The Progressive Christians Podcast

The Progressive Christians
  • 4.7 (72)
  • RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY
  • 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. 6D AGO

    78: Liberation Theology? What You Actually Need To Know

    There's been a lot of talk about "deconstruction" in Progressive Christian circles, but we've been hearing that y'all want more talk of "constructing" beliefs. A major philosophy that serves as constructive for many Progressive Christians is known as Liberation Theology. Stemming from marginalized communities in the Americas, Liberation Theology focuses on Jesus' teachings on "the least of these." Join us for a fun, educational breakdown of this philosophy! We discuss the many origins, the biblical basis, the ways it has been modernized, and even some criticisms of Liberation Theology.  And don't forget to let us know what you think! Show Notes: - Trump's approval ratings:  https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/article/poll-trumps-approval-rating-hits-new-low-as-immigration-backlash-grows-and-ice-withdraws-from-minnesota-204723473.html   - Michigan's lawsuit against Big Oil:  https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/05/michigan-oil-climate-crisis-energy-cost  - The Kristi Noem Plane Stuff:  https://www.thedailybeast.com/ice-barbies-mile-high-privacy-with-alleged-lover-exposed/  - The Marxist Roots of Black Liberation Theology:  https://www.acton.org/pub/commentary/2008/04/02/marxist-roots-black-liberation-theology  - What is Black Liberation Theology (bad):  https://www.gotquestions.org/black-liberation-theology.html  - Gustavo Gutierrez - A Theology of Liberation - James Cone - A Black Theology of Liberation - Cover Art: Jesus of the People by Janet Mckenzie -  https://janetmckenzie.com/joppage1.html 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.  If you love the show, please sign up to become a supporter of The Progressive Christians Podcast! You can choose to make a one-time or monthly donation, and your support is tax-deductible. We need your support to continue and grow this outreach ministry. You can sign up to support us here: https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct  The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

    1h 12m

  2. FEB 13

    77: MAGA's Christian Nationalist Plan for Women

    Project 2025 was all over the news when Trump was first elected. But now that we're a year in - what about Project 2026? The Heritage Foundation hasn't released an official "Project 2026," but they have put out their political priorities for the year, and they look about as bad as you would expect.  This episode, we go through all nine of them, and focus on the ways that the Trump administration is coming after women. From attacking voting rights, to medical autonomy, to trying to force women to be nothing but baby incubators - it's no doubt that they are looking to strip women of their rights in this country. The Heritage Foundation is obsessed with this idea of "The American Family," and in their pursuit of forced conformity to this idea, women and queer people are their first targets. Show Notes: Rebecca Copeland Entangled Being - https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481321426/entangled-being/ Marriage Improves Men's Health Outcomes - https://www.health.harvard.edu/mens-health/marriage-and-mens-health  Marriage Reduces Health Outcomes for Women - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5397241/  Women Lose Earning potential by becoming mothers - https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4041155/  Empowered Women Can Transform the World's Poorest Communities - https://time.com/collections/time100-voices/7016128/women-uplift-poorest-communities/  Bad Bunny's Halftime Show numbers - https://www.thebiglead.com/most-watched-super-bowl-halftime-shows-bad-bunny-v/ NASA was saved by grassroots campaigns - https://www.planetary.org/articles/advocacy-success-fy2026-nasa-budget NASA source #2 - https://www.astronomy.com/science/congress-passes-nasa-budget-rejects-trump-cuts/ The Heritage Foundation issues a report on "America's Family Crisis." - https://michiganindependent.com/politics/heritage-foundation-report-families-marriage-education-infertility-fetal-personhood/#:~:text='%E2%80%9D,for%20women%20than%20for%20men.%E2%80%9D The Heritage Foundation Wants to Send Women Back a Century - https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/21/opinion/heritage-foundation-women.html#:~:text=The%20report's%20authors%20know%20they,children%20reared%20primarily%20at%20home.%E2%80%9D The Christian Nationalist Plot to Disenfranchise Women Voters - https://newrepublic.com/article/191420/christian-nationalism-save-act-voter-suppression The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians  If you love the show, please sign up to become a supporter of The Progressive Christians Podcast! You can choose to make a one-time or monthly donation, and your support is tax-deductible. We need your support to continue and grow this outreach ministry. You can sign up to support us here: https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct 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.

    1h 6m

  3. FEB 6

    76: Progressive Christian Parenting Meets Fascist Reality

    The massive political polarization of today can make fighting for change seem impossible, but there is an extra layer when you're someone responsible for kids. This week, our friend Claire McKeever-Burgett returns to discuss parenting in our Fascist reality. We discuss children's radically empathetic nature, ways to help them (and you) find their place in the resistance, and the importance of keeping an open mind - especially in the last places you would think. This episode is for everyone, not just parents. As Blair says: "everyone is in relationship with children, because children are a part of society." Take a load off and rest with us, knowing you're not alone in this journey. Support our work here: https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct  Show Notes: - Claire's website: https://www.clairemckeeverburgett.com/  - Claire's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clairemckeeverburgett/  - Claire's Substack: https://clairemckeeverburgett.substack.com/  - Spain approves legal pathway for 500,000 immigrants to gain residency https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62n6gw1dp9o   - Revolutionary therapy treats "untreatable" blood cancer: "A few years ago this would have been science fiction."  https://www.positive.news/society/revolutionary-therapy-treats-untreatable-blood-cancer/  - California court hears two cases to protect kids from the effects of social media:  https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2026/01/social-media-addiction-suits-in-california/   The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians   If you love the show, please sign up to become a supporter of The Progressive Christians Podcast! You can choose to make a one-time or monthly donation, and your support is tax-deductible. We need your support to continue and grow this outreach ministry. You can sign up to support us here: https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct 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.

    1h 14m

  4. JAN 30

    75: Alex Pretti & Radical Community in Minneapolis

    We have all been flooded with the horrifying stories out of Minnesota recently. This week, we discuss Alex Pretti and the children who have been kidnapped, along with some of the incredible stories of resistance and community from Minneapolis. Join us to rage, cry, grieve, hope, and plan. And remember, in a world full of evil - Be Good.   Show Notes:   Anti-trans riders COMPLETELY removed from final house appropriations bill. Everyone say thank you Sarah!!! https://www.advocate.com/politics/national/anti-transgender-provisions-stripped Judge threatens contempt ruling to ICE head: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/27/ice-chief-todd-lyons-minnesota-court-contempt.html Minnesota Superintendent comments: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/they-are-circling-our-schools-superintendent-says-after-5-year-old-detained-by-ice  Hatred as Numbness, Listener Ben's Substack: https://substack.com/home/post/p-185636768 John Abernathy's story and photography: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/throwing-camera-thing-photographers-behind-140000257.html People killed by ICE in 2026: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/27/us-witnessed-many-ice-related-deaths-in-2026-here-are-their-stories "Jesus Saves" Picture: https://calendar.eji.org/racial-injustice/apr/7  Ground News: https://ground.news/ Our "they like the lying" episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1EJZsATPo8rPramZmOJSLw?si=CDGjRT9USEG2dfxzb1-8Xg  Our empathy episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2UeVUgafrOQRskCVcFjF0l?si=f69648c9ede44d32  One day everyone will have always been against this: https://www.nationalbook.org/books/one-day-everyone-will-have-always-been-against-this/    The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians    If you love the show, please sign up to become a supporter of The Progressive Christians Podcast! You can choose to make a one-time or monthly donation, and your support is tax-deductible. We need your support to continue and grow this outreach ministry. You can sign up to support us here: https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct   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.

    1h 6m

  5. JAN 23

    74: Our First Ever Q+A!

    You've asked for it, and it's here! Our first ever Q+A! But first, we have a big announcement. We have decided to adopt a donation (rather than subscription) model to support the podcast. You can find more information about how to support the podcast further down in the show notes! This episode is quite out of the ordinary for our podcast, and we tried to keep it very light and fun.   Potential topics include: Our views on Heaven and Hell, our favorite (and least favorite) movies and TV shows, why we are Methodists, what the best place in the world to live is, what a Progressive Christian is, our most controversial hot takes, our thoughts on substitutionary atonement, and Dr. Carter's ADHD.   Thank you so much to everyone who wrote in with questions! If we didn't get to your question, it's probably because it was too meaty for a Q+A and we would like to save it for a full episode. It's the downside of having such wise and insightful listeners! Please comment below to further burden us with this terrible curse   Please sign up to be a monthly supporter of The Progressive Christians Podcast! A one-time donation would be great, or you could sign up to be a monthly supporter. We don't want to deny anyone access to the great content we plan to create, but we need your support to continue and hopefully grow this outreach ministry. You can sign up to support us here: https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct   Show Notes: Our salvation episode: (episode 34) https://open.spotify.com/episode/2XGSDmaS2k12ni1Cuo0T4I?si=e2e71af3c1884f80 Our episode about reading the Bible: (episode 28) https://open.spotify.com/episode/70u494d2LLgXRu2jNsTzKe?si=933a9d2e12bb4e81 Our episode about being sinful: (episode 29) https://open.spotify.com/episode/3u7TleMsTrtB6vpV1mnTyN?si=7ffc4307d2f4426c GOOD NEWS: Education Department dropping their lawsuit against universities with "DEI:" Education Department drops appeal over anti-DEI funding threats | AP News Donate here to support our work: https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. 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.

    53 min

  6. JAN 16

    73: Renee Nicole Good, And How Just War Theory Makes Room For Christian Authoritarianism

    Only two weeks into 2026, things already feel overwhelming and out of control. In this episode, we discuss how the conservative evangelical understanding of sin as a failure to be obedient to authority figures is being weaponized to justify the shooting of Renee Nicole Good and ICE's violent treatment of protestors and innocent bystanders. Through the lens of the Just War Theory, we try to understand the mindset that allows someone to justify - and even champion - the murder of this young poet. - Ice Shootings Tracker: https://www.thetrace.org/2025/12/immigration-ice-shootings-guns-tracker/ - White Property, Black Trespass by Andrew Krinks: https://nyupress.org/9781479823857/white-property-black-trespass/ - Just War Principles: https://www2.bellevuecollege.edu/artshum/materials/engl/Bessho/Summer05/101/PrinciplesJustWar.htm  - Mamdani Supporting Universal Childcare: https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/01/mayor-mamdani---governor-hochul-to-launch-free-child-care-for-tw - Renee Good's Award Winning Poem: https://poets.org/2020-on-learning-to-dissect-fetal-pigs - The lack of training these ICE agents have: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15345295/ICE-campaign-hire-deportation-officers-unfit-violent-illiterate.html - Legal refresher sent out to ICE agents after Renee Nicole Good's murder: http://youtube.com/post/UgkxPNe-FPJUxRR5RHd0lkwHJEDyKYtyNTFS?si=QjFdGoCJ-gsorYIs - The murder of James Reeb (CORRECTION: NOT EUGENE DEBS. They both just have funny last names): https://www.npr.org/2019/04/30/718647599/the-murder-of-the-rev-james-reeb - White Lies Podcast - True Crime podcast about the death of James Reeb. In 1965, Rev. James Reeb — a Unitarian minister and civil-rights activist — was killed during the voting rights movement in Selma. After three men were tried and acquitted for his murder, the city's white community buried the truth. More than 50 years later, two native Alabamians return to Selma to uncover the truth about who killed James Reeb, and to delve into the systems of oppression and violence that allowed it to happen: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLp-wXwmbv3z8HO5FT1SGJrwCU19qWdSn-   The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. 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.

    59 min

  7. JAN 9

    72: Is Being Biblical The Same As Being Christian?

    Christians should not believe IN the bible, we are called to believe in the living God revealed to us THROUGH the bible. This week, we're releasing a special video minisode to celebrate the New Year (and let our hosts take a vacation)! Join Dr. Carter for a discussion on the similarities - and differences - between being "Biblical" and being "Christian." Is following and/or doing what you believe the bible tells you to do, enough to call an action or policy, or a position on a social subject, Christian? Remember, the devil can quote the Bible. Time is seriously running out (we mean it this time) to ask us your questions for the Q+A! Comment below, and feel free to ask anything on your mind - not just biblical questions! 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. The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

    14 min

  8. JAN 3

    71: Is Artificial Intelligence ANTI Christian?

    Time is running out to submit your questions for the Q&A! Comment below or email us to have your questions answered. We encourage silly and personal questions too, not exclusively "serious" or "theological" ones! This week, we continue our discussion from last week about Artificial Intelligence. In our previous episode, we focused more on the material impacts of AI. This week, we shifted to a more spiritual and metaphorical investigation. We also addressed Everest's original question - is AI ANTI CHRISTIAN? Don't worry, we make sure to look at all angles, and even end with some good news. CORRECTION: THE "FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT" HOME WE DISCUSSED IS ACTUALLY A "ZIMMERMAN" HOME Show notes: Overview of Mimetic Theory: https://violenceandreligion.com/mimetic-theory-2/#:~:text=Mimetic%20theory%20is%20an%20interdisciplinary%20research%20program,that%20can%20lead%20to%20violence%20and%20destruction  https://www.datacenterwatch.org/report  https://www.techpolicy.press/the-real-race-for-an-ai-moratorium-stopping-data-centers/ The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. 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.

    1h 2m
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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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