Untamed Grace | Christian Deconstruction, Universalism, & Faith Beyond Fear

Jeromy Johnson
  • 5.0 (16)
  • Spirituality
  • Updated Weekly

Untamed Grace is a Christian deconstruction podcast exploring Christian universalism, progressive Christianity, radical grace, and faith beyond fear.For wanderers, exvangelicals, doubters, and wounded believers untangling shame, rethinking hell, healing from toxic religion, and rediscovering a God rooted in inclusive love rather than fear. This is a space where fear-based faith gets reexamined through radical grace — where honest, gut-level questions are welcomed, spirituality becomes human again, and grace is allowed to remain untamed. Through thoughtful interviews and honest reflection, we wrestle with deconstruction, reconstruction, church harm, LGBTQ+ inclusion, purity culture, embodiment, intuition, eternal torment theology, and the beliefs many of us inherited — not to destroy faith, but to rebuild it around love, freedom, and wholeness. Untamed Grace exists for those learning to trust themselves again after religion taught them fear — exploring a spirituality with no fences, no fear-based control, and no scarcity of belonging.Because once grace is tamed, it ceases to be grace. A QuoirCast podcast. Written, edited, and produced by Jeromy Johnson.

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  1. Jul 21

    Congratulations, You're an Apostate—Mormonism, a mother's breaking point, and the DNA of high-control religion (Kristin Montgomery)

    Apostate. Heretic. Backslider. Every high-control religion has a word for the ones who walk away. In this episode of Untamed Grace, Jeromy sits down with Kristin Montgomery, who spent her life inside generations-deep Mormonism — ancestors who crossed the plains with Brigham Young, daily early-morning seminary, three-hour Sundays, church callings, tithing requirements, and temple recommends — and who eventually earned the church's harshest label the only way you can: by walking out with her honesty intact. Kristin walks us through her decade-long Mormon deconstruction — the questions she kept "putting on the shelf," the doctrines no bishop could explain (three degrees of heaven, secret temple garments, parents waiting outside their own children's weddings), and the grief of losing both parents that sent her back to the temple one last time. Then her son came out as gay, and the choice became unavoidable: the church or her child. She chose her child — and discovered that real love never should have asked. But here's the twist that gives this conversation its power: Jeromy grew up evangelical and was taught that Mormons were a cult. Kristin grew up Mormon and was taught the same thing about evangelicals. Yet their stories are nearly identical — the fear, the shame, the slow erosion of self-trust, the claim to be the one true church. Together they trace the shared DNA of every high-control religion, whatever name is on the building. Today, Kristin is connected to Mama Dragons, the worldwide support community for mothers of LGBTQ+ children, and has found a bigger, kinder, more inclusive God — one she meets in nature, in meditation, and sometimes in prayers to a Heavenly Mother. Whether you're an ex-Mormon, an exvangelical, a parent of an LGBTQ+ child, or someone still quietly placing questions on the shelf, this episode is for you. The label they gave you was meant to shame you back into line. It might just be a receipt — proof you paid the full cost of honesty. Once grace is tamed, it ceases to be grace. Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening.  Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.Untamed Grace Facebook Group Episode partnered with QuoirCast, and written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Congratulations, You're an Apostate—Mormonism, a mother's breaking point, and the DNA of high-control religion (Kristin Montgomery)

  2. Jun 23

    Tried to be Straight: Conversion Therapy, LGBTQ Faith, and Queer Theology (Andy Wells)

    What if the part of you the church told you to fight was never the enemy? In this episode of Untamed Grace, Jeromy sits down with Andy Wells, author of Tried to Be Straight, for a deeply honest conversation about conversion therapy, LGBTQ faith, queer theology, and learning to stop asking for permission to exist. Andy spent years as a devoted Christian while privately wrestling with being gay. He pursued conversion therapy, lived with the pressure of trying to become straight, and carried the weight of self-rejection, addiction, and spiritual fear. But his story did not end there. Together, Jeromy and Andy explore what it means to read Scripture through a queer lens, including the story of the Ethiopian eunuch, the blind man in John 9, Psalm 139, and the possibility that the Bible may have been speaking belonging over queer people all along. This conversation moves beyond simple “affirming” language and asks something deeper: What if LGBTQ Christians are not just accepted by God, but gifted, needed, and called? For anyone navigating Christian deconstruction, LGBTQ inclusion, religious trauma, conversion therapy, queer theology, faith reconstruction, or the long road toward self-acceptance, this episode offers a vision of faith beyond fear—and a God much bigger than the one many of us inherited. Andy's Website: AndyWells.gay Once grace is tamed, it ceases to be grace. Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening.  Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.Untamed Grace Facebook Group Episode partnered with QuoirCast, and written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Tried to be Straight: Conversion Therapy, LGBTQ Faith, and Queer Theology (Andy Wells)

  3. Jun 2

    Out Here Tryna Survive: From childhood trauma to healing, truth, and community (Grace Sandra)

    What does it take to survive when the people and systems that were supposed to protect you become part of the pain? In this episode of Untamed Grace, Jeromy sits down with Grace Sandra for a powerful conversation about childhood trauma, abuse, racial identity, church hurt, healing, and the long journey of learning to trust yourself again. Grace shares her story of growing up with sexual abuse, family dysfunction, and a mother struggling with severe mental illness. She reflects on what it was like to navigate life without a sense of safety, carrying wounds that shaped how she viewed herself, other people, and even God. Along the way, she opens up about surviving an abusive marriage, wrestling with religious conditioning, and discovering that healing often begins when we stop pretending we're okay. Together, Jeromy and Grace explore: Childhood trauma and its lasting impact Healing from abuse and survival mode Religious conditioning and church hurt Race, identity, and belonging Learning to trust yourself after trauma The connection between self-worth and spiritual healing Why telling the truth matters in recovery Finding healthy community after isolation and pain This conversation is honest, raw, and deeply human. Rather than offering easy answers, Grace invites listeners into the reality of what healing looks like when life has taught you to stay guarded, hypervigilant, and disconnected from yourself. If you've experienced trauma, struggled with self-trust, felt unseen by the church, or spent years simply trying to survive, this episode offers something many of us need: permission to tell the truth, compassion for the journey, and hope that healing is possible. Because eventually the goal isn't just surviving. It's becoming. Sandra's YouTube Channel.  Once grace is tamed, it ceases to be grace. Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening.  Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.Untamed Grace Facebook Group Episode partnered with QuoirCast, and written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Out Here Tryna Survive: From childhood trauma to healing, truth, and community (Grace Sandra)

  4. May 19

    You Were Taught Not to Trust Yourself—Reclaiming intuition, inner wisdom, and spiritual trust (Nannette Foster)

    What happens when you grow up being taught that your inner voice is dangerous? In this episode of Untamed Grace, Jeromy sits down with Nanette Foster for a deeply honest conversation about religious conditioning, intuition, church hurt, and learning to trust yourself again after fear-based faith. Raised in a deeply fundamentalist environment shaped by control, certainty, and distrust of the self, Nanette shares her personal journey through spiritual deconstruction, healing, and what she calls “rewilding”—the slow process of returning to the person God actually created you to be beneath layers of shame, performance, and conditioning. Together, they explore: Why many religious systems teach people to distrust themselves The connection between church hurt, self-rejection, and anxiety How fear and certainty can become tools of spiritual control What intuition actually is—and why so many Christians were taught to fear it The difference between intuition, impulse, fear, and discernment How healing, nervous system repair, and self-trust are connected And what it means to rediscover the idea that “the kingdom of God is within you” This episode is especially for those navigating: Christian deconstruction religious trauma recovering from fundamentalism faith reconstruction and the long journey of reconnecting with your own inner life after years of spiritual fear. Nanette reframes intuition not as rebellion against God—but as a God-given inner guidance system designed to lead us toward wholeness, wisdom, and deeper spiritual alignment. If you’ve ever felt disconnected from yourself… if you’ve been taught your questions, desires, or instincts were dangerous… or if you’re trying to rebuild self-trust after toxic religion— this conversation offers language, permission, and hope. Because maybe healing begins the moment you stop treating yourself like the enemy, and begin to trust yourself again...or perhaps, for the very first time. Nannette's Website   Once grace is tamed, it ceases to be grace. Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening.  Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.Untamed Grace Facebook Group Episode partnered with QuoirCast, and written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    You Were Taught Not to Trust Yourself—Reclaiming intuition, inner wisdom, and spiritual trust (Nannette Foster)

  5. May 12

    Untamed Grace—The Evolution of Slutty Grace

    Send Jeromy a Message or Voicemail After a lot of reflection, thought, and honestly… a bit of mourning… Slutty Grace is entering a new chapter. In this special standalone episode, Jeromy shares the deeply personal story behind the podcast’s evolution into Untamed Grace — why the name is changing, why the heart of the show isn’t, and how the deeper voice of the podcast slowly emerged over the past year. What began as a conversation about God’s radical grace expanded into something broader and deeper: freedom from fear-based faith, healing from shame, learning to trust our inner voice again, and creating space for honest questions, awakening, reconstruction, and spiritual freedom. This episode is less about rebranding and more about evolution. It’s about grace that refuses to stay controlled. Grace that keeps escaping the fences. Grace that still looks a lot like Jesus. Because honestly… once grace is tamed, it ceases to be grace. And while the front door may have been repainted… the music inside is still loud. Support the show _______________________________________________________ Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening.  Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.  Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.  Slutty Grace Facebook Group Episode written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson.  Once grace is tamed, it ceases to be grace. Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening.  Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.Untamed Grace Facebook Group Episode partnered with QuoirCast, and written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Untamed Grace—The Evolution of Slutty Grace

  6. May 5

    Christianity Broke, Jesus Didn’t—Life after leaving religion and rediscovering authentic faith (Jim Palmer)

    Send Jeromy a Message or Voicemail What happens when the faith that once gave your life meaning… stops working? In this episode of Slutty Grace, Jeromy sits down with Jim Palmer—former megachurch pastor, founder of The Center for Non-Religious Spirituality, and guide for those navigating Christian deconstruction, religious trauma, and life after leaving the church. Jim shares his story of rising through the ranks of evangelical Christianity, only to discover a growing disconnect between what he was preaching and what people were actually experiencing. Behind the polished surface of church life, he saw anxiety, brokenness, and quiet suffering—including within himself. That tension eventually led him to walk away from ministry, deconstruct his beliefs, and begin the difficult process of rebuilding a life and spirituality from the inside out. Together, Jeromy and Jim explore: What it really feels like to go through faith deconstructionThe loss of identity, community, and certainty after leaving religionWhy so many people experience church hurt and spiritual traumaThe fear of “losing God” when questioning your beliefsAnd what it might look like to follow Jesus beyond religionJim reframes deconstruction not as failure, but as a threshold—a deep, internal transformation happening beneath the surface. Instead of rushing to replace old beliefs with new ones, he invites listeners to sit in the questions, trust the process, and begin forming a more honest, grounded spiritual life. If you’re questioning your faith, feeling untethered after leaving Christianity, or wondering what comes next—this conversation is for you. Because maybe Christianity broke…but something deeper didn’t. Maybe you’re not losing your faith. Maybe you’re finding what was real all along. LINK: The Center for Non-Religious Spirituality Support the show _______________________________________________________ Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening.  Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.  Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.  Slutty Grace Facebook Group Episode written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson.  Once grace is tamed, it ceases to be grace. Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening.  Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.Untamed Grace Facebook Group Episode partnered with QuoirCast, and written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Christianity Broke, Jesus Didn’t—Life after leaving religion and rediscovering authentic faith (Jim Palmer)

  7. Apr 21

    Can Satan Be Saved?—Universalism, Hell, and God’s Ultimate Victory (Justin Coutts)

    Send Jeromy a Message or Voicemail If God really restores all things… does that include Satan? In this episode, Jeromy sits down with Justin Coutts to explore one of the most uncomfortable—and revealing—questions in Christian theology: can Satan and demons be saved? What starts as a listener question turns into a much deeper conversation about the nature of evil, the purpose of hell, and whether anything is truly beyond the reach of God’s love. Together, they unpack: why early Christian thought didn’t always see demons as beyond redemptionhow “hell” may be less about punishment and more about restorationthe idea that evil isn’t a permanent force—but something that can be healedwhether Satan is a literal being, a symbol, or something in betweenand how this question reveals our deeper fears about grace itselfThis episode challenges the idea that God’s love has limits—and invites a bigger question: Is there anything beyond God’s reach? If you’ve wrestled with hell, deconstruction, or the fear that some things—or some people—are too far gone, this conversation opens the door to a radically different possibility. Justin's Website: https://newedenministry.com/ Support the show _______________________________________________________ Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening.  Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.  Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.  Slutty Grace Facebook Group Episode written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson.  Once grace is tamed, it ceases to be grace. Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening.  Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.Untamed Grace Facebook Group Episode partnered with QuoirCast, and written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Can Satan Be Saved?—Universalism, Hell, and God’s Ultimate Victory (Justin Coutts)

  8. Mar 31

    Purity Culture Broke Us—Sex, Shame, and Self-Worth (Mattie Jo Cowsert)

    Send Jeromy a Message or Voicemail Purity culture didn’t just teach rules about sex — it reshaped how we see ourselves. In this episode of Slutty Grace, we explore the lasting impact of evangelical purity culture — from sexual shame and fear-based teaching to the deeper loss of self-trust and identity. Jeromy sits down with Mattie Jo Cowsert for an honest, unfiltered conversation about what purity culture took: self-worth, agency, and the ability to trust your own body. Together, they unpack how teachings around “purity” shaped relationships, distorted desire, and left many feeling disconnected from themselves long after leaving the system. This isn’t just about sex. It’s about shame, identity, and the long process of healing. If you’ve ever felt like your worth was tied to your behavior…or struggled to trust yourself after deconstructing your faith…this conversation will likely hit close to home. Topics include: purity culture and evangelical sexual teachingsex, shame, and self-worthlosing and rebuilding self-trustdeconstruction and healing after toxic religionrelationships shaped by religious conditioningIf this episode resonates, you might also connect with: The Death of Pastor Dave — on shame, addiction, and identityYou Don’t Deserve Love—the lie that shaped me and the God who never agreed.Did I Fail as a Youth Pastor? — deconstructing inherited beliefsMattie Jo Cowsert's Website Buy Mattie Jo’s Book, Sex, God, and Rich People Support the show _______________________________________________________ Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening.  Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.  Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.  Slutty Grace Facebook Group Episode written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson.  Once grace is tamed, it ceases to be grace. Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening.  Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.Untamed Grace Facebook Group Episode partnered with QuoirCast, and written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    Purity Culture Broke Us—Sex, Shame, and Self-Worth (Mattie Jo Cowsert)
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About

Untamed Grace is a Christian deconstruction podcast exploring Christian universalism, progressive Christianity, radical grace, and faith beyond fear.For wanderers, exvangelicals, doubters, and wounded believers untangling shame, rethinking hell, healing from toxic religion, and rediscovering a God rooted in inclusive love rather than fear. This is a space where fear-based faith gets reexamined through radical grace — where honest, gut-level questions are welcomed, spirituality becomes human again, and grace is allowed to remain untamed. Through thoughtful interviews and honest reflection, we wrestle with deconstruction, reconstruction, church harm, LGBTQ+ inclusion, purity culture, embodiment, intuition, eternal torment theology, and the beliefs many of us inherited — not to destroy faith, but to rebuild it around love, freedom, and wholeness. Untamed Grace exists for those learning to trust themselves again after religion taught them fear — exploring a spirituality with no fences, no fear-based control, and no scarcity of belonging.Because once grace is tamed, it ceases to be grace. A QuoirCast podcast. Written, edited, and produced by Jeromy Johnson.

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