Queer Theology Podcast

We got some big news here: Brian is writing a book! He shares his big and exciting news of signing a book deal to write about polyamory and spirituality. A topic we have been keen to talk about for years now, even if it got us some pretty good push-back! Brian discusses his journey to polyamory and the lack of resources from a Christian and queer male perspective. We explore the challenges and sti...

Fr. Shay talks with Angela J Herrington and discusses her new book, "Deconstructing Your Faith Without Losing Yourself." Angela shares her personal journey of faith and the experiences that led her to write the book. She talks about her definition of deconstruction as the process of examining and questioning beliefs to determine what is worth keeping. She also addresses common misconceptions about...

We're gonna queer Lent in this episode, y'all! We discuss how to make Lenten practices more inclusive and meaningful for queer and trans individuals and talk about our own personal Lenten practices. We got some ideas for you on how to connect your queerness with spirituality during this season. We also get into the importance of community care, the value of queer organizations, and the significanc...

We've got our first crossover episode this week! Fr. Shay is introducing his new podcast, 'In the Margins,' and talks about how this podcast is set up like a weekly sermon, mixed with some storytelling, mixed with reading these familiar texts from the margins. For his first episode, "In Christ and in Colossae," he is diving into Colossians 1:1-2 and confronting the harms these texts have caused. F...

It's no secret that we're big fans of all bodies and embodiment, and in this episode, we discuss the intersection of bodies and spirituality. We both have had personal experiences with shame and disconnection from our bodies, particularly in relation to gender identity. Fr. Shay talks about how transitioning helped him become more aware of and connected to his body and also helped him explore the...

We're coming to you this Thursday with a special episode and a special announcement! Registration for our new course, Soulful Sexuality, opens today! In it we're gonna explore the intersections of sexuality, spirituality, and faith from a queer perspective. We invite you to join us as we reconnect to our bodies and challenge the negative teachings around sex and sexuality. This is a course that wi...

This episode explores the difference between rules and ethics in the context of faith and spirituality. We share our personal experiences with rule-based perspectives and the anxiety and fear that can come with them. We discuss the presence of rules in both conservative and progressive spaces, highlighting the moral purity often found in the latter. This conversation emphasizes the importance of s...

In this episode, we explore the genealogy of Jesus and the inclusion of "scandalous" women in the biblical narrative. Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, Tamar, and Mary. We dive extra into Rahab's story, emphasizing her transformation from a sex worker to a great-(great...great...)grandmother of Jesus. The impact of Jesus' family tree on his worldview and his encounters with scandalous women are discussed. T...

For this episode, we have a special guest! Brian interviews Kevin Garcia (they/them) about their new book "What Makes You Bloom?" They discuss Kevin's background, their concept of God, and the importance of finding wonder in nature. They also explore Kevin's Christian upbringing and his journey to freedom through deconstruction. Kevin shares the challenges of leaving the church and why they ultima...

In this episode, we're exploring the topic of desire and going beyond sexual desire to encompass desire in all its various forms. We discuss the negative messages and fear surrounding desire, in both conservative and progressive religious circles and how that also reverberates into other areas of our lives. We emphasize the importance of reconnecting with and honoring one's desires, as well as the...

We're sharing our favorite aspects of queer and trans faith and spiritual practices. We talk about how we've developed our own spiritual practices over the years, really leaning into what feels best for us and how they align with our values. The important part of creating spiritual practices is that they must be in line with your values! And sometimes finding spiritual practices means going beyond...

We're queering Christmas for this episode of the podcast! First, we're gonna explore the queer and political aspects of Christmas by examining the gospel of Luke and Matthew from the Bible. Then we discuss the meaning of Christmas and the birth of Jesus, emphasizing the radical and political nature of the story. Finally, we really dive into the birth narratives in both of these books of Luke and M...

In this episode, we discuss the challenges and stress that can come with the holiday season, particularly for queer and trans individuals. We share personal stories of past stressful holidays and how we've learned to navigate and set boundaries with our families. We emphasize the importance of having a plan and a support system in place, as well as the need to do the inner work to recognize one's...

We both are huge believers in being life-long learners and not just for the benefit of expanding knowledge. We've found continued learning, curiosity, and asking questions has had a positive impact on our spiritual lives as well. One thing that really supports learning is being in community with others who are wrestling with and asking similar questions. So we invite you to join us! We've got a ne...

It's that time of year when people start thinking about setting goals and resolutions so Brian is taking this episode and discussing his thoughts on how we can take better care of ourselves and our communities! He invites you to reflect back on the year with some questions and reflections around loving yourself and loving your neighbor. Modern life is HARD and full of distractions so taking care o...

Worship music might be killing your soul, but attending an unaffirming church, reading material that is unaffirming, and hate-following accounts that are actively harmful against the LGBTQ community is killing your soul too! People often tell us that it's hard to leave behind worship music and that it helps them feel connected to God, but we're here to tell you that you kinda have to. Seriously, y...

One of the things that comes up the most often in our work with people is that they have this feeling of loneliness, a feeling of not being connected to others or able to find a community. We very strongly feel that it's important to be connected to a community, but what happens when you outgrow a community before finding a new one? We're dedicating this episode to talking about making new friends...

Thinking about your religion as only a personal relationship with God is dangerous to you and to others. There are so many ways claiming a personal connection to God can be powerful and life-giving, but you have to really examine if minimizing religions and rituals that come with other religions are actually a way to minimize communities and avoid accountability. In this episode, we talk about how...

We're coming up on All Souls Day and this has us thinking about death, dying, and grief. What was your experience around death growing up? For us, it was all about celebrating the people who were now in heaven with little room for grieving. But the grief and loss was still very much there. We talk about the importance of rituals and community when it comes to grief. A supportive community and ritu...

It's not enough to leave a church or faith that is harmful, you still have to unlearn the bad theology that was taught in those spaces. Why? Because that sh**t is going to keep coming up and having an impact on you and you'll still be in a place of anger and fear!  In this episode we get into the ways you can recognize where shame, anger, and fear are still coming up for you and what you can do ne...

Last week, we talked all about harm reduction. But we don't want you to just go from hurting to numb- we want you to get all the way to thriving! And for this, you really gotta lean in and parse out what exactly you want, what exactly you are feeling. Previous faith communities might have made you feel isolated and alone, but there may also have been moments of joy and love. What are those things?...

We're getting into our feelings in this episode talking about that sense of homesickness for a place/home/church you can't go back to. A place that might have caused you harm, a place you are still healing from. And this is a great reminder that no matter how much you are thriving, there might still be some hurt that you are harboring or wounds that need to be healed. Are you healed from the place...

One thing we often hear is that people are so overwhelmed they can't possibly start making changes or living their authentic life right now. But that is often EXACTLY the time to start! We're not talking about doing something rash or unsafe, but taking one small first step. Sometimes you might not know what the next steps will be until you take that first step!    In this episode, we talk about ho...

As we head into the new season we are reflecting and setting intentions for the fall. Maybe it's the years we spent in school, but September just kinda always feels like the beginning of the year in a way!   This summer we hosted a bunch of amazing guests, we held the Queerness Every Day Challenge, and we kicked off a cohort of Flip Your Faith. One of the things that we continually notice is how o...