Thereafter

Cortland Coffey & Meghan Crozier
Thereafter

Welcome to the Thereafter, a place where we explore life on the other side of faith change. We’re here to break down the binaries, deconstruct the dualities, and wander through what it looks like to live in the gray. In church, we were told that life after leaving would be a bitter wasteland of unfulfilling hedonism. But we’ve discovered quite the opposite. There is actually a vibrant community of people on the other side of faith who are finding space for hope and healing. Come along, as we explore the all too often uncharted expanse of evangelicalism, evolving faith, and life thereafter.

  1. 117 - Melissa Duge Spiers | Holy Disobedience

    2D AGO

    117 - Melissa Duge Spiers | Holy Disobedience

    Today's guest is Melissa Duge Spiers, author of the soon to be released, Holy Disobedience: A Survivor’s Journey from the Church that Betrayed Her—a book that does just that. Melissa’s story is one of survival, revelation, and ultimately, moving forward into real life. Raised in the Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) Church, an enormous Christian fundamentalist sect that exists under the radar despite a larger worldwide membership (22M+) than the Mormons or Southern Baptists, she was taught to obey without question, live under rigid purity culture, and conform to a system that demanded silence in the face of abuse. Her world shattered when a family member became the center of an abuse scandal—someone enabled and protected by the very church that shaped her childhood. Her memoir is not just about leaving a high-control religious environment; it’s about the struggle that comes after—the long, painful process of deconstructing indoctrination, unlearning deeply ingrained beliefs, and reclaiming one’s identity. In sharing her journey, Melissa has become an advocate for those who have left the SDA church, many of whom have faced similar abuses. Through her powerful online presence as “The Glory Whole” on TikTok and Instagram, she has built a community of ex-Adventists and religious trauma survivors, giving voice to the often-overlooked stories of those who have suffered in silence. If you enjoy listening to the show, please consider heading over to apple podcasts to rate and review us. If you really enjoy the show, we would love to see you in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/ThereafterPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Also, look for us on social media and shoot us a message to say hello, or chat with us in Twitter spaces on Tuesday mornings in deconstruction coffee hour!Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThereafterPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CortlandCoffey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThePursuingLife⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram/Threads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThereafterPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CortlandCoffey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThePursuingLife Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cortland.me https://bsky.app/profile/thepursuinglife.bsky.social

    1h 10m
  2. 116 - Emily Joy Allison | Purity Culture, #ChurchToo, and Where We Go From Here

    MAR 13

    116 - Emily Joy Allison | Purity Culture, #ChurchToo, and Where We Go From Here

    Emily Joy Allison is a writer, poet, and yoga teacher. She holds a degree in philosophical theology and apologetics from Moody Bible Institute and a Master of Theological Studies from Vanderbilt Divinity School. In November 2017, as the #MeToo movement was going viral, Emily came forward with her own story of abuse at the hands of her church and launched the #ChurchToo movement overnight. She has been writing and speaking about religious sexualized violence and its theological underpinnings ever since. Emily lives in Nashville, Tennessee. You can find links to all of her socials as well as info about her book at: https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/author/7702/Emily-Joy-Allison If you enjoy listening to the show, please consider heading over to apple podcasts to rate and review us. If you really enjoy the show, we would love to see you in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/ThereafterPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Also, look for us on social media and shoot us a message to say hello, or chat with us in Twitter spaces on Tuesday mornings in deconstruction coffee hour!Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThereafterPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CortlandCoffey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThePursuingLife⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram/Threads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThereafterPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CortlandCoffey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThePursuingLife Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cortland.me https://bsky.app/profile/thepursuinglife.bsky.social

    1h 44m
  3. 114 - Marla Taviano Returns | Catching Up About Life, Books, Resistence, and More

    FEB 20

    114 - Marla Taviano Returns | Catching Up About Life, Books, Resistence, and More

    We were so excited to have Marla back on the show this week! Marla Taviano (she/her/) is into: books, love, justice, globes, anti-racism, blue, gray, rainbows, poems (and a hundred other things). Reads and writes for a living (and a life). Wears her heart on her t-shirts. On a mission/quest/journey to live wholefarted (not a typo). (Big fan of parentheses—and em dashes.) She is mom to some freaking awesome kids and two cats and lives in South Carolina. Find out about her work and connect with her around the web by visiting her website https://itsmemarla.com/. If you missed her first time on the show you can check out that episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6N26EUUALgtFYjNzYzJoH9?si=LJqSZMF2RQi0iesY3MUGHw If you enjoy listening to the show, please consider heading over to apple podcasts to rate and review us. If you really enjoy the show, we would love to see you in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/ThereafterPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Also, look for us on social media and shoot us a message to say hello, or chat with us in Twitter spaces on Tuesday mornings in deconstruction coffee hour!Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThereafterPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CortlandCoffey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThePursuingLife⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram/Threads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThereafterPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CortlandCoffey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThePursuingLife Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cortland.me https://bsky.app/profile/thepursuinglife.bsky.social

    1h 19m
  4. 113 - Lucas Wilson Returns | Surviving Conversion Therapy & New Book Shame-Sex Attraction

    JAN 29

    113 - Lucas Wilson Returns | Surviving Conversion Therapy & New Book Shame-Sex Attraction

    This week on the pod we have return guest Lucas Wilson!! Here to talk about his newly released book "Shame-Sex Attraction: Survivors' Stories of Conversion Therapy". Lucas was on the pod before (way back on episode 022!) You can take a listen to that episode here if you'd like to hear more of Luke's personal story: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/022-luke-willson-gay-on-campus-at-liberty-university/id1534952602?i=1000527988045 We were so grateful for this opportunity to sit down with Lucas again and hope you'll go grab a copy of his book HERE: https://bookshop.org/p/books/shame-sex-attraction-survivors-stories-of-conversion-therapy-lucas-wilson/21360797 Don't forget to follow him around the web on socials! https://x.com/wilson_fw?lang=en https://www.instagram.com/lukeslamdunkwilson https://bsky.app/profile/lukeslamdunkwilson.bsky.social If you enjoy listening to the show, please consider heading over to apple podcasts to rate and review us. If you really enjoy the show, we would love to see you in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/ThereafterPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Also, look for us on social media and shoot us a message to say hello, or chat with us in Twitter spaces on Tuesday mornings in deconstruction coffee hour! Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThereafterPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CortlandCoffey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThePursuingLife⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram/Threads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThereafterPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CortlandCoffey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThePursuingLife Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cortland.me https://bsky.app/profile/thepursuinglife.bsky.social

    1h 13m
  5. 111 - Nate Nakao | Full Mutuality in Deconstruction

    12/31/2024

    111 - Nate Nakao | Full Mutuality in Deconstruction

    ok, friends. We've been way behind! The conversation you're hearing on this episode with Nate was actually recorded a few months ago and the intro is even from a few weeks ago. Life has been coming at us fast and we've simply been way behind on all things for the pod. We're so glad to finally be getting this one out and can't wait for you to hear our conversation with Nate Nakao! Nate is a hobbyist, activist, writer, nerd, ice hockey fan and coach, and a PC gaming enthusiast. For his 9-5, he works in media and marketing for the law school at a nationally recognized state university. Nate identifies as a cisgender, bisexual, Asian-American man. https://fullmutuality.com/ and is a co-founder of Dauntless Media (https://dauntless.fm/) which is our podcast network! We're so grateful to know Nate and get to work with him on so many projects. We hope you take the time to check out all his work after listening to today's episode! If you enjoy listening to the show, please consider heading over to apple podcasts to rate and review us. If you really enjoy the show, we would love to see you in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/ThereafterPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Also, look for us on social media and shoot us a message to say hello, or chat with us in Twitter spaces on Tuesday mornings in deconstruction coffee hour! Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThereafterPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CortlandCoffey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThePursuingLife⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram/Threads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThereafterPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CortlandCoffey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThePursuingLife Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cortland.me https://bsky.app/profile/thepursuinglife.bsky.social

    1h 23m
  6. 10/30/2024

    110 - Meghan & Cortland | Parenting Through Deconstruction, Our Experiences

    No guest again this week. And sorry we are yet again releasing a little inconsistently this season. It's another good old yap session with Meghan and Cortland talking about parenting and their experiences with it through deconstruction. As per the ad spot at the beginning of the episode we'd love to have you join us at Content Warning this coming February! You can get all the info and sign up to join us in person in Atlanta or virtually online at ⁠https://www.ContentWarningEvent.com/⁠. If you enjoy listening to the show, please consider heading over to apple podcasts to rate and review us. If you really enjoy the show, we would love to see you in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/ThereafterPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Also, look for us on social media and shoot us a message to say hello, or chat with us in Twitter spaces on Tuesday mornings in deconstruction coffee hour! Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThereafterPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CortlandCoffey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThePursuingLife⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram/Threads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThereafterPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@CortlandCoffey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ThePursuingLife Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cortland.me https://bsky.app/profile/thepursuinglife.bsky.social

    55 min
    5
    out of 5
    65 Ratings

    About

    Welcome to the Thereafter, a place where we explore life on the other side of faith change. We’re here to break down the binaries, deconstruct the dualities, and wander through what it looks like to live in the gray. In church, we were told that life after leaving would be a bitter wasteland of unfulfilling hedonism. But we’ve discovered quite the opposite. There is actually a vibrant community of people on the other side of faith who are finding space for hope and healing. Come along, as we explore the all too often uncharted expanse of evangelicalism, evolving faith, and life thereafter.

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