Leigh Finke was the first openly trans woman to be elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives. She authored and championed Minnesota's Trans Refuge Bill and has worked tirelessly to expand LGBTQ+ protections in her state. She is also a Christian and author of Queerfully and Wonderfully Made: A Guide for LGBTQ+ Christian Teens. She spoke to Jonty, for Beer Christianity and an article in Issue 9 of Shibboleth magazine, about being trans in America and in politics, about how the "conversation" has shifted and about her own journey.

You can read the article by subscribing to Shibboleth and getting your copy in print from shibbolethmag.com where you can also read a small selection of articles from previous issues. You can find more from this podcast at beerchristianity.co.uk or scroll back wherever you get your podcasts.

Beer Christianity is an anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist, anti-racist, pro-LGBTQ+, pro-environment, pro-Palestine, pro-feminist, pro-Jesus podcast that is not nearly as serious as this makes it sound.

Bread and Rosaries is the *other* UK Christian leftist podcast, and we are delighted to have Adam and Ben on this episode, talking about their show, Keir Starmer and The King of the North.

Along the way, Jonty, Laura, Malky, Adam and Ben define what a "sick freak" is, lament Bible college and tertiary education in general, and ask the all-important question: how does your favourite politician stack up against Ho Chi Minh? This is a very fun episode and we laugh a lot, and we also discuss the more serious topic of why so many people feel respect, admiration and affection for Keir Starmer (when he's been high-key worthless on the genocide in Gaza), and why those same people are excited about Andy "Diet Starmer" Burnham, the PR-crowned "King of the North". Because the bar is now so low, having a reasonable bus service makes you... well... Uncle Ho. Check out Bread and Rosaries at breadandrosaries.com

Check out Shibboleth magazine, which has featured articles by both Adam and Ben, at shibbolethmag.com

Siskin Green is a Folk trio from Scotland, making music that bridges the spaces between tradition and radicalism, faith and feminism, anger and grace.

Their sound blends the gentle and the playful, integrating lyrics that span centuries with concerns that have never been more urgent. They're also, it turns out, pretty funny. And they have a new album out in August 2026.

On Episode 119 of Beer Christianity, Jonty catches up with two thirds of Siskin Green, Margaret McLarty and Suzanne Butler, to talk about feminism, art as resistance, grace and the power of kindness. It's a lot of fun.

You can support Siskin Green while listening to their music on the Siskin Green Bandcamp page, where you can hear all the songs mentioned in this episode. And you can find more about them at siskingreen.com

You can listen to Episode 119 anywhere: in your car by a loch; in a long line of women; in any space full of wist; or right here…

David Hayward is a cartoonist, artist, author and chronicler of Christian deconstruction from conservative evangelicalism and the right-leaning politics in which evangelicals are so often raised.

Episode 118 of Beer Christianity features an interview with David, covering his art, his view of Jesus, Donald Trump, the value of the satirical image, and how Nazis don't like or understand art.

The interview is the basis of an edited, feature Q&A in Issue 8 of Shibboleth magazine, which also features one of David Hayward's works on the cover. The episode opens with some chat between Malky, Laura and Jonty about Scottish fans at the men's football World Cup and some recommended listens for progressive Christians into podcasts. Check out David's work at nakedpastor.com You can listen to Episode 118 anywhere: at the beginning of your deconstruction journey; in a flock of rainbow sheep; in a church that refuses to let Jesus in; or right here…

James Schneider co-founded Momentum, the grassroots left-wing organisation that helped Jeremy Corbyn become leader of the Labour Party, and he's our guest this episode.

James currently heads up Communications for Progressive International, a group that unites and mobilises trade unions, leftist parties, peasant movements and groups like Code Pink, the Democratic Socialists of America and South Africa's shack dwellers movement. He holds a degree in Theology, too, and he talked to Jonty Langley for Shibboleth magazine Issue 7 and Beer Christianity.

It's an excellent episode if you're interested in the US anti-ICE movement, the history of US aggression around the world, and what part religion is playing in it all.

James is a brilliant thinker, the author of Our Bloc: How We Win, and has even played Chess at an international level -- so you're gonna want to hear what he has to say.

If you want to read an edited version of the interview, as well as more pieces about what's happening in and because of the US, check out Issue 7 of Shibboleth magazine.

We had a LOT of fun with this one.

Jeremy Steele is an author, podcaster and progressive pastor who leads Not Church on Discord and whose book How To Not Suck As a Christian offers an alternative vision of inclusion, anti-racism and spirituality without bigotry. He's also a fun guy, as you'll hear during this episode.

Jonty, Laura and Malky talk to Jeremy about coming out of harmful belief systems and embracing a more open and less prescriptive path, how apologetics is garbage and which whisky is a red flag. There's also a moment that should serve as a cautionary tale for those choosing bottle-openers.

You can follow Jeremy on most socials @skeptic.pastor

Beer Christianity is an anti-capitalist, pro-BLM, pro-LGBTQ+, anti-imperialist, post-post-post-evangelical podcast where we drink a bit and talk a lot. Our aim is to be real, helpful and entertaining. To ourselves. But you are also welcome.

We also have a sister magazine called S(h)ibboleth and it takes up most of our time, money and effort. If you have any interest in the intersection of faith and leftist politics, you should subscribe. Issue 5, about work, labour rights and horrible bosses is out soon.

Gianmarco Soresi is Jewish, Italian and, more importantly, a theatre kid.

He's also one of our favourite comedians right now, whose crowd work and online presence blend wit, whimsy observations that are sometimes barbed, usually brilliant. He's a very funny guy, and he walks the line of being politically sound without being a "Political Comedian".

On this episode, Jonty picks Gianmarco's brain on Jewish identity and the expectation of Zionism, whether "comedy is legal now" and other MAGA talking points have any merit, and what his approach to comedy is, creatively and ethically.

Gianmarco Soresi is one of the best comics working today and we're delighted to have been able to speak to him before he gets too huge to talk to shows like us. We're sure you'll enjoy this interview almost as much as we did.

Gianmarco's comedy special, Thief of Joy is out now and if you're in the United States (so sorry), you may still be able to catch him on his Drama King tour.

About Beer Christianity

Beer Christianity is an anti-capitalist, pro-BLM, pro-LGBTQ+, anti-imperialist, post-post-post-evangelical podcast where we drink a bit and talk a lot. Our aim is to be real, helpful and entertaining. To ourselves. But you are also welcome.

You can find it on a better website at beerchristianity.co.uk

Beer Christianity also has a newsletter in which Jonty and guest authors comment on the news, theological issues and stuff that matters. He updates it according to his own wildly inconsistent neurodivergent schedule, but it's a good read. Sign up to the Beer Christianity newsletter on Substack.

We have a sister magazine called S(h)ibboleth and it takes up most of our time. If you have any interest in the intersection of faith and leftist politics, you should subscribe.

We bloody love Greenbelt. We have for years. The UK's best Christian festival is also its best arts festival and justice festival, a place where belief, creativity and working for a better world coalesce in a series of talks, spiritual happenings and cool music, theatre, comedy and craft. And at the 2025 festival, we made our on-stage debut!

In this episode, Laura, Malky and Jonty their Greenbelt 2025 highlights, as well as the Shibboleth Sessions they led in the Hope & Anchor venue. If you were at the sessions, this is your chance to hear what the gang thought about them. If you weren't, it's a chance to catch up on what we've been doing. And if you're not interested in any of that, this episode is your chance to hear about our experience of Greenbelt this year. Everyone's is different, so we would love to hear what yours was like! Send us a voicenote!

If you've never been to Greenbelt before, get your tickets for next year now.

You can listen to Episode 114 anywhere: in a field in Northhamptonshire, in a dry bar where honest conversation leads to deep fellowship, in denial that it's another year to wait before we can meet again, or right here...

Sim Kern is an author and social media creator who sprang to prominence at the beginning of Israel's latest war on the people of Gaza. As they have spoken out, from a Jewish perspective, against zionist justifications for Israel's violence, they have articulated what many within and outside Jewish communities feel about Israel and Zionism.

As a result of their TikToks, they were invited by America's only Palestinian-owned publisher, Interlink, to get some of those helpful thoughts onto paper. The result is Genocide Bad, a book that was denounced by some Israeli pundits before it had been published, and which made the NYT bestseller list.

In this episode, Sim talks to Jonty about why they don't use the word 'antisemitism' anymore, how they have experienced all the attention (positive and very negative), and what Christians and other people concerned about justice can say and do in the face of overwhelming political and media support for Israel's war crimes.

They also talk about finding hope in a bathroom stall. It's pretty cool.

Follow Sim on TikTok @simkern, on Insta @sim_bokstagrams_badly and at simkern.com

Check out Genocide Bad at interlinkbooks.com and find this interview in print (alongside similar voices) in Issue 4 of S(h)ibboleth magazine shibbolethmag.com

You can listen to Episode 113 anywhere: in a pro-Palestinian march, at a Jewish antizionist reading group, in church, or right here…

What if God wasn't all-powerful? What if you already held a theology that the mainstream Church saw as heretical? What are Process Theology and Open and Relational Theology?

Simon Cross and Thomas Oord join us for this episode to talk about a theology that, in a sense, rejects the images of God that don't make sense in the light of God's goodness. One part of that is seeing God as emotional, and not all-powerful.

Jonty and Laura talk to them about their ideas about God, about dealing with people with abhorrent ideas and about the conference Simon and Thomas are contributing to in June 2025.

We don't agree on everything, but we're surprised at how much we do agree on.

You can get tickets to the conference The Uncontrolling Love of God here while stocks last.

If you're interested in whether God is in control or not, and if you want to hear Laura getting increasingly uncomfortable with Jonty arguing with a guest, this one is for you.