45. Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde (Episcopal) - I Can Learn to Be Brave: Building Courage One Step at a Time

45. Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde (Episcopal) - I Can Learn to Be Brave: Building Courage One Step at a Time

45. Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde (Episcopal) - I Can Learn to Be Brave: Building Courage One Step at a Time Alexis welcomes back Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, Episcopal Bishop of Washington, D.C., for a deeply hopeful conversation about courage, faith, and her beautiful new children's book, I Can Learn to Be Brave- releasing July 7th! Known around the world for her sermon calling for mercy toward LGBTQ people and immigrants, Bishop Budde reflects on the quieter acts of bravery that prepare us for life's defining moments. Together, Alexis and Bishop Budde explore why courage begins in childhood, why adults need this message just as much as children, how churches can rebuild trust after church hurt, what faithful public witness looks like in a polarized world, and why the future of the Church could depend on ordinary people willing to take one faithful step at a time. This conversation is an invitation to raise courageous kids, become more courageous ourselves, and imagine a Christianity rooted in humility, inclusion, compassion, hope, and the teachings of Jesus. 💬 In This Episode • Bishop Budde's new children's book, I Can Learn to Be Brave • Why courage is something we learn and practice • Raising courageous kids through faith • Why adults need bravery too • Spiritual formation and listening to the Holy Spirit • Church hurt, deconstruction, and rebuilding trust • Christian nationalism and loving our neighbors • Ministry in the digital age • LGBTQ inclusion and women in ministry • Why ordinary people change history • Building the future of the Church one faithful step at a time • A beautiful closing prayer for anyone needing hope today 👥 People & Resources Mentioned • Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde – @mariannbudde • I Can Learn to Be Brave  is available for purchase on The Sacred Slope Book Reccos List: https://bookshop.org/shop/thesacredslope • Illustrated by Holly Hatam – @hollyhatamillustration • Flamingo Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers – @penguinkids • Rev. Gerlyn Henry - @gerlynhenry • Pastor Paul Drees - @pastorpauldrees • Sharon McMahon – @sharonsaysso • Jonathan Eig - @joneig • Rich Villodas – @richvillodas • Adam Hamilton – @revadamhamilton 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

44. Leigh Larson (Disciples of Christ) – Christian Nationalism, Patriotism & Reclaiming Church

44. Leigh Larson (Disciples of Christ) – Christian Nationalism, Patriotism & Reclaiming Church Alexis sits down with theologian, researcher, public educator, and creator of @followtheleighder, Leigh Larson, for one of the most important conversations yet on Christian nationalism, American identity, and what it means to faithfully follow Jesus in a polarized world. Raised in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) tradition, Leigh draws on her graduate work in theology and military chaplaincy to help Christians better understand the relationship between faith, democracy, power, and patriotism. Together, Alexis and Leigh explore why Christian nationalism is not the same thing as Christianity, why America has never belonged to one denomination or political movement, and how progressive Christians have helped shape many of our country's greatest moral movements. They also discuss church hurt, deconstruction, rebuilding faith, and why Christians should never surrender either the Bible or the American flag to extremists. This conversation is an invitation to reclaim hope, compassion, and a vision of Christianity rooted in the teachings of Jesus rather than fear or domination. 💬 In This Episode • What Christian nationalism is—and what it isn't  • Growing up in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)  • Church hurt, institutional harm, and returning to faith  • The relationship between Christianity, democracy, and patriotism  • Why America is not a Christian nation—and why that's good for faith  • Progressive Christians throughout American history  • The role of women in early Christianity  • Reimagining church for a new generation  • Why compassion is a radical act  • Finding common ground across political and religious differences  • Why the future of the church depends on who shows up 👥 People/Resources Mentioned • Leigh Larson: @followtheleighder  • Sharon McMahon: @sharonsaysso  • Rachel Held Evans: @rachelheldevans  • Sarah Bessey: @sarahbessey  • Kristin Kobes Du Mez: @kkdumez  • Richard Rohr  • Tim Whitaker / The New Evangelicals: @thenewevangelicals  • April Ajoy: @aprilsajoy  • Dan McClellan: @maklelan  • Nadia Bolz-Weber: @nadia_bolzweber  • James Talarico: @jamestalarico  • Andrew Whitehead @ndrewwhitehead 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

43. Jarko de Witte van Leeuwen (Gay & Christian in The Netherlands) – A Journey Back to Church Through Love, Marriage & Hope

43. Jarko de Witte van Leeuwen (Gay & Christian in The Netherlands) – A Journey Back to Church Through Love, Marriage & Hope Alexis sits down with Jarko de Witte van Leeuwen, Dutch LGBTQ+ advocate and founder of The Growing Wall of Love, for a moving conversation about growing up gay in a conservative Christian environment, surviving years of bullying, finding lifelong love, and discovering that losing trust in the church doesn't have to mean losing God. Jarko shares his extraordinary journey from Belgium to the Netherlands, meeting his husband Jos, becoming one of the first same-sex couples married after marriage equality became law in the first country to legalize same-sex marriage, and the pastor whose simple act of blessing their wedding became the beginning of healing after years of church hurt. Together, Alexis and Jarko explore what Christians around the world can learn from one another, why affirming Christians exist in every denomination, and how crossing cultures, languages, and traditions can deepen our faith, expand our empathy, and reveal a much bigger picture of the global Church. 💬 **In This Episode** • Growing up gay in a conservative Christian environment • Bullying, shame, and discovering God's unconditional love • A remarkable love story spanning Belgium and the Netherlands • Marriage equality in the Netherlands and becoming one of the first same-sex married couples • Finding faith again after church hurt • Why affirming Christians exist in every denomination • Raising children as a same-sex Christian couple • The difference between welcoming and affirming churches • Advice for pastors seeking to create safer, more inclusive churches • The Growing Wall of Love and World Pride Amsterdam 👥 **People/Resources Mentioned** • Jarko de Witte van Leeuwen: @jarko_de_witte_van_leeuwen • The Growing Wall of Love: @thegrowingwalloflove • Rocky Roggio / *1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture*: @rockyroggio • @1946themovie • Rev. Dr. Chris Davies: @revdrchrisdavies • Project Proclaim: @project_proclaim • Southern New England Conference UCC: @sneucc  ⁨@uccvideos⁩ [https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCNHiM8rZs0qsluznI0XV9ag]  • Westerkerk Amsterdam: @westerkerkamsterdam • WorldPride Amsterdam 2026: @worldpride2026 #Christianity #ProgressiveChristianity #LGBTQChristianity #GayChristian #ChurchHurt #Deconstruction #Reconstruction #TheNetherlands #WorldPride #1946TheMovie #OpenAndAffirming #Faith #TheSacredSlope 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

42. Justin Telthorst (Catholic, Empty Chairs) - A Gay Catholic on Faith, the Pope, and the Empty Seats in the Church (Pride Month Reissue)

42. Justin Telthorst (Catholic, Empty Chairs) - A Gay Catholic on Faith, the Pope, and the Empty Seats in the Church (Pride Month Reissue) Alexis sits down with Justin Telthorst, a gay Catholic, speaker, and creator of Empty Chairs @emptychairshome for a moving conversation about faith, identity, church hurt, and belonging inside the Catholic tradition. Justin shares his story of growing up Catholic, surviving conversion therapy, wrestling with conscience and church teaching, and finding his way back to a relationship with God rooted in honesty, love, and truth. Together, Alexis and Justin explore what it means to stay connected to Jesus when institutions wound, and why LGBTQ Christians are still showing up, still praying, and still making room for hope. 💬 In This Episode • Growing up Catholic and falling in love with the Church • When faith and identity begin to feel in conflict • The harm of conversion therapy • Reclaiming a relationship with God after church hurt • The meaning behind Empty Chairs • Why LGBTQ Catholics are still showing up • Gatekeeping, conscience, belonging, and love of neighbor • How parents can respond when their child comes out • Catholics, Protestants, communion, and the tensions we inherit 👥 People/Resources Mentioned • Justin Telthorst / Empty Chairs: @emptychairshome • The Pope: @pontifex • Brené Brown: @brenebrown • 1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture: @1946themovie • Colby Martin / UnClobbered: @colbymartin • Church Clarity: churchclarity.org • Father James Martin: @jamesmartinsj • Outreach: @outrchcatholic • Father James Alison • Theology for the Unwanted: @theounwanted • GayExTrad: @gayextrad • New Ways Ministry: @newwaysministry • Fortunate Families: fortunatefamilies.com • Honoring the Gift • Equip / Pieter Valk • Building Catholic Futures: @buildingcatholicorg • Eve Tushnet: @eve_tushnet • Without Exception / David Palmieri: see outreach.faith and newwaysministry.org • Dr. Julia Sadusky: @drsadusky #Catholicism #Christianity #deconstruction #reconstruction #LGBTQChristianity #GayCatholic #ProgressiveChristianity #QueerTheology #ChurchHurt #Catholic #1946TheMovie #LGBT #LGBTQ #emptychairs 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

41. Rev. Brandan Robertson (Progressive Pastor) - Queer & Christian: Reclaiming the Bible, Our Faith, and Our Place at the Table (Pride Month Reissue)

41. Rev. Brandan Robertson (Progressive Pastor) - Queer & Christian: Reclaiming the Bible, Our Faith, and Our Place at the Table (Pride Month Reissue) What if being queer and Christian was never the contradiction you were taught it was? Alexis sits down with Rev. Brandan Robertson, pastor, activist, and author of Queer & Christian, to explore how scripture has been misunderstood, weaponized, and reclaimed. Brandan shares his journey from a fundamentalist Baptist upbringing, through Bible college and conversion therapy, to becoming an openly gay pastor and leading voice in progressive Christianity. Together, they unpack what happens when faith both saves you and harms you, and how deconstruction can lead to something deeper. They dive into some of the most debated passages in the Bible, including Sodom and Gomorrah and 1 Corinthians 6, challenging long-held assumptions about LGBTQ Christianity and biblical interpretation. Brandan explains how mistranslations, cultural context, and power dynamics, not love, are at the center of many interpretations. This conversation reframes the Bible not as a rulebook, but as a complex, ancient library inviting curiosity, wrestling, and growth. They also explore:  • Why progressive Christians must be louder about their faith  • How queer people carry deep spiritual wisdom  • The difference between certainty and truth  • Why interpretation matters  • How harmful theology impacts real lives The episode closes with a powerful prayer for anyone who has felt rejected, afraid, or cut off from the love of God. This episode is for anyone exploring:  progressive Christianity, LGBTQ Christianity, queer theology, biblical interpretation, deconstruction, faith after evangelicalism, or healing from church hurt. 💡 Key Takeaways  • The Bible is not univocal and contains diverse voices  • Interpretation is unavoidable and matters deeply  • Many anti-LGBTQ readings ignore historical context  • Deconstruction can lead to deeper faith  • God’s love is not something you can lose About Our Guest  Rev. Brandan Robertson (@brandanrobertson) is a pastor, activist, and author of Queer & Christian. He is a PhD candidate in New Testament at Drew University (@drewuniversity). 📚 Resources & Voices Mentioned •Queer & Christian: https://www.brandanrobertson.com/queer-christian-book [https://www.brandanrobertson.com/queer-christian-book] • Dan McClellan @maklelan • Brian McLaren @brianmclaren • Don Lemon @donlemonofficial • James Talarico @jamestalarico • Rocky Roggio @1946themovie • Rachel Held Evans @rachelheldevans 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