Holy Heretics: Losing Religion and Finding Jesus The Sophia Society

Episode Summary:

[TW: sexual assault and sexual harm language]
I am joined today by Rev. Dr. Danielle Tumminio Hansen to speak about the unspeakable. A theologian and Episcopal priest focusing on pastoral approaches to trauma, Hansen addresses the persistent crisis of sexual harm in the U.S., and the “haunting silence” of survivors. Why do most victims remain silent? Why don’t we trust women? Why do we assume perpetrators of sexual harm are strangers who jump out of bushes instead of trusted boyfriends, pastors, teachers, or family members? How does our society’s rape myths further silence victims of sexual harm?
In this unflinching conversation, we discuss the difficulty of coming up with the right language to describe sexual harm, how the words we use often cause even more harm, how our legal system, churches, media, and culture are complicit in rape culture, and the practical steps you can take to recover.
Talking about rape and sexual assault is difficult for a number of reasons. Victims often feel ashamed or stigmatized by society's attitudes towards sexual violence. There's a pervasive culture of victim-blaming, where survivors may fear they won't be believed or will be judged for what happened to them. Sexual violence can cause profound emotional and psychological trauma. Discussing the experience may trigger intense emotions, flashbacks, or other symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), making it incredibly challenging for survivors to talk about what happened.
So, why this book and why this episode on rape? Because talking about rape and sexual assault breaks down layers of stigma, trauma, fear, and systemic barriers. It also has a direct impact on how we process trauma. Creating safe spaces for survivors to share their experiences, offer support, and challenge societal norms are crucial steps towards fostering open and meaningful conversations about sexual violence.
Like many individuals, Hansen’s story of sexual violence didn’t come at the hands of a stranger, but rather by someone she knew, causing her to wonder if what happened to her really was sexual assault. “Statistically, you would be more likely to believe me if I said this person was someone I’d never met,” she writes. “Raised to believe stereotypes of what constituted ‘real rape’—forced intercourse in a physically violent attack by a male stranger—I did not have a word to express what had happened to me.” Now she does.
In this episode we discuss:
The rape myths of the “ideal” victim and “stranger perpetrator”
How purity culture and porn perpetuate rape culture
Why telling your story is liberating and healing
Moving beyond stigma and shame
The road to recovery—how art, contemplation, meditation, community, and therapy can restore your sense of self, trust, and agency.
Pick up Danielle’s book here. It is an amazing read.

Bio:
Danielle Tumminio Hansen is Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Spiritual Care at Emory’s Candler School of Theology, where she researches at the intersection of trauma, theology, narrative, and philosophy. Her book publications include Speaking of Rape: The Limits of Language in Sexual Violations and Conceiving Family: A Practical Theology of Surrogacy and Self. She has written on the intersection of religion and culture for a variety of national and international news outlets, including CNN, The Guardian, and Huffington Post. She is also an Episcopal priest.


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Show notes:
http://www.sophiasociety.org/podcast/speaking-of-rape




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Episode Summary:
Liberation theology is a theological movement that emerged primarily in Latin America in the late 20th century, although its principles and ideas have influenced theological discourse worldwide for millennia. It seeks to address the social, economic, sexual, gendered, and political oppression experienced by marginalized and disadvantaged individuals and communities. Liberation theology actually dates all the way back to the Old Testament prophets, and can be witnessed in almost every spiritual tradition.
At its core, liberation theology emphasizes the gospel's message of liberation and justice for the oppressed and marginalized. It announces God’s preferential treatment of the poor, marginalized, and oppressed. God loves the margins because God was marginalized. It was Jesus’ second-rate existence that allowed him to see and feel what those at the center of society were sheltered from and thus callously indifferent to. Seeking liberation and justice is the sine qua non of Christian discipleship. Standing in solidarity with the oppressed is one of the more practical ways to live out our faith in a cruel world.
People on the periphery, those victims of our forced conformity, have the ‘eyes to see’ what many of us at the center simply cannot see without their guidance. “To be in the margin is to be part of the whole but outside the main body,” writes Bell Hooks. Which gives those on the outside a different vantage point, as well as the power to create change. Today, we’re having a conversation about change, injustice, liberation, and salvation and I can think of no one more perfect to address these issues than Kalie May Hargrove from The Center For Prophetic Imagination.

In this episode we’ll address:
The systematic rights violations LGBTQIA students face at Christian colleges
Why liberation is more biblical than eternal salvation
What you can do to work for justice in your community
How to stand against the genocide in Gaza
Subverting the empires we find ourselves living in and benefiting from

Bio:
Kalie May Hargrove (she/her) is a writer, theologian, and activist. She lives in the greater-Atlanta area with her partner and two kids. Kalie has been part of LGBTQ+ activism bringing awareness of the legalized discrimination queer and trans students face at religious universities. She received her Master of Divinity from United Theological Seminary of Twin Cities. 
Kalie is Director of Digital Outreach at the Center for Prophetic Imagination, which seeks to connect spirituality with intersectional social justice in our world.

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Show notes:

http://www.sophiasociety.org/podcast/and-justice-for-all


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This episode was produced by The Sophia Society and written by Gary Alan Taylor.  Music is by Faith in Foxholes.

Episode Summary:
In this unique, collaborative episode of Holy Heretics, I chat with Jude Mills, the creator of the FKD Up By Faith podcast. Jude created the FKD Up By Faith podcast for individuals harmed by religious fundamentalism. She hails from the Southeast of England, and is using her podcast to fuel her scholarly work at the University of Kent.
Jude and I are both hosts of our own respective shows, and this time, instead of asking the questions, Jude interviewed me about my faith deconstruction journey. It was a blast! It’s also probably the first time I’ve had the chance to fully discuss how my personal, professional, and spiritual life was “f’kd up” by evangelical Christianity. Here’s a few things we get on about in this conversation:
*Why Melanie and I created Holy Heretics
*Why it’s a good thing to be labeled a heretic these days
*How my faith deconstruction journey costs me my job
*Where I’ve landed post deconstruction
*How to move beyond the rage stage of deconstruction
*What your life and faith can look like after evangelicalism
I hope my story helps you process, heal, and continue your journey of recovery from religious fundamentalism.

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If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and a review, or share on your socials 🙏 And check out Jude’s show FKD UP BY FAITH wherever you get your podcasts!

Show notes:
http://www.sophiasociety.org/podcast/fkd-up-by-faith



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Advertising inquiries: garyalan@sophiasociety.org

Support our work on Patreon or Substack and get early access to episodes and premium content like our online class on deconstruction!
https://www.patreon.com/holyheretics or subscribe to our Substack to gain access to Holy Heretics Shorts, premium content, and our online class on faith deconstruction!

This episode was produced by The Sophia Society and written by Jude Mills and Gary Alan Taylor.  Music is by Faith in Foxholes.

Episode Summary:
(CW): Mental Illness, Suicidal Ideation, Depression, and Anxiety)
Anna Gazmarian’s new book Devout: A Memoir of Doubt, investigates the overlapping complexities of religious faith, mental illness, and doubt. If you grew up in religiously conservative spaces, odds are you either never talked about mental illness or you were made to believe only people with a demonic spirit could suffer from mental and behavioral disorders. According to research by the National Institutes of Health, evangelical Christians often see mental health as the outworking of a harmful spiritual condition and therefore, the solution is to just have more faith in God. This is not only completely erroneous, it’s harmful. In this deeply personal conversation, Anna shares her struggles with depression, bipolar disorder, darkness, and doubt. For those of us who have lived on the dark side of the human experience, we have gifts to give to the world that only we can give because we know what it is like to lose touch with reality, to be in pain, to question the entire human experiment, to suffer with anxiety, to struggle to get out of bed in the morning, and to fight to find meaning in an otherwise meaningless existence. I’m honored to share this space with Anna and have this needed conversation about mental health and faith.

Bio:
Anna’s debut, Devout: A Memoir of Doubt is forthcoming from Simon & Schuster in March 2024. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the Bennington Writing Seminars. Her essays have been published in The Guardian, The Rumpus, Longreads, The Sun, and Quarterly West. She works for The Sun Magazine and lives in Durham, NC.

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Show notes:
http://www.sophiasociety.org/podcast/Christianity-and-mental-illness

Follow us on social media! Twitter: @holyheretics | Instagram: @holyhereticspodcast | Facebook: @holyheretics | Substack: holyheretics.substack.com


Advertising inquiries: garyalan@sophiasociety.org

Support our work on Patreon or Substack and get early access to episodes and premium content like our online class on deconstruction!
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This episode was produced by The Sophia Society and written by Gary Alan Taylor.  Music is by Faith in Foxholes.

Episode Summary:
Interviewing Jonathan Merritt felt like having a conversation with myself. His journey out of white evangelical subculture is an almost mirror-image of my journey. My guess is, you’ll find a lot of correlation as well.
Jonathan was a card-carrying evangelical who left his Southern roots and evangelical home to find faith, family, and freedom outside the confines and cult-like community of evangelical Christianity. His journey led him from certainty to contemplation, from winning to wisdom, from the shallow end of the pool into the deep waters of Ignatian spirituality, and from exclusion to radical inclusion. As he reminds us, evangelical Christianity is not only a fairly modern invention, it is also a minority movement within global Christianity. Evangelicals do not have a monopoly on God. There are a myriad of spiritual pathways available to you once you leave. So take heart, there is life after evangelicalism. There is faith after evangelicalism. There is new found family after evangelicalism. You get to decide what your future is going to look like. You have the power to form a freer faith and a more inclusive “family.”
Four years and seventy-four episodes into Holy Heretics Podcast and I can honestly say I believe this conversation with Jonathan Merritt to be the most helpful and hopeful episode we’ve ever created. I hope you enjoy!
Bio:
Jonathan Merritt is one of America’s most popular writers on issues of faith and culture. He is author of several critically-acclaimed books, including Learning to Speak God from Scratch: Why Sacred Words are Vanishing - and How We Can Revive Them, named “Book of the Year” by the Englewood Review of Books.
Jonathan is an award-winning contributor for The Atlantic, a contributing editor for The Week, and a regular columnist for Religion News Service. He has published more than 3000 articles in respected outlets such as The New York Times, USA Today, Buzzfeed, The Washington Post, The Daily Beast and Christianity Today. 
In addition to the written word, Jonathan regularly contributes commentary to television, print, and radio news outlets. He has been interviewed by ABC World News, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, NPR, PBS, and CBS’ “60 Minutes.”
Jonathan is also a sought after speaker at colleges, conferences, and churches on topics relating to spirituality, politics, and current events. Whether he is delivering an academic lecture or inspirational sermon, Jonathan’s captivating communication style and powerful presence are well-suited for intimate gatherings of hundreds or arenas filled with thousands.
As a collaborator or ghostwriter, Jonathan has worked on more than 50 books, with several titles landing on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestsellers lists. Additionally, he trains hundreds of young writers through his Write Brilliant seminars and online course. He is often available for exclusive one-on-one coaching for a select number of advanced writers.
Jonathan holds a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Master of Theology from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology, and has done additional graduate work focused on ascetical theology at The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church.
He is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades including the Wilbur Award for excellence in journalism, and the Religion News Association’s columnist of the year award.
Jonathan currently happily resides in New York City.
You can find Jonathan’s latest children’s book My Guncle and Me here! For more information about Jonathan and his writings, visit his website. You can also connect with Jonathan on Instagram.
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Episode Summary:
Do you feel spiritually and physically domesticated? Are you struggling to free yourself from the long-term impacts of spiritual colonization? Do you feel disconnected from the natural world? Are you longing for something more than merely reconstruction? If so, spiritual rewilding might be the next step in your faith seeking journey.
Though an environmental term—meaning letting nature take care of itself and referring to conservation strategies that reintroduce species to their natural environment, restore wilderness areas and the land to its original state, and create corridors to connect these lands and species with each other—rewilding is a concept that just makes sense at a soul level.
The faith deconstruction movement has provided an unprecedented opportunity to rediscover the untamable within, to decolonize our souls, and to free ourselves from a fenced-in faith domesticated by dogma, ideology, whiteness, patriarchy, power, purity culture, and rationalism. We have the opportunity to trade in our certainty for wonder and our literalism for mystery. As stewards of a once-wild faith that has all but been domesticated, we have a duty to free our faith from some of the repressive, world-denying, and destructive practices that have facilitated our spiritual stagnation. 
This episode with Holy Heretics host Gary Alan Taylor is an introduction to spiritual rewilding through the re-introduction of indigenous spirituality and Creation-centered Christianity. Along the way, we’ll look back at the history of our faith tradition and find examples of how our spiritual ancestors responded to spiritual domestication through their pursuit of a primeval faith.
Bio:
Gary Alan is the host and co-creator of Holy Heretics Podcast. He spent the first-half of his life in evangelicalism before beginning his faith deconstruction journey in 2020. He started Holy Heretics and The Sophia Society with his friend Melanie to serve the thousands of other individuals leaving toxic Christianity. Gary Alan has an undergraduate degree in History from Milligan University and a Master of Arts degree from East Tennessee State University. An international speaker, content creator, and writer, Gary Alan has over 26 years experience working in nonprofit ministry and higher education. He is in recovery from fundamentalist Christianity and his passion is to see others free themselves from toxic expressions of faith. He and his family live in Monument, Colorado and he works for the University of Colorado.
Please follow us on social media (use the buttons below) and help us get the word out! (Also, please don’t hesitate to use any of these channels or email to contact us with any questions, concerns, or feedback.)

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Show notes:
http://www.sophiasociety.org/podcast/rewilding-christianity

Follow us on social media! Twitter: @holyheretics | Instagram: @holyhereticspodcast | Facebook: @holyheretics | Substack: holyheretics.substack.com


Advertising inquiries: garyalan@sophiasociety.org

Support our work on Patreon or Substack and get early access to episodes and premium content like our online class on deconstruction!
https://www.patreon.com/holyheretics or subscribe to our Substack to gain access to Holy Heretics Shorts, premium content, and our online class on faith deconstruction!

This episode was produced by The Sophia Society and written by Gary Alan Taylor.  Music is by Faith in Foxholes.