The Sacred Slope

32. Sharon McMahon (We Are Mighty) - & We Are the Ones We’ve Been Waiting For

🎙️ 32. Sharon McMahon (We Are Mighty) & We Are the Ones We’ve Been Waiting For Alexis Rice sits down with Sharon McMahon, bestselling author, educator, and creator of “@SharonSaysSo,” for a deeply moving conversation about history, democracy, courage, faith, and the ordinary people who shape the world around us. As Sharon releases her new children’s book, We Are Mighty: 12 Ordinary Americans Who Did the Next Needed Thing, Alexis and Sharon explore figures of American history, some famous, some not, about the power of education, and what it means to continue doing good with no assurance of success. Together, they discuss Martin Luther King Jr., Maria de Lopez, Abraham Lincoln, Rosa Parks, Septima Clark, Clara Brown, and the everyday people whose unseen acts of courage changed generations. This episode is a reminder that history is not only shaped by presidents, billionaires, or celebrities - but by teachers, neighbors, parents, organizers, and ordinary people willing to do the next needed thing. 💬 In This Episode • Why “doing the next needed thing” can change history • Stories behind We Are Mighty and The Small and the Mighty • Martin Luther King Jr.’s struggle with depression and self-doubt • Rosa Parks, Septima Clark, and the unseen roots of the Civil Rights Movement • Clara Brown, faith, forgiveness, and resistance • Why education is liberation • The danger of Christian nationalism and authoritarianism • The difference between performative religion and living compassionately • Sharon’s canceled commencement speech, the political backlash, and how she's doing the next needed thing • Why history gives hope during difficult times • What teachers and ordinary citizens need to hear right now about the power of community • Why courage rarely comes with assurance of success Sharon reminds us that the people who change the world are rarely the loudest or the most powerful. More often, they are ordinary people choosing courage, compassion, education, and hope in moments when success is far from guaranteed. And maybe that moment is ours now. We Are Mighty for Kids, illustrated by @susannachapman, from @penguinrandomhouse is out May 19 https://sharonmcmahon.com/book 👥 People Mentioned • Sarah Bessey: @sarahbessey • Kate Bowler: @katecbowler • Nadia Bolz-Weber: @sarcasticlutheran Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2471756/support] About The Sacred Slope Where the slippery slope becomes sacred ground. For the spiritually tender—raised in or rooted in Christianity. Come explore our global, diverse, inclusive Christian faith, deconstruction, and spiritual identity in a rapidly changing world. Through conversations with clergy, scholars, and cultural voices, the show creates space for people navigating faith after certainty, church harm, or political co-option of religion. 🎧 WATCH: YouTube / Spotify      LISTEN: Apple Podcasts + everywhere      FOLLOW: @thesacredslope (IG, FB, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky) 🔗 Connect 🎧 Explore episodes & community: linktr.ee/TheSacredSlope [https://linktr.ee/TheSacredSlope?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 🎙 Hosted by Alexis Rice 🎵 Music by Brett Rutledge, Eddie Irvin & Sean Spence 📬 Nominate a guest: alexis@thesacredslope.com 🌿 Community Guidelines 🌿 Fruit of the Spirit:  ❤️ love • 💫 joy • ☮️ peace • 🕊 patience • 💝 kindness • 🌿 goodness • 🙏 faithfulness • 🤲 gentleness • 💪 self-control

31. Jeremy Steele (United Methodist, Skeptic Pastor) - Stop Ceding Faith: Democrats & Media Need Progressive Pastors Now

🎙️ 31. Jeremy Steele (United Methodist, Skeptic Pastor) - Stop Ceding Faith: Democrats and Media Need Progressive Pastors Now Alexis sits down with Jeremy Steele (@skeptic.pastor), a United Methodist pastor, author, and self-described “deep skeptic,” for a bold, unfiltered conversation about faith, politics, and the stories shaping Christianity in America today. Jeremy returns to The Sacred Slope to challenge some of the most widely held beliefs in evangelical spaces - including the rapture - and to name what’s really happening when extreme voices dominate the narrative. Together, Alexis and Jeremy unpack Christian nationalism, the absence of progressive faith voices in media and politics, and why that silence is creating a dangerous vacuum. This episode is both a wake-up call and a clear invitation: if Democrats and media want to reach people of faith, they cannot keep ignoring progressive pastors. The voices exist. The audience is there. The moment is now. 💬 In This Episode • Why the rapture isn’t supported by serious biblical scholarship • How fear-based theology stays in our bodies even after deconstruction • Christian nationalism and the “shock jock” effect in media • Why Democrats and progressive media have ceded the language of faith • A direct call: put progressive pastors and faith leaders on stage • The gap between evangelical narratives and global Christianity • Letting go of all-or-nothing faith frameworks • Reclaiming spiritual practices and rituals after church hurt • Why compassion is central to the teachings of Jesus 👥 People/Resources Mentioned • Jeremy Steele: @skepticpastor | https://skepticpastor.com [https://skepticpastor.com] • Rituals for Heretics: https://skepticpastor.com/rituals [https://skepticpastor.com/rituals] • How to Not Suck as a Christian https://jeremy-steele.com/suck-book • Dan McClellan: @maklelan • Jennifer Garcia Bashaw: @jgbashaw • The Bible for Normal People: @thebiblefornormalpeople • Senator Raphael Warnock: @raphaelwarnock • Jimmy Kimmel: @jimmykimmel • Stephen Colbert: @stephenathome • MSNow: @msnbc • CNN: @cnn  • Don Lemon Show: @donlemonofficia [https://www.instagram.com/donlemonofficial/#]l From calling out harmful theology to naming the silence in progressive spaces, Jeremy makes a compelling case: the rapture isn’t real, but the consequences of bad theology are. And if we don’t elevate better voices, we leave the loudest ones unchecked. #Christianity #deconstruction #progressiveChristianity #ChristianNationalism #faithandpolitics #exvangelical #OpenAndAffirming #MentalHealth Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2471756/support] About The Sacred Slope Where the slippery slope becomes sacred ground. For the spiritually tender—raised in or rooted in Christianity. Come explore our global, diverse, inclusive Christian faith, deconstruction, and spiritual identity in a rapidly changing world. Through conversations with clergy, scholars, and cultural voices, the show creates space for people navigating faith after certainty, church harm, or political co-option of religion. 🎧 WATCH: YouTube / Spotify      LISTEN: Apple Podcasts + everywhere      FOLLOW: @thesacredslope (IG, FB, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky) 🔗 Connect 🎧 Explore episodes & community: linktr.ee/TheSacredSlope [https://linktr.ee/TheSacredSlope?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 🎙 Hosted by Alexis Rice 🎵 Music by Brett Rutledge, Eddie Irvin & Sean Spence 📬 Nominate a guest: alexis@thesacredslope.com 🌿 Community Guidelines 🌿 Fruit of the Spirit:  ❤️ love • 💫 joy • ☮️ peace • 🕊 patience • 💝 kindness • 🌿 goodness • 🙏 faithfulness • 🤲 gentleness • 💪 self-control

30. Christina Zini (United Methodist/Lutheran) - This Is What Christianity Looks Like When It’s Not About Control & The Sacred Slope turns 1!

🎙️ 30. Christina Zini (United Methodist/Lutheran) -  This Is What Christianity Looks Like When It’s Not About Control & The Sacred Slope Turns 1!!!!! With music by Derek Webb! Alexis Rice sits down with Christina Zini, a friend of 20+ years, a leadership coach, Christian woman, global citizen, for a deeply personal and reflective conversation marking one year of The Sacred Slope. Christina shares her journey of faith from growing up Lutheran in a small town in the US to living across the world and discovering a Christianity rooted not in control or coercion, but in love, openness, and deep respect for others. Together, Alexis and Christina explore what it actually looks like to follow Jesus in a complex and divided world. They reflect on friendship, church, and culture, and what this past year of The Sacred Slope has revealed: that faith is far more expansive than many were taught, that people across religions are not enemies but neighbors, and that people are drawn to Jesus not by force, but by how we show up. At the heart of this conversation is a powerful message: they are to know us by our love. 💬 In This Episode • Celebrating one year of The Sacred Slope • Growing up in Lutheran and Methodist traditions • Faith shaped by global experiences and travel • Church shopping and finding aligned community • Why love matters more than conversion • Respecting other religions while following Jesus • Women’s leadership and agency in faith and life • IVF, health decisions, and bodily autonomy • Letting go of control and learning to trust God • Navigating faith in a time of division • Friendship as a spiritual anchor • What it means to live out the fruit of the Spirit 💛 Thank you Derek Webb  A special thank you to Derek Webb @DerekWebb and his team for allowing me to use his music in this anniversary episode from his album, Survival Songs: https://www.derekwebb.com/dwdwdw/p/survival-songs-cd-digital-download Derek was one of my first interviews and it was so healing: https://youtu.be/Gr-lWvMLj9A?si=GQR4mlKygpRMMf3U 💛 Support The Sacred Slope If this podcast has meant something to you and you want to see more conversations like this: ☕ Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thesacredslope  💛 Linktree to Venmo: https://linktr.ee/TheSacredSlope Your support helps amplify voices, expand this community, and continue these conversations around the world. #Christianity #deconstruction #OpenAndAffirming #MentalHealth Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2471756/support] About The Sacred Slope Where the slippery slope becomes sacred ground. For the spiritually tender—raised in or rooted in Christianity. Come explore our global, diverse, inclusive Christian faith, deconstruction, and spiritual identity in a rapidly changing world. Through conversations with clergy, scholars, and cultural voices, the show creates space for people navigating faith after certainty, church harm, or political co-option of religion. 🎧 WATCH: YouTube / Spotify      LISTEN: Apple Podcasts + everywhere      FOLLOW: @thesacredslope (IG, FB, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky) 🔗 Connect 🎧 Explore episodes & community: linktr.ee/TheSacredSlope [https://linktr.ee/TheSacredSlope?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 🎙 Hosted by Alexis Rice 🎵 Music by Brett Rutledge, Eddie Irvin & Sean Spence 📬 Nominate a guest: alexis@thesacredslope.com 🌿 Community Guidelines 🌿 Fruit of the Spirit:  ❤️ love • 💫 joy • ☮️ peace • 🕊 patience • 💝 kindness • 🌿 goodness • 🙏 faithfulness • 🤲 gentleness • 💪 self-control

29. Part 2. Reproductive Rights - Rev. jessica young chang (UCC): Faith, Freedom, and Who Gets to Decide

🎙️ 29. Part 2. Reproductive Rights - Rev. jessica young chang (UCC): Faith, Freedom, and Who Gets to Decide A note:  This is so hard to talk about. I was raised to believe this was the issue. The line you could never cross. And if you did… you were wrong.  You were evil. So I get it. I really do. But after listening to real stories…  and sitting with real people…  I realized this isn’t simple. It never was. There’s more nuance here than we were told. Alexis Rice sits down with rev. jessica young chang, a UCC minister and reproductive chaplain, for a compassionate conversation about faith, reproductive justice, and what it means to follow Jesus in complex, real-world situations. Following Part 1 with Alexis’s childhood friend Valerie - a story of pregnancy, cancer, and survival - this episode moves into the pastoral and theological realities behind reproductive decisions. This is a deeply emotional topic. For many Christians in the United States, this has been the defining political issue for over 40 years. Many have been taught that to think differently is to be wrong, sinful, or beyond redemption. If you feel tension, grief, or resistance as you listen, you are not alone. This episode does not tell you what to think.  It invites you to listen. Together, they explore how faith, power, and the body intersect - and create space for those who have felt judged, silenced, or pushed out of the conversation. At the heart of this episode is a grounding truth: nothing separates you from the love of God. 💬 In This Episode • Reproductive chaplaincy & spiritual care • Why this issue is not simple or binary • What the Bible does/doesn't say about abortion • Life begins at breath & personhood • Power, politics, & Christian nationalism • Pro-life vs anti-choice • Why access reduces abortion rates • Real-world consequences when care is restricted • Grief, relief, & lived experiences • Deconstructing faith while holding onto Jesus • Navigating shame & inherited beliefs • A prayer for healing & freedom 👥 THANK YOU to the following folks who allowed me to include their social media clips in this episode: • Dan McClellan: @maklelan • Tim Whitaker: @timwhitakerspeaks / @thenewevangelicals • Mark Sandlin: @marksandlin / @progressivechristianity / @the_christian_left • John Fugelsang: @johnfugelsang • Jeremy Steele: @skeptic.pastor • Heather Gardner: @heathergtv 📚 Organizations Faith Aloud | Faith Choice Ohio @faithchoiceohio Planned Parenthood @plannedparenthood #Christianity #deconstruction #reproductiverights Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2471756/support] About The Sacred Slope Where the slippery slope becomes sacred ground. For the spiritually tender—raised in or rooted in Christianity. Come explore our global, diverse, inclusive Christian faith, deconstruction, and spiritual identity in a rapidly changing world. Through conversations with clergy, scholars, and cultural voices, the show creates space for people navigating faith after certainty, church harm, or political co-option of religion. 🎧 WATCH: YouTube / Spotify      LISTEN: Apple Podcasts + everywhere      FOLLOW: @thesacredslope (IG, FB, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky) 🔗 Connect 🎧 Explore episodes & community: linktr.ee/TheSacredSlope [https://linktr.ee/TheSacredSlope?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 🎙 Hosted by Alexis Rice 🎵 Music by Brett Rutledge, Eddie Irvin & Sean Spence 📬 Nominate a guest: alexis@thesacredslope.com 🌿 Community Guidelines 🌿 Fruit of the Spirit:  ❤️ love • 💫 joy • ☮️ peace • 🕊 patience • 💝 kindness • 🌿 goodness • 🙏 faithfulness • 🤲 gentleness • 💪 self-control

28. Part 1. Reproductive Rights: Valerie's Story - Pregnancy, Cancer, and a Life-or-Death Choice

28. Part 1. Reproductive Rights: Valerie's Story - Pregnancy, Cancer, and a Life-or-Death Choice Alexis sits down with her childhood friend Valerie Ruschke for a deeply personal and emotional conversation about reproductive rights, faith, and medical reality. At 16 weeks pregnant, Valerie was diagnosed with aggressive Stage 3 HER2-positive breast cancer. Doctors told her she had less than a 10% chance of survival unless she terminated the pregnancy immediately to begin life-saving treatment. This is Part 1 of a two-part series exploring reproductive rights, faith, and nuance. Valerie shares what it was like to face that decision in real time - the physical pain, the emotional weight, and the lasting impact. She opens up about what followed: chemotherapy, loss, survival, recurrence, and ultimately building her family through surrogacy. This episode moves beyond political talking points and into lived experience. It challenges assumptions about abortion, highlights the realities of maternal health, and reminds us that these decisions are not theoretical - they are deeply human. 💬 In This Episode • How Judaism teaches that the life and well-being of the mother takes precedence in pregnancy • A real story of abortion and cancer during pregnancy • What happens when treatment cannot wait • The physical and emotional reality of termination • How faith and personal values shape complex decisions • The medical realities often missing from public conversations • Why this issue is not simple within Christianity or any faith • How policy decisions impact real families and outcomes @valroosh [https://www.instagram.com/valroosh/#] 🎧 Coming in Part 2 In Part 2, Alexis speaks with Reverend jessica young chang and shares perspectives from clergy, theologians, and leaders wrestling with reproductive rights, faith, and care in their communities. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2471756/support] About The Sacred Slope Where the slippery slope becomes sacred ground. For the spiritually tender—raised in or rooted in Christianity. Come explore our global, diverse, inclusive Christian faith, deconstruction, and spiritual identity in a rapidly changing world. Through conversations with clergy, scholars, and cultural voices, the show creates space for people navigating faith after certainty, church harm, or political co-option of religion. 🎧 WATCH: YouTube / Spotify      LISTEN: Apple Podcasts + everywhere      FOLLOW: @thesacredslope (IG, FB, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky) 🔗 Connect 🎧 Explore episodes & community: linktr.ee/TheSacredSlope [https://linktr.ee/TheSacredSlope?utm_source=chatgpt.com] 🎙 Hosted by Alexis Rice 🎵 Music by Brett Rutledge, Eddie Irvin & Sean Spence 📬 Nominate a guest: alexis@thesacredslope.com 🌿 Community Guidelines 🌿 Fruit of the Spirit:  ❤️ love • 💫 joy • ☮️ peace • 🕊 patience • 💝 kindness • 🌿 goodness • 🙏 faithfulness • 🤲 gentleness • 💪 self-control