Holy Uncertain

Lauren Ranzino and Chris McLeod
  • 5.0 (25)
  • Christianity

Have you ever sat through a church service and thought, “Wait—do I actually believe this?” Holy Uncertain is a podcast hosted by Lauren Ranzino—a theology grad, longtime TV producer, and curious Christian whose parents met in a cult—and Chris McLeod—a homeschooled pastor’s kid, and former worship pastor turned podcast producer, who doesn’t know what to call himself these days, this show explores the big, messy questions of faith, life, and meaning with some of today’s most insightful thinkers. Raised in a church culture where doubt felt like a dirty word, Lauren and Chris know how hard it is to question openly. So on this podcast, they do it for you—honestly seeking clarity without pretending to have it all figured out.

  1. Jul 17

    Is Speaking In Tongues Real? | Josh Brahinsky

    What actually happens when prayer moves beyond words? In this episode of Holy Uncertain, hosts Lauren Ranzino and Chris McLeod are joined by researcher and psychological anthropologist Josh Brahinsky to explore one of the most misunderstood and debated practices in charismatic Christianity: speaking in tongues. Josh, author of Tongues of Fire: How Charismatic Prayer Changes Evangelical Brains and Inspires Spirit-Filled Activism, has spent years studying the practice through fieldwork, interviews, and brain imaging. Together, they talk about what speaking in tongues is, why it has been dismissed or misunderstood, and what research can help us understand about surrender, prayer, the body, and the brain. This conversation holds the tension many people carry around charismatic faith: the real experiences that brought comfort, clarity, or connection to God, alongside the manipulation, fear, and harm that have too often surrounded those same spaces. If you’ve ever wondered whether speaking in tongues is real, fake, spiritual, psychological, or something more complicated than any one category can hold, this episode offers a thoughtful place to wrestle and reflect. Continue to learn from Josh Brahinsky: www.theprayerstudy.com www.instagram.com/theprayerstudy Read Josh’s Book: Tongues of Fire: How Charismatic Prayer Changes Evangelical Brains and Inspires Spirit-Filled Activism Have a question or topic you want us to explore? Email us: questions@holyuncertain.com Holy Uncertain is a Blue Elevator production.

  2. Jul 3

    What Does God Think of War? | Shane Claiborne

    What happens when God’s name is used to justify violence? In this episode of Holy Uncertain, hosts Lauren Ranzino and Chris McLeod are joined by activist, speaker, and author Shane Claiborne to consider how we might think about violence and war alongside the teachings of Jesus. Shane reflects on what it means to follow the “Prince of Peace” in a world shaped by conflict, nationalism, state violence, and religious justifications for war. Together, they explore just war theory, Christian nationalism, the witness of the early church, and what it would mean to take Jesus’ command to love our enemies seriously. Drawing from his years of peacemaking work—from living in Iraq during the mass bombing of Baghdad to advocating against the death penalty, gun violence, and war—Shane invites us to consider that the way of Jesus may offer a different kind of courage than the way of the sword. If you’ve ever struggled to reconcile Christianity with war and violence, or with the ways God’s name has been used to justify harm, this conversation offers a thoughtful place to wrestle and reflect. Continue to learn from Shane Claiborne: www.shaneclaiborne.com Instagram: @shane.claiborne Red Letter Christians Read Shane’s Books: Rethinking Life: Embracing the Sacredness of Every Person The Irresistible Revolution Jesus for President And more Have a question or topic you want us to explore? Email us: questions@holyuncertain.com Holy Uncertain is a Blue Elevator production.

  3. Jun 19

    Can Doubt Help Us Grow? | Meredith Miller

    What if doubt isn’t a sign that your faith is falling apart? After a short break, Holy Uncertain is back for Season Two with a conversation about doubt, faith, and what happens when the questions we were taught to fear become part of how we grow. In this episode, hosts Chris McLeod and Lauren Ranzino are joined by pastor, writer, and author Meredith Miller to explore how many of us inherited faith systems where certainty was treated as strength and doubt was treated as danger. Meredith, author of Woven: Nurturing a Faith Your Kid Doesn’t Have to Heal From, helps us rethink what it means to hold questions without shame—and what it might look like to build a faith that doesn’t collapse when life gets complicated. Together, they talk about the difference between a faith built like a tower and a faith woven like a web, why questioning can be a normal and necessary part of growth, and how adults can begin to heal from the ways they were taught to relate to God, the Bible, and themselves. If you’ve ever felt afraid that your doubts meant you were losing your faith, this conversation offers a more generous way to imagine what might be happening instead. Continue learning from Meredith Miller: www.meredithannemiller.com Instagram: @meredithannemiller Substack Read Meredith’s Books: Woven: Nurturing a Faith Your Kid Doesn’t Have to Heal From Wonder: 52 Conversations to Help Kids Fall in Love with Scripture Reweaving Devotional (for adults) Use Code: podcast for 50% off Have a question or topic you want us to explore? Email us: questions@holyuncertain.com Holy Uncertain is a Blue Elevator production.

  4. Apr 24

    What We Learned from Season One (And What’s Next)

    After twelve episodes exploring faith, doubt, and everything in between, we’re taking a moment to reflect. What has changed in us? What questions are we still holding? And what’s next? In this Season One wrap-up, hosts Lauren Ranzino and Chris McLeod revisit the voices and ideas that shaped this first chapter—from rethinking how we read the Bible to expanding our understanding of the gospel, from stories of harm and healing to the hope that people can change. They reflect on what it means to listen with humility, to stay curious, and to let uncertainty open us up rather than shut us down. Whether you’ve been with us from the beginning or are just finding the show, this episode is an invitation: to keep asking honest questions, to make space for new perspectives, and to trust that you’re not alone in the process. Plus, we share what’s ahead for the next season and the topics we’re excited to explore. Spread the word about the podcast, catch up on episodes you’ve missed, and we’ll see you in about a month. Have a question or topic you want us to explore in future episodes? Email us: questions@holyuncertain.com Holy Uncertain is a Blue Elevator production.

  5. Apr 17

    Why Are Christians Divided About Justice? | Joash Thomas

    Justice is central to the teachings of the Bible—so why has it become so contested within Christianity? In this episode of Holy Uncertain, hosts Lauren Ranzino and Chris McLeod are joined by priest, theologian, and author Fr. Joash Thomas to discuss how history, culture, and power have shaped the Western church’s understanding of justice, and what might be lost when care for the vulnerable becomes secondary to ideology or certainty. Drawing from his own story—growing up in India as part of an ancient Christian tradition and later working within American politics—Joash offers a perspective that challenges the ways many of us have come to understand justice, faith, and what it means to follow Jesus. This conversation invites a broader, more global view of Christianity—one that learns from traditions outside the Western church and re-centers the life and teachings of Jesus as a call to love, humility, and care for others. If you’ve ever wondered why justice has become so complicated within the church—or felt disillusioned by the divide—this episode offers a thoughtful place to wrestle and reflect. Continue to learn from Joash Thomas: www.joashpthomas.com Instagram: @joashpthomas Substack: Masala Chai Theology with Fr. Joash P. Thomas Read Joash’s Book: The Justice of Jesus Have a question or topic you want us to explore? Email us: questions@holyuncertain.com Holy Uncertain is a Blue Elevator production.

  6. Apr 10

    What Can Mythology Teach Us About The Bible? | John Bucher

    What can the study of stories teach us about the Bible? In this episode of Holy Uncertain, hosts Chris McLeod and Lauren Ranzino are joined by mythologist, storyteller, and Executive Director of the Joseph Campbell Foundation, John Bucher, to explore how stories shape the way we understand faith, scripture, and the world around us. Together, they unpack what “myth” really means—and why it has less to do with something being false and more to do with how humans make meaning. Through conversation spanning everything from Harry Potter to ancient texts, John invites us to reconsider how we read the Bible: not just as history to be proven, but as story that can transform the way we see ourselves, God, and the world. Along the way, they wrestle with belief, doubt, and the role of storytelling in shaping a life of faith—asking what might become possible if we approached scripture with curiosity instead of certainty. If you’ve ever felt stuck between taking the Bible literally or leaving it behind entirely, this conversation offers a different way forward. Continue learning from John Bucher: www.tellingabetterstory.com Instagram: @tellingabetterstory Joseph Campbell Foundation: https://www.jcf.org/ Read John’s Books: The Storytelling Almanac: A Weekly Guide To Telling A Better Story And many more. Take John’s Courses: The Shared Heroes’ Journey: Myth and Social Change The Mystic Wizard of Oz Have a question or topic you want us to explore? Email us: questions@holyuncertain.com Holy Uncertain is a Blue Elevator production.

  7. Apr 3

    Good Friday Reflection

    In place of our usual episode this week, we’re offering a short Good Friday reflection—an invitation to pause, to grieve, and to sit with what is broken before rushing to what comes next. Co-host Lauren Ranzino sits with the weight of a broken world, while holding onto both grief and hope. Today, we take a beat. We make space for what breaks our hearts. And we remember: this is not the end of the story. We’ll be back next week with a full episode. Have a question or topic you want us to explore? Email us: questions@holyuncertain.com Holy Uncertain is a Blue Elevator production.

  8. Mar 27

    Do We Need to Rethink Church? | Tommy Preson Phillips

    What is church actually supposed to look like? In this episode of Holy Uncertain, hosts Lauren Ranzino and Chris McLeod are joined by pastor, author, and musician Tommy Preson Phillips to explore why so many people are rethinking the way church has been practiced. Tommy, co-author of Invisible Jesus: A Book about Leaving the Church and Looking for Christ, shares why so many people are walking away from church—not because they’ve lost faith, but because they no longer see Jesus reflected in the systems they’ve inherited. Together, they examine how layers of tradition, power, and cultural assumptions have shaped modern church structures, and what it might look like to strip things back to something more honest, relational, and rooted in the way of Jesus. From the early church’s radically inclusive communities to the rise of institutional models, this conversation wrestles with what’s essential, what might be worth letting go of, and how spiritual community could be reimagined today. If you’ve ever felt disconnected from church but still long for faith, belonging, and a more authentic way of following Jesus, this episode offers a hopeful place to explore. Continue to learn from Tommy Preson Phillips: Substack Instagram: @tommypresonphillips Read Tommy’s Book: Invisible Jesus: A Book about Leaving the Church and Looking for Christ by Scot McKnight and Tommy Preson Phillips Listen to Tommy’s Music: www.presonphillips.com Have a question or topic you want us to explore? Email us: questions@holyuncertain.com Holy Uncertain is a Blue Elevator production.

See All (16)

5
out of 5
25 Ratings

About

Have you ever sat through a church service and thought, “Wait—do I actually believe this?” Holy Uncertain is a podcast hosted by Lauren Ranzino—a theology grad, longtime TV producer, and curious Christian whose parents met in a cult—and Chris McLeod—a homeschooled pastor’s kid, and former worship pastor turned podcast producer, who doesn’t know what to call himself these days, this show explores the big, messy questions of faith, life, and meaning with some of today’s most insightful thinkers. Raised in a church culture where doubt felt like a dirty word, Lauren and Chris know how hard it is to question openly. So on this podcast, they do it for you—honestly seeking clarity without pretending to have it all figured out.

Information

  • Creator
    Lauren Ranzino and Chris McLeod
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Lauren Ranzino and Chris McLeod
  • Show Website
    Holy Uncertain

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