While we get back on schedule for season 3, we'd like to share this episode with you from May last year. It's a conversation between Alyse, Leesa & Carl Joseph-Black about the leaked Roe v Wade papers, the law and religion in America.

We'll be back to our regular programming soon and hope you enjoy this in the meantime.

And May the 4th be with you!

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Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and stay near it.’ Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?’ Philip asked. ‘How can I,’ he said, ‘unless someone explains it to me?’ So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: ‘He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.’ The eunuch asked Philip, ‘Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?’ Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?’ And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

In our seventh episode, we discuss the queer figure of the Ethiopian eunuch, and explore the experiences of intersex and ace Christians. Thank you to our guests this week, Marissa Adams, Stephanie A. Budwey, and Madison Stafford.

As always, you can find us on Twitter and Instagram at @sweetbitterpod. You can support us on Patreon at patreon.com/sweetbitter.

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As always, you can find us on Twitter and Instagram at @sweetbitterpod. You can support us on Patreon at patreon.com/sweetbitter.

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After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return home to his family. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.

In our fourth episode, we discuss the story of David and Jonathan, and ways that queers can reclaim their Christianity. We also hear personal stories from queer Christians, describing how they returned to their faith after experiences of exclusion and prejudice. Thank you to our guests this week. Our song this week is Great is Thy Faithfulness, performed by Ellie & Leesa.

As always, you can find us on Twitter and Instagram at @sweetbitterpod. You can support us on Patreon at patreon.com/sweetbitter.

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Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

In our third episode, we discuss the Beatitudes and queerer ways of understanding Jesus. What is the role of social justice in Christianity, and vice versa? How can we understand Jesus as both a religious and political figure? Thank you to our guests this week, Reverend Florentino Cordova, Reverend Altagracia Perez-Bullard, and Reverend Jeanelle N. Ablola. Our song this week is His Eye Is on the Sparrow, performed by Ellie & Leesa.

As always, you can find us on Twitter and Instagram at @sweetbitterpod. You can support us on Patreon at patreon.com/sweetbitter.

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I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

In our third episode, we discuss queerer ways to read the Bible, focusing on a passage that reminds us we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” How can queer folks find healing and liberation through new perspectives on scriptural texts? Thank you to our guests this week, Reverend Florentino Cordova, Reverend M Jade Kaiser, Tim Schaefer, Reverend Jakob Hero-Shaw, Pastor Dawn, Reverend Altagracia Perez-Bullard, and Reverend Jeanelle N. Ablola. Our song this week is The Gift of Love, performed by Ellie & Leesa with accompaniment by Blair Greene.

As always, you can find us on Twitter and Instagram at @sweetbitterpod. You can support us on Patreon at patreon.com/sweetbitter.

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When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Shall I come and heal him?’ The centurion replied, ‘Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, ‘Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Then Jesus said to the centurion, ‘Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.’

In our second episode, we discuss the story of the Roman centurion, and explore the queer history of Medieval Christianity. Thank you to our guest this week, Roland Betancourt. Our song this week is Joy in Sorrow, performed by Ellie, with piano by Blair Greene.

As always, you can find us on Twitter and Instagram at @sweetbitterpod. You can support us on Patreon at patreon.com/sweetbitter.

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Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.

In our first episode, we discuss the Clobber Passages and misconceptions about the Bible. Where did they come from? Why are they wrong, and how have they hurt queer folks? Thank you to our guests this week, Reverend Florentino Cordova, Ruby Almeida, Reverend Jakob Hero-Shaw, Pastor Dawn, Reverend Altagracia Perez-Bullard, and Reverend Jeanelle N. Ablola. Our song this week is Amazing Grace, performed by Ellie & Leesa.

As always, you can find us on Twitter and Instagram at @sweetbitterpod. You can support us on Patreon at patreon.com/sweetbitter.

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but test them all; hold on to what is good

Welcome to season 3! Join us for a quick introduction to Christianity and the Bible. Thank you to our guests this week, Brian Murphy, Father Shannon Kearns, Rev. Jakob Hero-Shaw, Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart, Rev. Florentino Cordova and Pastor Dawn Bennett. 

As always, you can find us on Twitter and Instagram at @sweetbitterpod. You can support us on Patreon at patreon.com/sweetbitter.

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Welcome to Season 3! Coming October 20th ✨

Christian religious institutions have victimized and traumatized queer people and women for thousands of years, but these crimes have been justified not from the text of the Bible itself, but rather from a misogynistic, patriarchal interpretation and translation of the text.

In our third season, we explore the Bible, and Christianity more broadly, through the lenses of feminism and queer liberation theory. We’ll unsettle assumptions about this ancient and highly controversial text by interviewing LGBTQIA clergy, theological experts, and practicing Christians. We’ll get their take on the so-called “clobber” passages outlawing homosexuality as well as on queer Biblical love stories like David and Jonathan, Naomi and Ruth, and the Roman centurion and his partner. We’ll hear from queer Christians about what their faith means to them, and how Christianity is inherently linked to social justice. In the second half of the season, we’ll discuss the women Biblical heroes you’ve never heard of: the matriarchs, prophets, warriors, saints, and queens whose stories will change the way you see Christianity forever.

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