The Side Aisle

Sara Billups, Amanda Held Opelt, Kendall Vanderslice, Lore Wilbert
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  • POLITICS

Welcome to the Side Aisle, a podcast for those who know the either/or framework in faith and politics just isn't working anymore. The Side Aisle is a conversation between four friends — Sara Billups, Amanda Held Opelt, Kendall Vanderslice, and Lore Wilbert — about struggling to live in this contentious cultural moment with both grace and conviction in our families, our churches, our communities, online.  Where do you find belonging when your values have led you out of the mainstream and into the margins...a place we call the side aisle. 

Episodes

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    Ep 4: Faith Communities and Institutions

    What does it look like to stay faithful inside institutions that sometimes disappoint us? When do you stay, and when do you go? In this episode, hosted by Amanda, Lore, Sara, and Kendall get honest about their own church histories. including formative moments and the tension of engaging politically and spiritually in communities that don't always make it easy. The group talks about what it actually takes to create space where people with genuinely different views can stay in the room together and stay curious. If you've ever felt the friction of faith and politics colliding inside a community you love, this one is for you. Plus, listener questions.  A special thanks to all of our paid subscribers on Substack for making it possible for us to have these kinds of conversations. Thanks, too, to Dan Koch for the music and Nate Sahr for audio engineering.  Submit your questions for us to discuss on thesideaisle.com How to Start a Conversation at Church About Immigration (Women of Welcome) Order Sara's new book Nervous Systems Order Kendall’s newest book Bake and Pray Order Amanda’s latest book, Holy Unhappiness Order Lore’s latest book, The Understory (All books linked to support independent bookshop, Nooks) Find Lore on Sayable and Instagram Find Amanda on Provisions and Instagram Find Sara on Bitter Scroll and Instagram Find Kendall on Edible Theology and Instagram

    1hr 35min

  2. 1 APR

    Ep 3: The Good Life...What Are We Actually Chasing?

    In this episode hosted by Kendall, we talk about The Good Life, and what that phrase even means in a world overloaded with wellness for sale, political and religious division, and competing ideals around family. We chat about how social media has become one of the most powerful forces shaping our definitions of fulfillment, often presenting polished versions of life that may or may not reflect reality. What values are we actually absorbing, and are they genuinely serving us? To explore that, we unpack two cultural phenomena shaping these conversations right now, the tradwife movement, which celebrates a return to traditional domesticity, and the manosphere, online male communities grappling with shifting gender dynamics, often in divisive ways. Though they seem like opposites, both are rooted in a longing for traditional values and reflect our broader cultural tension. We get into the nuance and contradictions, as we think it through together. Hope you'll join us. Plus, listener questions.  A special thanks to all of our paid subscribers on Substack for making it possible for us to have these kinds of conversations. Thanks, too, to Dan Koch for the music and Nate Sahr for audio engineering.  Submit your questions for us to discuss on thesideaisle.com Order Sara's new book Nervous Systems Order Kendall’s newest book Bake and Pray Order Amanda’s latest book, Holy Unhappiness Order Lore’s latest book, The Understory (All books linked to support independent bookshop, Nooks) Find Lore on Sayable and Instagram Find Amanda on Provisions and Instagram Find Sara on Bitter Scroll and Instagram Find Kendall on Edible Theology and Instagram

    1hr 24min

  3. 25 MAR

    Ep 2: Engaging Family Across the Divide

    In this episode hosted by Sara, we delve into complicated territory: engaging family across political differences. We explore how family shapes our political worldview in early years, what it looks like to raise aware and thoughtful kids, and offer ideas for reaching across differences in parent-child relationships, in marriage, and more. There's the tension a lot of us are sitting with right now: Do you cut off connection for the sake of your own wellbeing? Or do you stay connected no matter what? We talk about what it could look like to stay in relationship, when it's safe to, while maintaining healthy boundaries.  This is a conversation about asking better questions and finding that even when political alignment is off the table, there might be something worth building across the divide. Plus, listener questions.  * A special thanks to all of our paid subscribers on Substack for making it possible for us to have these kinds of conversations. Thanks, too, to Dan Koch for the music and Nate Sahr for audio engineering.  Submit your questions for us to discuss on thesideaisle.com Order Sara's new book Nervous Systems Order Kendall’s newest book Bake and Pray Order Amanda’s latest book, Holy Unhappiness Order Lore’s latest book, The Understory (All books linked to support independent bookshop, Nooks) Find Lore on Sayable and Instagram Find Amanda on Provisions and Instagram Find Sara on Bitter Scroll and Instagram Find Kendall on Edible Theology and Instagram

    1hr 14min

  4. 18 MAR

    Ep 1: Introducing The Side Aisle

    An introduction to The Side Aisle, in which we talk about why we wanted to do this and what feels difficult about these kinds of conversations. Also, why we don’t disparage the idea of "the third way", but what it means to us and why it’s important to clarify our terms.  Books mentioned: Parker Palmer, A Hidden Wholeness, Chapter Ten, A Third Way Submit your questions for us to discuss on thesideaisle.com Order Sara's new book Nervous SystemsOrder Kendall’s latest book Bake and PrayOrder Amanda’s latest book, Holy UnhappinessOrder Lore’s latest book, The Understory(All books linked to support independent bookshop, Nooks) Find Lore on Sayable and InstagramFind Amanda on Provisions and InstagramFind Sara on Bitter Scroll and InstagramFind Kendall on Edible Theology and Instagram A special thanks to our paid subscribers on Substack for making it possible for us to have these kinds of conversations. Thanks, too, to Dan Koch for the music and Nate Sahr for audio engineering.

    55 min

  5. SEASON 1 TRAILER

    TRAILER: Welcome to The Side Aisle

    Welcome to The Side Aisle, a podcast for those who know the either/or framework in faith and politics...just isn't working anymore. The Side Aisle is a conversation between four friends — Sara Billups, Amanda Held Opelt, Kendall Vanderslice, and Lore Wilbert — about struggling to live in this contentious cultural moment with both grace and conviction in our families, our churches, our communities, and online.  Where do you find belonging when your values have led you out of the mainstream and into the margins...a place we call the side aisle.  The first episode in this limited series drops Wednesday, March 18. Listen anywhere you get your podcasts.

    1 min

Trailer

About

Welcome to the Side Aisle, a podcast for those who know the either/or framework in faith and politics just isn't working anymore. The Side Aisle is a conversation between four friends — Sara Billups, Amanda Held Opelt, Kendall Vanderslice, and Lore Wilbert — about struggling to live in this contentious cultural moment with both grace and conviction in our families, our churches, our communities, online.  Where do you find belonging when your values have led you out of the mainstream and into the margins...a place we call the side aisle. 

Information

  • Creator
    Sara Billups, Amanda Held Opelt, Kendall Vanderslice, Lore Wilbert
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Sara Billups, Amanda Held Opelt, Kendall Vanderslice, Lore Wilbert
  • Show Website
    The Side Aisle

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