The Unlearning Podcast

On today’s episode, Ashley unpacks the ideas the ways Philippians 2 has been used to unify people in an unhealthy way. Instead of calling people to unite under Christ, this passage is often used to pressure parishioners to obey clergy - especially when there is a challenge in the church, some financial burden, or a big decision being made by a denomination. Instead of a call to toxic unity, Ashley...

One of the biggest lies of our American culture today is the idea that judging others is our civil right. Especially if we do so “quietly” on social media or at church. On today’s episode, Ashley unpacks the sarcastic gratitude of the pharisee in Jesus’ parable in Luke 18 on humility. The parable is a sharp and compelling warning that is for all of us. To learn more about Ashley, please visit ashl...

On today’s episode, Ashley provides encouragement for anyone who believes they are laboring in vain. By looking at Isaiah chapter 49, listeners can find inspiration in remembering God’s promises. To learn more about Ashley, check out her website at ashleylhengst.com

On today’s episode, Ashley shares a talk she gave at the spiritual event for Altadena PRIDE 2026. To learn more about the queer community in Altadena, CA check out https://altadenapride.org/ .  In this episode, Ashley unpacks hows Peter walking on water towards Jesus reflects the excitement and anxiety of coming out of the closet. She reflects back on the groundbreaking show, “The L Word” (2004-20...

On today’s episode, Ashley proposes the idea of “church membership,” and encourages a deep commitment to a healthy local church. Ashley discusses CS Lewis’ book “The Screwtape Letters” and shares a reading of 1st Corinthians 13, read by the members of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church of Altadena, CA. For more information on Ashley, visit ashleylhengst.com

On today’s episode, Ashley unpacks the gift of being an “outsider” and the blessings we can receive when we see one another through the eyes of Christ. For more information on Ashley, check out her website at ashleylhengst.com

On today’s episode, Ashley deconstructs our evangelical theology of necessary suffering by unpacking Mary and Martha’s anger at Jesus in the death of Lazarus. She offers up a different way of understanding that moment in Scripture and makes the case for suffering and the miracle of the incarnation of God in Christ. For more information on Ashley’s work, you can find her at ashleylhengst.com

Today’s episode is a special reading of Paul’s chapter on love to the Corinthian church, found in his first letter to the Corinthians. Paul’s words are read by members of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Altadena, CA.

On today’s episode, Ashley takes us back to the moment where Jesus washed the disciples’ feet in the Gospel of John. She centers our attention on Jesus’ question: “Do you know what I have done to you?” For more information on Ashley’s ministry, please visit ashleylhengst.com.

Living in a Trump 2.0 world can be incredibly difficult. On today’s episode, Ashley unpacks the transfiguration moment in the life of Christ to offer some insight on how we might cope with our challenging political climate. For more information, check out Ashley’s work at ashleylhengst.com

On today’s episode, Ashley begins the advent season by helping us to prepare for Christmas while deconstructing an apocalyptic passage. To learn more about Ashley, visit her on ashleylhengst.com

On today’s episode, Ashley deconstructs the doctrine of Original Sin by offering up Richard Rohr’s theology around our “Original Goodness.” To learn more about Father Rohr, please visit the Center for Action and Contemplation website. To learn more about Ashley’s work, visit her at ashleylhengst.com

On today's episode, Ashley continues her series on Christian Mysticism by exploring the topic of sin or the false self. To learn more about Ashley you can find her on Instagram or Threads at @ashleylhengst or online at ashleylhengst.com

On today's episode, Ashley deconstructs the myths and stereotypes that many people hold, even in the queer Christian community, about bisexual people. Ashley deconstructs those myths helping listeners understand how their roots of patriarchal and purity culture thinking. To learn more about Ashley you can visit her on Instagram or Threads at @ashleylhengst or online at ashleylhengst.com

This sermon was originally preached at the Altadena PRIDE Spiritual Exploration event on Saturday, June 8th at the Altadena Baptist Church. Check out these links for more information about the Altadena PRIDE and the Baptist Church.  You can connect with Ashley on Instagram and Threads at @ashleylhengst or online at ashleylhengst.com

On today's podcast, Ashley provides a brief introduction to Christian mysticism and contemplative spirituality through unpacking Vincent Pizzutto's wonderful book "Contemplating Christ: The Gospels and the Interior Life." To learn more about Ashley's work, you can find her on Instagram and Threads at @ashleylhengst and online at ashleylhengst.com

On today's Friday Field Notes, Ashley offers a critical examination on how we define authority as Christians. Who has authority over our lives? How do they exercise that authority? Is authority that is demanding and forceful God's will? This episode is another episode in her series on sexual theology, unpacking Carter Heyward's ground breaking book "Touching Our Strength: Eroti...

On today's podcast, Ashley unpacks Emmerson Eggerich's book "Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires and the Respect He Desperately Needs." She deconstructs the theology around Eggerichs' work and offers up a different definition of love inspired by Cater Heyward's book "Touching Our Strength: The Erotic as Power and the Love of God." In Heyward's...

On today's episode, Ashley unpacks the term "sexual confusion" and offers up a more positive way of understanding mystery in sex and romance using Episcopal Priest, Carter Heyward's book "Touching Our Strength: The Erotic as Power and the Love of God." Instead of being ashamed of what we don’t understand, instead of being frustrated we ought to embrace the lack of cla...

On today's episode, Ashley discusses the idea of loving others (and yourself) without judgement. To learn more about Ashley's work you can find her at @ashleylhengst or on Instagram at @ashleylhengst.

After a brief hiatus, Ashley is back with another episode on renewing sex, helping listeners to build a sexual theology that is healthy and life giving. Today's episode features a clip from an interview with Audre Lorde from 1982 and highlights her essay "Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power."  To learn more about Ashley's work, visit her website at ashleylhengst.com or foll...

On today's episode, Ashley records what she shared at her break out session at this past January at the annual  Queer Christian Conference 2024 in Albuquerque, NM. To learn more about a healthy understanding of sex and intimacy, be sure to check out Carter Heyward's book "Touching Our Strength: The Erotic as Power and the Love of God" and Audre Lorde's essay "Uses of...

On today's episode, Ashley unpacks compassion by looking at the life of San Suu Kyi and the writings of John Philip Newell . Ashley refers to the book "The Rebirthing of God" by Newell and explores what compassion means in light of Jesus' teachings to love our enemies. You can learn more about Ashley's work at ashleylhengst.com or follow her on Instagram @ashleylhengst

On today's podcast, Ashley unpacks Jesus' call of the first disciples and helps listeners reimagine their own calling upon their lives. She deconstructs how we understand the Great Commission and talks through passages from Gregg Levoy's book "Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life." For more information about Ashley and her work visit ashleylhengst.com

On today's episode, Ashley unpacks Brittney Cooper's womanist theology in her book "Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower." Cooper's analysis of the evangelical purity culture of the 1990s and the "True Love Waits" campaign provides readers with an understanding of how evangelicalism specifcally harms black women. Cooper's analysis and the...