What do we mean when we say, “The Bible says…”?

In this episode of Holy Uncertain, hosts Lauren Ranzino and Chris McLeod are joined by theologian and cultural historian David Dault, author of The Accessorized Bible, to look more closely at the layers of interpretation, translation, publishing, culture, and community that shape the way we encounter Scripture.

Together, they explore why the Bible rarely “speaks for itself,” how different Christian communities can read the same text and arrive at very different conclusions, and what happens when our interpretations are treated as if they carry the unquestionable authority of God. David also challenges the idea that the goal is simply to find the one perfect reading - asking instead what responsibility we have for the ways the Bible is used in the lives of other people.

The conversation moves from biblical inerrancy and competing versions of Scripture to the ways the Bible has been used throughout history both to justify harm and to inspire liberation. And underneath it all is a practical question: what might change if we approached Scripture not as a tool for winning arguments, but as something that should help us love people better?

If you’ve ever wondered how much of what you were taught about the Bible came from the text itself or how much came from the people interpreting it, this episode offers a thoughtful place to wrestle with those questions.

Continue learning from David Dault:
www.daviddault.com
Things Not Seen, David’s award-winning radio show and podcast
Instagram: @daultradio

Read David’s Books:
The Accessorized Bible
And More

Have a question or topic you want us to explore?
Email us: questions@holyuncertain.com

Holy Uncertain is a Blue Elevator production.

What happens when the faith that gives you belonging also teaches you that a part of who you are needs to change in order to be fully accepted?

In this episode of Holy Uncertain, hosts Lauren Ranzino and Chris McLeod are joined by writer, advocate, and Conversion Therapy Dropout author Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez to explore the impact of growing up gay in a Christian tradition that taught him his sexuality needed to change.

Tim shares his story of spending nearly a decade trying to change his sexuality through conversion therapy while working behind the scenes at some of the most influential megachurches in the country – all while believing that being fully known could cost him his faith, community, and career. This episode explores shame, belonging, and Tim’s journey toward reconciling his sexuality and faith.

Rather than asking listeners to arrive at a particular theological conclusion, this conversation invites us to listen to the story of someone directly impacted by these beliefs – and to consider the human consequences our theology can have.

If you’ve ever questioned the church’s teachings around sexuality or wondered how your deeply held beliefs impact others, this conversation offers a thoughtful place to listen, wrestle, and reflect.

Learn More from Tim:
www.timothysrodriguez.com
www.conversiontherapydropoutbook.com
Instagram: @timothy.s.rodriguez

Read Tim’s book:
Conversion Therapy Dropout: A Queer Story of Faith and Belonging

Resources Shared in the Episode: Church Clarity / Q Christian Fellowship

Books: God and The Gay Christian by Matthew Vines / Torn by Justin Lee / Queer and Christian by Brandon Robertson

Documentaries: Pray Away / 1946

Holy Uncertain is a Blue Elevator production.

What responsibility does the church have to people who have been hurt?

In this episode of Holy Uncertain, hosts Lauren Ranzino and Chris McLeod are joined by New Testament scholar Dr. Scot McKnight and therapist Adrienne Gibson to explore what it means for churches to become trauma-informed.

Together, they unpack what trauma actually is and why church environments can feel unsafe for people who have been hurt. Rather than placing the burden on traumatized people to return to church, Scot and Adrienne ask what responsibility churches have to create spaces where people feel safe, seen, and cared for.

Drawing from their book The Traumatized Church: What Paul's Relationship with the Corinthian Church Can Teach Us About Healing Our Trauma and the Traumas of Those Around Us, they discuss spiritual bypassing, embodied trauma, trauma-informed leadership, and the practical changes churches can make to become places of healing rather than harm.

If you've ever experienced church hurt, wondered why some church spaces feel unsafe, or asked what churches can do to better care for wounded people, this conversation offers a thoughtful place to wrestle and reflect.

Continue learning from Dr. Scot McKnight & Adrienne Gibson:

Scot’s Instagram: @scotandkris
Scot’s Substack
Adrienne’s Website
Adrienne’s Instagram: @traumafocusedauthor

Read Scot and Adrienne’s Book:
The Traumatized Church: What Paul's Relationship with the Corinthian Church Can Teach Us About Healing Our Trauma and the Traumas of Those Around Us

Have a question or topic you want us to explore?
Email us: questions@holyuncertain.com

Holy Uncertain is a Blue Elevator production.