The Progressive Christians Podcast

The Progressive Christians
  • 4.7 (88)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Weekly

We're the love your neighbor kind of Christians, not the storm the capitol kind. So, if you're curious about what a socially and politically progressive Christianity looks like, this podcast is for you! In each episode we discuss politics, pop culture, and anything else we find interesting from the perspective of progressive Christianity. The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram, https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church.

  1. 2d ago

    Is This the Future of Christian Nationalism? The Theobros & Hegseth

    The theology of Christian Nationalism is light on CHRISTian and heavy on Nationalism. This framing empowers Theobros like Joshua Haymes to claim that "it is not inherently evil to own another human being," and still claim to be a Christian.  So where is Jesus in all of this? In this week's episode, we go through the four pastors named in Bob Smietana's  @ReligionNewsService essay "The Rise of the Jim Crow Theobros": Michael Spangler, Joel Webbon, Joshua Haymes, and Dale Partridge. We discuss how these men turn racism, misogyny, and Christian Nationalism into a business. We then analyze how Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's use of Isaiah 6:8 during his Send Me tour at Texas A&M follows the same pattern of biblical misinterpretation that is used by the Theobros. We look at what the passage actually says - Isaiah is called to bring his people back to God, not to go to war. We close with Howard Thurman's Jesus and the Disinherited and some practical ways to read the Bible through the lens of love. It also covers how to act on the articles of impeachment against Hegseth, and some good news: Everest's 96-mile interfaith pilgrimage from Adelanto Detention Center to downtown Los Angeles. 📰 Read the RNS essay: "The Rise of the Jim Crow Theobros" by Bob Smietana https://religionnews.com/2026/09/24/the-rise-of-the-jim-crow-theobros/ ⚠️ Content note: This episode quotes defenses of slavery, segregation and Nazism in the speakers' own words, so that we can expose them. 🎙️ New episodes every Friday, on all platforms. 💛 Support the show! Your tax-deductible donation keeps this ministry going https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct 📩 Watching on YouTube? Like and subscribe. Listening on Apple or Spotify? Rate, subscribe, and leave a comment — it genuinely helps the algorithm find more people like you. You can find the links to the show and the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians  The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at progressivechristians@theloftla.org. #ChristianNationalism #ProgressiveChristianity #Theobros #PeteHegseth #ChristianPodcast #FaithAndPolitics #Deconstruction #progressivechristianity #progressive #faith #politics #popculture #religion

  2. Sep 26

    What Does Belonging Look Like After Deconstruction?

    After deconstruction, how do you find a church that won't hurt you again? In the final episode of our series, Christian Deconstruction and Reconstruction: Finding Faith Again, we describe the journeys we each took to find belonging in a progressive church community. Deconstruction can leave you lonely.  You lost your old church, and perhaps you even lost your community. How do you find community again? What does belonging even look like after deconstruction? In this episode, we talk honestly about what a healthy faith community looks like after church hurt, why belonging is different from fitting in, and how to find a progressive church where you can ask hard questions without getting kicked out. If you're navigating  Christian deconstruction and wondering where you belong now, this is for you.  #ProgressiveChristianity #ChristianDeconstruction #ChurchHurt This is the final episode of our 4-part series on Deconstructing & Reconstructing Christianity. Episode 1, Faith Deconstruction Explained, can be found here: https://youtu.be/6Ia2JhMeXuQ Listen to the full After Deconstruction sermon series playlist by Rev. Dr. Carter: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPGxCVGYVnrA 🎙️ New episodes every Friday, on all platforms. 💛 Support the show! Your tax-deductible donation keeps this ministry going https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct 📩 Watching on YouTube? Like and subscribe. Listening on Apple or Spotify? Rate, subscribe, and leave a comment — it genuinely helps the algorithm find more people like you. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians  The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at progressivechristians@theloftla.org.

  3. Sep 18

    What Progressive Christians Actually Believe After Deconstruction

    After deconstruction, what's left? In Episode 3 of our series, Christian Deconstruction and Reconstruction: Finding Faith Again, we describe the faith we're actually building. We discuss why we understand God as love itself, not control and punishment. We explain why we read the Bible as revealing people's experience of God and why wrestling with interpretations in community matters, rather than seeing it as an inherent answer book. Why believing in Jesus should focus on following his Way of Life rather than prioritizing his death. And why salvation is not an escape from hell but an invitation to seek individual and collective flourishing - or, as Jesus explained it, build the beloved community "on earth as it is in heaven." In this episode we discuss: What we couldn't say out loud in the churches we came fromGod as love, immanence, and "what happens when we reach out to one another"Reading scripture through a Jesus-centered lensWhy Christianity done well centers radical inclusivity, intentional community, and advocacy for neighborsThe difference between a Christianity about Jesus and a Christianity of JesusIf you grew up in the church and something felt wrong, you're in the right place.  This is Episode 3 of our 4-part series on Deconstructing & Reconstructing Christianity. Episode 1, Faith Deconstruction Explained, can be found here: https://youtu.be/6Ia2JhMeXuQ Listen to the full After Deconstruction sermon series playlist by Rev. Dr. Carter: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPGxCVGYVnrA 🎙️ New episodes every Friday, on all platforms. 💛 Support the show! Your tax-deductible donation keeps this ministry going https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct 📩 Watching on YouTube? Like and subscribe. Listening on Apple or Spotify? Rate, subscribe, and leave a comment — it genuinely helps the algorithm find more people like you. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians  The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at progressivechristians@theloftla.org.  Show Notes JD Vance on the Antichrist- https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/jd-vance-talks-end-antichrist-ai-faith-podcast-rcna595733How the Bible Actually Works by Peter Enns- https://bookshop.org/p/books/how-the-bible-actually-works-in-which-i-explain-how-an-ancient-ambiguous-and-diverse-book-leads-us-to-wisdom-rather-than-answers-and-why-that-s-gr/a8149cd61e6ece66Together California Foster Village Opens- https://variety.com/2026/film/actors/christian-bale-opens-foster-care-village-1236860641/ Ed Sheeran’s Tour Falls Apart- https://www.theguardian.com/music/commentisfree/2026/sep/16/ed-sheeran-macklemore-loop-tour-support-acts-quit-robert-kraft#ProgressiveChristianity #ChristianDeconstruction #ReconstructingFaith #progressive #faith #politics #popculture #religion #christianpodcast

  4. Sep 11

    The Religion OF Jesus vs The Religion ABOUT Jesus

    What's the difference between the religion OF Jesus and the religion ABOUT Jesus? A lot, and for those deconstructing Christianity, the difference means so much. This is Episode 2 of our 4-part series, Christian Deconstruction and Reconstruction: Finding Faith Again. The religion OF Jesus is a spiritual path of radical compassion. It emphasizes love of neighbor, welcoming the outcast, questioning power, and personal transformation. The religion ABOUT Jesus is what happened when Empire, oppressive hierarchy, and economic control co-opted that message. From the Edict of Milan and the Council of Nicaea (325 CE) to biblical inerrancy and Christian Nationalism. In this episode, we reframe: • Sin as "a failure to bother to love" — not a rulebook• Repentance as returning from exile and changing your mind• Salvation as ongoing transformation, not a transaction• The Kingdom of God as already among you — not a future apocalypse We also discuss how Paul blurs the distinction between a religion of Jesus and a religion about Jesus, why Biblical Inerrancy is practically brand new (early 1900's), and how Jesus touching the ritually unclean was a radical act of inclusion and how this connects to trans people, immigrants, and disabled folks today. This is Episode 2 of our 3-part series on Deconstructing & Reconstructing Christianity. Please check out episode 104, Faith Deconstruction Explained, if you haven't listened to it already! Listen to the full sermon series playlist by Rev. Dr. Carter: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPGxCVGYVnrA 🎙️ New episodes every Friday, on all platforms. 💛 Support the show! Your tax-deductible donation keeps this ministry going https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct 📩 Watching on YouTube? Like and subscribe. Listening on Apple or Spotify? Rate, subscribe, and leave a comment — it genuinely helps the algorithm find more people like you. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians  Links mentioned this episode: US Government creates video games about capturing immigrants- Arcade.govJesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman- https://www.beacon.org/Jesus-and-the-Disinherited-P1781.aspxWorld Map Change: https://www.npr.org/2026/09/04/nx-s1-5958611/africa-world-map-un-vote#ProgressiveChristianity #DeconstructingChristianity #ReligionOfJesus #FaithDeconstruction #KingdomOfGod #progressive #faith #politics #popculture #religion #christianpodcast

  5. Sep 4

    Faith Deconstruction Explained: Why Doubt Is Not the End of Your Faith

    Is deconstructing Christianity the end of your faith — or the beginning? This is Episode 1 of our 4-part series, Christian Deconstruction and Reconstruction: Finding Faith Again. If you grew up in church and something started feeling off — like the Christianity around you didn't match the Jesus you read about — this is for you. In this episode, we share when our questions began, why doubt isn't failure, and how to rebuild a faith big enough to hold mystery, grief, and justice.   We discuss what deconstruction is and what it isn't, Adam Grant's Think Again hierarchy (cult leader → learner), Fowler's Stages of Faith (why stage 4 questioning is maturity, not rebellion), Jesus in Mark 2:13-17 redefining sin as a failure to bother to love, betrayal trauma in the church, the horseshoe of shame after purity culture, and why some people walk away while others stay to rebuild.   Plus: why Sean Duffy's "Great American Road Trip" reality show perfectly captures the fear of being "brainwashed" by college, and why Dolly Parton's radical hospitality might be the best sermon you'll hear this week.   This is a 4-part series tied to Dr. Carter's 7-week sermon series at The Loft - links below. 💛 Support the show! Your tax-deductible donation keeps this ministry going https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_directSocial links - https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians📧 Ideas for the show? progressivechristians@theloftla.org🎧 Available on all podcast platforms — new episodes every Friday Show Notes: Think Again by Adam Grant https://adamgrant.net/book/think-again/ Hierarchy of Thinking Styles https://wheatandtares.org/2022/07/13/adam-grants-thinking-styles/ The Religion of Whiteness- https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-religion-of-whiteness-9780197746288 Singers of Soul- https://www.instagram.com/singersofsoul/?hl=en https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/08/cities-terminate-flock-contracts-at-record-pace-in-august/

  6. Aug 28

    It's Not the End Times, It Just Feels Like It - What Eschatology Actually Teaches

    It feels like the end times - Christian Nationalism, war in Iran, and we can't even trust that our food is safe to eat anymore. A lot of people are carrying summertime sadness and doom-loop anxiety. Given this, what does eschatology actually teach, and how does bad end-times theology fuel fear? In this episode, we unpack eschatology (the study of the end times) beyond Left Behind theology. We map pre-millennial vs. amillennial vs. realized eschatology, explain why Revelation is resistance literature, not a prophecy chart, and trace how apocalyptic fear is used to justify Christian Nationalism, war, and "invasion" rhetoric about immigration — and how a progressive eschatology of hope teaches salvation as a way of life lived in community. We get honest about doomscrolling, heat waves, and why tech billionaires build bunkers while the rest of us just feel tired — and offer 3 practices to hold sadness without spiraling. 💛 Support the show! Your tax-deductible donation keeps this ministry going  https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct CHAPTERS: 0:00 Cold Open - Why Everything Feels Like the End 4:45 Book Contest Winners! 7:10 Why Everything Feels Apocalyptic 13:47 What Is Eschatology & The Dangers of Misinterpreting Revelation 18:33 Reading Revelation as a Resistance Narrative 24:55 Different Ways of Thinking About Eschatology (The End Times) 29:26 Premillennialism vs Postmillennialism 40:50 How fear-based Eschatology fuels Greed, Christian Nationalism & War 51:10 Hope as practice: salvation as a way of life 1:06:24 Shout Out to Michael - Our Listeners Give Us Hope 🎙️ New episodes every Friday, on all platforms. 📩 Watching on YouTube? Like and subscribe. Listening on Apple or Spotify? Rate, subscribe, and leave a comment — it genuinely helps the algorithm find more people like you. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians  Please subscribe to the Love Your Neighbor newsletter, an outgrowth of this podcast community. It will be a way for us to create new relationships and deepen existing ones with people of faith who want to learn how to practice their faith in ways that align with their values of love, justice, and compassion. We hope to see you on Substack! The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at progressivechristians@theloftla.org.

  7. Aug 24

    From the Civil War to the Texas Senate: The Real Fight Christians Refuse to Have

    In this episode, we unpack the Texas Senate race between State Rep. James Talarico and State Attorney General Ken Paxton as a theological case study, rather than a political race. Both say they were sent by God - they're reading the same Bible, and yet, two very different Christianities emerge. In their own words: "I truly believe that God just delivered me, not because I'm a great person because God is sovereign and he does what he wants to do." — Ken Paxton "Scripture says you can't love God and hate other people. You can't love God and abuse the immigrant. You can't love God and bully the outcast. You can't love God and oppress the poor." — James Talarico Can both be faithful readings of the same Jesus?  We trace the debate through: • Providence vs. partnership — is God delivering election results, or inviting us into co-creation? • Christian Nationalism on the ballot — why Talarico called the Texas Ten Commandments bill "idolatrous, exclusionary, and arrogant," and why Rev. Blair calls it "not about the content, it's about the imposition of belief." • The Civil War as a Theological Crisis — how pro-slavery Christians proof-texted "slaves, obey your masters" while abolitionists asked what God reveals about human flourishing, and why we're having the same fight 160 years later. • The sin of dehumanization — "Unless and until we address the sin of dehumanization, we're going to have the same argument over and over again" CHAPTERS: 0:00 Cold Open 4:25 Two Visions of Christianity in Texas 11:32 The Theology of Providence 18:30 James Talarico - Exegesis, Not Culture War 22:05 Unpacking Ken Paxton's Theological Claims 26:04 How Whiteness is framed as Divine 37:02 The Dangers of Divine Election Allied with Political Power 48:02 The Roots of the Talarico & Paxton Theological Debate Are In The Civil War 1:00:00 The Debate US Christians Refuse to Have - Christianity & Dehumanization 1:14:40 Good News! A Victory for Gender-Affirming Care  Show Notes Ken Paxton and James Talarico-  https://religionnews.com/2026/08/13/paxton-talarico-tap-contrary-versions-of-god-and-christianity-in-appeal-to-texas-voters/White Too Long by Robert P. Jones-  https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/White-Too-Long/Robert-P-Jones/9781982122874Undoing Conquest by Kate Common-  https://orbisbooks.com/products/undoing-conquest-ancient-israel-the-bible-and-the-future-of-christianityThe Civil War as Theological Crisis by Mark Noll-  https://uncpress.org/9781469621814/the-civil-war-as-a-theological-crisis/Maine Protects trans healthcare for youth-  https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/maine-continues-gender-affirming-care🎙️ New episodes every Friday, on all platforms. 💛 Support the show! Your tax-deductible donation keeps this ministry going https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct 📩 Watching on YouTube? Like and subscribe. Listening on Apple or Spotify? Rate, subscribe, and leave a comment — it genuinely helps the algorithm find more people like you. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians  Please subscribe to the Love Your Neighbor newsletter, an outgrowth of this podcast community. It will be a way for us to create new relationships and deepen existing ones with people of faith who want to learn how to practice their faith in ways that align with their values of love, justice, and compassion. We hope to see you on Substack! The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at progressivechristians@theloftla.org.  #progressivechristianity #progressive #faith #politics #popculture #religion #christianpodcast #JamesTalarico #KenPaxton #ChristianNationalism #TexasSenate

  8. Aug 14

    Spiritual But Not Religious? Liz Bucar on Wellness Culture and the Theology Nobody Notices

    Is wellness culture actually spiritual, or just another consumer trend? If you identify as spiritual but not religious, there is no shortage of wellness trends promising peace and health without the "baggage" of religion. But when you remove the religious meaning from practices like yoga, you are left with a pretty shallow spiritual practice. This week we sit down with scholar and author Liz Bucar to dig into her new book, Beyond Wellness. Liz's argument: wellness culture — Goop, energy healing, "manifesting your best life" — runs on Protestant theology with the "god" quietly removed. To go mainstream, every wellness practice had to be "Protestantized": individualized, interior, something you do alone. We go deep on: * The "Not God" problem — Liz's candid story about her father's alcoholism and Alcoholics Anonymous, and why the hardest and most theological step in recovery is simply admitting I am not the higher power. *Why individualism fails us — Liz's case that real community isn't just who shows up for you, it's who you show up for, and that comes with actual obligation Tech-bro eschatology — how a pessimistic belief that "AI is going to kill us all anyway" quietly gives billionaires permission to stop being ethical right now * Race, whiteness, and wellness culture — why Liz naming her own entitlement as a white scholar matters, and how that framing lands differently than when marginalized voices are forced to do it alone * Discomfort vs. danger — the distinction that growth requires sitting in discomfort, and that our instinct to avoid it is really a desire for control This conversation also continues a real dialogue between our two projects: our take on one of Liz's Substack essays shaped an earlier episode of ours on State Rep. James Talarico — and Liz wrote a follow-up essay directly responding to what we said. Read both: "What if Trevor  Noah  is right about..." and her response, "Your Eschatology Is Showing." Chapters: 0:00 - Cold Open & The Hidden Religious Roots of Wellness Culture 5:18 - Meet Dr. Liz Bucar, author of Beyond Wellness 7:25 - Social Media & The Evolution of Theological Discourse 11:44 - Why We Need to Talk About Religious Appropriation 16:00 - How Do We Navigate Boundaries in Spiritual Spaces? 20:42 - Defining "Religion" in the Modern Era 33:12 - The Radical Act of Accepting That You Are Not God 56:34 - Detaching Shame from Our Relationship with Food 1:08:30 - Closing thoughts & Good News! 🎙️ New episodes every Friday, on all platforms. 💛 Support the show! Your tax-deductible donation keeps this ministry going https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct 📩 Watching on YouTube? Like and subscribe! Listening on Apple or Spotify? Rate, subscribe, and leave a comment — it genuinely helps the algorithm find more people like you. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians  Please subscribe to the Love Your Neighbor newsletter, an outgrowth of this podcast community. It will be a way for us to create new relationships and deepen existing ones with people of faith who want to learn how to practice their faith in ways that align with their values of love, justice, and compassion. We hope to see you on Substack! The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at progressivechristians@theloftla.org.  Show notes: Liz Bucar can be found on Instagram and TikTok as @LizBucar, and you can subscribe to her Substack at https://lizbucar.substack.com/. You can find all of her books on her website at https://www.lizbucar.com/books. Brian Johnson's religious roots- https://religionunplugged.com/news/2025/2/4/bryan-johnson-says-he-wants-to-live-forever-what-does-he-really-wantCrime Rates fall in New York City- https://www.nyc.gov/site/nypd/news/PR009/nypd-fewest-murders-shooting-incidents-shooting-victims-recorded-history-the NYC Affordable Housing- https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/mamdani-affordable-housing-lift-tracker

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We're the love your neighbor kind of Christians, not the storm the capitol kind. So, if you're curious about what a socially and politically progressive Christianity looks like, this podcast is for you! In each episode we discuss politics, pop culture, and anything else we find interesting from the perspective of progressive Christianity. The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram, https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church.

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