Saved by the City

What is it about church wounds that hit so hard?Toxic church cultures. Spiritual abuse. #ChurchToo. Religious trauma. The last few decades have given us a new language and a new awareness for an ancient sin — wielding the power of religion for unholy ends. Over a lifetime spent in the church, Katelyn and Roxy have experienced and witnessed their share of unhealthy spiritual cultures. And as religion journalists, they've heard countless stories of spiritual abuse, toxic leadership, racism in the pews and more.On this episode, the two explore why church wounds and spiritual abuse inflict such lasting damage in people's lives. They are joined by Kyle J. Howard, a trauma-informed soul care provider, who offers insight into the nature of religious trauma and how to heal, without losing your faith.GUEST: Kyle J. Howard is a Christian theologian and soul care provider specializing in racial and religious trauma. Through donor support, he provides free soul care to Christians of color who lack the resources to pay. He also hosts the "Coram Deo" podcast. Find out more and support his work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I finished a book! Where's my personal pan pizza?Katelyn and Roxy are certified bookworms — and that particular inclination goes back a long ways. In this episode, the two hosts talk about the books that shaped them as children. How reading turned into a lifelong love affair. And why reading is more than a hobby; it's a powerful worldview-shaping exercise. You are what you read, after all.Voracious reader Danté Stewart explains how reading widely — and far outside his own perspective and experience — has shaped him as a writer and human. He also drops a list of book recommendations worthy of several shelves in your bookcase.Plus, the hosts head out into the field to interview two childhood learning experts (Karen & Sharon!).GUESTS: Danté Stewart is the author of the new book "Shoutin' in the Fire: An American Epistle," a book exploring Black joy in an anti-Black world. He is a speaker and a writer whose work in the areas of race, religion and politics has been featured in Religion News Service, CNN, The Washington Post, Christianity Today, Sojourners and The Witness. E. Karen Beaty is a retired children's librarian and early childhood education director. (She is also Katelyn's mom.) Sharon Stone is a pre-K and kindergarten teacher with more than 50 years' experience. (And she's Roxy's mom.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"That's what she prayed."Who doesn't love a good inside joke? Even better when a couple hundred, or a couple thousand, people are in on it. Welcome to Weird Christian Twitter: a group of evangelical and exvangelical misfits who share a lifetime of common memories and cultural touchpoints — from sword drills, to youth group lock-ins, to CCM crushes and True Love Waits pledges.On this episode, we do a deep dive into #WCT and the online community that's formed via a collective, albeit mostly good natured, side-eyeing of evangelicalism. We are joined by Matthew Pierce, "The King of Weird Christian Twitter" (so says Christianity Today) and #WCT's resident awkward, hormonal boy from youth group. Or, at least, that's his online persona, even though he swears he lives a normal, boring, adult life irl.And Kate Shellnutt, senior news editor for Christianity Today magazine and self-described "lurker" on Weird Christian Twitter, gives us some backstory on this oddball Twitter subculture and "the movement" it's formed. GUESTS: Matthew Pierce is co-host of the Fun Sexy Bible Time podcast and the author of the new book "Evangelical Thought Leader: The Liturgy of Radically Engaging the Culture of Paradigm Shifts." Kate Shellnutt is senior news editor for Christianity Today magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oh baby, baby it's the Queen of Christian pop.Saved By the City returns for season two! So grab your leopard print blazer, roll down your windows and get ready to be all up in your feels. It's been 30 years since Amy Grant released Heart in Motion – the chart-topping album that marked the musician's crossover from contemporary Christian artist to mainstream pop icon. Katelyn and Roxy catch up with the artist at her Nashville farm and talk to their childhood icon about living life in the public eye — through all its ups and downs.The hosts also reflect on the expectations put on women — especially Christian women — who have achieved fame. And how the pressure to live their lives on display places even our most beloved women stars at the mercy of the mob.GUEST: Amy Grant is a singer songwriter and so much more. She is celebrating the 30 year anniversary of her album “Heart in Motion,” which was certified platinum 5 times, making it the best selling Christian album of all time. It spent weeks on the Billboard top 10, as did a number of its songs. Including the classic Baby Baby which reached no 1 on Billboard,Several songs from Amy Grant's Heart in Motion are featured on the episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back! Hang on to your WWJD bracelets, and strap in for Season Two! We'll be tackling everything from Christian fame, to making friends and fighting loneliness, and an oral history of modern evangelical culture - complete with seashells! Join us every Wednesday as we tromp through the ups and downs of Big City Christianity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Put on your fancy pants and join us at the Grand Ole Opry! We're headed south to Nashville, Tennessee: country music Mecca and Christian hipster capital of the world.In a bonus summer series, Roxy goes on a journey to see what's what for seekers in other great cities, exploring the spiritual side of four favorite metropolises. Our final city is Nashville and our master of ceremonies is Kat Armas.Kat is a fresh transplant to Nashville and gives us her first impressions of the Music City. We talk about the significance of place and what it takes to put down roots in a new one — from getting to know the literal dirt to intentionally building community. Plus, we are joined by a special guest and host our own neighborly "meet cute."GUESTS: Kat Armas is the author of the new book "Abuelita Faith" and the host of Protagonistas, a podcast highlighting the stories and experiences of Black, Indigenous and other women of color among communities of faith. Tyler Huckabee is the senior editor of Relevant magazine and the co-host of CapeTown, a podcast about superheroes and superhero things. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a bonus summer series, Roxy goes on a journey to see what's what for seekers in other great cities, exploring the spiritual side of four favorite metropolises. This week we're off to Melbourne with Devi Abraham, who gives us the lowdown on the Land Down Under.Devi takes us on a tour of the oft-voted "most livable city in the world" and its richly diverse population — and food scene. We compare notes on evangelicalism, purity culture and finding community in a new city.And, yeah, we talk Hillsong.GUESTS: Devi Abraham is a writer, thinker and podcaster. She is co-host of "Where Do We Go From Here?," a weekly podcast untangling sexual ethics for a generation of Christians detoxing from purity culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let's head west — on the iconic American road trip over the mountains and through the desert to that magical land of the silver screen and the swaying palms: Los Angeles.In a bonus summer series, Roxy goes on a journey to see what's what for seekers in other great cities, exploring the spiritual side of four favorite metropolises. This week we hit up Hollywood, and the star of our show is Laura Tremaine.Laura takes us behind the scenes of one of America's most storied cities as we explore both the myths and realities that shape her City of Angels. Plus, our hosts switch roles and Laura wastes no time getting to the good stuff.GUESTS: Laura Tremaine is the author of the new book "Share Your Stuff: I'll Go First" and the host of the podcast "10 Things to Tell You." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Take a trip with us across the pond to the Swinging City, the Old Smoke, London Town.In a bonus summer series, Roxy goes on a journey to see what's what for seekers in other great cities, exploring the spiritual side of four favorite metropolises. First up is London, hosted by our top-notch tour guide, Chine McDonald.Chine takes us through some of the twists and turns (and down a few of the dark alleys) of Christianity — and evangelicalism — in England. She gives us a glimpse into navigating race and racism in London as a Black woman and Nigerian immigrant. And we get a front row seat at a poetry reading.Oh, yeah, and naturally we spill some tea on Harry and Meghan.GUESTS: Chine McDonald is the author of the new book "God Is Not a White Man" and is the head of community fundraising and public engagement at Christian Aid. Azariah France-Williams is a priest in the Church of England and is the author of "Ghost Ship: Institutional Racism and the Church of England." He is also a co-host of the podcast "(G)race." The poem below is featured on the show and is written by Azariah France-Williams, who performs and writes under the name BraveSlave.There is an old Jewish tale,Which enriches my own ofHoni the circle maker, who sees,A man who planting the seed of a carob tree.Honi the circle makerasks why, why plant somethingwhich will benefit those who liveafter you have expired?The man replied,I received the fruitfor which my ancestors fought,so for my descendantsthis seed, this thought willfeed them when I am its soil,Hence I plant, I labour, I toil ...The government's racial disparity report,Arrived on April first, but I am not a fool,The African child is divided from the Caribbean, in their school,Just another example, of divide and rule.An separation of an undivided identity ...leads to split personalities ...Altered destinies ... broken harmonies ...Racial crimes of the past are said only to haunt black people,So we should stop reciting,stop inviting ....the ghouls of yesteryear!That’s gaslighting!The problems of racism are still evidently here.The authors argue against terms like white privilege,And white fragility, instead it is simply, a bias ofaffinity.The power imbalance, is hidden from the light,As white dominance and prominence are hidden out of sightIf whiteness becomes an airborne pathogen,black and brown folx gonna need some anti-racist Sanatogen,The report indicates we can see the upside of slavery,Because look at the product, it produced me.The new narrative of how we came overto make Britain Great, the empire!It is that which should inspire, soLet’s air brush, the gold rush,for the sugar rush,Black gold, were the authors of the reportStone cold sober?This was no mere foreign exchange,Transatlantic slavery only one side gained.The report says institutional racism is not a big factor,In the heart of the matter,Geography, religion, socio-economicsis the cause, job done, racism gone, cue the applause,ExceptMy mother could not freely choose the place where she could reside,Her qualifications nullified, so diminished what she could provide,As for the church this is where it hurts, religion simply lied,It said she was welcome, but left her outside,This report leaves black and brown people's deeper needs unattended,The state shield is removed, and we are all left undefended,But my faith is in the ones whose pursuit of justicemay led to their execution, martyrs for the cause,Of a cosmic solution, a pride of lions prepared to roar,exit every tomb, walk through walls and locked doors.The universal energy, love defeats all enemies.Even if they kill you, and you never get to seeHow the seed of your courage becamea Carob tree.—Azariah France-Williams, 2021 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Life is long. Spiritual journeys are winding. Sometimes there are mushrooms.Plenty has been written about the rise of the so-called nones, those who are unaffiliated with any faith tradition. Many of them were once Christians. But behind the stats are millions of stories and spiritual journeys. Behind the stats are more than a few of our friends. In this episode, we reflect on those who have left the faith: why they left, how to learn from them and what it takes to stay friends.Audrey Assad joins us to share her own spiritual journey from Plymouth Brethren, to Catholic, to no longer a practicing Christian. GUEST: Audrey Assad is a multiple Dove Award nominee singer-songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee. Her newest album, "Eden," explores "the distance between Audrey’s old ideas about God and her freshly gained perspective." You can find more of her music on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify or wherever you listen to music. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices