Faith for the Rest of Us

On Episode 7, I chat with Dr. Heather White. Heather White is a specialist in American religious history with a research focus on sexuality, gender, and twentieth century social movements.Heather teaches courses in gender, feminist and queer studies; queer theory and queer politics; sexuality and the history of religion; and the history and politics of religious freedom.

Heather’s first book, Reforming Sodom: Protestants and the Rise of Gay Rights was published by the University of North Carolina Press in 2015. It was featured in Huffington Post, Religion and Politics, theL.A. Review of Books, and Religion Dispatches, and listed in the top ten “best LGBT nonfiction of 2015” by the Bay Area Reporter. Heather also co-edited an anthology (with Gillian Frank and Bethany Moreton), titled Devotions and Desires: Histories of Religion and Sexuality in the Twentieth Century United States. Heather serves on the advisory board of the LGBT Religious Archive Network, and is a steering committee member of the Queer Studies in Religion group of the American Academy of Religion.

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In episode 4, I sit down with author and pastor Tullian Tchividjian discusses his new book, Carnage and Grace, which chronicles his journey of crashing and burning in a very public way and finding hope and healing through God's grace. He shares how his theology of grace helped him navigate the dark and hopeless moments in his life and how acknowledging his own brokenness and living amends have been transformative practices. Tchividjian also addresses the failure of the pastor as a moral exemplar and the need for safe spaces where people can tell the truth about themselves. His hope is that this book will reach those who feel hopeless and remind them of God's unconditional love.

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In episode 5, join me for a conversation with leading meditation teacher Giovanni Deinstmann. He is an international author, meditation teacher, coach, speaker, and the creator of Live and Dare—the fifth most popular meditation blog on the planet—and author of the best-selling book Practical Meditation, which is available in eight different languages and has popularly been called “The Meditation Bible”.

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In episode 4, I chat with Nadia Bolz-Weber about how to live authentic Christianity in a turbulent world. Nadia Bolz-Weber is an ordained Lutheran Pastor, founder of House for All Sinners & Saints in Denver, Co, the creator and host of The Confessional and  the author of three NYT bestselling memoirs: Pastrix; The Cranky, Beautiful Faith Of A Sinner & Saint (2013 and re-released in 2021), Accidental Saints; Finding God In All The Wrong People (2015) and SHAMELESS; A Sexual Reformation(2019).

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In episode 3, I talk with Brittany Muller who is a writer, mother, wife, and enthusiastic believer in the beautiful strangeness of Christianity. A devout Catholic with an equally devout sense of curiosity, her favorite pastime is finding new ways to think about God. She is the author of The Contemplative Tarot: A Christian Guide to the Cards, from St. Martin’s Essentials. She lives in Austin with her quiet husband and two lively sons, and if you're ever looking for her, she's probably sitting under a live oak and reading about saints.

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In episode 2, I chat with singer and songwriter Ian McConnell about his unique brand of upbeat, existentialist music that grapples with the big questions of life, and his explosive popularity on TikTok among Generation Z. Ian is a recovering gifted child with a fear of disappointing people. A singer-songwriter by day, goofy social media personality of moderate notoriety by (also) day, and sleepyhead by night, Ian has been referred to as “Kroger-brand Ed Sheeran" and “sexy Kermit The Frog,” by a his 600k+ Tiktok and 230k+ Instagram followers.

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Welcome to episode 1 of Faith for the Rest of Us, featuring a conversation with renowned scholar AJ Levine. Dr. A.J. Levine discusses the topic of sexuality and gender in the Bible. She explains her early interest in the subject and the importance of using the Bible for compassionate reasons. Dr. Levine explores what the Bible generally says about homosexuality and the interpretation of key passages. She also delves into the understanding of marriage in the Bible and the complexities of Leviticus 18:22. Additionally, Dr. Levine discusses the interpretation of Romans, 1 Corinthians, and the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in Jude. She offers advice for LGBT Christians and encourages a broader understanding of the Bible. In this conversation, Dr. Amy J. Levine discusses the challenges faced by the queer community and the importance of LGBTQ+ education. She emphasizes the need for support and inclusivity for queer youth and highlights the impact of mental health on queer individuals. Dr. Levine also explores the role of allies in creating a more inclusive society. 

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