountability? Navigating Racial Justice in Christian Spaces... yeah, it's a very Pass The Mic type of episode this week. In this thought-provoking episode of Pass The Mic, Dr. Jemar Tisby and Pastor G. Tyler Burns dive deep into the complicated dynamics of Black Christians being expected to offer absolution to white Christians in the face of racism. They explore how some Black Christian leaders have been pressured — or at times have chosen — to position themselves as brokers of racial reconciliation, often using the role to build platforms rather than pursuing genuine, hard truths about justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Dave and Ann Wilson engage in a deep and insightful conversation with Lisa Fields, the founder and CEO of the Jude 3 Project. They explore themes of faith, doubt, disappointment, and the emotional struggles Christians often face when their experiences seem to conflict with their beliefs. The conversation opens with a question about a book titled "When Faith Disappoints," which deeply resonates with the hosts, particularly Dave, due to his own past struggles with faith crises.Lisa shares that the book is, in part, a memoir of her own faith journey, including her struggles as a seminary student who faced a crisis of faith. Dave and Lisa discuss an emotionally impactful moment in Dave's life when he questioned the reality of his faith after encountering the harsh realities of the world, like terrorism and violence against innocent children. Lisa recounts a memorable conversation with her professor, where, instead of offering deep theological explanations, her professor simply said, “me too,” which helped validate her doubts and let her know that her struggles were normal.The discussion then shifts to Lisa's ministry, the Jude 3 Project, which she started as a passion project to equip Black Christians with apologetics and engage skeptics. She reflects on the lack of representation of African Americans in the apologetics space and her motivation to fill that gap. The project began humbly, but grew to serve a significant need within her community. Dave and Lisa also discuss the challenges of working in ministry while dealing with the pressures of maintaining a personal connection with God. Both share their own experiences of burnout, disillusionment, and the crucial importance of community and therapy in overcoming these crises of faith.The hosts talk about the emotional toll that disappointment can take on a believer, emphasizing that doubt is a normal part of the Christian journey and should not be repressed. Lisa emphasizes that it's important for Christians, especially parents, to create spaces where young people can vocalize their doubts and disappointments. She believes that listening to their struggles without judgment and offering shared vulnerability helps foster a safe environment for growth.Finally, the episode touches on the rising trend of Gen Z exploring spirituality outside of traditional Christianity, seeking supernatural experiences and peace. Lisa and Dave discuss how understanding this generational shift can offer opportunities to engage young people in conversations about faith in a way that respects their experiences and questions.The conversation is heartfelt and practical, offering listeners valuable insights on navigating doubt, disappointment, and spiritual growth. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29

In this episode, Dave and Ann Wilson engage in a deep and insightful conversation with Lisa Fields, the founder and CEO of the Jude 3 Project. They explore themes of faith, doubt, disappointment, and the emotional struggles Christians often face when their experiences seem to conflict with their beliefs. The conversation opens with a question about a book titled "When Faith Disappoints," which deeply resonates with the hosts, particularly Dave, due to his own past struggles with faith crises.Lisa shares that the book is, in part, a memoir of her own faith journey, including her struggles as a seminary student who faced a crisis of faith. Dave and Lisa discuss an emotionally impactful moment in Dave's life when he questioned the reality of his faith after encountering the harsh realities of the world, like terrorism and violence against innocent children. Lisa recounts a memorable conversation with her professor, where, instead of offering deep theological explanations, her professor simply said, “me too,” which helped validate her doubts and let her know that her struggles were normal.The discussion then shifts to Lisa's ministry, the Jude 3 Project, which she started as a passion project to equip Black Christians with apologetics and engage skeptics. She reflects on the lack of representation of African Americans in the apologetics space and her motivation to fill that gap. The project began humbly, but grew to serve a significant need within her community. Dave and Lisa also discuss the challenges of working in ministry while dealing with the pressures of maintaining a personal connection with God. Both share their own experiences of burnout, disillusionment, and the crucial importance of community and therapy in overcoming these crises of faith.The hosts talk about the emotional toll that disappointment can take on a believer, emphasizing that doubt is a normal part of the Christian journey and should not be repressed. Lisa emphasizes that it's important for Christians, especially parents, to create spaces where young people can vocalize their doubts and disappointments. She believes that listening to their struggles without judgment and offering shared vulnerability helps foster a safe environment for growth.Finally, the episode touches on the rising trend of Gen Z exploring spirituality outside of traditional Christianity, seeking supernatural experiences and peace. Lisa and Dave discuss how understanding this generational shift can offer opportunities to engage young people in conversations about faith in a way that respects their experiences and questions.The conversation is heartfelt and practical, offering listeners valuable insights on navigating doubt, disappointment, and spiritual growth. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/84/29

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Black people, and especially Black women, suffer and die from diseases at much higher rates than their white counterparts. The vast majority of these health disparities are not attributed to behavioral differences or biology, but to the pervasive devaluation of Black bodies. Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women's Health (NYU Press, 2025), by Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, addresses this crisis from a bioethical standpoint. It offers a critique of mainstream bioethics as having embraced the perspective of its mainly white, male progenitors, limiting the extent to which it is positioned to engage the issues that particularly affect vulnerable populations. This book makes the provocative but essential case that because African American women—across almost every health indicator—fare worse than others, we must not only include, but center, Black women's experiences and voices in bioethics discourse and practice. Womanist Bioethics develops the first specifically womanist form of bioethics, focused on the diverse vulnerabilities and multiple oppressions that women of color face. This innovative womanist bioethics is grounded in the Black Christian prophetic tradition, based on the ideas that God does not condone oppression and that it is imperative to defend those who are vulnerable. It also draws on womanist theology and Black liberation theology, which take similar stances. At its core, the volume offers a new, broad-based approach to bioethics that is meant as a corrective to mainstream bioethics' privileging of white, particularly male, experiences, and it outlines ways in which hospitals, churches, and the larger community can better respond to the healthcare needs of Black women. Our guest is: Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, who is associate professor of theological ethics at Duke Divinity School. Her work lies at the intersection of religion, gender, and bioethics. Her academic interests also include rural bioethics and Black church studies. Prior to joining Duke Divinity School in 2020, she was a teaching faculty member at the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics and a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School. She is the theologian-in-residence for the Children's Defense Fund and is a member of the American Academy of Religion's Bioethics and Religion Program Unit Steering Committee. Among her publications is her book, Economic Ethics and the Black Church. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is the creator and producer of the Academic Life podcast. Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by downloading and sharing episodes. Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 250+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

Black people, and especially Black women, suffer and die from diseases at much higher rates than their white counterparts. The vast majority of these health disparities are not attributed to behavioral differences or biology, but to the pervasive devaluation of Black bodies. Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women's Health (NYU Press, 2025), by Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, addresses this crisis from a bioethical standpoint. It offers a critique of mainstream bioethics as having embraced the perspective of its mainly white, male progenitors, limiting the extent to which it is positioned to engage the issues that particularly affect vulnerable populations. This book makes the provocative but essential case that because African American women—across almost every health indicator—fare worse than others, we must not only include, but center, Black women's experiences and voices in bioethics discourse and practice. Womanist Bioethics develops the first specifically womanist form of bioethics, focused on the diverse vulnerabilities and multiple oppressions that women of color face. This innovative womanist bioethics is grounded in the Black Christian prophetic tradition, based on the ideas that God does not condone oppression and that it is imperative to defend those who are vulnerable. It also draws on womanist theology and Black liberation theology, which take similar stances. At its core, the volume offers a new, broad-based approach to bioethics that is meant as a corrective to mainstream bioethics' privileging of white, particularly male, experiences, and it outlines ways in which hospitals, churches, and the larger community can better respond to the healthcare needs of Black women. Our guest is: Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, who is associate professor of theological ethics at Duke Divinity School. Her work lies at the intersection of religion, gender, and bioethics. Her academic interests also include rural bioethics and Black church studies. Prior to joining Duke Divinity School in 2020, she was a teaching faculty member at the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics and a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School. She is the theologian-in-residence for the Children's Defense Fund and is a member of the American Academy of Religion's Bioethics and Religion Program Unit Steering Committee. Among her publications is her book, Economic Ethics and the Black Church. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is the creator and producer of the Academic Life podcast. Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by downloading and sharing episodes. Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 250+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Black people, and especially Black women, suffer and die from diseases at much higher rates than their white counterparts. The vast majority of these health disparities are not attributed to behavioral differences or biology, but to the pervasive devaluation of Black bodies. Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women's Health (NYU Press, 2025), by Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, addresses this crisis from a bioethical standpoint. It offers a critique of mainstream bioethics as having embraced the perspective of its mainly white, male progenitors, limiting the extent to which it is positioned to engage the issues that particularly affect vulnerable populations. This book makes the provocative but essential case that because African American women—across almost every health indicator—fare worse than others, we must not only include, but center, Black women's experiences and voices in bioethics discourse and practice. Womanist Bioethics develops the first specifically womanist form of bioethics, focused on the diverse vulnerabilities and multiple oppressions that women of color face. This innovative womanist bioethics is grounded in the Black Christian prophetic tradition, based on the ideas that God does not condone oppression and that it is imperative to defend those who are vulnerable. It also draws on womanist theology and Black liberation theology, which take similar stances. At its core, the volume offers a new, broad-based approach to bioethics that is meant as a corrective to mainstream bioethics' privileging of white, particularly male, experiences, and it outlines ways in which hospitals, churches, and the larger community can better respond to the healthcare needs of Black women. Our guest is: Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, who is associate professor of theological ethics at Duke Divinity School. Her work lies at the intersection of religion, gender, and bioethics. Her academic interests also include rural bioethics and Black church studies. Prior to joining Duke Divinity School in 2020, she was a teaching faculty member at the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics and a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School. She is the theologian-in-residence for the Children's Defense Fund and is a member of the American Academy of Religion's Bioethics and Religion Program Unit Steering Committee. Among her publications is her book, Economic Ethics and the Black Church. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is the creator and producer of the Academic Life podcast. Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by downloading and sharing episodes. Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 250+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

Black people, and especially Black women, suffer and die from diseases at much higher rates than their white counterparts. The vast majority of these health disparities are not attributed to behavioral differences or biology, but to the pervasive devaluation of Black bodies. Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women's Health (NYU Press, 2025), by Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, addresses this crisis from a bioethical standpoint. It offers a critique of mainstream bioethics as having embraced the perspective of its mainly white, male progenitors, limiting the extent to which it is positioned to engage the issues that particularly affect vulnerable populations. This book makes the provocative but essential case that because African American women—across almost every health indicator—fare worse than others, we must not only include, but center, Black women's experiences and voices in bioethics discourse and practice. Womanist Bioethics develops the first specifically womanist form of bioethics, focused on the diverse vulnerabilities and multiple oppressions that women of color face. This innovative womanist bioethics is grounded in the Black Christian prophetic tradition, based on the ideas that God does not condone oppression and that it is imperative to defend those who are vulnerable. It also draws on womanist theology and Black liberation theology, which take similar stances. At its core, the volume offers a new, broad-based approach to bioethics that is meant as a corrective to mainstream bioethics' privileging of white, particularly male, experiences, and it outlines ways in which hospitals, churches, and the larger community can better respond to the healthcare needs of Black women. Our guest is: Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, who is associate professor of theological ethics at Duke Divinity School. Her work lies at the intersection of religion, gender, and bioethics. Her academic interests also include rural bioethics and Black church studies. Prior to joining Duke Divinity School in 2020, she was a teaching faculty member at the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics and a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School. She is the theologian-in-residence for the Children's Defense Fund and is a member of the American Academy of Religion's Bioethics and Religion Program Unit Steering Committee. Among her publications is her book, Economic Ethics and the Black Church. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is the creator and producer of the Academic Life podcast. Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by downloading and sharing episodes. Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 250+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/medicine

Black people, and especially Black women, suffer and die from diseases at much higher rates than their white counterparts. The vast majority of these health disparities are not attributed to behavioral differences or biology, but to the pervasive devaluation of Black bodies. Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women's Health (NYU Press, 2025), by Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, addresses this crisis from a bioethical standpoint. It offers a critique of mainstream bioethics as having embraced the perspective of its mainly white, male progenitors, limiting the extent to which it is positioned to engage the issues that particularly affect vulnerable populations. This book makes the provocative but essential case that because African American women—across almost every health indicator—fare worse than others, we must not only include, but center, Black women's experiences and voices in bioethics discourse and practice. Womanist Bioethics develops the first specifically womanist form of bioethics, focused on the diverse vulnerabilities and multiple oppressions that women of color face. This innovative womanist bioethics is grounded in the Black Christian prophetic tradition, based on the ideas that God does not condone oppression and that it is imperative to defend those who are vulnerable. It also draws on womanist theology and Black liberation theology, which take similar stances. At its core, the volume offers a new, broad-based approach to bioethics that is meant as a corrective to mainstream bioethics' privileging of white, particularly male, experiences, and it outlines ways in which hospitals, churches, and the larger community can better respond to the healthcare needs of Black women. Our guest is: Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, who is associate professor of theological ethics at Duke Divinity School. Her work lies at the intersection of religion, gender, and bioethics. Her academic interests also include rural bioethics and Black church studies. Prior to joining Duke Divinity School in 2020, she was a teaching faculty member at the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics and a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School. She is the theologian-in-residence for the Children's Defense Fund and is a member of the American Academy of Religion's Bioethics and Religion Program Unit Steering Committee. Among her publications is her book, Economic Ethics and the Black Church. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is the creator and producer of the Academic Life podcast. Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by downloading and sharing episodes. Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 250+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/academic-life

Black people, and especially Black women, suffer and die from diseases at much higher rates than their white counterparts. The vast majority of these health disparities are not attributed to behavioral differences or biology, but to the pervasive devaluation of Black bodies. Womanist Bioethics: Social Justice, Spirituality, and Black Women's Health (NYU Press, 2025), by Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, addresses this crisis from a bioethical standpoint. It offers a critique of mainstream bioethics as having embraced the perspective of its mainly white, male progenitors, limiting the extent to which it is positioned to engage the issues that particularly affect vulnerable populations. This book makes the provocative but essential case that because African American women—across almost every health indicator—fare worse than others, we must not only include, but center, Black women's experiences and voices in bioethics discourse and practice. Womanist Bioethics develops the first specifically womanist form of bioethics, focused on the diverse vulnerabilities and multiple oppressions that women of color face. This innovative womanist bioethics is grounded in the Black Christian prophetic tradition, based on the ideas that God does not condone oppression and that it is imperative to defend those who are vulnerable. It also draws on womanist theology and Black liberation theology, which take similar stances. At its core, the volume offers a new, broad-based approach to bioethics that is meant as a corrective to mainstream bioethics' privileging of white, particularly male, experiences, and it outlines ways in which hospitals, churches, and the larger community can better respond to the healthcare needs of Black women. Our guest is: Dr. Wylin D. Wilson, who is associate professor of theological ethics at Duke Divinity School. Her work lies at the intersection of religion, gender, and bioethics. Her academic interests also include rural bioethics and Black church studies. Prior to joining Duke Divinity School in 2020, she was a teaching faculty member at the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics and a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School. She is the theologian-in-residence for the Children's Defense Fund and is a member of the American Academy of Religion's Bioethics and Religion Program Unit Steering Committee. Among her publications is her book, Economic Ethics and the Black Church. Our host is: Dr. Christina Gessler, who is the creator and producer of the Academic Life podcast. Welcome to Academic Life, the podcast for your academic journey—and beyond! You can support the show by downloading and sharing episodes. Join us again to learn from more experts inside and outside the academy, and around the world. Missed any of the 250+ Academic Life episodes? Find them here. And thank you for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zelenskyy's Sarah McLachlan Moment, You Can be a Black Christian Republican & That's Why They Call It, "Madness" (hour 4) full Ryan Wrecker fills in for Marc Cox with Kim to cover several political and social issues, beginning with fraud and waste in government programs. The hosts discuss the indictment of Cortney Merritts, husband of Cori Bush, for alleged PPP loan fraud. They question whether his wife knew about the fraudulent activities and speculate on the broader issue of government mismanagement. They argue that fraud during the pandemic should be prosecuted aggressively to deter future abuse. The conversation shifts to U.S. involvement in Ukraine, with discussions about a deal concerning rare earth minerals. The hosts acknowledge Ukraine's value to the global economy but question the long-term financial commitment of the U.S. They highlight Zelensky's recent plea for European financial support, jokingly comparing it to fundraising commercials asking for donations to help struggling animals. There is also a heated discussion about Elon Musk's influence in government oversight. Some Democrats have expressed frustration over Musk's role in exposing financial waste, which the hosts argue is a sign that political leaders fear transparency. They note that attacks on Musk often seem more personal than policy-driven, reflecting the polarized nature of modern politics. Finally, the episode covers cultural tensions, including rural vs. urban divides in American politics. Democratic strategist James Carville's remarks about rural voters being "fat, lazy, and stupid" spark controversy. The hosts argue that such elitist attitudes are why Democrats struggle to win over working-class Americans. The episode ends on a lighter note with a lottery drawing and discussions about sports, including the Blues' victory and March Madness upsets. 1955 Fri, 21 Mar 2025 14:44:56 +0000 W65mDDiwxWyXQoP204C3LOQIAj0l9AZV college basketball,march madness,united states,donald trump,news,trump,ncaa tournament,ukraine,cori bush,ryan wrecker,kim st onge,marccoxmorningshow,politics,news commentary The Marc Cox Morning Show college basketball,march madness,united states,donald trump,news,trump,ncaa tournament,ukraine,cori bush,ryan wrecker,kim st onge,marccoxmorningshow,politics,news commentary Zelenskyy's Sarah McLachlan Moment, You Can be a Black Christian Republican & That's Why They Call It, "Madness" (hour 4) The Marc Cox Morning Show is your home for no-nonsense conversation. Marc Cox is a political junkie and recovering journalist who has spent decades reporting on the biggest news of the day. Now he gets to talk about it. 2024 © 2021 Audacy, Inc. News Politics News Commentary False

In this Therapy N' Theology episode of the podcast, the preacher and the preacher's wife discuss the implications of respectability politics on Black people in general and Black Christians in particular. Subscribe to Patreon Here: https://www.patreon.com/tfcvirtual Get merch here: https://thefaithcommunity.org/merch-store Order Breaking All The Rules here: https://www.holysmokesmovement.com/batr-book-order Video Chapters 00:00 - Intro and Highlights 04:41 - The Therapy N Theology Origin Story 09:10 - The One Rule 10:58 - How is your mood? 17:53 - Doechii, Tyler the Creator, Kamasi Washington 21:32 - Jazz was bump & grind music 22:41 - Is Tripp Fontaine tripping? - Reaching for the Stars 36:36 - Leave Gender Wars in 2024 38:10 - Bonnets and Respectability Politics ft. Christina Brown 47:06 - The Origins of Respectability Politics 54:40 - Ethics vs Etiquette 1:07:02 - The connection between Sin & Respectability 1:18:13 - Count the Cost of your Rebellion   The Faith Community is a groundbreaking, inclusive faith community where the traditional meets the transformational. It exists to challenge harmful religious norms while creating a safe, affirming space for spiritual seekers of all kinds. Through virtual connection, theological interrogation, and an emphasis on love and self-acceptance, TFC helps its audience find abundant life and community without compromising their identity.

Chris Brooks drops by for a quick visit and then guest host Collin Lambert sits down with author and fellow foodie Trillia Newbell to share her favorite family recipes and highlight inspiring Black Christians you should know. Don’t miss this uplifting conversation as we explore the power of food, faith, and storytelling around the table. Tune in and be part of the celebration! Today's resource:  Celebrating Around the Table: Learning the Stories of Black Christians through Readings, Fellowship, Food, and Faith Equipped with Chris Brooks is made possible through your support.  To donate now, click here. This month's featured resource:  His Needs Her Needs: Making Romantic Love Last

Thursday on Mornings with Eric and Brigitte, radio host and author, Trillia Newbell joins us to share stories, food, and faith of Black Americans that have inspired a culture, including delicious Southern recipes from Trillia's own family traditions. This unique "cookbook" also features devotionals based on the accomplishments and adversities of historical Black Christians, engaging discussion questions for adults and children, insightful prayer prompts, and three ways families can grow together in faith and courage. Celebrating Around the TableDonate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshow/wrmbSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One more time for the people in the back... We are taking you back 8 years ago because what is there to say that hasn't already been said. Jemar Tisby reflects on the election of 2016 and the impact that it has had on evangelicalism, racial reconciliation, and what it means to be Black Christian in America. Episode 143 Original Airdate: Nov 10 2016 Support this podcast on patreon at www.patreon.com/PassTheMic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mainline churches claim to represent Christ's love and justice, yet too many continue to perpetuate exclusion, prejudice, and discrimination under the guise of tradition. How long will we remain silent while these institutions fail to live up to the very values they profess? If you've ever felt marginalised or belittled within the church, it's time we demand accountability and challenge the status quo. We need to come together to form an advocacy group that exposes these injustices and pushes for real, meaningful change. It's time for action! #ChurchReform #MainlineChurches #FaithAndJustice #ReligiousPrejudice #InclusiveChristianity #AdvocacyForChange #ChurchAccountability #BreakingTradition #LoveAndJustice #EqualityInFaith #ChristianUnity #ChallengingBias #FaithInAction #SpiritualJustice #CommunityChange #brendonnaicker #christiancommunity #biblicalprinciples

”And then finally, word comes over the telegraph that the Emancipation Proclamation is in effect. Jubilation!“ (Jemar Tisby, from the episode) The African-American Christian tradition often celebrates an all-night Watch Night service on New Year's Eve. But where does this beautiful liturgical practice come from? It dates all the way back to December 31, 1862, on the eve of the Emancipation Proclamation going into effect the following day. In this episode of Conversing, Mark Labberton welcomes historian Jemar Tisby to reflect on the history of the New Year's Eve Watch Night service. Jemar Tisby is the New York Times bestselling author of The Color of Compromise and How to Fight Racism. He is a public historian, speaker, and advocate, and is professor of history at Simmons College, a historically black college in Kentucky. Recent Books by Jemar Tisby The Spirit of Justice *Available now I Am the Spirit of Justice *Picture book releasing January 7, 2025 *Stories of the Spirit of Justice Middle-grade children's book releasing January 7, 2025 About Jemar Tisby Jemar Tisby (PhD, University of Mississippi) is the author of the new book The Spirit of Justice, the New York Times bestselling The Color of Compromise, and the award-winning How to Fight Racism. He is a historian who studies race, religion, and social movements in the twentieth century and serves as a professor at Simmons College of Kentucky, a historically black college. Jemar is the founding co-host of the Pass the Mic podcast, and his writing has been featured in the Washington Post, The Atlantic, Time, and the New York Times, among others. He is also a frequent commentator on outlets such as NPR and CNN, speaking nationwide on the topics of racial justice, US history, and Christianity. You can follow his work through his Substack newsletter, Footnotes, and on social media at @JemarTisby. Show Notes The Color of Compromise (available here)—the larger narrative of (Christian) America's racist history Watch Night Services—spending all night at church on New Year's Eve Black Christian tradition dating back to Emancipation Proclamation on December 31, 1862 ”The time between when Lincoln announced the proclamation, and when it went into effect on January 1st, 1863, was a time of tense anticipation and uncertainty.” “ What people were concerned about was, would the Confederates come back and make a deal with Lincoln?” “What I like to encourage people to do is put yourself back in that moment as best you can. You have been part of a group of people that have been enslaved since your feet first hit the shores of North America, that generations of your family members, friends, church members have been enslaved, have been enslaved, prayed for freedom, have tried to escape to freedom, have been punished for trying to escape or organize for freedom. And finally, in this massive conflagration called the Civil War, you get the president of the United States saying that you will be free at this certain time. And all of those hopes, all of those prayers, all of those dreams, all of those longings are concentrated in the moments before midnight.” ”And then finally, word comes over the telegraph that the Emancipation Proclamation is in effect. Jubilation!“ “It was in the context of a Christian religion. And so they were understanding this in the context of the Exodus and the Hebrews being freed from Pharaoh through God's intervention. And they're being freed from the pharaohs of the plantation to the promised land of freedom. And they sang spiritual songs and hymns. And ever since then, there's been a tradition of Black Christians gathering on New Year's Eve to have Watch Night service, to celebrate freedom, to anticipate the coming year and to ask for God's blessing.” “ May the joy of remembering the power of the Emancipation Proclamation help motivate us as we think about our work and our life in this coming year.” Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment magazine and Fuller Seminary.

In this TALKS Episode, Tim engages with Rev Darrell Hamilton to explore the significance of Christmas through the lens of the Black Christian tradition. They discuss the rich history of churches in New England, the implications of the virgin birth, and the contrasting understandings of Jesus and the Christ. The conversation emphasizes the gospel's message for marginalized communities and the importance of reclaiming the spiritual meaning of Christmas amidst consumerism. In this conversation, Tim and his guest explore the themes of justice, responsibility, and the role of faith in addressing societal issues. Darrell's Instagram | @blackandeducatedpreacher 02:52 Exploring Christmas Through the Black Christian Tradition 10:50 The Significance of the Virgin Birth 19:19 The Gospel's Message for the Marginalized 24:12 Reclaiming the Spiritual Meaning of Christmas 26:32 The Call for Justice and Responsibility 32:43 Navigating the Tension of Violence and Nonviolence 42:12 Making Room for Jesus in Our Lives 50:50 Listening and Learning in Solidarity _______________________________ If you'd like to support our work, you can DONATE here! Follow Us On Instagram @thenewevangelicals  Subscribe On YouTube @thenewevangelicals The New Evangelicals exists to support those who are tired of how evangelical church has been done before and want to see an authentic faith lived out with Jesus at the center. We are committed to building a caring community that emulates the ways of Jesus by reclaiming the evangelical tradition and embracing values that build a better way forward. If you've been marginalized by your faith, you are welcome here. We've built an empathetic and inclusive space that encourages authentic conversations, connections and faith. Whether you consider yourself a Christian, an exvangelical, someone who's questioning your faith, or someone who's left the faith entirely, you are welcome here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, we continue our conversation with Mariah from episode 46. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special end of the semester episode, I get to talk to two amazing black Christian women about their experiences in law school. And not just in law school, but also the entire process surrounding getting in and getting out. The book at the heart of this discussion is from Jeanelle Angus entitled Unveiling Strength and Faith: The Diary of a Black Christian Female Law Student. As part of this conversation, we talk about the path of “most” resistance in getting to law school, what it was like realizing their minority status once there, the pressure of having to represent for their communities, various ways they overcame struggles, and much more. My first guest is Jeanelle C. Angus, a law student at the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law, graduating in May 2025. My second guest is attorney Lakuita Bittle, who attended the UDC David A. Clarke School of Law in Washington, D.C. Cross & Gavel is a production of CHRISTIAN LEGAL SOCIETY. The episode was produced by Josh Deng, with music from Vexento.

Host Joel Rosenberg welcomes esteemed author Eric Metaxas for a compelling discussion about a groundbreaking film on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian who courageously opposed Nazi tyranny. This high-quality production, created with input from Hollywood elites, including Clint Eastwood's team, aims to appeal to a wide audience by subtly integrating themes of faith without excluding those of different political or theological views. The conversation delves into Bonhoeffer's transformative experience in African American churches in Harlem, a turning point that shifted his faith from intellectual belief to active practice. This journey is vividly portrayed as Bonhoeffer returns to Nazi Germany to stand against injustice, drawing striking parallels to modern societal issues. Listeners will gain insight into the 12-year endeavor to bring this film to the screen, the cultural resistance faced, and the significance of its timely release amid rising global antisemitism. Emphasizing the importance of box office support, this episode underscores Bonhoeffer's enduring message: the necessity of standing against tyranny and injustice in every era. (00:10) Incredibly good book; excited for the film. (05:28) I want to make competitive, non-faith-based films. (09:39) Unknown actors enhanced authenticity in a spy thriller. (10:49) Bonhoeffer discovers personal faith in a black church. (13:42) Black Christians' faith inspires resilience against injustice. (22:28) Podcast discusses Israel's challenges and rising antisemitism. (25:50) Bonhoeffer opposed Nazis, defended Jews, and faced backlash. (27:24) Movie highlights standing with marginalized groups. (31:32) Living in wartime Jerusalem, loving your work.   Learn more about The Joshua Fund. Make a tax-deductible donation. The Joshua Fund Stock provided by DimmySad/Pond5 Verse of the Day: Psalm 9:1 - I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. Psalm 16:7 - I will bless the LORD who counsels me — even at night when my thoughts trouble me PrayerPray that God's word is what people dwell on at this time and that we will give thanks despite the thoughts that trouble our hearts.Pray for the people and believers in the epicenter that the Lord's light will go forward in strength.  Related Episodes:Mitch Glaser's Journey from Orthodox Jew to Jesus Movement Leader #215Why This German is Dedicated To Serving The Jewish People #119Joel Rosenberg: Why Do These Three Movies Matter? #117Best-Selling Novels, US Threats & Bible Prophecy #109 Links for Reference https://www.joshuafund.com/learn/latest-news/join-us-on-our-alaska-cruise Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Tyler Burns is a pastor, podcaster, writer, speaker, and activist. Locally, he serves as the Lead Pastor of Rise City Church in Pensacola, Florida. Nationally, he is the President of The Witness: A Black Christian Collective, an organization committed to educating, encouraging, and empowering Black Christians to be free. He also co-hosts the acclaimed racial justice podcast Pass the Mic with Dr. Jemar Tisby, which has garnered over 8 million downloads in the last 10 years. Join us for "The Speak Up Lab: Vol 1," an immersive speaking masterclass designed to equip teenagers ages 12-18 with the skills and confidence to become compelling communicators. Taking place on December 7, 2024, from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM, this 3-hour experience will help teens discover the power of their voice and learn how to use it effectively. EVENT: https://events.eventnoire.com/e/the-speakup-lab-volume-1 In a world where verbal connection is becoming a lost art, we believe that being able to speak well is a superpower. We believe that the next generation can find their voices and change the narrative. Simply put, we want to discover and develop the next generation of compelling communicators. Through practical exercises and personalized coaching, the Speak Up Lab will empower participants with tools to enhance their communication and make their voices heard. At "The Speak Up Lab", we're not just teaching speaking skills—we're cultivating the next generation of leaders, influencers, and changemakers. Your voice matters, and this is your moment to speak up! About the Host Tyler Burns is a pastor, podcaster, writer, speaker, and activist. Locally, he serves as the Lead Pastor of Rise City Church in Pensacola, Florida. Nationally, he is the President of The Witness: A Black Christian Collective, an organization committed to educating, encouraging, and empowering Black Christians to be free. He also co-hosts the acclaimed racial justice podcast Pass the Mic with Dr. Jemar Tisby, which has garnered over 8 million downloads in the last 10 years. With over 20 years of speaking experience across conferences, churches, college campuses, correctional facilities, and international platforms, Tyler has invested thousands of hours into preparation and delivery, honing his ability to inspire and challenge diverse audiences. He has spoken at rallies, marches, and conferences for justice in the U.S. and globally, including in Mexico and South Africa. Tyler's written work and insights have been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Atlantic, Christianity Today, and more. He is passionate about creating conversations around how the church can be more equitable, ensuring that every person experiences God's shalom and the flourishing of their communities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lisa Fields is a renowned Christian apologist, recognized for her significant contributions to the African American community. She is the CEO of Jude 3 Project, which is dedicated to helping Black Christians understand their faith. Lisa is an accomplished documentary producer, known for "Unspoken" and "Juneteenth, Faith and Freedom". She is also the author of "When Faith Disappoints: The Gap between What We Believe and What We Experience".Episode Summary: Rebecca welcomes back Christian apologist Lisa Fields to discuss her new book, "When Faith Disappoints: The Gap Between What We Believe and What We Experience." Lisa shares her journey in founding the Jude 3 Project and addresses the challenges of faith within the African American community. They explore the common struggles around faith, suffering, and identity, and emphasize the importance of wrestling with God through pain and doubt.Key Takeaways:Lisa discusses the core mission of the Jude 3 Project as it relates to empowering Black Christians to understand and articulate their faith.The episode tackles the provocative question of whether Christianity is a "white man's religion" and explores its implications in the African American context.Lisa's new book, "When Faith Disappoints", addresses the intersection of pain and faith, offering solace and guidance through personal and theological insights.The conversation highlights the significance of grappling with personal disappointments in God and the pivotal role of vulnerability and authenticity in spiritual dialogue.The prosperity gospel is critiqued, emphasizing the biblical perspective of suffering and God's presence in the midst of trials.Notable Quotes:"One of the things that I love about the gospel is the incarnational nature of it." - Lisa Fields"Lay all your cards on the table before God, even if you're like, am I talking to an imaginary person?" - Lisa FieldsResources:Jude 3 Project: jude3project.orgLisa Fields' book: "When Faith Disappoints: The Gap between What We Believe and What We Experience"Follow Lisa on Instagram and XSign up for weekly emails at RebeccaMcLaughlin.org/SubscribeFollow Confronting Christianity:Instagram | XPurchase Rebecca's Books:Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World's Largest ReligionDoes the Bible Affirm Same-Sex Relationships?: Examining 10 Claims about Scripture and Sexuality10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (and Answer) about ChristianityJesus though the Eyes of Women: How the First Female Disciples Help Us Know and Love the LordNo Greater Love: A Biblical Vision for FriendshipConfronting Jesus: 9 Encounters with the Hero of the GospelsAmazon affiliate links are used where appropriate. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, thank you for supporting!Produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Good Podcast Co.⁠⁠⁠⁠

You aren't alone.With a week before the election, I'm happy to be casting my vote for Donald Trump, warts and all. Remember, God's Providence is what really matters, and to keep Him before all politics. Now, let's get that felon in!Thank you to our Patrons / Channel Members:Jason YaokamKate ElminiCarol JBrenda AllorAllan SmithKathryn BurksFollow us @gladtradpodcast Video Episodes on Youtube

Rogan & Trump: Epstein, Bullet Scar, "Bad Advisors", Vaccines, Tariffs and moreForget the polls — if you want to know who will win this presidential (s)election, look at the billionaires jumping onboard the shipWhen Lala was a Hindu Indian "desi" before she became a Black Christian with "God power"The WHO Pandemic Agreement is back50 years of lies about the flu and flu vaccineTOPICS by TIMECODE(2:00) Rogan & Trump — the Limited HangoutDid you catch what was said about Jeffrey Epstein, one of Rogan's favorite topics?JFK Assassination and Trump's bullet scar"Bad Advisors" - Why was Bolton bad, but not Fauci?Rogan interview was the perfect antidote for Hitlery Clinton's "Nazi Madison Square Garden" smearProblem with local politics(27:43) Biden's $BILLION for COVID Propaganda (41:09) Rogan brings up vaccines with Trump — here's the exchange here's the exchange about Covid, pharma, and "ask your doctor" TV ads (1:04:56) Tariffs and Pork Barrel Tax Favors Rogan said "Did you just float out the idea of getting rid of income taxes and replacing it with tariffs?"  NO Trump did NOT.  Trump thinks it's wrong that police have to approach cars they pull over in a traffic stop with their guns holstered instead of drawn!Trump proposes no tax for police, firemen or military and massive tariffs.Income tax remains for everyone else, along with an army of IRS agents to do the bidding of AI auditors.And what would happen to the deficit?(1:36:15) Forget the polls — billionaires and BigTech CEO are jumping onboard.  Insiders know who has been (s)elected before you vote.  "It's an election and YOU AIN'T VOTING"Major newspapers erupt in civil war as owners shut down the partisan shills who have just burned any pretense of objectivityCEOs are lining up to kiss the ringEven opponents grudgingly admit the winner(2:09:32) Democrats — A Basket of Depravity Democrats are so desperate they're reaching out to porn watchers warning Republicans "will rub you the wrong way" .  And one sex worker (Monica Lewinsky) tells people how to cope in case Lala the sex worker doesn't win (2:17:43) IRONY ALERT: Govt runs fake pandemic retaliation against McDonalds after Trump stunt (2:26:30) WHO is still pushing a PANDEMIC AGREEMENT.  NOV 11 Deadline — Here's what you can do (2:28:00) JabsKeith Olbermann wants Elon Musk jailed.  NOT Fauci, MuskOne dad who lost a child to vaccine induced SIDS puts his hope in RFKj in a Trump administration. They LIED ABOUT FLU for 50 YEARS(2:38:11) Lala Courts "Christians"Runs into more hecklers at the churches she speaks atRolling Stone tries to pretend Christians support LalaWhen Lala was a Hindu Indian "desi" before she became a Black Christian with "God power"Do Christians want Christian leaders to talk about current events? Endorse candidates?If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-showOr you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to DavidKnight.gold for great deals on physical gold/silverFor 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to TrendsJournal.com and enter the code KNIGHTBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-david-knight-show--2653468/support.

Rogan & Trump: Epstein, Bullet Scar, "Bad Advisors", Vaccines, Tariffs and moreForget the polls — if you want to know who will win this presidential (s)election, look at the billionaires jumping onboard the shipWhen Lala was a Hindu Indian "desi" before she became a Black Christian with "God power"The WHO Pandemic Agreement is back50 years of lies about the flu and flu vaccineTOPICS by TIMECODE(2:00) Rogan & Trump — the Limited HangoutDid you catch what was said about Jeffrey Epstein, one of Rogan's favorite topics?JFK Assassination and Trump's bullet scar"Bad Advisors" - Why was Bolton bad, but not Fauci?Rogan interview was the perfect antidote for Hitlery Clinton's "Nazi Madison Square Garden" smearProblem with local politics(27:43) Biden's $BILLION for COVID Propaganda (41:09) Rogan brings up vaccines with Trump — here's the exchange here's the exchange about Covid, pharma, and "ask your doctor" TV ads (1:04:56) Tariffs and Pork Barrel Tax Favors Rogan said "Did you just float out the idea of getting rid of income taxes and replacing it with tariffs?"  NO Trump did NOT.  Trump thinks it's wrong that police have to approach cars they pull over in a traffic stop with their guns holstered instead of drawn!Trump proposes no tax for police, firemen or military and massive tariffs.Income tax remains for everyone else, along with an army of IRS agents to do the bidding of AI auditors.And what would happen to the deficit?(1:36:15) Forget the polls — billionaires and BigTech CEO are jumping onboard.  Insiders know who has been (s)elected before you vote.  "It's an election and YOU AIN'T VOTING"Major newspapers erupt in civil war as owners shut down the partisan shills who have just burned any pretense of objectivityCEOs are lining up to kiss the ringEven opponents grudgingly admit the winner(2:09:32) Democrats — A Basket of Depravity Democrats are so desperate they're reaching out to porn watchers warning Republicans "will rub you the wrong way" .  And one sex worker (Monica Lewinsky) tells people how to cope in case Lala the sex worker doesn't win (2:17:43) IRONY ALERT: Govt runs fake pandemic retaliation against McDonalds after Trump stunt (2:26:30) WHO is still pushing a PANDEMIC AGREEMENT.  NOV 11 Deadline — Here's what you can do (2:28:00) JabsKeith Olbermann wants Elon Musk jailed.  NOT Fauci, MuskOne dad who lost a child to vaccine induced SIDS puts his hope in RFKj in a Trump administration. They LIED ABOUT FLU for 50 YEARS(2:38:11) Lala Courts "Christians"Runs into more hecklers at the churches she speaks atRolling Stone tries to pretend Christians support LalaWhen Lala was a Hindu Indian "desi" before she became a Black Christian with "God power"Do Christians want Christian leaders to talk about current events? Endorse candidates?If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-showOr you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to DavidKnight.gold for great deals on physical gold/silverFor 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to TrendsJournal.com and enter the code KNIGHTBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-david-knight-show--5282736/support.

Recently, Historian, Author, and Speaker, Dr. Jemar Tisby joined the Be the Bridge Youth & University Program for a virtual event entitled "From Chains to Change: Faith, Freedom, and the Black Vote." Dr. Tisby spoke to our community about the historical context of Black Christian political engagement, the importance of the Black vote, and why it is important for students to be informed and involved. This conversation needed to be an episode of the Be the Bridge Podcast because of the historical perspective, the current realities, and the hopeful reminder that God is at work. This is needed for teens, students, and young adults, but also for adults to better navigate this election season and the ones to come! Find the Be the Bridge Youth & University Instagram here! Want information about our Youth & University Program that includes events and conversations like this? Email jefferson@bethebridge.com! Join in the conversation on our social media pages on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to let us know your thoughts on this episode! Executive Producer - Latasha Morrison Episode Host - Jefferson Jones Producer  - Sarah Connatser Links: Ads: Spotify for Podcasters [Record, edit, distribute your podcast. Download the Spotify for Podcasters app or go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.spotify.com/podcasters⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get started] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Become a Donor of Be the Bridge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop the Be the Bridge Online Shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Dr. Jemar Tisby:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ His Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Be the Bridge:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Our Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Latasha Morrison:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Not all views expressed in this interview reflect the values and beliefs of Latasha Morrison or the Be the Bridge organization.

The Trump campaign has made us all too familiar with the ideology of Christian Nationalism, with its violent rhetoric and racist undertones.  Far less well-known, though, is the tradition of Black Christian Nationalism, a radical social and religious movement founded by Rev. Albert Cleage, Jr., in civil-rights-era Detroit. On this episode, associate editor Griffin Oleynick speaks with writer Aaron Robertson, author of The Black Utopians: Searching for Paradise and the Promised Land in America.  Blending history and memoir, Robertson's book traces the untold story of Black Christian Nationalism while grappling with a question: what does Utopia look like in black? For further reading:  Tia Noelle Pratt on Black Catholic parishes Shannen Dee Williams on Black nuns in Baltimore Gary Dorrien on the theology of Sen. Raphael Warnock

SEND US A MESSAGE! We'd Love to Chat With you and Hear your thoughts! We'll read them on the next episode. Churches in America of predominantly black Christians are suffering from a disease that has rotted congregations from the inside out. These pastors are here to give corrective thoughts to the glory of God and for the benefit of His bride. Many will call these men uncle toms, coons, or some other derogatory name to make evident our exaltation of skin color and culture. I call them Pastors...This is what shepherding looks like. Watch the YouTube Video HereSupport the showPlease Rate & Comment!Hosts: Brandon and Daren SmithWebsite: www.blackandblurred.comPatreon: www.patreon.com/blackandblurredPaypal: https://paypal.me/blackandblurredYouTube: Black and Blurred PodcastIG: @BlackandBlurredPodcastX: @Blurred_Podcast

Send us a textThe way we tell the stories of our past plays a crucial role in shaping our imagination for the future. Author and historian Jemar Tisby, Ph.D., insists in his work that we tell a fuller story of our past, especially when it comes to the history of race and justice within the United States. Jemar joins Amy Julia Becker to discuss his latest book, The Spirit of Justice. Their conversation includes:The persistent spirit of justice in the Black Christian experience in AmericaThe historical and ongoing struggles against racismHow faith and storytelling fuel resilience and hopeAmy Julia's book: White Picket Fences: Turning toward Love in a World Divided by Privilege_Guest Bio:Jemar Tisby, PhD, is the author of new book The Spirit of Justice, and he also wrote the New York Times bestselling The Color of Compromise, and the award-winning How to Fight Racism. He is a historian who studies race, religion, and social movements in the twentieth century and serves as a professor at Simmons College of Kentucky, a historically Black college. _Connect Online with Dr. Tisby:Website: https://jemartisby.com/ | Instagram | Facebook | Substack/Newsletter_On the Podcast:The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance by Jemar TisbyThe Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church's Complicity in Racism by Jemar TisbyMississippi Civil Rights MuseumAmy Julia's previous conversations with Jemar: S5 E10 | How Kids Can Fight Racism with Jemar Tisby, PhD S4 E1 | How Do We Fight Racism? with Jemar TisbyS3 E6 | Now Is the Time for Justice with Jemar Tisby_TRANSCRIPT here_YouTube video here with closed captions_Let's Reimagine the Good Life together. Find out more at amyjuliabecker.com.Connect with me: Instagram Facebook YouTube Website Thanks for listening!

Why would a loving God send people to hell? When you hear the word apologetics, that's likely the type of question that comes to mind. But Lisa Fields, one of the world's most sought-after Christian apologists and the author of When Faith Disappoints, says there are often much more personal inquiries beneath those intellectual inquiries.  In this episode, Fields and Cuss talk about pastors' kids, pain points, and perfect love. They discuss the importance of listening when it comes to challenging faith conversations and consider the ways that the church can become a place of refuge. Fields shares how the Jude 3 Project, which she founded, is helping the Black Christian community know what they believe and why. This episode covers trauma, chronic anxiety, and the healing that is only found in Jesus. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: When Faith Disappoints: The Gap Between What We Believe and What We Experience by Lisa Fields Jude 3 Project Unspoken Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom Why I Don't Go Leo Percer Tertullian Athanasius Click here to help new listeners find Being Human by leaving a review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why would a loving God send people to hell? When you hear the word apologetics, that's likely the type of question that comes to mind. But Lisa Fields, one of the world's most sought-after Christian apologists and the author of When Faith Disappoints, says there are often much more personal inquiries beneath those intellectual inquiries.  In this episode, Fields and Cuss talk about pastors' kids, pain points, and perfect love. They discuss the importance of listening when it comes to challenging faith conversations and consider the ways that the church can become a place of refuge. Fields shares how the Jude 3 Project, which she founded, is helping the Black Christian community know what they believe and why. This episode covers trauma, chronic anxiety, and the healing that is only found in Jesus. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: When Faith Disappoints: The Gap Between What We Believe and What We Experience by Lisa Fields Jude 3 Project Unspoken Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom Why I Don't Go Leo Percer Tertullian Athanasius Click here to help new listeners find Being Human by leaving a review. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tuesday on Mornings with Eric and Brigitte, radio host and author, Trillia Newbell joins us to share stories, food, and faith of Black Americans that have inspired a culture, including delicious Southern recipes from Trillia's own family traditions. This unique "cookbook" also features devotionals based on the accomplishments and adversities of historical Black Christians, engaging discussion questions for adults and children, insightful prayer prompts, and three ways families can grow together in faith and courage.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

HI FRIENDS!So excited to be kicking back off with a BRAND NEW SERIES - Girl Chat! This series will feature all of my closest girlfriends from around the country while we tackle all things Christianity + womanhood. This episode is with my girlyfriend - Maya!! We chat about all things being black + Christian woman.Hope you all ENJOY!Support the show

It was an absolute honor to sit down with New York Times bestselling author & public historian Dr. Jemar Tisby for an incredibly rich conversation about his brand new book,The Spirit of Justice. We discuss his own story of coming to faith and what led him to explore stories of Black Christians who tirelessly pursued healing, goodness, and justice against impossible odds. Here's what we cover: 1. The impact of culture on mental & emotional health 2. The double-edged sword of religion 3. The dissonance Jemar felt as a Black Christian in predominantly white settings 4. The lifelines who helped him shore up his faith 5. What is the spirit of justice? 6. Jemar's thoughts on therapy 7. What stories of resistance teach us about following Jesus Find a full transcript and list of resources from this episode here. Want to receive free bonus content? ⁠⁠Sign up for my free weekly email here. If you enjoyed this episode, you'll love: Episode 79: Surviving Trauma & A Path to Forgiveness—Finding God In the Hardest Parts of Your Story With Esau McCaulley Thanks to our sponsors: Go to www.organifi.com/bestofyou today and use code BESTOFYOU for 20% off your order today. Get 40% off your first order of Sundays. Go to SundaysForDogs.com/BESTOFYOU or use code BESTOFYOU at checkout. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/BESTOFYOU and get on your way to being your best self. Go to thrivemarket.com/bestofyou for 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift! Visit cozyearth.com and unlock an exclusive 35% off with code BESTOFYOU. Music by Andy Luiten Sound editing by Kelly Kramarik While Dr. Cook is a counselor, the content of this podcast and any of the products provided by Dr. Cook are not specific counseling advice nor are they a substitute for individual counseling. The content and products provided on this podcast are for informational purposes only. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Author, speaker, and psychotherapist Dr. Sarita Lyons wants to give a gospel vision to encourage and challenge Black Christian women. She calls herself a "church girl," and she believes Black women are the hidden figures in today's church. How can you understand your true identity? How do you heal from the hurt you've experienced, even in the church. Don't miss the conversation on Chris Fabry Live.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Jemar Tisby takes us through the rich history of Black Christians fighting for justice in America. From Phillis Wheatley's powerful poetry to the legal strategy that toppled Jim Crow, Tisby highlights how the "spirit of justice" has driven Black Christians to resist oppression and work towards greater freedom. He emphasizes the crucial distinction between "slaveholder Christianity" and the true Christianity of Christ, which compels us to love our neighbor. Tisby stresses the importance of maintaining a "smoke detector" mentality - staying vigilantly engaged in the ongoing struggle for justice. Ultimately, Tisby's message is one of hope and inspiration. By studying the stories of those who've gone before, we can tap into that same spirit of justice and keep moving the needle towards a more righteous and equitable society. Jemar Tisby is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the Church's Complicity in Racism, How to Fight Racism, How to Fight Racism: Young Reader's Edition, and his latest The Spirit of Justice. He is also a Professor of History at Simmons College of Kentucky in Louisville. Jemar has been a co-host of the "Pass the Mic" podcast since its inception seven years ago. His writing has been featured in the Washington Post, The Atlantic, and the New York Times among others. He is a frequent commentator on outlets such as NPR and CNN's New Day program. He speaks nationwide on the topics of racial justice, U.S. history and Christianity. Jemar earned his PhD in history and he studies race, religion, and social movements in the 20th century. You can follow his work through his newsletter, Footnotes, and on social media at @JemarTisby.Jemar's Book:The Spirit of JusticeJemar's Recommendation:Disarming LeviathanJoin Our Patreon for Early Access and More: PatreonConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.usGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Threads at www.facebook.com/shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/shiftingculturepodcast/https://twitter.com/shiftingcultur2https://www.threads.net/@shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@shiftingculturepodcastConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link belowRegister for the Further Together and Identity Exchange events at allnations.us Support the Show.

Wrestling with God is a normal part of the Christian faith. We can't grow in our relationship with God without questioning Him. But many of us run from hard questions or feel discouraged and angry when the answers we find are not emotionally satisfying to us. This week's guest, Lisa Fields, has a conversation with the Perrys about learning how to wrestle well with God instead of leaving the faith.Check out Lisa's new book When Faith Disappoints: The Gap Between What We Believe and What We Experience. Follow Lisa on social media: https://www.instagram.com/lisavfieldsVisit Jude3Project.org to learn more about the Christian apologetics organization Lisa founded  to help Black Christians specifically know what they believe and why they believe it. Subscribe to the Perrys' newsletter.To support the work of the Perrys, donate via PayPal.To advertise with the Perrys, visit WithThePerrys.com/Partner.www.withtheperrys.comwww.jackiehillperry.comwww.preston-perry.com

How do you participate in a faith practice that has a rough track record with racism? That's what our play-cousin J.C. Howard gets into in this week's episode of Code Switch. He talks to us about Black Christians who, like him for a time, found their spiritual homes in white evangelical churches.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

In this episode of Church Girl, we have an insightful conversation with Dr. Sarita Lyons about her new book, Church Girl: A Gospel Vision to Encourage and Challenge Black Christian Women. Dr. Lyons delves into the inspiration behind her work and offers profound wisdom on faith, identity, and the unique challenges faced by Black Christian women. Tune in for a powerful discussion that will uplift and challenge you – be sure to order the book out NOW! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode of A People's Theology is sponsored by United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. Receive a $1,000 scholarship when you apply and are admitted: unitedseminary.edu/apeoplestheology Use this link to register for Theology Beer Camp 2024 and use the promo code "MASONGODPOD" to receive $50 off your ticket. Watch full episodes of A People's Theology: https://www.youtube.com/@APeoplesTheology Mason chats with Rev. Dr. Andrew Wilkes about his new book, Co-Creating an Economy of Enough for All. They chat about the Black Christian socialist tradition and much more. Guest Bio/Info: Rev. Dr. Andrew Wilkes is co-pastor of the Double Love Experience Church in New York and author of the recently released book, Plenty Good Room: Co-Creating an Economy of Enough for All.  Connect with Andrew here: Instagram: andrewjwilkes Twitter: @andrewjwilkes Get connected to Mason: masonmennenga.com Buy merch of your favorite tweet of mine: masonmennenga.com/store Patreon: patreon.com/masonmennenga Twitter: @masonmennenga Facebook: facebook.com/mason.mennenga Instagram: masonmennenga Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Dr Jemar Tisby and Pastor Tyler Burns engage in a deep and nuanced discussion on whether Black Christians should denounce their fraternities and sororities. They explore the history, cultural significance, and the spiritual implications of Greek letter organizations within the Black community as well as providing insights into their roles and relevance today amongst modern critique. Support this podcast at patreon.com/passthemic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever wondered how one man's spiritual journey can transform his life and resonate deeply with a broad audience? Join us as we chat with Trey Ferguson, the author of Theologizin' Bigger: Homilies on Living Freely and Loving Wholly. Trey takes us on his profound faith journey—a striking blend of skepticism, curiosity, and the unyielding power of faith in an often unfriendly world. Discover how these experiences coalesce into Theologizin' Bigger, a concept that encapsulates his spiritual awakening and offers a fresh perspective on living an authentic, invigorated life.In this episode, Trey shares the challenges of writing a book that speaks to the essence of faith, capturing the hearts of diverse readers ranging from middle-aged white women to people of varied cultural backgrounds. We explore the importance of authenticity and the impact of his parents' unwavering support in fostering his confidence. Furthermore, Trey sheds light on the obstacles faced by Black Christian nonfiction authors in the publishing industry and his decision to opt for a hybrid publishing model.This episode is a rich tapestry of faith, identity, and resilience, offering valuable insights into navigating the complexities of spirituality and representation in today's world. From Trey's website about the book:“Prophets are rare in our culture and poets are needed in this challenging contemporary moment. Trey Ferguson is a poet and a prophet for such a time as this. ”—Otis Moss, III, Pastor, Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago, and author of Dancing in the DarknessFaith can get messy. Whether we're talking about personal beliefs or the ideologies that end up shaping our institutions, there's a lot to wade through. As people drifting through—and sometimes away from—faith communities reexamine their convictions, there's more desire than ever to live freely and to grant our curiosity an audience. In Theologizin' Bigger: Homilies on Living Freely and Loving Wholly, pastor, podcaster, and public theologian Trey Ferguson encourages you to re-engage your imagination, and to construct theologies that speak to our current contexts, just as people of faith have done throughout history. With personal stories and some lo-fi truth-telling, Ferguson leads us through topics like how we read the Bible, our inherited traditions, the shame and confusion we experience, and a faith that can shape tomorrow. Ferguson writes, “Theology requires imagination. The ability to imagine is part of what makes us human. And salvation is, in part, a rehumanization project.” You don't have to ignore your nagging doubts and honest questions. You don't have to check any part of yourself at the door. You can find the faith to live freely and love wholly. When you're Theologizin' Bigger, you get to decide where the crown goes.Order your copy today: Theologizin' Bigger: Homilies on Living Freely and Loving Wholly This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dannybjr.substack.com/subscribe

This episode, Jonathan and Sy talk with the incredible Brandi Miller about:-        How faith and churches change when we engage with the political idolatry of the American church-        The spiritual and political fruit of the MAGA movement-        The good things people still want and can find in Jesus and Christian community amidst all the nonsense-        Developing inner lives that can sustain political engagement and community building-        Plus, Jonathan and Sy discuss some fascinating numbers about the political views and voting patterns of the average Black Christian versus the average overall DemocratMentioned in the Episode-            Our anthology, Keeping the Faith-            Brandi's podcast, Reclaiming My Theology-            Her other show, The Quest Church Podcast-            The article on Black, Christian political beliefs and votingCredits-        Follow KTF Press on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Subscribe to get our bonus episodes and other benefits at KTFPress.com.-        Follow host Jonathan Walton on Facebook Instagram, and Threads.-        Follow host Sy Hoekstra on Mastodon.-        Our theme song is “Citizens” by Jon Guerra – listen to the whole song on Spotify.-        Our podcast art is by Robyn Burgess – follow her and see her other work on Instagram.-        Transcripts by Joyce Ambale and Sy Hoekstra.-        Production by Sy Hoekstra and our incredible subscribersTranscript[An acoustic guitar softly plays six notes, the first three ascending and the last three descending – F#, B#, E, D#, B – with a keyboard pad playing the note B in the background. Both fade out as Jonathan Walton says “This is a KTF Press podcast.”]Brandi Miller: God made people in God's own image, and people's job is not to conform into your pastor's version of following Jesus. It's to conform more into the likeness of Jesus as you become more yourself. And so instead of going to a pastor who is essentially saying, “Follow me as I follow Jesus,” you say, “We're following Jesus, and you're gonna discover who you are along the way.”[The song “Citizens” by Jon Guerra fades in. Lyrics: “I need to know there is justice/ That it will roll in abundance/ And that you're building a city/ Where we arrive as immigrants/ And you call us citizens/ And you welcome us as children home.” The song fades out.]Sy Hoekstra: Welcome to Shake the Dust, seeking Jesus, confronting injustice. I'm Sy Hoekstra.Jonathan Walton: And I'm Jonathan Walton. We have a fantastic show for you today. We are talking all about church and politics with the great Brandi Miller, who many of you know. And we're doing our new segment, Which Tab Is Still Open?, diving deeper into one of the recommendations from our newsletter. This week, a closer look at the political beliefs of the average Black Christian versus the average Democrat. If you think those are pretty much the same, you've got stuff to learn [laughter]. So stay tuned.Sy Hoekstra: Brandi Miller is the host of the podcast, Reclaiming My Theology. As she calls it, a space to take our theology back from ideas and systems that oppress. She's also now newly the host of the Quest Church Podcast, which is unsurprisingly for Quest Church in Seattle [laughs], where Brandi has the staff position of Chief Storyteller. Before that she was a justice program director with a college ministry working at the intersection of faith, justice, and politics. If you know Brandi, I don't have to convince you that this is a good conversation. If you don't, just, you need to get to know her, so [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Yes, yes, yes.Sy Hoekstra: Get ready for this one.Jonathan Walton: Yeah, we talked to her about her perspective on evangelical politics, how she sees people's faith changing as they engage with the American church's idolatry, and what Jesus has to offer as a vision for us in this political landscape. There is a lot in the episode, I hope you're ready. Her article in our anthology was called, “Left Behind: What American Evangelicalism Has Lost and Needs to Find.” And of course, you can get the anthology at keepingthefaithbook.com.Sy Hoekstra: And before we get started, just a reminder that we have been telling everyone we need your subscriptions [laughter], please. The best way, if you are into what we do, helping people try and leave the idols of White America and seek Jesus through this media and you want to help us build something that can do that in an effective and far reaching way to people, we need your support. We have been doing this as a side gig for a lot of time. For a long time it's been me and Jonathan in our rooms with laptops trying to make things work, and they have worked [laughs]. But if you wanna see that stuff grow and you wanna see this stuff continue for a long time into the future, we really do need your support.So go to KTFPress.com, please become a paid subscriber. Get access to all the bonus episodes of this show. Get access to our monthly subscriber chats that we're starting, get access to comments on our posts and support everything we do centering and elevating marginalized voices. If you cannot afford a subscription, like if money's the only barrier, please just write to us, info@ktfpress.com, and we will give you a free or discounted subscription. Whatever you ask for, no questions asked. We want everyone to have access to all the stuff that we're putting out, but if you can afford it, we really, really want the support.Actually, one of the things that you'll be supporting now is that our newsletter is free. So anybody can go to KTFPress.com, sign up for the free mailing list. You get news about KTF press, you get all kinds of stuff like that, but you also get recommendations from us every week that are things that we think will be helpful in your political education and discipleship. And you will also get things from us that we think are helpful in staying grounded and hopeful in the midst of all of the difficult issues that we are all seeing in our news feeds and in our politics and everywhere else and in our churches. So please, KTFPress.com, become a paid subscriber. Thank you so much in advance.Jonathan Walton: Yep. Thanks in advance, and here is the interview with Brandi.[the intro piano music from “Citizens” by Jon Guerra plays briefly and then fades out.]Jonathan Walton: Brandi, thank you so, so much for joining us on Shake the Dust. We really appreciate it.Brandi Miller: Of course. Glad to be here. Always glad to get to spend time with you all, so.How Does Faith Change When We Engage with The Idolatry of the American Church?Making Our Political Theology Accessible to EveryoneJonathan Walton: Yeah, I mean, now you wrote this bomb essay. Okay. And so something that you said, which [laughs] is still true in 2024: " The result of the syncretism of American religion, propaganda-based iconography and political power is cultish religiosity centered on Donald Trump as God's Messiah sent to buttress patriotism, political power, and global dominance. Regardless of his lack of demonstrable Christ-likeness in his politics, it is clear that pandering to his constituents' desire for Christianized power in the United States has framed him as the president who will ‘bring America back to God.' This is a trade-off: Christian practice and the way of Jesus for American Christian power and utopianism.” End quote.Monstrous, amazing text, right? [laughter] Now, after you wrote this, you became a staff member at a church, right?Brandi Miller: Mm-hmm.Jonathan Walton: And you have a large community of people following and engaging with you online. And as you try to teach and disciple people out of this syncretism slash nonsense, how have you seen their faith change?Brandi Miller: Well, one thing I'll say is something that's changed about myself first, because even as I hear back my own words, I can hear how inaccessible they are to a common regular person. Like how many four to six-syllable words can I use to say Donald Trump does not look like Jesus, and that does not matter to most Christians who follow White American religion. That is what I was trying to say, that there is a propaganda based way of doing religion that has indoctrinated a ton of us into a traumatic type of spirituality that we cannot hold. And so I think even a critique of myself in a way that I've changed is trying to ask, how do I take what is a political reality rooted in a current religious moment and strip it down in a way that a regular person can understand?Because if I am theologizing people out of their own experiences or trying to pull them out of a demonstrably terrible politic and they can't understand where we're going, then that's on me. And so I think that part of my trying to engage with a lot of this stuff has been my own change around how I engage with it so that people who are trying to follow Jesus outside of this kind of syncretism with American nationalism can actually come along.When People See the Idolatry, Staying in Church Community Is HardBrandi Miller: That being said, I think that, I mean, it's been kind of bleak honestly. Like I think that the church that I work at is a church that is people's last stop on their way out of Christianity specifically for these issues. Because they can see the ways that American politics have more say in the lives of people who identify as Christian than Jesus does.And when that is the case, it is really hard to be a part of a Jesus community. And so what I'm seeing a lot is people trying to figure out, can I actually trust community as I follow Jesus? And a lot of people can't. And it makes sense to me, and they leave. But what ends up happening is that people are like, “Well, I can follow Jesus outside of the church,” and I actually believe that some people can do that. But I think because community is at the core of following Jesus, when you leave in those contexts without any kind of community to buttress your faith at all, it's really, really hard to, with integrity, continue to live out those values, and it's really easy to become increasingly cynical in the media ecosystem that we have.And so I don't really know what to tell people pastorally, right? Because there are many ways that I could say, “No, no, no, just come back to the church,” but the church isn't trustworthy. And I can say, “No, go on your own,” but with a lack of community, a lot of the faith stuff falls apart because it's meant to be done together in a non-westernized religious context. And so I'm finding that to be a pretty sad and frustrating space to occupy. So I think that'd be my first bid.What People Can Still Get from Church Community Even after Seeing the IdolatryJonathan Walton: I have so many thoughts, but I'm going to let Sy ask his question.Sy Hoekstra: No, no, no, go for it, Jonathan. We have time.Jonathan Walton: [laughs] So in the midst of that, this new like re-imagining of what community would look like, independent of the colonized faith, what we call it at KTF, White American folk religion, what I call it in Twelve Lies, are there any fireworks of imagination that have happened that you're like, “Oh, that looks nice. That might be something that is hopeful,” for a group of people who are on this subway stop at the end of the line?Brandi Miller: Well, I mean, I think that people still want all the good stuff, right? I think people want connection and community and gentleness and kindness and meekness and self-control and the fruit of the spirit, and the beatitudes. I think people still want the Jesus stuff. People want to live in an accessible and just world where people can be fully themselves, where the image of God in me meets the image of God in you, and somehow in that magic we're transformed. I think people still want that, and I think when people come and get a taste of that, it's really, really beautiful. Because what it results in really is friendship and friendship results in systems change and system change results in world change and political change.Jonathan Walton: Right, right, right.Brandi Miller: And so, I think that what I've seen happen is a lot of progressive spaces have done one of two things. One, said like, well, the individual transformation doesn't matter. And I'm like, that's actually not true. The health of the individual and the health of the system are always a cycle that are moving over and over and over again. And so we're like, “Well, F individual transformation and let's just like go do the system change.” And I'm like, yeah, but if like people don't change, then they're not gonna be alongside you as you change the systems and not understand why the systems change would be good for them. And I think churches do that too.Jonathan Walton: Right?Brandi Miller: So I think a lot of progressive media culture does that on one side, and then the other side uses all of this abstraction to describe what the world looks like when it changes, which is, I don't know, right now sounds like the end of postmodern empire. Like we're in empire collapse right now. And I'm like, “No one knows what that means.” Most normal average people do not know what it means. So they're like, “Let's find creative ways to engage post empire collapse.” And I'm like, can you just say that the United States is participating in all kinds of evil, and when our comeuppance happens, it's going to result in a completely different societal structure that we are not ready for.And so, what I'm always looking for are glimpses of what could life look like after that? Which I think is what you're asking. And a lot of that looks like people choosing to care for each other well to build more simple lives rather than more complicated ones, to choose work that isn't their entire identity and allowing themselves to explore who they are outside of the kind of enculturation that happens when we don't have a life outside of that. And that is what I've seen change people's politics. It's not like having a fancy activist job. It's seeing how your neighbors are suffering and doing something about that together, or getting a measure on a ballot that changes things for folks.And so I think that I'm seeing glimpses of people entering into more embodied, simple space that is actually transformative and actually grounding and does a lot to downshift some of our very present anxiety. And I think that's been really good. And so I think there's some structural and systemic things I've seen too, but a lot of the stuff that I'm seeing is people trying to make sense of this abstracted language and say, what does this actually mean for my life in real time, and how can that be good?The Fruit of the MAGA MovementSy Hoekstra: One thread there that kind of leads into my next question is, you said that the idea that your church is the last stop on a lot of people's road out of Christianity, when I was a kid, I would, in evangelical churches, I would hear the sentiment a lot that—I would hear that sentiment a lot actually. I would hear like, “Oh, when you go to a progressive church, that's just, you're just on your way out [laughs], so don't ever go there.” That was the kind of, that was the warning, right?Brandi Miller: Yeah [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: But basically, what I hear you saying is the reason that it's their last stop or the reason that they're on their way out is not because of they've lost their way or a lack of integrity, they don't really care about Jesus, whatever. They actually care about Jesus maybe more than the places that they left, and got so hurt as a result that that's why they're on their way out. And that's, I think that's a reality that Jonathan and I see a lot too, and I just wanted to point that out to people. But also this kind of gets a little bit into what my next question was, which I also had a big long quote here, but I'll just summarize [laughs] because Jonathan already read a big long quote [laughter].Jonathan Walton: I did.Sy Hoekstra: You basically talked about how there are a lot of masks that evangelicals wear to cover their support for Donald Trump's racism. So it's like the sanctity of life or pro-gun politics or pro-Israel politics. And that it basically that the result of that is you're not talking about the racism of Donald Trump, you're talking to people about those masks and saying, “If you're not willing to wear this mask, then basically you're an enemy to be negated because you're a baby killer, or you're an anti-Semite” or whatever it is. But I wonder if four years on having seen so much more of the fruit of the MAGA movement, if there's anything that you would kind of add on to this description of how it operates.Shifting Acceptable Political Discourse Far to the RightBrandi Miller: Yeah. So one of the main things I think about right now is the Overton window. So for folks who aren't familiar with the Overton window, it's essentially the range of acceptable political thought from left to right. And so there is an acceptable range of political thought, I'm doing some writing and thinking about this right now, but that what is considered far on the left and far on the right changes as that window shifts farther left or right. And what we've seen in the last four years is the Overton window shift so far to the right, that stuff that would've been considered so extreme, so outlandish, so problematic as to not be acceptable is now mainstream.So when George Santos can have an entire political campaign and multiple years of being in the public spotlight, and everyone be like, “Ah, this is just kind of like normal run-of-the-mill American politics,” that's wild.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Jonathan Walton: Yeah, yeah [laughs].Brandi Miller: When Donald Trump can have dozens and dozens and dozens and dozens and dozens of criminal, like of criminal… or like he has so many, so many things that are happening right now at felony levels, and we're like, “Oh, I mean, he's just like working through it.” That is so wild to me, that the Overton window has shifted so far to the right that Marjorie Taylor Greene can do every bit of chaos that she's doing. That Mike Johnson is considered a normal speaker of the house.Jonathan Walton: That is, ugh… [laughs].Brandi Miller: We've moved so far right, that now what used to be considered moderate is considered hyper progressive. That being like, hey, like… maybe we should give people… that we've actually reversed, like with Roe v. Wade, we've reversed rights for people and we consider that normal. Like the Overton window has shifted so aggressively to the right that it is so, so damaging. And that has just continued over the last four years.Shifting Acceptable Religious Thought Far to the RightBrandi Miller: The thing I am observing and doing a lot of work around right now is what does it mean when the Christian range of political or range of acceptable religious thought also shifts to the right? And so I've been asking the question, what is that?What we're talking about really is orthodoxy. We're saying there is this range of historically acceptable Christian thought, but when that gets chain linked to the Overton window and shifted to the right, the way of Jesus that gets to be considered left or moderate or something becomes completely unidentifiable to most Christians. And when that happens, the only response that we have in those super conservative spaces or that have moved to the right that much is to parrot political actors and call it holiness. And that is what I'm most concerned with and what I'm seeing most right now, is that people can't even have conversations because of those things like, yeah, you're an anti-Semite or you're a baby killer, or whatever.You can't even have the conversations about why that ideology became important to someone, because even questioning the ideology itself or that indoctrination feels like it's a deviation from holiness because your religion is so connected to nationalism that to separate those feels like sin.Sy Hoekstra: It's almost, it's like the way that you might get a question shut down in church because if of something you're asking about some orthodox doctrine or whatever, like expressing a doubt of some kind.Brandi Miller: Yep.Sy Hoekstra: You're saying that's not just religious anymore basically. That is political. Or the politic—because the religious and the political are so closely linked that your political doubt is religious doubt almost.Brandi Miller: Yes. Yes, most certainly. Connected to God's connection to a nation.What Is the Good That All the Idolatry Is Overshadowing?Jonathan Walton: Yeah, I got in this conversation with a… Sometimes I opt into the online debates to get fodder for more posts [Sy laughs]. And I asked someone what they meant by Orthodox. They were saying “Israel is God's nation. The United States should support Israel because we are also God's nation, we're mirror countries of each other. This is an orthodox view.”Sy Hoekstra: Whoa.Jonathan Walton: They had obviously no, like no image or thought about the non-evangelical 200-year-old, 50-year-old, 25-year, 2-year-old church that they were in [laughter], you know? But all that to say, as you talk about Jesus on your show, talk about Jesus in your writing, talk about Jesus in your church, talk about Jesus with us. We're constantly trying to get people to look at the Jesus of Nazareth and not the Jesus of nationalism. Right? What would you say in this era, like with the church and politics, what value do you think Jesus's teaching, Jesus's witness, his life, death, resurrection has to offer us this election season? And what is the good that all the syncretism that we're talking about is just completely overshadowing?Following Jesus Helps us Find Ourselves and Resist Structures That Demand ConformityBrandi Miller: Well, right. The Jesus story is a continuation of the Hebrew story, and that story is centered on a God who cares about righteousness. And righteousness is not adherence to political doctrine, it's right living in harmony and wellbeing with other folks. Dr. Randy Woodley talks about shalom in the community of creation and that you know that the world is well when the marginalized say so. And the Hebrew scriptures follow that journey really, really closely. Even if the people fail in it, God's calls stay consistent to make sure that the orphan and the widow and the foreigner are cared for. And that we know that a whole community is healthy and well and living rightly when that's the case. And Jesus lives out that same story.And part of that story requires that people are given the chance to be themselves. That if we believe in this kind of, there's a lot that I do not believe about how we extrapolate Genesis one and two, but I think one of the core things is that like God made people in God's own image, and people's job is not to conform into your pastor's version of following Jesus. It's to conform more into the likeness of Jesus as you become more yourself. And so instead of going to a pastor and essentially saying, ‘Follow me as I follow Jesus,” we say, “We're following Jesus and you're gonna discover who you are along the way.” And that is what Jesus does with his disciples. Right? Jesus invites a diverse group of wackadoodle dudes to come and be themselves [Jonathan laughs]. And they change a lot. They change a lot, but they don't change away from themselves, which I think we see in the story of Peter, right? Peter's a fisherman at the beginning and he's a fisherman at the end. And the way in which he's a fisherman is really different, but he is still at his core in some ways who he is. And I know there's some conflation with vocational and whatever, but there are ways that people are, that people who were zealous in the beginning are zealous, but in a more refined way at the end. People who were engaging with the people in a particular way are doing so less judgmentally at the end.So I think there's a way that there is an invitation to become fully ourselves that we do not get in church spaces because we're told that sanctification or that honoring the death and resurrection of Jesus is to become less like yourself. It's to do this… I think we just take the John the Baptizer quote, “more of him, less of me” out of context when you're like… y'all, the reason he's saying that is because they think he's the Messiah and he needs to make some stuff really clear. He's not saying, I need to become less of myself. John needs to become more and more of himself in order to do what Jesus has invited him to do.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Brandi Miller: And so, because in the church we often say, let's collapse our identities into one social, political and religious identity, people lose themselves. And so I think part of the invitation and the good that we offer to people is that you get to be yourself. And that justice work, this other side of the coin in the Hebrews text around justice and righteousness is making things right when righteousness, when people's ability to live fully as themselves to live original blessing is not in place. And so I think that there's an invitation in the way of Jesus to live fully as ourselves and to make right the spaces where people are not offered space to live the life that is abundant.Jonathan Walton: May it be so in churches and spaces this fall [laughs] where that could be extrapolated. And as you were talking, I was just like, yeah, “God loves you,” should not be a controversial statement.Brandi Miller: Right…. Woof…Jonathan Walton: Right? Like it shouldn't [laughs].How Has Brandi's Calling Changed around Political Engagement?Sy Hoekstra: Alright. So, on your show, you're often talking about theology and culture. You obviously have a ton to say about politics though, and I've heard you say on the show you'd be kind of more interested in getting into that somehow at some point in your life. And you took a break from the show recently. Basically, you're in the middle of a season on purity culture, and you kind of took a break from the show because you felt some tension between talking about theology and church culture and purity culture with everything that's going on in Gaza. And I'm just wondering how the last four years have affected your sense of calling or your desire to engage politically from someone who has largely played a pastoral role.Helping People Develop Inner Lives that Can Sustain Political EngagementBrandi Miller: Yeah. Some of what I'm learning is that regardless of whether there's an urgent political moment that people are still entering into these spaces in a lot of different ways. And so me stopping the podcast because of everything happening in Gaza and trying to figure out how to respond wasn't actually as helpful as I had hoped it would've been. It didn't make more space for people, it just disengaged people from one of the only spaces that they're engaging with religion at all. And so pastorally, I think what I ended up doing was leaving people behind. And I didn't, I think I was so at that point unsure of how to respond to what was happening in Gaza and didn't know what my role would be, and felt like as a person who's, it's a little bit like one of my Jewish friends was talking about the parable of the virgins and the oil.Some of us just showed up really late to this party, and we know so little, we've showed up so late, that it feels pretty impossible to show up effectively. And so I was trying to be responsible with what I did and did not know about Israel, Palestine, Gaza, all of that. Instead of just saying what I could unequivocally say, which is that violence in all forms, particularly genocide, is an egregious violence against God, against people and needs to be dealt with aggressively. Like, I can say that without any… we can say, “Free Palestine,” because that is an easy thing to, it's pretty easy for me to say, to agree with that idea. What I did though in being like, oh, purity culture isn't connected, was to say that people have on-ramps to these kinds of justice expressions that are far away.And maybe it's like [laughs], I hate to use this metaphor, but like, or parallelism rather. Yeah, I hate to use this parallelism, but when I think about how QAnon feeds into conspiracy theories, I think there's a lot of ways that progressive Christianity can feed people toward better, more just politics. And so when I take away the on-ramps, I take away people's opportunity to enter into a more just spirituality. And so me choosing to not talk about sex for four weeks or whatever, for me it felt like it was a solidarity practice, but it really was just cutting off people from a community that they cared about. So I think I would say that that was like one thing that I'm learning.And that is, and I think that what I'm trying to figure out is, as a person who primarily plays a pastoral function, what does it mean to invite people into a discipleship that can hold the politics that they're engaging with? Because one of the things I learned from 2016 was that many of us had a ton of passion, a ton of anxiety, a lack of knowledge, and we weren't able to hold onto the activism at the level that we held it during Black Lives Matter. We just weren't able to do it. And so, I think I'm trying to ask how do you build people's inner lives and community orientations in such a way that we can actually hold the political movements that we want to see happen?So how do we become community organizers locally and nationally when our inner lives aren't able to hold even the basics of our day-to-day lives? And that's not a knock on anyone, it's just a, we don't know how to cope. We don't know how to be in therapy. We don't know how to ask good questions about our lives. And so I think that I'm still asking the question, what is the role of the pastoral in the political, when most of my examples of the pastoral and the political is just telling people how to vote once every four years indirectly so you don't lose your funding, and nothing else otherwise.Helping People Learn and Grow through Curiosity and Questioning AssumptionsJonathan Walton: Yeah. I care a little bit about that, the inner life, peace [laughter]. I write, you know, I have a whole thing about that. So as you're talking, something I feel like I've run into is, I had a conversation with someone and they said to me, “The church discriminates against queer people? What do you mean?” And I looked at them and I was like, they were not being facetious, they were not joking. And like, and so I watched this train wreck happen in her brain, right? Where it's like, so then I just said, “You know, let's just talk about conversion therapy.” I said, “Let's just start there…” UN resolutions that say this is to—like all she, you could see it on her face she's like, like she did not know.And so I watched it happen and couldn't stop it. So Brandi, when someone is sitting across from you and you see this lack of knowledge and the capacity to harm. Right? So there's this lack of knowledge, but they're gonna say the homophobic terrible thing whenever somebody asks them, and you are the pastoral person in residence with them. What habits, practices, tactics do you employ not to destroy them, like intellectually? How do you not reduce them to their ideas? How do you love them and meet them where they're at so that they will be at church next week? They will be, like all those kinds of things, to stay on the journey with you.Brandi Miller: Yeah.Sy Hoekstra: And stop hurting people.Jonathan Walton: And yeah, and stop hurting people.Brandi Miller: Yes. Yeah, I mean, you become a master of caveats, and that's the easy thing. The hard thing is to believe that people are trying their best. I think that most people, and I'm really learning this and trying to learn this in the best ways I can right now, is that if you're not just like on the internet where I know people are not trying to do their best, they're just being mean, like in real life with people who are sitting, who you don't have to question whether they're a bot or not, people are trying to do the best they can and the best they can might be terrible. And that's okay, because when people are trying to do the best that they can, and when people are given the benefit of a doubt, they are more open to engaging with things that are embarrassing or challenging or confusing.And so a lot of what I do is ask questions in the context of my own experience. I'll say, “Hey, when you say that, that hits me in a really strange way, and it's kind of hurtful and I can see where this would be hurtful for somebody else. Can you help me understand where that idea came from for you and how that became so important to you?” Or like, “I can hear that this is really important to you, can you help me understand why?” Because if I can understand that why, I can create a human connection that allows me to walk someone through, like, “Yo, when you say to me as like a partnered queer person, that my future marriage is not God's best, when did that become so important to you? When did thinking about like queerness in this way become so important to you?And how big, like on a scale of one to 10, how big does that feel for you? And what would that feel like for you if I said something back to you like, ‘You're heteronormative marriage where it looks like your wife doesn't really like you that much, you're kind of a jerk, isn't God's best for you,' what would you say back to me?” Like what a strange thing for you to say to me. And so I think I do a lot of assuming that people are doing their best and asking a lot of origins questions. Because I think that most of evangelicalism is more concerned with indoctrination than it is with development and discipleship. And when you can expose the indoctrination, it opens up a lot of space for questions. Because I know a lot of people that have said to me things like, “I have never thought about that before,” or, “I have never considered that before.”Or, “It came from this book.” And I'm like, “Well, have you read these other books?” Or they're like, “It came from this verse.” And I'm like, “Well, have you read the equivalent verse in the gospels that exists?” And the answer usually is no. The people have not done their due diligence to come to their own ideas. They have parroted because parroting in the church gives you survival, and I understand that. I understand that being able to parrot ideas gives you belonging. And so to fall outside of that, to ask questions outside of that risks your belonging. And so I try to create spaces where people's stories can belong, even if their ideologies need to be questioned and engaged with differently. So I think that's the main way that I engage with that pastorally at least.Jonathan Walton: That is amazing. So being able to sit down with someone, see someone across difference in a way, and turn to wonder, awe and curiosity as opposed to prejudice, judgment, and condemnation. That's great. Amen.Where Listeners Can Find BrandiSy Hoekstra: Can you tell our listeners where they can find you or your work on the internets.Jonathan Walton: Or in real life. Or in real life [laughs].Brandi Miller: Yes. Yeah, you can… if you're not being a weirdo, you can find my church, Quest Church out in Seattle [laughter]. We're doing the best we can out there. I work there, I'm a regular person out there, so don't be a weirdo [laughter].Brandi Miller: But I'm online in several spaces. Primarily, I have a podcast called Reclaiming My Theology, that takes a topic.Jonathan Walton: Five stars, five stars, five stars.Brandi Miller: [laughs, then says very quickly] If you'd give it, it takes 30 seconds to do [laughter]. Yeah, that is exploring different types of problematic or oppressive ideologies and how they wiggle their way into our interpretation of the Bible and Christian culture and how they create Christian culture. We're working through a series on purity culture now that feels like it's never ending, but it's like a perfect intersection of a lot of the other forms of oppression that we've talked about. So we'll be in that for a little bit. And then I just launched a podcast with Quest Church, talking to people about formation practices that make them feel at home with God. And so if you're looking for more of a formational storytelling bend, I'm interviewing folks around those practices right now, as well as the stuff that I'm already doing on the podcast that takes a little bit more of an academic theological bend.Sy Hoekstra: What's the name of that one?Brandi Miller: The Quest Church Podcast.Sy Hoekstra: Oh, okay, got it [laughter]. Okay, cool.Jonathan Walton: Cool, cool. Nice.Sy Hoekstra: Thank you so much for that. If you go and listen to Reclaiming my Theology, you'll hear some familiar voices like Jonathan Walton and Tamice Spencer-Helms and other people that you know. Brandi Miller, this has been fantastic. I'm so happy you joined us [the sound of clapping]. Jonathan's actually applauding, I don't think that's ever happened before [laughter].Jonathan Walton: She's great. She's great. Lovely.Sy Hoekstra: Thank you so much for being with us.Brandi Miller: Yeah, delighted to be with you all. Thank you so much for the opportunity.[the intro piano music from “Citizens” by Jon Guerra plays briefly and then fades out.]Sy and Jonathan's Thoughts about Christian Community and Communicating Theology Well after the InterviewSy Hoekstra: Okay, Jonathan, that was fantastic [laughs].Jonathan Walton: It really, really was.Sy Hoekstra: What are you thinking coming out of that? Where are your thoughts at?Jonathan Walton: Yeah, so I'm actually stuck on the first thing that she said.Sy Hoekstra: Oh, okay. After that you blacked out and then you don't remember the rest of the interview.Jonathan Walton: [laughs] Well, I remember it. But one of the… I thought to myself, you know, I've changed a lot in the last four years since we wrote the essays that we did and since KTF started and all those things. And so it really pushed me to reflect. And when I was in journalism school with Peter Beinart, who is an amazing writer and commentator, especially right now.Sy Hoekstra: Who you've mentioned before, yeah.Jonathan Walton: Yes. Yeah, I mean, his work is just amazing. But something that he said in class was, you need to write for the language of the bleachers, like between a fifth and eighth grade level. And that is not a knock on people who are not educated or didn't go to university. It's more like we don't talk like this on a regular basis.Sy Hoekstra: You mean you don't talk the way that highfalutin people write [laughs]?Jonathan Walton: Exactly.Sy Hoekstra: Gotcha.Jonathan Walton: Right. And it was one of those things where I was like, huh, I wonder, would I say things the same way now? Or how can I say them so that people leave saying, “Oh, I know what he meant and I understood what he said,” versus, “I don't know what half those words meant, but it sounded really good [Sy laughs]. Thinking of reflecting on how Jesus spoke to people and who he called and how he called them was something that I just, just struck me about that response. And then obviously we also threw out some big words, some large terms and all those things. And one of the things that stood out to me that I didn't know about was the Overton window that she said. I'd never heard of that before.Sy Hoekstra: Oh, okay.Jonathan Walton: Yeah, but what has become normal. Having a term for that's just helpful. For me, like [laughs] I think I've mentioned this before, is that when I feel anxious, when I feel worried, when I feel concerned, one of the places that I go is information. I need to put it in a box. I need to have words to just feel grounded to engage. And now I can just say, “Oh, the Overton window has shifted [laughs], and that helps me have a place to stand [laughs] in a lot of our discourse and gives me more space to do what she talked about at the end, which is like, can I love people across difference? And when I have cohesive frameworks and information especially like in context, and I can do that more effectively. So I learned a lot. I was challenged and I'm really grateful.Sy Hoekstra: I think actually the thing that stuck out to me, kind of, I end up in a similar place, even though I'm coming from a totally different angle. Which is that the thing that she articulated about the how political doubt becomes religious doubt in like our current, kind of nationalist Christian nationalist landscape was really interesting to me. Because you hear it, so it's such a common thing if you think about it, right?Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: At least I've heard so many times people just be like, how can a Christian possibly vote for the Democrats? Right? Or asking like doubting Republican orthodoxy is actually grounds to doubt the foundations of your faith or the seriousness of your faith, when Jesus had absolutely no issue having people who he called disciples who were wildly politically different from each other.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: So when she talks about wanting to talk across difference like that, or wanting to how Jesus helps people become a better version of themselves, he was doing that with people who were like the Roman empire is fine and I work for them and I get rich off of them and that's great, like Matthew [laughs]. Versus the Roman Empire is the enemy and we need to throw them off via murder and other forms of violence, AKA Simon the Zealot. And like they're just sitting together with Jesus. They're both followers of Jesus, no question.Jonathan Walton: Exactly, right.Sy Hoekstra: And they have opposite political views. And one of them is like really earnestly advocating and killing a bunch of people [laughs]. Right?Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: And that is like, it's just a, I don't know, in the context of some of the church context where I grew up or some of the… like it's just a lot of the conservative Christian context now that is unthinkable, but it is also the absolute norm for Jesus [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: So that gives you a sense of when you're a place where your church culture is off, when something that is unthinkable is the norm for Jesus [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Exactly. Exactly. That is what I hope we would say when someone says, what is syncretism?Sy Hoekstra: So syncretism is another one of those big words. I'm not sure we defined it right. Syncretism is a word that a lot of White westerners use for basically poor Black and Brown people, and sometimes Asian people.Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: When it's like, oh, you are a Christian, sure, but you're also practicing this native thing. Like my wife's family's from Haiti, right? You are Catholic, but you're also doing this voodoo stuff. And so that's not real pure Christianity, that's syncretism. And now…Jonathan Walton: Exactly.Sy Hoekstra: You were saying Jonathan, sorry, that was… go ahead.Jonathan Walton: No, but like, so Brandi's just turn of phrase when she said, oh, when someone's political foundations are shaken, their religious foundations are shaken. That is syncretism.Sy Hoekstra: Right, yes. Exactly.Jonathan Walton: And so putting it in that language just makes it more effective, more practical, more illuminating for people as opposed to saying, “Well, you're political and social and religious ideologies are enmeshed with one another, but creating an agenda…” It's like, we don't need to talk like that [laughs]. You know what I mean? We can just say it plainly and things God can meet us in that.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah.Which Tab Is Still Open?: Average Black, Christian Voting Patterns and Political Beliefs vs. the Average DemocratJonathan Walton: Alright Sy. Let's jump into our latest segment that we introduced during the bonus episodes, and now we're bringing to you on our wider feed, is Which Tab Is Still Open. Out of all the highlights we've sent around lately in our newsletter, what's still standing out to us? And so, Sy, this one's yours. So go for it.Sy Hoekstra: This one, yeah, this one is mine. It was an article that I had in the newsletter recently by a professor named Ryan Burge, who is a political science professor and a statistician. He's basically one of the go-to experts in America for a lot of media and other sources for data about religion and politics, like surveys, pollsters, et cetera. So he's a professor at Eastern Illinois University, but he's also an American Baptist Convention pastor [laughs]. So this article is about the average Black church attending Protestant. In a lot of these polls and surveys they ask people how often do you go to church, as a measure of your religiosity. Just like an estimate basically, of your religiosity.So he says for the average Black regular church attending Christian, what is the kind of differences in their political beliefs between just the average overall Democrat? And we talked about this in one of our, in the March bonus episode, that for like a lot of people don't realize the distance between… a lot of White people don't realize the distance between [laughs] average Black voter and average Democrat voter, because Black people always vote Democrat, right?Jonathan Walton: Right.Sy Hoekstra: So if you're not kind of familiar with the culture or the politics, then those, the Black people and Democrats can be synonymous. So basically what he said was the average Black church goer is like a self-identified moderate. Is like almost in the middle of the political spectrum. Is more moderate than the average Democrat on abortion, immigration, policing, all kinds of stuff. Not conservative, but more moderate than the average Democrat. And they've become more moderate in recent years. And so there's an actual kind of statistically significant shift toward the right, but voting hasn't changed at all. Or there's been very little change in actual votes.And then the other interesting thing that he pointed out was the average… they do these polls where they have people rank themselves on a political spectrum from one to seven. So one is as liberal as it gets, and seven is as conservative as it gets. And then they also have people rank the Democrat and Republican parties for where they are, like the party overall. And in the last 10 years, the average Black church going Protestant assessment of where the Republican party is, has not changed at all, like in any significant way.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: So meaning when Donald Trump is the standard bearer, no significant difference in how radical or how right the Republican party is than when Mitt Romney was the standard bearer [laughs], right?Jonathan Walton: Yep.Sy Hoekstra: So you're saying that, “Yep. I get it, totally.” I think to a lot of people, that is some pretty stunning news [laughs].Jonathan Walton: Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.Sy Hoekstra: So, I don't know, the interesting points to me are just how our assumptions are like about voters in general are based on how White people vote, because White people vote very ideologically and Black people just don't. Like I've seen other polling data where it's like, basically Black people self-identify as liberals, moderates, or conservatives at roughly the same rate as White people. They just don't, Black people just don't vote ideologically. That's the difference, right? And then yeah, that thing where there's no difference between Trump and Mitt Romney is so interesting [laughter].Not no difference between those two men, but no difference between the parties under those two men. And by the way, the rest of the Democrat, the average Democrat thinks the Republican party is far more to the right than it was 10 years ago.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: So, basically what I'm saying is Black people knew the whole time [laughs], Black people knew what was up with the Republicans, and the assessment hasn't changed. I don't know, that to me is just a thing that people need to know. I don't know. When people say like, you hear sometimes from progressive people, “Listen to Black people, listen to Black women.” It just gets thrown out there, is like a, what I think to some White people probably sounds like just this weird ideological platitude that people are saying. But this is the reason [laughs]. The reason is marginalized folks in a system understand the system better than people in the dominant positions of the system, and have a, I don't know, have a kind of a clearer sense of where things are, have a more practical view of how to handle themselves in that system, which I think is the non-ideological voting. And yeah, all that stuff is really interesting to me. And I'm wondering what your thoughts were since this was my recommendation.Jonathan Walton: Yeah. I mean, I've… there are so many things that come to mind as we're talking about this. One thing is that the Overton window, as Brandi mentioned [laughs], it has shifted for some people, right? When we talk, when Randy Woodley talks about how people in the United States do not have the luxury of saying, “Oh, it doesn't matter who's president.” Marginalized people know it matters who is sitting in a political position. If it doesn't matter to you, then that creates a different set of problems. And I think another thing I think we have to remember is that [roughly] 70 percent of the voting population in the United States is White. The people who are registered, the people who turn out.And so there's, I think just there's a lot of context to layer over top of this that can obscure just the basic reality of the emancipation and the passing and Civil Rights Act. And the reality is, Black people voted for Lincoln because he wanted to stop slavery. Lincoln was a White supremacist. Lincoln literally argued in his presidential debate in Illinois that he did not believe that Black people were equal and could never be cultured to be with White people.Sy Hoekstra: And therefore we should send them back to Africa.Jonathan Walton: And therefore we should send them back to Africa. That is Lincoln. But why did we vote for him when we finally got the chance to vote, kind of with… [laughs]? It's because he said he did not want to have slavery exist anymore. Now, fast forward to the Civil Rights Act. Why did we all turn into Democrats? Because they said, “Hey, you should actually have civil rights.” Not equal rights, not full rights, not decriminalization. Not all, just some basic civil rights. Bam, now we're in that camp. This has always, always, always been about survival. The statistics are great. You could do the analysis, there's wonderful data that comes out. But at the end of the day, I'm gonna listen to my mama [Sy laughs] and say, “Oh yeah.”It would be preposterous of her to vote for anyone who is for the active destruction of her community. And the reality is, most of the time that is Republicans. Now, there are destructive policies against Black people that come from the Democrats. The difference is, just like we see here, the difference is this thing called White supremacy. One party says White supremacy exists. The other party says it doesn't. One party says White supremacy exists and desires in rhetoric to make it stop, even though they pass policies that continue to perpetuate it. The reality is though, there are more Black people, more people of color, more women in the party that has a donkey and not an elephant. And therefore, we will ride donkeys [laughs].And so that does not mean that we are for… we, when I say Black Christians, are for anything that the Overton window to use Brandi's saying again, has expanded. So Black folks' views on abortion, Black folks' views on war, Black folks' views on policing. Again, we like to be safe too. And unfortunately, a lot of times in communities of color that equals calling the police. That equals saying, “Hey, can someone help me?” Right? In Baltimore, in Chicago, in over policed parts of New York City, Black folks still have to call the police. Like it's not some utopia where we're just gonna let everything go. That doesn't exist in our communities.We still actually desire for the systems to work for us. We do not desire the system to destroy us. And so we use the systems and desire to make them better. And so these numbers I think are exceptionally informative at illuminating the, or illuminating the reality that many people in marginalized communities already know. But hopefully there'll be a common place for us to talk about it. Now there is a resistance to academia and research in progressive and conservative circles [laughs]. And so someone may say, “Well, that's just not true because it's not true for me.” But hopefully it will create some common ground to be able to have a cohesive conversation about Black folks, the Democratic party and progressive and conservative politics.Sy Hoekstra: Yeah, that's what we're trying to do. Political education, man [laughs].Outro and OuttakeJonathan Walton: Lord have mercy.Sy Hoekstra: Lord have mercy. This has been a great conversation. We were so happy that Brandi came on. And thanks for talking as always, Jonathan.Jonathan Walton: Yes.Sy Hoekstra: We will see you all in a couple of weeks. Our theme song is Citizens by Jon Guerra. Our podcast Art is by Robin Burgess, transcripts by Joyce Ambale. And as I'm gonna start saying a lot, I'm stealing this from Seth at Can I Say This at Church? This show is produced by our subscribers [laughs]. Thank you all and we will see you all in two weeks.[The song “Citizens” by Jon Guerra fades in. Lyrics: “I need to know there is justice/ That it will roll in abundance/ And that you're building a city/ Where we arrive as immigrants/ And you call us citizens/ And you welcome us as children home.” The song fades out.]Jonathan Walton: And he loves wackadoodles, I'm gonna use that one. Loves wackadoodles [laughs].Sy Hoekstra: That I have never heard. Is that because I'm not from the south that I've never heard that? Was that… [laughter]?Jonathan Walton: Well, no. Brandi's not from the south either.Brandi Miller: Also, you know I'm big up north here. I'm a Pacific Northwest girly full on. There's no doubt there [Jonathan laughs].Sy Hoekstra: Is that a Brandi quote? Is that from you?Brandi Miller: No, I'm certain that come from somewhere.Sy Hoekstra: I'm just lost. It's fine.Brandi Miller: Maybe it's Black. Maybe that's what it is.Sy Hoekstra: Well, obviously if I am the confused one and you're not, that's my first thought as well. So [laughter], there's always, there's just like, I'm so used to that point in conversations at this point in my life where I'm like, “Oooooh it's because I'm White” [laughter]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ktfpress.com/subscribe

Tamice Spencer-Helms joins Jared in this episode of Faith for Normal People for a conversation about the integration of faith and identity. Tamice shares their journey of navigating life as a queer and Black Christian, emphasizing the power of authenticity and agency in leaving toxic theologies behind.  Show Notes → ********** This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/bnp and get on your way to being your best self. ********** This episode is sponsored by Fast Growing Trees. This Spring they have the best deals online, up to half off on select plants and other deals. And listeners to our show get an additional 15% off their first purchase when using the code NORMALPEOPLE at checkout. Offer is valid for a limited time, terms and conditions may apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Phil is back! He gives an update about his family's harrowing medical emergency. Then, new data shows the Democratic Party's grip on Black Christians may be slipping. Esau McCaulley shares his take on the reason. Nancy French talks with Skye about the themes in her new memoir, “Ghosted,” including church sexual abuse, political tribalism, trauma, and her miraculous experiences with God. Also this week—another book ban backfires, and defensive driving Florida style.   Holy Post Plus Getting Schooled - Christian Presidents https://www.patreon.com/posts/103818968/   0:00 - Intro   1:38 - Show Starts   3:10 - Theme Song   3:32 - Sponsor - AG1 - Heavily researched, thoroughly purity-tested, and filled with stuff you need. Go to https://www.athleticgreens.com/HOLYPOST   4:52 - Sponsor - Sundays Dog Food - Get 35% off your first order of Sundays. Go to www.SundaysForDogs.com/HOLYPOST or use code HOLYPOST at checkout.   6:04 - Phil Explains the Medical Emergency   15:52 - The Surgery   24:25 - Esau's Childhood Stomach Surgery   26:50 - Florida Man Rescues Friend from Alligator   28:14 - Florida Man Tries to Ban Bible from Schools   35:06 - Have Democrats Lost the Black Church?   49:03 - Esau's Dream Proposal   52:31 - Sponsor - Faithful Counseling - Get 10% off your first month at www.betterhelp.com/HOLYPOST   53:28 - Interview   55:10 - Charismatic Experiences   59:18 - How Did the Frenches Not End Up in MAGA?   1:03:48 - What Radicalized the Republican Voter Base?   1:08:25 - Where There Signs 20 Years Ago That Radicalization Was Coming?    1:11:30 - Pro-Life Republicans Changing Their Stances?   1:22:20 - What's the Future for the GOP?   1:33:58 - End Credits Links Mentioned in the News Segment: Man Runs Over Alligator with Truck to Save Neighbor from Attack https://people.com/man-runs-over-alligator-with-truck-to-save-neighbor-from-attack-8637962#:~:text=A%20Florida%20man%20ran%20over,a%20pond%20in%20Collier%20County.   Florida Atheist Uses State's New Book Banning Law to Object to the Bible https://www.huffpost.com/entry/chaz-stevens-bible-ban_n_6268e98ee4b0ea625c0e2b58   Have Democrats Lost the Black Church? https://religionunplugged.com/news/2024/4/15/have-the-democrats-lost-the-black-church   Other resources:   Ghosted: an American Story by Nancy French: https://a.co/d/hwzJItt   Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/   Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus   Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost   Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop   The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.  

In this episode of Pass The Mic, hosts Rev. Tyler Burns and Dr. Jemar Tisby discuss the desire for mentors. Join the conversation as they explore the significance of mentorship in personal, professional, and spiritual growth, sharing personal anecdotes and insights that highlight the impact of mentorship on their own lives. Discover the signs that indicate you might be in need of a mentor and gain valuable advice on how to identify the right mentors for your unique journey. The hosts discuss various mentorship models, providing guidance on overcoming common obstacles in establishing these crucial relationships. Whether you're a seasoned professional seeking guidance or a new Black Christian listener navigating the complexities of your spiritual life, this episode offers practical tips on finding, building, and sustaining meaningful mentorship connections. Tune in to learn about alternative forms of mentorship, the role of shared values in successful mentor-mentee relationships, and how mentorship can serve as a catalyst for personal and communal flourishing. Don't miss this insightful episode that delves into the dynamics of mentorship, providing a roadmap for listeners to navigate their own journeys with intentionality and purpose. Join Rev. Tyler Burns and Dr. Jemar Tisby as they explore the power of mentorship on Pass The Mic! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices