The Progressive Christians Podcast

The Progressive Christians

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 ·  Video

    "Democratic Candidates Must Be "Bad" Christians (or Muslim!)| What You Need To Know About The Midterm Elections

    The midterm elections are four days out. In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed's Senate race has become a referendum on whether a Muslim American can be treated as a full citizen. In California, Prop 40 asks voters whether billionaires pay a one-time tax to backfill the Medi-Cal funding the big beautiful bill took away. We cover both — plus the races and ballot measures in between. PLEASE TAKE OUR 2026 LISTENER SURVEY — five minutes, and it shapes what we build next: https://forms.gle/wxMDyggsCGLkAcCY7 We discuss: the Islamophobic rhetoric aimed at El-Sayed, the Ilhan Omar raid and the citizenship conspiracy that keeps resurfacing, the Los Angeles mayor's race between Nithya Raman and Karen Bass, Adam Hamilton and the "religious Democrat" question, and Prop 40, Prop 41, and Prop 42 on the same ballot, and we make an argument about what loving your neighbor requires of you in a voting booth. Go Deeper!Our full interview with Abdul El-Sayed — what a Muslim Senate candidate taught us about "love your neighbor" Is James Talarico the game changer the right didn't expect?Billionaires vs. The Gospel: Why You Can't Serve BothShow Notes: Jesus & The Disinherited by Howard Thurman - https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.260684/mode/2upPeter Beinart Article on Islamophobia- https://peterbeinart.substack.com/p/islamophobia-and-antisemitism-arent?utm_source=substack&publication_id=105260&post_id=221841071&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&utm_campaign=email-share&triggerShare=true&isFreemail=true&r=3hsepp&triedRedirect=trueSafeBAE Tool- https://www.positive.news/society/free-tool-helps-young-men-to-take-responsibility-for-sexual-harm/“Democrats Find God” on Today Explained podcast by Vox - https://www.vox.com/today-explained-podcastDemocratic candidates must be bad Christians - https://religionnews.com/2026/10/22/democratic-candidates-must-be-bad-christians/🎙️ 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. #midtermelections #prop40 #abdurelsayed #islamophobia #christiannationalism#progressivechristianity #progressive #faith #politics #popculture #religion #christianpodcast

  2. Oct 23 ·  Video

    What a Hindu Professor Taught Us About Mixed Race, Mixed Faith Families

    Dr. Khyati Joshi grew up within the small Hindu community in Cobb County, Georgia, and the only Christianity she knew was the kind that told her she was going to hell. She's a professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University, author of White Christian Privilege, and host of the new podcast series Mixed from Axis Mundi. Her husband is a white Episcopalian, and they chose to raise their son in both traditions, in a country that keeps asking him to pick a side. This is a conversation about families that refuse to divide and label themselves for other people's comfort. About what the Black-white binary does to a kid who is both. About why she and her husband wanted integration, not a ping-pong match. About the language that finally let her explain her own childhood, and why she rejects the labels people keep putting on her son. And about the emotional tax mixed families pay for the rest of their lives. We also get into theology, race, religion, and politics, and why Christian nationalism keeps showing up in the middle of all of it — Christopher pushes back hard on whether "you can be both" actually survives anti-Black racism, and Dr. Joshi answers him directly. Stick around to the end for the census story that proves this has always been mixed. Listen to Mixed from Axis Mundi: https://www.axismundi.us/podcasts/mixed Dr. Joshi on Substack: Mixed in America: https://khyatiyjoshi.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/profkjoshi/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkhyatijoshi/?isSelfProfile=trueFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrKhyatiYJoshi Show Notes:https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/19/abdul-el-sayed-heckler-tommy  🎙️ 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. #progressivechristianity #progressive #faith #politics #popculture #religion #christianpodcast

  3. Oct 16

    Is The Death Penalty Anti-Christian?

    Is the death penalty anti-Christian? In this episode, we examine the Christa Pike case and discuss why state-sanctioned violence always fails Jesus' terms. Tennessee tried twice to execute Christa Pike on September 30th and failed. A week later, Pete Hegseth said he wanted the next military execution livestreamed. State violence is the throughline. We analyze the biblical arguments often used to support the death penalty, debunking common misinterpretations of scripture that attempt to justify state-sanctioned violence.  Then we discuss the broader death penalty debate, tracing how the system of mass incarceration functions as a tool for controlling marginalized bodies. We examine the history of lynching in America, drawing on James Cone’s work to highlight the chilling parallels between historical racial terror and modern calls for public executions. We conclude with a look at the humanitarian crisis in ICE detention centers and how collective action can make a difference. Content note: this episode discusses botched executions, public executions, and lynching in America. Please listen mindfully. 🎙️ 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  Show Notes Data on Botched Executions- https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/executions/botched-executionsChristian Resistance to the Death Penalty- https://www.prisonfellowship.org/resources/advocacy/sentencing/the-death-penalty/CLUE Bond Fund- https://www.cluejustice.org/detained-immigrant-bond-fund/ Each Step Home: Supporting Families in Detention- https://eachstephome.org/ Catholic, evangelical leaders condemn public execution plan of Fort Hood gunman - https://religionnews.com/2026/10/09/head-of-u-s-catholic-bishops-conference-condemns-public-execution-plans-as-promoting-a-culture-of-death/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.

  4. Oct 2

    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

  5. 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.

  6. 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

4.7
out of 5
90 Ratings

About

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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