Grub & Grace

What happens when poverty, desperation, and fundamentalist religion become deeply intertwined? How do entire communities get shaped by fear, shame, and the promise that faithfulness will eventually be rewarded? Today we sit down with Josiah Hesse to discuss his deeply personal book, On Fire For God, and the realities of growing up poor in rural Iowa during a time when economic collapse and religio...

This episode throws the “keep it light” rule directly into the fire and tackles some of the most contested conversations of our time: Palestine, Zionism, colonialism, empire, nationalism, and white supremacy. We explore how systems of power frame justice as controversial while presenting domination, occupation, and violence as unfortunate but “complicated” realities. Along the way, we examine how...

What happens when nationalism, empire, and religion become so deeply intertwined that violence begins to look holy? In this episode, we examine the relationship between anti-imperialism, immigration enforcement, colonial power structures, and the political machinery that sustains them. From conversations surrounding ICE and state violence to the global consequences of militarized nationalism, we e...

Why do humans recoil so strongly from things we perceive as “unclean,” immoral, or socially contaminating — even when those reactions make absolutely no logical sense? In this episode, we dive into the psychology of disgust, moral contamination, and the invisible boundaries humans obsessively create between pure and impure, acceptable and unacceptable, “us” and “them.” From religion and purity cul...

In a world flooded with information, distractions, and algorithm-driven certainty, how do we genuinely pursue truth without getting lost in the noise? This episode explores the interconnectedness of science, faith, ethics, technology, history, and spirituality, challenging the idea that these worlds must exist in opposition to one another. Instead of settling for simplistic binaries, we lean into...

Motherhood in America is often sold as a beautiful, fulfilling dream wrapped in matching family photos and inspirational coffee mugs. The reality, however, tends to involve exhaustion, impossible expectations, political whiplash, and a society that insists everything is “fine” while mothers quietly drown beneath the weight of it all. In this episode of the G&G Podcast, we unpack the cultural g...

In this episode, we sit down with the ideas from Doubting Faithfully by Keith Long to explore what it means to deconstruct faith without abandoning it entirely. Instead of treating doubt as failure, we examine how it can be a sign of growth—a willingness to move beyond inherited certainty and into something more honest, even if it’s less comfortable. We also dig into the unsettling pull sometimes...

Episode Notes — Xtian Leftists Against Christofascism Welcome to Grub & Grace , a space that pushes back on the idea that Christianity belongs to one political ideology. Here, we take seriously the need to question what we’ve been taught—especially when faith gets tangled up with power. In this episode, we confront how Christian Nationalism continues to shape public life, and how certain churc...

In this episode, we start with a simple but disarming question: Who is our neighbor? And we don’t stop there—we flip it on its head and retort with: Who acts LIKE a neighbor? Using Fred Rogers as a guide, we explore what emotional intelligence looks like in practice—how curiosity, empathy, and emotional awareness can shape the way we show up for one another. We revisit his well-known idea of “the...

In this episode, we examine two common ideologies often promoted in religious rehab and recovery spaces: “Once an addict, always an addict” and “J-O-Y: Jesus first, others second, yourself last.” While these ideas are frequently presented as spiritually grounded wisdom, we explore how they can become harmful when used as the foundation for addiction treatment. We discuss how “once an addict, alway...

This episode we're getting into what's known generally as the troubled teen industry. There are many facilities and programs within this term, but today we will be looking into the treatment program known as Teen Challenge. Teen Challenge is often described as a place where faith and recovery meet — a program helping struggling teens find a new path. But depending on who you talk to, the story can...

Leaving a cult or high-control group is often far more difficult than outsiders understand. In this episode, we explore the psychological and emotional barriers that make departure so overwhelming for those inside these environments. We begin by examining accelarousal —the intense stress response triggered by major acceleration events such as sudden doctrinal shifts, leadership crises, punishment,...

What actually makes a cult… a cult? In this episode, we break down the mechanics of high-control groups and explore why cults are far more psychologically sophisticated than most people realize. Rather than focusing on strange beliefs or sensational stereotypes, we examine the systems of control that define cultic environments. We begin by asking the deceptively simple question: What is a cult? Fr...

Vincent van Gogh is usually remembered for three things: swirling paintings, emotional instability, and that one extremely over-discussed ear incident. But before he became one of history’s most iconic artists, Van Gogh was chasing a very different calling: ministry. Born the son of a Dutch pastor, Vincent once hoped to follow in his father’s footsteps. He studied theology, preached to coal miners...

This Bite Sized Episode peels back the fuzzy green wrapping paper on a figure we assume we’ve already figured out. Spoiler: we haven’t. The Grinch is more than a sour-faced holiday thief with a bad attitude and a questionable relationship to joy—he’s a surprisingly layered character with a long shadow and some real philosophical bite. In short, this green recluse has range . We’ll explore the Grin...

What does revolutionary spirit look like? History has shown us examples from the French Revolution to the Sandanistas in Nicaragua. Mark Wayne hops on to have a discussion about this very topic as we navigate through Palestine, voting, and the revolutionary spirit of the Black Panther Party. Mark Wayne is an ex-army national guardsman who uses his platform to inform and bring people together. He c...

Have you ever asked big theological questions about faith and God that you felt weren't acceptable in your immediate community to share? Have you ever felt that your faith tradition hasn't been living up to your vision of how it should be? You're not alone, and neither should it be that way. For us, Theology Beer Camp has been a space that allowed us to be us, and created a space to express yourse...

Is there a unified concept of hell? That being eternal, conscious, torment. Does salvation give us a free pass to ignore evil in the world today? How does disgust tie in to the concept of hell? We will be exploring all of these questions on this episode. Buckle up, because we're about to find out why we're disgusted with hell.

From Mesopotamian spirits to the fiery figure of Satan, demons have haunted human imagination for millennia. In this episode, we journey through ancient mythologies and religious lore, uncovering how different cultures have defined and described these shadowy beings. We’ll explore infamous demons of early civilizations, trace their influence through Jewish and Christian traditions, and ask the big...

What comes to mind when the word “hell” is mentioned? Demons with pitchforks? Endless torment? Listening to ASMR of your grandparents eating sandwiches while they breathe through their nose? My guest today is Brian Recker, author of the new book Hellbent . Brian is a former evangelical pastor, public theologian, speaker, and writer on Christian spirituality without exclusionary dogma and he helps...

Are demons real—or are they a story we’ve been telling ourselves for centuries? In this episode, we attempt to offer an alternative view of looking at demons as well as how the origins of demons may just be literary and cultural creations and how the idea evolved across history. From ancient texts to medieval folklore and modern horror, demons have been less about actual creatures lurking in the d...

Is hell really in the Bible? Are demons as ancient and evil as we think? This week, guest Brandon Forman joins us to dig into the surprising origins of these spiritual concepts—from sheol and Gehenna to ancient Greek daimons and New Testament visions. We explore how these ideas evolved and why they still influence mental health, politics, and even how we view the world and others around us today....

In this powerful unscripted conversation, we sit down with Father Castello to explore the intersection of faith, justice, and discomfort. From reviewing the first days of Pope Leo XIV, to the necessity of collaborative communication and living boldly outside our comfort zones, we wrestle with the hard realities of today—like the ongoing existence of concentration camps and modern-day captivity. Ro...

Ever tried talking to someone and ended up in a word salad with a side of frustration? Same. In this episode, we dive into the deceptively tricky art of actually listening —not just nodding until it's your turn to talk. With a wink and a few well-timed jokes, we unpack Carl Rogers' person-centered therapy (he was the real MVP of "I hear you"), why collaborative communication is harder than assembl...

In our third Star Wars trilogy episode, we explore how Star Wars —and especially the series Andor —portray resistance not as a grand myth, but as a gritty, personal fight against oppression. Andor brings a raw, grounded lens to rebellion, showing the everyday sacrifices, moral compromises, and quiet acts of defiance that fuel real change. From imperial surveillance to systemic injustice, the show...