The Progressive Christians Podcast

This week, we are honored to be joined by the one and only Dr. Abdul El-Sayed! As he loves to remind us, Dr. Carter is from Michigan, and Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is currently running in a three-way Democratic primary to be Michigan's Senator against Haley Stevens and Mallory McMorrow. If he wins, he would not only be an unprecedented Progressive voice in Congress, but he would also be the first Muslim Senator in United States History.

Dr. El-Sayed has also been vocal about how his religious views are part of his holistic philosophy - shaping his time growing up in America and the way he is committed to loving his neighbors. You guys have been asking for some more interfaith collaboration on the podcast, and we felt that there was an incredible opportunity for some interfaith religious construction here. Spoilers... Dr. Abdul El-Sayed totally blew us away.

(disclaimer: this interview was recorded the week of May 17th, so our political discussions focus on last week's news cycle)

Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro/ Introducing Dr. Abdul El-Sayed 5:00 - How Christians Can Fight Islamophobia/ How To Build A Better Society 8:00 - Successful Muslim Progressives 12:30 - Is Being Progressive Radical or Religious? 16:30 - What Gives You HOPE? 20:35 - Dr. Abdul's Medical Experience and Medicare For All 25:00 - The Black Church 29:00 - How To Support Abdul 32:00 - Break 33:00 - Post Interview Freak Out/ Debrief 44:00 - "Rededicate 250" 1:08:40 - Good News!

Show Notes: - Find out more about Abdul: https://abdulforsenate.com/ - San Diego attack: https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/18/us/live-news/san-diego-islamic-center-shooting - Green Nobel Prize: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D7tWNrETNQXfIYUu17qjgj3k2QB_IpRsF45skAHlvZo/edit?tab=t.0 - Rededicate 250- https://freedom250.org/celebration/rededicate-250-a-national-jubilee-of-prayer-praise-and-thanksgiving - RNS News Review of Rededicate 250- https://religionnews.com/2026/05/17/trump-allies-lead-thousands-in-prayer-to-rededicate-america-to-god-on-national-mall/ - The Convocation Unscripted- https://convocation.substack.com/

The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

Please subscribe to the Love Your Neighbor newsletter, an outgrowth of this podcast community. It will be a way for us to create new relationships and deepen existing ones with people of faith who want to learn how to practice their faith in ways that align with their values of love, justice, and compassion. We hope to see you on Substack!

If you love the show, please sign up to become a supporter of The Progressive Christians Podcast! You can choose to make a one-time or monthly donation, and your support is tax-deductible. We need your support to continue and grow this outreach ministry. You can sign up to support us here: https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct

The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at [email protected].

Music by Coma-Media Song: Jazzy Abstract Beat_Chops

#progressivechristianity #progressive #faith #politics #popculture #religion #christianpodcast

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was born from the Black church. It wasn't just a political achievement — it showed the world the courage and resilience of Black people, the theology of the Civil Rights Movement, and the conviction that loving your neighbor means protecting your neighbor's voice. SCOTUS gutting it isn't just unconstitutional — it's un-Christian.

In this episode, we're breaking down the Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais and what it means for democracy, racial justice, and American Christianity. It's just Julia, Dr. Carter, and Westley today - so get ready for a crazy one! No punches pulled - even Jesus showed that leaning into our holy anger is sometimes what we need.

Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro/ Southern Baptist AI Chatbots 4:45 - The VRA Being Gutted 17:00 - John Roberts and the Civil Rights Era 24:00 - The Black Church 38:00 - Break 40:00 - Jesus' Thoughts? 49:30 - What To Do With SCOTUS

Show Notes: - AI "Faithbot" : https://www.christianpost.com/news/imb-sees-over-600000-people-use-ai-tool-faithbot.html - Montgomery and Selma protests: https://alabamareflector.com/2026/05/16/thousands-attend-protests-in-selma-and-montgomery-for-voting-rights/ - Supreme Court Ruling: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/04/supreme-court-louisiana-vra-callais/ - Timeline of the Voting Rights Act: https://www.naacpldf.org/voting-rights-act-history-timeline/

The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

Please subscribe to the Love Your Neighbor newsletter, an outgrowth of this podcast community. It will be a way for us to create new relationships and deepen existing ones with people of faith who want to learn how to practice their faith in ways that align with their values of love, justice, and compassion. We hope to see you on Substack!

If you love the show, please sign up to become a supporter of The Progressive Christians Podcast! You can choose to make a one-time or monthly donation, and your support is tax-deductible. We need your support to continue and grow this outreach ministry. You can sign up to support us here: https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct

The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at [email protected].

We are thrilled to be joined by Dr. Melissa Borja this week, to discuss her new podcast "One Million Neighbors!" The podcast follows the story of the largest refugee resettlement in American history - when Midwestern Christians resettled "One Million Neighbors." Obviously, this is very relevant to our current immigration panic, so we dive deep into the strange role that Christians have played here - and what our theology tells us to do next.

Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro/ Golden Trump Statue 8:00 - "Tax The Rich" is a Slur? 11:15 - Introducing Melissa Borja 16:00 - One Million Neighbors 28:30 - Americans and Missionaries 38:00 - Coastal Elitism vs. Midwestern Coalition Building 44:00 - Matthew 25 50:00 - Refugee Resettlement is Culturally Beneficial 57:30 - Immigrants vs. Migrants vs. Asylum Seekers 1:05:00 - Good News!

Show Notes: - Check out One Million Neighbors: https://www.axismundi.us/podcasts/one-million-neighbors - Politics is for Power by Eitan Hersher: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Politics-Is-for-Power/Eitan-Hersh/9781982116798 - Billionaire says "tax the rich" is a slur: https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/06/business/mamdani-taxes-real-estate - The Trump Gold Statue: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/05/11/donald-trump-gold-statue/90029751007/ - UK emissions at 150 year low: https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-uk-emissions-fall-2-4-in-2025-as-coal-hits-400-year-low/

The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

Please subscribe to the Love Your Neighbor newsletter, an outgrowth of this podcast community. It will be a way for us to create new relationships and deepen existing ones with people of faith who want to learn how to practice their faith in ways that align with their values of love, justice, and compassion. We hope to see you on Substack!

If you love the show, please sign up to become a supporter of The Progressive Christians Podcast! You can choose to make a one-time or monthly donation, and your support is tax-deductible. We need your support to continue and grow this outreach ministry. You can sign up to support us here: https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct

The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at [email protected].

#progressivechristianity #progressive #faith #politics #popculture #religion

Raise your hand if you've had a clip from James Talarico come across your page in the past year 🤚 We've been following this race closely, and now that he won the Democratic nomination, we have a lot of thoughts. His unique use of Christianity and Christian language in politics has set him apart. It's brought a lot of momentum, but it's also brought a lot of hate - even from the president. We're here to adress this question - Why is the Right so afraid of James Talarico?

Timestamps: 0:00 - Cold Open/ Come To Our Baseball Game! 1:29 - Intro/ The World 5:00 - Why Do They Hate Talarico? 30:00 - Of Course Race Is A Part Of This 33:20 - Jasmine Crockett 43:30 - Break 45:00 - Trevor Noah On Religious Imagination 1:02:00 - The Audacity Of Hope 1:12:40 - Good News!

Show Notes: - Baptist News On Talarico - https://baptistnews.com/article/why-are-evangelicals-freaking-out-over-james-talarico/ - Religion Unplugged on Talarico - https://religionunplugged.com/news/james-talarico-and-the-struggle-over-christianity-in-us-politics - Trevor Noah on Religion - https://lizbucar.substack.com/p/what-if-trevor-noah-is-right-about - The Prophetic Imagination by Walter Brueggeman - https://www.fortresspress.com/store/product/9781506449302/The-Prophetic-Imagination - Imagining Argentina by Lawrench Thornton - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/178530/imagining-argentina-by-lawrence-thornton/ - Beloved by Toni Morrison - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/117647/beloved-pulitzer-prize-winner-by-toni-morrison/ - Mills drops out - https://www.politico.com/news/2026/04/30/janet-mills-maine-senate-dropout-00899664

The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

Please subscribe to the Love Your Neighbor newsletter, an outgrowth of this podcast community. It will be a way for us to create new relationships and deepen existing ones with people of faith who want to learn how to practice their faith in ways that align with their values of love, justice, and compassion. We hope to see you on Substack!

If you love the show, please sign up to become a supporter of The Progressive Christians Podcast! You can choose to make a one-time or monthly donation, and your support is tax-deductible. We need your support to continue and grow this outreach ministry. You can sign up to support us here: https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct

The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at [email protected].

#progressivechristianity #progressive #faith #politics #popculture #religion

After the newest assassination attempt, we noticed that the manifesto of the perpetrator had a lot of Bible references. Between this, the Trump admin's use of the Bible to justify violence, and the new trend of abusive men bringing their bibles to court, we wanted to speak on violence, nonviolence, and where Jesus fits in all of it.

Show Notes:

- The manifesto: https://www.instagram.com/p/DXpoVeOE5sk/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

- Erica Chenowith: Why Civil Resistance Works: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/why-civil-resistance-works-the-strategic-logic-of-nonviolent-conflict_erica-chenoweth_maria-j-stephan/3292394/item/26513110/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_new_condition_books_high_14637440387&utm_adgroup=&utm_term=&utm_content=545679999522&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=14637440387&gbraid=0AAAAADwY45iwsuDihZsb4ADJDPDwD0CZ9&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2MbPBhCSARIsAP3jP9x1VoRUqR9jDTeQ2xRir0ZN09Cf_5On32MExb4wmliEsdsHv36JDWkaArFxEALw_wcB#idiq=26513110&edition=7970609

- Russell Brand can't find a passage in the bible: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QCIqF7K3lE

- Gerlyn Henry on the abusive man to Christian pipeline: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVjLmdzDSEC/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==

- Guatemala stops oil drilling in the Maya Biosphere Reserve: https://peterschulte.org/good-news/guatemala-maya-forest-rewilding-oil-fields/

- Rhinos Return to Uganda: https://peterschulte.org/good-news/uganda-rhino-reintroduction-wild-kidep

The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

Please subscribe to the Love Your Neighbor newsletter, an outgrowth of this podcast community. It will be a way for us to create new relationships and deepen existing ones with people of faith who want to learn how to practice their faith in ways that align with their values of love, justice, and compassion. We hope to see you on Substack!

If you love the show, please sign up to become a supporter of The Progressive Christians Podcast! You can choose to make a one-time or monthly donation, and your support is tax-deductible. We need your support to continue and grow this outreach ministry. You can sign up to support us here: https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct

The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at [email protected].

#progressivechristianity #progressive #faith #politics #popculture #religion

As Americans, we tend to focus a lot on an American perspective - so this week, we are blessed to be joined by a friend who is helping to provide a wider angle! Jonty Langley is co-host and founder of the Beer Christianity podcast, as well as editor of S(h)ibboleth Magazine. Jonty joined us from across the pond to talk about The American Imperial Boomerang, how leftism and Christianity intertwine, and what to understand about America's role in the wider world.

Show Notes: - AOC Quote: "I thought that fascist takeover attempts were going to be architected by evil geniuses. I was not expecting how unearned, nepotistic, mediocre and just dumb so many of the people architecting this were going to be" - Shibboleth Magazine: https://shibbolethmag.com/ - Beer Christianity Podcast: https://www.beerchristianity.co.uk/ - Hope Without Optimism: Terry Eagleton https://www.upress.virginia.edu/title/4948/ - Greenbelt Festival- https://www.greenbelt.org.uk/ - The North Sea Energy Network: https://www.cleanenergywire.org/news/north-sea-states-aim-worlds-largest-energy-hub-major-offshore-wind-investment-plan

The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

Please subscribe to the Love Your Neighbor newsletter, an outgrowth of this podcast community. It will be a way for us to create new relationships and deepen existing ones with people of faith who want to learn how to practice their faith in ways that align with their values of love, justice, and compassion. We hope to see you on Substack!

If you love the show, please sign up to become a supporter of The Progressive Christians Podcast! You can choose to make a one-time or monthly donation, and your support is tax-deductible. We need your support to continue and grow this outreach ministry. You can sign up to support us here: https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct

The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at [email protected].

#progressivechristianity #progressive #faith #politics #popculture #religion

This week, the Pope Leo vs. Trump news has been insane. How did this happen in an administration that claims to be deeply Christian and Catholic? We discuss the historical precedent of political popes, the wild escalation of conflict that has happened, and where the theology simply doesn't make sense.

Show Notes: - Hungarian Election: https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/12/world/live-news/hungary-election-orban-magyar - Cardinals Speak Out: https://www.americamagazine.org/news/2026/04/13/us-cardinals-60-minutes-trump/ - Our "Biblical vs. Christian" episode: https://youtu.be/MqJgG5JXDiM - Belle Hooks Communion: https://bookshop.org/p/books/communion-the-female-search-for-love-bell-hooks/f218116ab5383b77?ean=9780060938291&next=t - Belle Hooks "Appalachian Elegy": https://bookshop.org/p/books/appalachian-elegy-poetry-and-place-bell-hooks/9bfc4384a9d46ab6?ean=9780813136691&next=t - Pope's Plane: https://cruxnow.com/church/2015/09/fun-facts-and-more-about-life-aboard-the-papal-plane

The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

Please subscribe to the Love Your Neighbor newsletter, an outgrowth of this podcast community. It will be a way for us to create new relationships and deepen existing ones with people of faith who want to learn how to practice their faith in ways that align with their values of love, justice, and compassion. We hope to see you on Substack!

If you love the show, please sign up to become a supporter of The Progressive Christians Podcast! You can choose to make a one-time or monthly donation, and your support is tax-deductible. We need your support to continue and grow this outreach ministry. You can sign up to support us here: https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct

The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at [email protected].

#progressivechristianity #progressive #faith #politics #popculture #religion

We've got the whole team back for this one! As you may have heard, this week Paula White likened Trump to Jesus (we know, right?). This outrageous statement sparked so much backlash from Christians, it was impossible for us to miss. This week, we don't just want to talk about her words, but WHY Evangelicals find it so important to do something so explicitly blasphemous.

We also want to take this holy week to do some theological construction - where does Easter land in all this chaos? How can we use this time of spiritual rebirth as Progressive Christians? We hope this episode brings you some joy in these trying, yet holy, times.

Show Notes: - Paula White Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iHjbG3jtHM (1:47-2:48 (end of the video)) - Artemis Mission Names Craters: https://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2026/04/06/artemis-ii-nasa-astronaut-names-moon-crater-for-late-wife/89488427007/ - Mamdani's Real Cost of Living Plan: https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/04/mayor-mamdani-releases-preliminary-citywide-racial-equity-plan-a

The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

Please subscribe to the Love Your Neighbor newsletter, an outgrowth of this podcast community. It will be a way for us to create new relationships and deepen existing ones with people of faith who want to learn how to practice their faith in ways that align with their values of love, justice, and compassion. We hope to see you on Substack!

If you love the show, please sign up to become a supporter of The Progressive Christians Podcast! You can choose to make a one-time or monthly donation, and your support is tax-deductible. We need your support to continue and grow this outreach ministry. You can sign up to support us here: https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct

The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at [email protected].

#progressivechristianity #progressive #faith #politics #popculture #religion

We are thrilled to be joined by Pastor Joe Smith this week! We originally found Joe because of his work on Instagram, and quickly realized that his work combating White Christian Nationalism is essential to the work of Progressive Christianity.

We had Joe on to discuss his journey as an Exvangelical pastor, his thoughts about the state of American Christian Nationalism, and how we can move forward with bringing the message of a homeless Palestinian socialist to the people who refuse to hear it.

Show Notes: Find Joe - https://www.instagram.com/therealjoe.smith/ The Slippery Slope - https://slipperyslope.shop/ Homeowner calls ICE - https://uk.news.yahoo.com/maryland-homeowner-accused-calling-aiding-181658420.html No Kings Protests - https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2026/03/28/no-kings-protests-marches-record-turnout/ The passage on the Syrophoenician woman - https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Mark%207:24%E2%80%9330&version=nrsv Dr Carter preaches on the Syrophoenician woman - https://theloftla.libsyn.com/loft-gathering-breaking-the-patriarchal-reading-of-the-bible

The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

Please subscribe to the Love Your Neighbor newsletter, an outgrowth of this podcast community. It will be a way for us to create new relationships and deepen existing ones with people of faith who want to learn how to practice their faith in ways that align with their values of love, justice, and compassion. We hope to see you on Substack!

If you love the show, please sign up to become a supporter of The Progressive Christians Podcast! You can choose to make a one-time or monthly donation, and your support is tax-deductible. We need your support to continue and grow this outreach ministry. You can sign up to support us here: https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct

The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at [email protected].

#progressivechristianity #progressive #faith #politics #popculture #religion

We've been promising bonus content… Here it is!

We were inspired to make this episode by Rev. Katie with the Young Adult group at Hyde Park Community UMC in Cincinnati, Ohio, who reached out to tell us they had been using our podcasts for some of their lessons. In honor of how much this means to us, this episode is dedicated to all of them! They wrote us some great questions that they've been dealing with while trying to deconstruct and reconstruct their Christianity into something that more closely mirrors Jesus. Please join us on this fun, less formal dive into our personal beliefs on some of the most difficult Progressive Christian topics.

Show Notes: - This is the episode playlist that Rev. Kate Smith used with the young adult group:

28: Do Progressive Christians Believe in the Bible? 29: What is Sin and Why Do Most Conservatives Get it Wrong? 36: Failing the Group Project: The Problem with Evil with Dr. Becky Copeland 19: What Do Progressives Believe About Evangelism? 34: What Do Progressive Christians Believe About Salvation? 23: Women, Patriarchy, and the Bible with Claire McKeever-Burgett 3: What does progressive Christian masculinity look like 27: Sex, Gender, and Christian Theology 54: I Was a Christian Nationalist and Didn't Know It w/ April Ajoy 47: Debunking MAGA's Biblical Argument Against a Government Social Safety Net 38: How Do We Hold On to Hope in Times of Crisis? 40: Why Are You (Still) A Christian?

- Dr. Prathia Hall Biography: https://www.ugapress.org/9780820361710/freedom-faith/ - Dr Prathia Hall Sermons: https://herringbonebooks.indielite.org/book/9780820361772 - Elephant Seals: https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/southern-elephant-seals-recover-in-southern-africa-but-global-picture-is-mixed/ - UK Geothermal Power: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cewzg77k721o

The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

Please subscribe to the Love Your Neighbor newsletter, an outgrowth of this podcast community. It will be a way for us to create new relationships and deepen existing ones with people of faith who want to learn how to practice their faith in ways that align with their values of love, justice, and compassion. We hope to see you on Substack!

If you love the show, please sign up to become a supporter of The Progressive Christians Podcast! You can choose to make a one-time or monthly donation, and your support is tax-deductible. We need your support to continue and grow this outreach ministry. You can sign up to support us here: https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct

The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at [email protected].

#progressivechristianity #progressive #faith #politics #popculture #religion