Where Do We Go From Here?

Christmas is almost here, and we think it's a perfect time to think about a woman's body and the story it tells about who God is. If God could occupy a woman's body for nine months before Jesus' birth, maybe we can begin to untangle what this might mean for our lives today. Dr. Christy Bauman joins us to talk womb theology and manger theology - it's a story about God and likely one you haven't hea...

What do you do when your child comes out? What are the next steps? This is for any parent regardless of what you believe; this episode will give you the tools you need to create a nurturing environment for your children so that they know they are safe and unconditionally loved. We discuss: being safe early what to say when your child says, "I'm gay" how to communicate with kids who don't want to t...

A sex educator is in the house, and she's taking us back to school for the education most of us never got. Erica Smith founded the Purity Culture Dropout™️ Program to equip people like us with information and education that is "accurate, queer inclusive, trauma informed, compassionate, and comprehensive." We discuss: why sex education is more than preventing negative health outcomes what happens w...

It's no secret - the people who designed purity culture inteded it to benefit white, male, and straight people. What was unsaid was that purity culture was also about a kind of body, a body that had all the standard abilities. Dr. Amy Kenny disrupts the story with her life and work as a disability justice scholar and advocate. Could it be we've misunderstood who we are and who God is all along?  W...

Embodiment is a popular buzz word in therapy and spirituality circles, but does it have something for Christians and those coming out of a Christian background? Dr. Hillary McBride joins us to figure it out. We discuss: the impact of purity culture on embodiment what embodiment is how God is embodied in Jesus and what that means for us high control religious environments and their influence on how...

This episode is for any Christian who wonders how many more ministry leaders we have to see fall from grace in the headlines. Katelyn Beaty uncovers the love for celebrity at the heart of our churches and ministry, and she has thoughts about how to overcome it. We discuss: why Christians love celebrities the difference between how men and women use celebrity power Bill Hybels and Carl Lentz  why w...

What does it mean to have a congruent life after purity culture? Therapy can help us get there, and Dr. Camden Morgante joins us to talk about how. We discuss: the impact of black and white thinking the benefits of mindfulness the long road of recovery Plus listen all the way to the end for a special high-dollar giveaway for those of you who want purity culture coaching from Dr. Camden. Giveaway d...

Therapy after Purity Culture - have you been on the fence about it? We're here to convince you to give it a try. We know that purity culture can be experienced as a trauma, and therapist Jamie Williams is here to talk to us about: the impact of rigid thinking on our minds what happens when our bodies feel unsafe in religious spaces how to spot dysfunctional relationship patterns trauma re-enactmen...

What do you wish you could say out loud about abortion? We get into it in this huge episode. There's a lot of yelling on both sides of the abortion conversation; we try to cut through the noise and double down on the parts of the abortion topic that Christians tend to ignore.  What abortion and purity culture have to do with each other Christians and abortion: What are the realities? Historical, M...

Purity Culture was full of pseudo-theologies, and we get into one of them here: the Soul Tie. The idea that premarital sex forms a connection in the heavenlies, one that maybe can be broken, but also maybe not. Candice Marie Benbow joins us to talk Red Lip Theology, soul ties, sexuality, why she doesn't use the Bible to form her sexual ethics, and racism in purity culture. This is a provocative co...

After #MeToo exploded on to the scene, it seemed like the dating landscape for women changed. Consent is a necessary floor, but what is the ceiling for our relationships? Is consent enough to provide the meaning sex might have in our lives? This is the provocative territory Christine Emba's new book Rethinking Sex  invites us into. Listen in to see where we go. :00 - Get to know Kelly Wolfe :15 -...

Jess sits down with a 30-something single friend, Emily, who is a convert to the world of app dating. Together, they share from their experiences dating via a variety of dating apps, talk red flags and share some advise. They look at 5 myths of app dating... is it safe? Are people lying to you? Lastly, how has COVID changed how app dating looks? Emily shares her thoughts on that too. If you're at...

Trigger Warning: This episode contains references to grooming and sexual assault.  Purity Culture is part of the reason why our secular and religious culture's still don't know what to do with abuse. We are so many years out from #MeToo and #ChurchToo but current events tell us we are not learning our lessons. Today we look at the grooming in the best selling novel The Time Traveller's Wife, recen...

If you believed your body was unsafe, the source of sin, what caused others to stumble, this episode is for you. With kindness and clarity, KJ Ramsey leads us back to a God who made us for safety. In this episode we learn that: there is no division between our minds and our bodies your body is the place where God personally resides it is impossible to trust without a felt sense of safety practices...

If you've got a stack of wedding invitations giving you anxiety about the next few weeks, listen in. MaryB. Safrit helps singles navigate wedding season with humor and honesty. This episode covers:   the cost - emotional and financial should you say yes to every wedding invite? navigating friend grief YOUR tips and stories about dealing with wedding season Full show notes here (includes MaryB.'s p...

The founders of Big Kids Table join us to talk about "faith-inspired sex education and conversation." Is this even possible in the church or in Christian schools? Georgia and Lauren convince us that it's not just possible; it is necessary. Full show notes We recap the movie-musical Chicago from 2002 and talk about the parallels between it and the Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard trial by social media. G...

One hundred episodes in, and we are just getting started! Jess and Devi talk about the beginnings of this show, what it means to us, and what it means to YOU. We also discuss the report about how the SBC's Executive Committee harrassed and intimidated sexual abuse survivors and colluded to hide information about abusive pastors in the SBC. Full show notes here Join us in The Green Room to talk abo...

What is the story of how women in the margins influence the world? Professor and writer Kaya Oakes joins us to draw on the defiance of women in the middle ages and today and what that might mean for women in 2022.    Our partners get to Devi and Kaya talk about the recent US SCOTUS leaked opinion on Roe v Wade. Join us for exclusive content for $3/month (USD) . Full show notes here Talk to us on ...

What happens when one of the largest megachurches in the world loses its founding and lead pastor? Does Bridgerton season 2 have something to teach us about love? You get to listen in to an episode that's usually exclusive to partners. Jess and Devi discuss purity culture news, and talk about what's streaming online that is worth watching.    Purity Culture News & Views is one of the episodes our...

We can't go a week without hearing about another Christian leader or ministry accused of abusive leadership. Is this a uniquely evangelical problem? We talk today about gaslighting, the tactic undergirding most forms of abuse in intimate relationships and institutions. What is gaslighting? Why is it so damaging? How do we recover if we've been gaslit by someone  we love or in church?   Chuck De Gr...

We are talking all about new motherhood - can a friendship between people without kids and people with kids survive the early days of a newborn? We talk about what not to say to a new mama, what TO say, and the ever-changing nature of friendships. Special guest noises made by Devi's 16-day-old baby! Full show notes here  Instagram Twitter Partners get bonus content  from us every week!  Join us on...

This week Jessica is joined by a guest co-host to discuss Greta Gerwig's recent adaptation of Louise May Alcott's beloved novel Little Women. We revisit our own childhood's looking back on the 1994 version of Little Women we all remember watching growing up and consider what strives have been made in how Alcott's characters are explored in her updated retelling of the classic. No typical show note...

How Should A Christian Date? is a new book by Eric Demeter, but do we really need another Christian dating book? Eric joins us for an informative interview on dating in 2022. He's single, and the book covers everything from dating in church to dating online to dating multiple people casually. It is not the typical Christian dating book, but listen in to find out more.  Full show notes here Partner...

The new mini series documenting the beginning of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee's tumultuous marriage is out. But is this a "feminist statement" as actor Nick Offerman and others suggested or a violation of Anderson's consent?  We deep dive the history of internet's first sex tape and Pamela Anderson's story and give you all the thoughts Full show notes here (lots of links!!) Instagram Twitter Watc...

Desire is part of who we are, and it points our lives toward something greater than ourselves. In this expansive conversation, we talk about why desire matters, why it cannot be stopped, and what it says about who we are as people.  Want more? Our partners got a mini-masterclass on shame from Dr. Thompson. Join us here for weekly bonus episodes .  Full show notes here Talk to us on Instagram and T...