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Can the Bible affirm same-sex relationships without compromising its authority?

More than half of LGBTQ youth raised in non-affirming Christian households report suicidal thoughts, according to The Trevor Project. In this timely and vulnerable conversation, Matthew Vines—author of God and the Gay Christian and founder of The Reformation Project—joins Will and Josh to explore the moral, theological, and pastoral implications of excluding LGBTQ people from covenantal love.

Raised in an evangelical church, Matthew shares his deeply personal story of coming out, challenging the “clobber verses,” and making a theologically conservative case for full LGBTQ inclusion. The conversation also unpacks celibacy mandates, biblical context vs. timeless principles, and how churches can (and can’t) offer belonging without affirmation.
Josh remains non-affirming, but open. The result is a rare, emotionally intelligent dialogue that refuses easy answers—and models what truth-seeking looks like across deep difference.

Guest Bio
Matthew Vines is the author of God and the Gay Christian and founder of The Reformation Project, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing LGBTQ inclusion in the church while upholding biblical authority. A Harvard-trained theologian turned advocate, Vines is known for articulating an affirming theology rooted in evangelical hermeneutics and traditional biblical scholarship.

God and the Gay Christian (Amazon)
https://www.amazon.com/God-Gay-Christian-Biblical-Relationships/dp/1601425163

The Reformation Project Website
https://reformationproject.org/

Matthew Vines on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@ReformationProject

Support Sarah Stankorb’s work and preorder Damned If She Does: Why Women Quit Church and What It Means for the Future of Religion, Releases September 15, 2026.  Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798889837091

Website: https://www.sarahstankorb.com/

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What happens when the church adopts the worldview of its cultural critics?

According to recent data, nearly 60% of American Christians now say it's more important to be “kind” than to uphold biblical truth. But what if that kindness is shaped by a secularism that quietly undermines Christian convictions? In this episode of Faithful Politics, we sit down with Dr. John West—author of Stockholm Syndrome Christianity and VP of the Discovery Institute—to explore how secular assumptions have infiltrated the church from within. West, a longtime scholar of politics, religion, and science, argues that many church leaders have internalized a materialist worldview that strips faith of its power to transform.

We talk homelessness, public policy, marriage, religious liberty, and why Christians need to recover a holistic view of human dignity—not just “throw money at problems.” It’s a thought-provoking dialogue on the tensions between compassion, conviction, and cultural conformity.

👤 Guest Bio
Dr. John West is Vice President of the Discovery Institute and co-founder of its Center for Science and Culture. Formerly chair of political science at Seattle Pacific University, West holds a PhD in government from Claremont Graduate University. He is the author or editor of 13 books and has directed 12 documentaries on faith, politics, and culture. His latest book, Stockholm Syndrome Christianity, explores how secular worldviews have reshaped the American church.

Support Sarah Stankorb’s work and preorder Damned If She Does: Why Women Quit Church and What It Means for the Future of Religion, Releases September 15, 2026.  Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798889837091

Website: https://www.sarahstankorb.com/

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81% of white evangelicals voted for Donald Trump in 2016—and for many lifelong churchgoers, that moment was a spiritual breaking point. In this episode, author and podcaster Erin Hicks Moon joins the show to talk about what happens when the faith you inherited no longer feels like home. Erin, co-host of Faith Adjacent and author of I’ve Got Questions: The Spiritual Practice of Having It Out with God, unpacks what it means to deconstruct, grieve spiritual loss, and stay tethered to Jesus in a time of disillusionment. With honesty and humor, she explores questions around religious trauma, purity culture, Christian nationalism, and how to find peace without pretending the damage never happened. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering whether faith can survive doubt—or whether you can still love Jesus after being hurt by his followers—this episode is for you.

👤 Guest Bio
Erin Hicks Moon is a writer, speaker, and co-host of the Faith Adjacent podcast, where she brings theological insight and a sharp wit to questions of faith and culture. She is the author of I’ve Got Questions: The Spiritual Practice of Having It Out with God, and writes a popular Substack newsletter called The Swipe Up. Erin serves as a senior creative at The Popcast Media Group and is known for creating welcoming spaces for spiritual honesty and curiosity.

Support Sarah Stankorb’s work and preorder Damned If She Does: Why Women Quit Church and What It Means for the Future of Religion, Releases September 15, 2026.  Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798889837091

Website: https://www.sarahstankorb.com/

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📜 Did abolitionists fight slavery with theology? And what does that mean for us today?

Though slavery was abolished over 150 years ago, its legacy haunts American Christianity—and our public life. In this timely episode, theologian Dr. Daniel Lee Hill, author of Bearing Witness, joins the show to unpack what the 19th-century abolitionists can still teach us today about faith, justice, and public responsibility. A professor at Baylor’s Truett Theological Seminary, Dr. Hill highlights three often-forgotten figures—Maria Stewart, William Still, and David Ruggles—who combined Christian conviction with courageous action to resist oppression.

We explore the theological roots of the abolitionist movement, the contradictions of using the Bible to both justify and dismantle slavery, and how theology is still used today in debates around incarceration, immigration, and LGBTQ inclusion. Hill’s insights challenge both apathy and despair—calling us to archive, mentor, and organize in our time as the abolitionists did in theirs.

👤 Guest Bio
Dr. Daniel Lee Hill is a theologian and assistant professor of Christian theology at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University. He is the author of Bearing Witness: What the Church Can Learn from Abolitionists and holds a PhD from Wheaton College. His work explores ecclesiology, public theology, and the intersections of history and justice.

Support Sarah Stankorb’s work and preorder Damned If She Does: Why Women Quit Church and What It Means for the Future of Religion, Releases September 15, 2026.  Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798889837091

Website: https://www.sarahstankorb.com/

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We're breaking from our usual Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday release schedule to address a topic making headlines: the Johnson Amendment.

What is the Johnson Amendment—and why are some Christian leaders eager to repeal it? Enacted in 1954, the law prohibits churches and other nonprofits from endorsing or opposing political candidates. While critics argue it silences pastors, Amanda Tyler, Executive Director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, says it actually protects the integrity of both church and state.

In this episode, Tyler explains how repealing the Johnson Amendment could politicize the pulpit, erode sacred trust, and compromise true religious freedom. With legal expertise and deep Baptist roots, she offers a compelling defense of why churches should stay out of electoral politics.
If you've ever wondered whether pastors should endorse candidates from the pulpit, this conversation offers both moral clarity and constitutional insight.

Editor’s Note:
In this episode, there is a brief misstatement regarding the Texas lawsuit and litigation strategy. Amanda mistakenly stated that Texas sued the Department of Justice, when in fact it was the DOJ that sued Texas. A White House press release confirms this. While the procedural detail was misstated, the broader point being made remains unchanged.

Guest Bio

Amanda Tyler is Executive Director of BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty), a constitutional lawyer, and a leading voice in the fight against Christian nationalism. Under her leadership, BJC has mobilized faith communities to protect religious liberty for all, including through initiatives like Christians Against Christian Nationalism. She is the author of How to End Christian Nationalism.

🔗 Resource Links

How to End Christian Nationalism by Amanda Tyler: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9781506498287
BJC – Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty: https://bjconline.org/
Christians Against Christian Nationalism: https://www.christiansagainstchristiannationalism.org/

Support Sarah Stankorb’s work and preorder Damned If She Does: Why Women Quit Church and What It Means for the Future of Religion, Releases September 15, 2026.  Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798889837091

Website: https://www.sarahstankorb.com/

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In 1954, white Southern churches declared that school integration “defied God’s design.” Seven decades later, many of those congregations champion “color-blindness” instead. What changed—and what hasn’t? Historian Rusty Hawkins (Indiana Wesleyan University), co-editor of The Bible Told Them So: How Southern Evangelicals Fought to Preserve White Supremacy, joins Faithful Politics to trace the theological through-line from Jim Crow sermons to modern debates over CRT and DEI. Hawkins explains how pastors and laypeople alike used Scripture to sanctify segregation, then re-branded the same resistance as a fight for “quality education” and “parental choice.” He also argues that today’s church can still become a force for racial reconciliation—if it learns from the prophetic witness of the Black church and rejects power for service. Whether you’re a pastor, activist, or history buff, this conversation equips you with the receipts—and the hope—to confront racism’s religious roots.

Guest Bio
Rusty Hawkins is Associate Professor of History at Indiana Wesleyan University, specializing in American religion and race. He co-edited the award-winning The Bible Told Them So and is currently writing a religious biography of Alabama Governor George Wallace. Hawkins’s scholarship appears in Christianity Today, the Journal of Southern Religion, and other outlets, making him a leading voice on how evangelical theology has shaped—and been shaped by—America’s color line.

Support Sarah Stankorb’s work and preorder Damned If She Does: Why Women Quit Church and What It Means for the Future of Religion, Releases September 15, 2026.  Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798889837091

Website: https://www.sarahstankorb.com/

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In June 2024, Louisiana passed a law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom—reviving old debates about church-state separation and moral authority. But what if we’ve misunderstood the Ten Commandments all along?

Dr. Mark Glanville, Old Testament scholar, jazz pianist, and director of the Centre for Missional Leadership at UBC, joins the podcast to reframe how we read scripture in public life. Drawing on his essay “Ten Commandments, Zero Context,” Glanville explains how these ancient laws were never about symbolic domination or individual morality, but about shaping a just, compassionate community freed from oppression.

From biblical law’s roots in slave emancipation to today’s debates over Christian nationalism, immigration, and public theology, this episode asks: What kind of society are we really trying to build? And whose law are we following—Pharaoh’s or God’s?

🎧 Listen in, then share this episode with a friend or pastor.
📬 Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of faith and politics.

Guest Bio:

Dr. Mark Glanville is an Old Testament scholar and the Director of the Centre for Missional Leadership at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. A professional jazz pianist and theologian, Glanville is the author of Improvising Church and Preaching in a New Key. He also hosts the Blue Note Theology podcast—“the only theology podcast hosted from a grand piano.”

🔗 Resource Links

• Improvising Church: Scripture as the Source of Harmony, Rhythm, and Soul: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9781514007457
• Mark Glanville’s Website: https://www.markglanville.org/

Support Sarah Stankorb’s work and preorder Damned If She Does: Why Women Quit Church and What It Means for the Future of Religion, Releases September 15, 2026.  Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798889837091

Website: https://www.sarahstankorb.com/

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88% of Americans believe our political system isn’t working—and they’re not wrong. In this episode, Will sits down with Meredith Sumpter, CEO of FairVote, to unpack one of the most promising reforms in American democracy: ranked choice voting (RCV). With over 800 elections already conducted using RCV and growing bipartisan support in states like Maine and Alaska, this episode explores how RCV reduces negative campaigning, empowers majority rule, and encourages candidates to actually engage with all voters—not just their base.

Meredith explains how RCV works, where it’s spreading, and why local communities are leading the charge. Can a voting method really make elections more civil? What would it take to implement RCV nationwide? And why are some politicians resisting it, even if their constituents support it?
This isn’t just a conversation about ballots—it’s about restoring faith in the democratic process.

👤 Guest Bio
Meredith Sumpter is the CEO of FairVote, a nonpartisan organization working to make American democracy more representative and functional. With a background in diplomacy, global strategy, and policy, she leads efforts to expand ranked choice voting and other election reforms nationwide.

Support Sarah Stankorb’s work and preorder Damned If She Does: Why Women Quit Church and What It Means for the Future of Religion, Releases September 15, 2026.  Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798889837091

Website: https://www.sarahstankorb.com/

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Want to learn more about Faithful Politics, suggest a future guest, or connect with us directly?

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Why does Xi Jinping, one of the world’s most powerful leaders, believe the Communist Party deserves unwavering loyalty—even after it persecuted his own family?

Author and political historian Joseph Torigian joins Faithful Politics to unpack his groundbreaking biography, The Party's Interest Come First, a deeply researched portrait of Xi Zhongxun, father of China’s current president. With insights drawn from rare archival material, spy memoirs, and even interviews with the Dalai Lama, Torigian helps us understand how personal suffering shaped the elder Xi’s devotion to party discipline—and how that legacy forged Xi Jinping’s authoritarian vision for modern China. We explore the moral logic of elite politics in Beijing, the party’s uneasy relationship with religious minorities like Christians and Catholics, and why understanding history is essential to forecasting China’s future.
As China’s global influence grows and tension with the West intensifies, this conversation couldn’t be more timely—or more vital.

👤 Guest Bio
Joseph Torigian is an associate professor at American University and a leading expert on authoritarian regimes, elite politics, and the Chinese Communist Party. His latest book, The Party’s Interest Come First: The Life of Xi Zhongxun, Father of Xi Jinping, draws on rare archival sources and interviews to offer new insights into the foundations of China’s modern political power.

Support Sarah Stankorb’s work and preorder Damned If She Does: Why Women Quit Church and What It Means for the Future of Religion, Releases September 15, 2026.  Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798889837091

Website: https://www.sarahstankorb.com/

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Most of us think we know more than we do. But what if our beliefs—especially political ones—are shaped less by facts and more by the people around us? In this mind-expanding episode, Dr. Steven Sloman, professor at Brown University and co-author of The Knowledge Illusion, explores how humans think, why we rely on others for knowledge, and how sacred values—not reasoned analysis—drive political polarization. He explains the tension between intuitive and deliberative thinking, the communal nature of belief, and why asking people why they believe something rarely changes minds—but asking about consequences might. If you're wondering why people dig in on issues like immigration, tariffs, or abortion—and how to bridge deep divides—this episode is for you.

👤 Guest Bio
Dr. Steven Sloman is a professor of cognitive, linguistic, and psychological sciences at Brown University, where he has taught since 1992. He’s the co-author of The Knowledge Illusion: Why We Never Think Alone and author of The Cost of Conviction (MIT Press). His research focuses on reasoning, decision-making, and belief formation, and his work has been featured in The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Scientific American.

🔗 Resource Links
The Knowledge Illusion: Why We Never Think Alone by Steven Sloman: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9780399184369
 
The Cost of Conviction: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9780262049825

Support Sarah Stankorb’s work and preorder Damned If She Does: Why Women Quit Church and What It Means for the Future of Religion, Releases September 15, 2026.  Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798889837091

Website: https://www.sarahstankorb.com/

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Keep the conversation going.

Want to learn more about Faithful Politics, suggest a future guest, or connect with us directly?

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faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/bookstore

Support the show and help us keep these conversations going:
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Subscribe for behind-the-scenes content, reflections, and updates:
faithfulpolitics.substack.com

Contact the hosts:
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