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In this episode of Faithful Politics, we sit down with Heather Cronk, founder of Project 21:12, to talk about what happens after people leave evangelical Christianity—and why that story matters politically, socially, and morally. Heather shares her own journey through fundamentalism, seminary, deconstruction, and organizing, and explains why roughly 15 million Americans now identify as exvangelicals. We discuss why LGBTQ treatment is one of the leading reasons people leave evangelical churches, how Christian nationalism distorts faith into a tool of power, and why organizing—not just healing—is central to accountability. The conversation wrestles honestly with Jesus, doubt, labels, and pluralism, while asking a forward-looking question: if this movement becomes visible and organized, how might it reshape the national conversation about faith and democracy?
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Guest Bio
Heather Cronk is a longtime community organizer and the founder of Project 2112, an initiative focused on connecting and organizing Americans who have left evangelical Christianity. After deconstructing from fundamentalist evangelicalism more than two decades ago, Heather spent years working across progressive movement spaces, bringing organizing tools to issues of power, accountability, and harm. Through Project 2112, she works to make exvangelicals visible, connected, and equipped to challenge the political and social damage caused by authoritarian forms of religion—while building healthier forms of community and public engagement.
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