What if we reimagined our relationship with power? What if God wasn't an all-powerful ruler but instead a midwife, standing alongside us through life's messiest moments?

In this deeply moving conversation, returning guest Halley Kim introduces a revolutionary framework for understanding power dynamics in religion and politics. Drawing from her background in midwifery and her personal journey away from evangelical Christianity, Halley explores three distinct forms of power: power over, power together, and power within.

The dominant "power over" model is exemplified by dictators like Trump and the authoritarian God of many religious traditions – entities who control through force, manipulation, and fear. This framework sets people up for spiritual trauma when suffering inevitably occurs, leaving them wondering why an all-powerful God didn't save them from pain.

As an alternative, Halley presents the midwifery model as a profound metaphor for "power together." Midwives don't save women from the pain of childbirth; they bear witness, provide support, and accompany women through their journey. This solidarity creates space for individuals to access their own inner strength – their "power within."

The conversation takes an emotional turn when Hallie introduces her concept of "God as a midwife" – a divine presence that doesn't control everything but instead stands with us through life's challenges. This reimagining of spirituality offers healing possibilities for those with complicated relationships to religion and provides a framework for understanding community power in our current political landscape.

Whether you're wrestling with questions of faith, seeking to understand power dynamics in your own life, or simply looking for hope in challenging times, this conversation offers profound insights into how we might transform our relationship with power and with each other.

More about Halley:

Halley Kim is a writer and freelance editor in St. Louis, MO. Sheʼs also a former evangelical pastorʼs wife turned leftist heretic. In her nursing career she worked primarily with mothers and babies, also taking on the roles of doula, lactation consultant, midwifeʼs assistant, and educator. Halley spent a stint working in pastoral ministry herself within a progressive denomination (United Church of Christ). Halley is currently writing a book about power dynamics and Christianity, where she argues that a power-WITH God, such as a midwife, would have a dramatically more positive effect on society than the power-OVER God weʼve inherited. She and her husband Simon have three children, Gabriel, Phoebe, and Tabitha, and one fur-baby, Bruno. You can access her work on Instagram @maybe_gods_a_midwife or on Substack @halleywkim

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