In this podcast, I interview Kyle Greyson Kentopp, a young United Church of Christ minister in Raleigh working toward ordination who self-identifies as a transgender man. Most recently serving at Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Durham, Kyle is also an advocate for the transgender community within the wider church and the community.

In our interview we talked about HB 2 and HB 2.0, God beyond gender, transgender and queer experiences, and the message transgender people’s lives can speak to the church and world. Also, to celebrate his admission into Yale Divinity School, we split a great NY beer gifted me by a good friend involved in our ministry of welcome to LGBT people at my home church and a wonderful “Don’t Be Mean to People” saison from Ponysaurus Brewing which raises funds to fight for equal rights for all people.

This conversation should be eye-opening for anyone interested in looking at faith in new ways, especially around issues of transgender and queer rights.

In our pilot podcast, our host Micah Royal welcomes Rev. Richard Edens onto our show.A North Carolina native raised both in the new south of the Charlotte suburbs and the old south of Eastern North Carolina tobacco fields, Pastor Edens is the quintessential southern, progresive voice we like to focus on here at the Progressive Redneck Preacher.  He is nearing the end of an over 35 year tenure as co-pastor of the United Church of Chapel, an open and affirming, eco-friendly, anti-racist, Christian church in the heart of the southland.    Pastor Edens and his wife, Dr. Jill Edens, have been outspoken advocates for justice, inclusion, and respect for creation throughout their ministry.  In Rick's case, such activism is a direct result of his deeply southern background and his Christian faith.  During this interview, Pastor Rick shares about his experience guiding this church and his community of Chapel Hill to widen their welcome to all kinds of people and work for justice and care for God's earth.  He also gives some wisdom from his years of activism, ministry, and walking in faith to help those new to progressive faith, ministry, and activism.