Exvangelical

Re-Release! Hear about Jamie Lee Finch's story in depth, and listen for her on The Airing of Grief and elsewhere. More on the show notes below! Jamie is a writer and certified integrated health coach. In this wide-ranging conversation, Jamie talks about her experiences growing up in the church (including a formative memory of saying the "Sinner's Prayer" at age 7), expressing her sexuality amidst purity culture, her time in a cult, and her path toward wholeness outside Christianity. Follow Jamie online: @jamieleefinch on Twitter & Instagram jamieleefinch.com Follow Blake on Twitter @brchastain, and follow the show @exvangelicalpod. Support Exvangelical by rating/reviewing the show on iTunes, or via Patreon: patreon.com/exvangelicalpod. Music: Intro: "Night Owl" by Broke for Free Interlude 1: "Bad Believer" by St. Vincent Interlude 2: "Just One Me" by Big Bird Interlude 3: "When You're On Top" by The Wallflowers Outro: "I Want to Be Well" by Sufjan Stevens

My guest this week is Prof. Elizabeth Bridges. We talk about her childhood as a PK (pastor's kid), her struggles coming out, and the trouble seeing "how the sausage is made" in any faith community. Follow Elizabeth on Twitter @egbridges, and follow her blog at uncannyvalley.us. Follow Blake on Twitter @brchastain, the show on Twitter @exvangelicalpod, and support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/exvangelicalpod. Thank you, patrons! Intro: "Night Owl" by Broke for Free Interlude 1: "Three's Company Theme Song" Interlude 2 & Outro: "Playground Pigeon" by Broke for Free

In this minisode, Blake talks somewhat extemporaneously about the hagiography written by Michael Gerson in The Atlantic fighting for the term "evangelical." Which is really hard when we know the biographies of evangelicalism's leaders so well. Intro: "Bloom Key" by Broke for Free. Follow Blake on twitter @brchastain. Support the show: patreon.com/exvangelicalpod.

This week, Delisa Perry returns for part two of her story. This is a shorter, lo-fi episode; when we last spoke, we had some technical issues that interfered with allowing us to fully explore Delisa's story. So we rectified that. Be sure to check out Part 1 as well. Follow Delisa on Twitter @_DelisaPerry, and follow me @brchastain.

My guest this week is the musician Derek Webb. In this conversation we talk about his experiences as a member of the band Caedmon's Call, his solo work, and his most recent album, *Fingers Crossed*. That album led to his development of his new podcast, *The Airing of Grief*. Get Derek's music at derekwebb.com. Learn about The Airing of Grief at theairingofgrief.com. Support Exvangelical: patreon.com/exvangelicalpod. Join the Exvangelical FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/332199817139241/ Rate & review the show on iTunes/Apple Podcasts! Follow Blake on Twitter @brchastain, and follow the show on Twitter @exvangelicalpod. Intro, outro, and interludes from *Fingers Crossed.* Intro: "Stop Listening" Interlude 1: "Tempest in a Teacup" Interlude 2: "The Spirit Bears the Curse" Outro: "Goodbye for Now"

This week I'm happy to re-release this conversation I had last year with Tori Williams Douglass (@ToriGlass on Twitter). She and I discuss her history, as well as how the death of Michael Brown altered her understanding of white evangelicalism. We also discuss her must-read blog post, "The Day I Learned White Christians Hate Me." Read it here: toriglassdotcom.wordpress.com/2017/08/08…s-hate-me/ This a frank discussion about race that centers Tori's experience. Follow her on Twitter @ToriGlass, and read her work at toriglassdotcom.wordpress.com. No pre-roll intros this week - I had a cold and nobody needs to hear that. Join the FB group by searching "Exvangelical" on Facebook and answering the three brief questions. Follow me on Twitter @brchastain. Support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/exvangelicalpod.

This week's guest is the author, scholar, and historian Diana Butler Bass. Ms. Bass has written several books on church history and American Christianity. In this conversation, we discuss her life of faith through the lens of her recently re-released memoir *Strength for the Journey: A Pilgrimage of Faith in Community*. We also discuss the impact of the 2016 election on evangelicalism, and the state of American Christianity today. To order her memoir, click here: http://amzn.to/2FtuweL (affiliate link) To pre-order her upcoming book *Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks*, click here: http://amzn.to/2DX79gy (affiliate link) Visit dianabutlerbass.com to learn more about her work and sign up for her twice-monthly newsletter: http://dianabutlerbass.com/ Thanks to my loyal Patreon supporters for helping make this show possible. Support Exvangelical by visiting patreon.com/exvangelicalpod. Join the Exvangelical Facebook community! https://www.facebook.com/groups/332199817139241/ Follow Blake on Twitter @brchastain and follow Exv on Twitter @exvangelicalpod. Music: Intro: "Night Owl" by Broke for Free Interlude 1: "Resurrection Fern" by Iron & Wine Interlude 2: "Freedom Hangs Like Heaven" by Iron & Wine Outro: "Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car" by Iron & Wine

This week's guest is Delisa Perry. Delisa and I talk about her experience growing up in Chicago, getting involved in a college youth group, and she begins to tell her story of facing racism when our connection dies out. Delisa and I are making plans for Part 2, which will be coming out in the future. Follow Delisa on Twitter @_DelisaPerry. Follow me on Twitter @brchastain. Support the show on Patreon at patreon.com/exvangelicalpod. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/332199817139241/.

The first episode of 2018 is small one, with a big question: In what way have our own stories been hidden from us? A short hospital stay got me all philosophical (which isn't too hard to do, but still). Intro/Outro: "Night Owl" by Broke for Free. Available in the Free Music Archive. Support the show by rating and reviewing it on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, or via Patreon at patreon.com/exvangelicalpod. Join the Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/332199817139241/ Follow me on Twitter @brchastain, follow the show on Twitter @exvangelicalpod. Like the show on Facebook at facebook.com/exvangelicalpod.

This week's guest is the Editor-in-Chief of GirlTalkHQ.com, Asha Dahya. In this conversation we talk about her childhood in Brisbane, Australia, moving to the State, and life in and beyond evangelicalism. In the second part we also talk about reproductive rights and how they are represented in evangelicalism. Follow Asha Dahya on Twitter & Instagram @ashadahya, and check out GirlTalkHQ.com. Follow Blake on Twitter @brchastain, and follow the show @exvangelicalpod. Join the Facebook group! https://goo.gl/ALMtBL Support the show on Patreon: patreon.com/exvangelicalpod.

This week's guests are Hannah Paasch (@hannahpaasch) & Emily Joy (@emilyjoypoetry). We talk about the #churchtoo hashtag, what it seeks to address, and the blowback they've received regarding this campaign. CW/TW: This conversation contains discussions of sexual assault and abuse. Follow them on Twitter--check the usernames above--and hire them to come speak to your group!

Ep. 58: George Mekhail, co-founder of Church Clarity. My guest this week is George Mekhail, one of the co-founders of the new organization, Church Clarity, as well as the Director for Strategic Partnerships and Innovation at the Riverside Church in New York City. We talk a lot about his life and experiences, and how much of that has led into his work at Church Clarity. Learn more about Church Clarity at churchclarity.org. Follow George on Twitter @gmekhail. Support the show on Patreon: patreon.com/exvangelicalpod Follow me on Twitter: @brchastain Follow the show on Twitter: @exvangelicalpod Like the show on FB: Facebook.com/exvangelicalpod Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/332199817139241/ Intro: "Night Owl" by Broke for Free Interludes/Outros from the Clarity album by Jimmy Eat World Tracks: "On A Sunday" and "Clarity"

This week's guest is the musician David Bazan. In this conversation, we talk about his Pentecostal upbringing, how he's processed faith and doubt through his music, Trump and evangelicalism, the return of Pedro the Lion, and more. Bazan is on tour right now. Learn more at davidbazan.com/shows. Follow him on Twitter @davidbazan. Bazan & Pedro the Lion songs in this episode: "Hard to Be," from Curse Your Branches [Bazan] "Secrets of the Easy Yoke," from It's Hard to Find a Friend [Pedro] "Harmless Sparks" from Curse Your Branches [Bazan] "People," from Strange Negotiations [Bazan] "Magazine," from Control [Pedro] "Keep Trying," from Care [Bazan] Support the show on Patreon: patreon.com/exvangelicalpod. Follow me on Twitter @brchastain, and follow the show @exvangelicalpod.

This one is a re-release of a conversation with my friend Sean Reed, from very early in the feed. We talk a lot about CCM in the 90s, evangelical pop culture scandal (divorce! swears! we were so innocent.), and the youth group scene in the Chicago suburbs. Support the show on Patreon: patreon.com/exvangelicalpod Like the show on Facebook: Facebook.com/exvangelicalpod Follow the show on Twitter: @exvangelicalpod Follow me on Twitter: @brchastain Search Facebook for "Exvangelical" to find the closed group.

My guest this week is Laura Jean Truman. She blogs over at her blog, In/Between, which can be found at laurajeantruman.com. Laura Jean and I talk about her life, how the way we view our past changes over time, her experience being queer in a non-affirming church, and why she remains engaged with Christianity. It's a great conversation. My audio is rougher b/c my mic didn't record properly. Sorry. Read Laura Jean's blog In/Between at laurajeantruman.com, and follow her on Twitter @laurajeantruman. Support the podcast at patreon.com/exvangelicalpod, follow me on Twitter @brchastain & the show @exvangelicalpod, and join the Exvangelical fb group! Intro: "Night Owl" by Broke for Free Interlude 1: "I am here" by P!nk Interlude 2: "Down to the River to Pray" by Alison Krauss Outro: "In Between Days" by The Cure