Slutty Grace | Deconstruction, Christian Universalism, & Faith Beyond Fear

Send Jeromy a Message or VoicemailPurity culture didn’t just teach rules about sex — it reshaped how we see ourselves.In this episode of Slutty Grace, we explore the lasting impact of evangelical purity culture — from sexual shame and fear-based teaching to the deeper loss of self-trust and identity.Jeromy sits down with Mattie Jo Cowsert for an honest, unfiltered conversation about what purity culture took: self-worth, agency, and the ability to trust your own body. Together, they unpack how teachings around “purity” shaped relationships, distorted desire, and left many feeling disconnected from themselves long after leaving the system.This isn’t just about sex.It’s about shame, identity, and the long process of healing.If you’ve ever felt like your worth was tied to your behavior…or struggled to trust yourself after deconstructing your faith…this conversation will likely hit close to home.Topics include:purity culture and evangelical sexual teachingsex, shame, and self-worthlosing and rebuilding self-trustdeconstruction and healing after toxic religionrelationships shaped by religious conditioningIf this episode resonates, you might also connect with:The Death of Pastor Dave — on shame, addiction, and identityYou Don’t Deserve Love—the lie that shaped me and the God who never agreed.Did I Fail as a Youth Pastor? — deconstructing inherited beliefsMattie Jo Cowsert's WebsiteBuy Mattie Jo’s Book, Sex, God, and Rich People Support the show_______________________________________________________Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening. Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.  Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.  Slutty Grace Facebook GroupEpisode written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson. 

Send Jeromy a Message or VoicemailMaybe the problem wasn’t God… maybe it was my theology.This episode is part of a short journey we’re exploring on the podcast — moving from fear-based faith toward freedom. Enjoy the series!In this episode of Slutty Grace, Jeromy Johnson sits down with Del Burnett for a conversation about what happens when the beliefs you once defended with certainty begin to fall apart.For Jeromy, Del became one of the unexpected voices who helped unravel the theology he inherited from evangelical Christianity—a framework shaped by fear, control, and rigid doctrine. But what felt like losing faith turned out to be something very different.It was the beginning of discovering a bigger gospel, a deeper grace, and a kinder vision of God.Together they explore the tension many people face during faith deconstruction: what happens when the version of Christianity you were taught no longer holds up? Is questioning your theology the same thing as losing God?This conversation dives into religious deconstruction, grace-centered theology, and spiritual reconstruction, examining how fear-based beliefs about hell, judgment, and salvation have shaped modern Christianity—and how the message of Jesus might point us toward something far more hopeful.If you’ve ever wrestled with losing your faith, rebuilding your spirituality, or healing from toxic theology, this episode offers an honest reminder that sometimes faith doesn’t die when theology collapses.Sometimes it finally begins.Because sometimes the most important discovery on the spiritual journey is this:God was never the problem.Our theology might have been.Next week we continue the journey… Support the show_______________________________________________________Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening. Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.  Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.  Slutty Grace Facebook GroupEpisode written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson. 

Send Jeromy a Message or VoicemailBefore Slutty Grace was a podcast, it was a journey. My journey.In this special episode, Jeromy Johnson shares the story behind his own faith shift as a guest on Leslie Nease’s podcast, Honoring the Journey. Many listeners have asked how Jeromy moved from evangelical ministry and certainty into the world of faith deconstruction, progressive Christianity, and radical grace—and this conversation explores that road honestly.Jeromy and Leslie talk about the questions that began to surface inside traditional theology, the struggle with fear-based beliefs about hell, salvation, and God’s judgment, and the slow discovery that grace might be far bigger than he was taught to believe.If you’re navigating faith deconstruction, spiritual doubt, or life after evangelical Christianity, this episode will feel like sitting down with a fellow traveler who understands the tension between holding onto God while letting go of certainty.Because sometimes the journey of faith isn’t about finding all the answers.It’s about discovering that grace was bigger than the questions all along. Support the show_______________________________________________________Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening. Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.  Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.  Slutty Grace Facebook GroupEpisode written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson. 

Kristi (Christy) Williams, a coach and storyteller who moved from a high-control Seventh-day Adventist upbringing through psychiatric hospitalization to somatic trauma healing. She speaks about religious trauma meeting mental health crisis. Short segments cover psych ward care that changed everything, why belief changes alone do not heal, and body-based practices for nervous system repair and reclaiming inner authority.

Send Jeromy a Message or VoicemailWhat if God isn’t changing your circumstances… because He’s changing you?In this deeply personal episode of Slutty Grace, Jeromy sits down with Chris Jones, host of the podcast Spiritual Hot Sauce, for a raw conversation about suffering, pride, fear-based faith, and spiritual transformation.What begins as a discussion about fear-based religion and confusing church with God quickly becomes something much more intimate.Chris shares the story of a traumatic workplace tragedy that shattered his career trajectory, identity, and sense of control. What followed were years of striving, ego, loss, PTSD, divorce, financial collapse, and finally — surrender.At the center of his story is one haunting verse:“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)A verse he didn’t want. A message he resisted. A truth that eventually transformed him.In this episode, we explore:Fear-based faith vs. faith rooted in loveThe difference between church culture and the heart of GodPride, identity, and losing everything you thought defined youSpiritual deconstruction and reconstructionThe “dark night of the soul” and post-traumatic growthSuffering as transformation, not punishmentWhat it means to deny yourself without self-abuseDiscipleship vs. religious performanceFinding God outside institutional religionChris unpacks a powerful metaphor of the “garden, cross, cave, and resurrection” — a spiritual journey of dying to ego and emerging transformed rather than restored.If you’ve ever:– Lost a career– Walked through divorce– Questioned church– Wrestled with pride– Experienced spiritual burnout– Or wondered why God feels silent in sufferingThis conversation is for you.Because grace doesn’t always give you your old life back.Sometimes it gives you a new one. Support the show_______________________________________________________Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening. Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.  Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.  Slutty Grace Facebook GroupEpisode written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson. 

Send Jeromy a Message or VoicemailIf love is the measure of theology, what does that mean for LGBTQ+ people in the Church?In this powerful episode of Slutty Grace, Jeromy Johnson sits down with renowned theologian Dr. Thomas Jay Oord to confront one of the most urgent questions facing Christianity today: Are LGBTQ+ people fully embraced by God—and should they be fully included in the Church?Drawing from his groundbreaking work on uncontrolling love, Oord explains why God’s love is never coercive, never second-class, and never withdrawn. Together, they explore the so-called “clobber passages,” the phrase “love the sinner, hate the sin,” and the real-world consequences of non-affirming theology for queer Christians and their families Oord shares his personal journey from conservative evangelicalism to full LGBTQ+ affirmation, including the denominational trials that ultimately led to his removal for advocating inclusion. This isn’t abstract theology—it’s about people, flourishing, trauma, and whether our understanding of Scripture produces love or harm.They also dive into:Biblical interpretation and hermeneuticsThe “theology of yuck” and cultural biasRelational theology and why God cannot coerceHealing spiritual traumaHope beyond fear-based faithFor those who have deconstructed over this issue, for parents wrestling with what they’ve been taught, and for LGBTQ+ listeners wondering if God truly welcomes them—this conversation is an invitation to rediscover a God whose love does not control, does not shame, and does not give up.Because if God is love, then love must be the final word. Support the show_______________________________________________________Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening. Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.  Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.  Slutty Grace Facebook GroupEpisode written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson. 

Send Jeromy a Message or VoicemailWhat happens when a former youth pastor sits down—not to defend his past—but to listen?In this episode of Slutty Grace, Jeromy Johnson reconnects with Autumn Lindsey, a former middle-school student from his youth ministry who has since deconstructed evangelical Christianity and now identifies as a None—someone no longer affiliated with organized religion. What unfolds is not an argument, a conversion attempt, or a tidy testimony, but an honest, compassionate conversation shaped by curiosity, accountability, and grace.Together, they explore what it was like to grow up in evangelical youth group culture, how inherited beliefs around fear, certainty, and belonging quietly formed—and fractured—faith, and what it means to step away without shame. Jeromy names the uncomfortable question many leaders avoid: Did I fail? Autumn responds with clarity, nuance, and generosity, offering insight into what helped, what harmed, and what healing looks like now.This episode centers faith deconstruction, not as rebellion or loss, but as a developmental and deeply human process. It examines power dynamics in youth ministry, the cost of certainty, and the quiet courage it takes to leave systems that no longer feel true. Most of all, it models what repair can look like when listening replaces defensiveness.If you’ve ever questioned your upbringing in church, wondered whether leaving evangelicalism means losing yourself—or asked hard questions about the impact of faith leadership—this conversation offers space to breathe. Support the show_______________________________________________________Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening. Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.  Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.  Slutty Grace Facebook GroupEpisode written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson. 

Stuart Delony, pastor-turned-satirist and author of The Tribulation Survival Guide, brings sharp humor and critique to American Christianity. He talks about using satire to challenge institutional power. They examine deconstruction as ongoing wrestling, how politics and Trumpism warped faith, and why grace, humility, and small communal life matter more than church preservation.

Send Jeromy a Message or VoicemailIn this episode of Slutty Grace, Jeromy Johnson is joined by Jason Clark and David Artman, two of the most influential and trusted voices in the contemporary Christian universalism and universal reconciliation conversation.Jason Clark is a pastor, theologian, and host of Rethinking God with Tacos, a podcast known for thoughtful, accessible conversations about faith, doubt, and the character of God. With a pastoral heart and a sharp theological mind, Jason has helped thousands rethink inherited beliefs about hell, judgment, and salvation—always centering the discussion on the goodness and coherence of God revealed in Jesus.David Artman is a theologian, author, and host of Grace Saves All, a podcast dedicated to exploring biblical universalism, early church theology, and the historical roots of universal reconciliation. David’s work bridges scholarship and storytelling, drawing from Scripture, church history, and moral reasoning to ask a simple but profound question: If God is love, what must that mean for everyone?Together, Jason and David explore why Christian universalism isn’t a fringe idea but a deeply biblical, historically grounded vision of salvation—one where grace finishes what it starts, justice heals instead of harms, and love never fails. They wrestle honestly with hell, free will, judgment, and restoration, offering a vision of faith that doesn’t rely on fear, threats, or exclusion to make sense.This conversation is for anyone navigating faith deconstruction, questioning eternal conscious torment, or longing for a theology that reflects a God who refuses to abandon creation. It’s a thoughtful, hopeful, and intellectually serious discussion—without losing warmth, humor, or humanity.If you’ve ever wondered whether God’s love really gets the final word, this episode invites you to imagine what faith looks like when the answer is yes.Jason Clark: https://jasonclarkis.com/David Artman: https://www.davidartman.net/ Support the show_______________________________________________________Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening. Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.  Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.  Slutty Grace Facebook GroupEpisode written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson. 

Send Jeromy a Message or VoicemailWhat happens when everything you thought you were, suddenly vanishes? In this episode of Slutty Grace, Jeromy sits down with his close friend Dave Everly for an honest, unfiltered, and, at times, humorous conversation about faith collapse, Christian deconstruction, and what happens when identity unravels alongside belief. Dave shares his journey through pastoral burnout, religious trauma, shame, addiction, a pastoral affair, and the quiet dismantling of the religious framework that once held his life together. What emerges isn’t a tidy redemption story, but a deeply human one—about grief, honesty, and discovering belovedness beyond performance, productivity, or church roles.Along the way, Dave speaks candidly about loss, including the suicide of his father, and how grief reshaped his understanding of God, grace, faith, and his own worth. Listener discretion is encouraged, and care is invited as you listen.This conversation is for anyone navigating deconstruction, church hurt, or life after ministry—for those who feel exhausted by religion, lost inside people-pleasing roles, or unsure whether unconditional love and grace still apply after everything falls apart. It’s a story about healing from religious burnout, becoming human again, and letting old identities die so something truer, freer, and more alive can live.The Respite at Halibut Cove Support the show_______________________________________________________Grace doesn’t hold back. She breaks the rules, softens hearts, and loves without apology. The open, universal, unapologetic love of God. Together we’re building a braver, more honest space. Thanks for your support and for listening. Got a story, question, guest suggestions, or topic idea? Email me.  Please share if you believe this show and its message of grace is important in our time—keep it spreading!Be sure to follow on whichever podcast platform you use.  Slutty Grace Facebook GroupEpisode written, hosted, edited and produced by Jeromy Johnson.