On this week's episode, we wanted to talk about some of the current stressors on our queer listeners. We discuss the Oklahoma University "bible essay" situation with Samantha Fulnecky, and the way that Conservative Christian grifters use the bible to leverage hatred for profit. We answer listener questions on how to talk to family members with regressive social views during the holidays. Finally, we talk to our queer listeners and make sure everyone in our community knows how beloved they are. And, as a bonus - this episode has all of the podcast super friends!

Show Notes:

1. https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/04/sport/soccer-world-cup-peace-prize-trump-intl
2. Assignment criteria: https://archive.is/Iiocy
3. The Paper Itself: https://archive.is/2Rog1
4. The TA and Teacher's Notes: https://archive.is/LT0r1
5. Media Strategy of the Fulnecky women: https://www.readtpa.com/p/same-script-different-target?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share
6. https://religionnews.com/2025/12/04/oklahoma-university-instructor-on-leave-after-failing-bible-based-essay-on-gender/
7. https://religionnews.com/2025/12/08/was-a-university-of-oklahoma-teacher-unjustly-punished-for-anti-christian-bias/

The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at progressivechristians@theloftla.org.

In today's episode, Rev. Blair and Rev. Dr. Carter talk with Ben Stringer - an attorney and pastor in Springfield, Missouri. In 2024, Trump won Missouri with almost 20% over Harris. Though Springfield is often referred to as "having a church on every street," Progressive Christianity has often struggled to find advocates in the area.

We talk with Stringer about his experience growing up in a Conservative Baptist family, becoming a Civil Rights Lawyer to live out his calling as a Christian, how the courts are being used to help and hurt people in this turbulent time, and how he eventually heard the call to go into ministry late in his career. In this episode, Ben challenges us on how to define ministry, especially when living in a politically hostile environment. We also discuss how to be an authentic, effective advocate for Jesus' teachings in a world that tells us to do exactly the opposite (often, in the name of "Christianity").

This episode is dedicated to all of our red area listeners out there - we see you, we hear you, and you are not alone.

The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at progressivechristians@theloftla.org.

If you're a Christian and you're American, you've probably been taught that socialism is unbiblical. That capitalism is God's chosen economic system. That Jesus would be against redistributing wealth, and the early church in the book of Acts was nothing more than a group of friends sharing their stuff. The election of Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani and Rev. Blair's viral TikTok in response to Mamdani's election, which appeared on Jesse Watters' nightly Fox News show, prompted us to ask: Should Christians be socialist? Are Christian ethics really at odds with socialism? Or have many of us been taught a version of Christianity that was blended with modern conservative political and economic ideologies that have little to do with the radical call of Jesus Christ? Digging into the bible, we question the idea of capitalism as God's chosen system, offering a different perspective on socialism explained through the lens of Christianity and faith.

Show Notes:

1. Dead Internet Theory Def - https://www.vice.com/en/article/dead-internet-theory-is-back-thanks-to-all-of-that-ai-slop/
2. What Makes Us Free- Throughline on NPR https://www.npr.org/2025/07/10/1255443727/what-makes-us-free-07-10-2025
3. Parable of the Talents- Matthew 25:14-30
4. Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard- Matthew 20:1-16
5. Sharing things in Common Acts 2:44-47
6. Ananais and Sapphira Acts 5:1-11
7. Working for Bread 2 Thessalonians 3:10
8. Good Fortune Movie- https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/good_fortune
9. Leith Ross- I Can See the Future https://leithross.com/
10. Syrophoenecian Woman- Matthew 15:21-28

The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at progressivechristians@theloftla.org.

Conservative figures like podcast host Allie Beth Stuckey and theologian Joe Rigney are leading a campaign against a feeling they consider dangerous and are weaponizing against Christians—empathy. They argue that empathy has been hijacked and can become toxic and sinful. In this episode, we'll explore their distinction between what they call "toxic empathy" and "biblical compassion." We analyze their arguments, their use of the Bible, and how they overlook the teachings and ministry of Jesus to justify their claims. Ultimately, the conservative opposition to empathy helps explain some of the cruelty emerging from the Trump administration and their willingness to starve women and children to make a political point.

The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

Show Notes

1. https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/texas-megachurch-tiktok-baby-formula-b2863291.html
2. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/woman-called-lakewood-church-asking-132510186.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADQCTJ57PswQV8JV_QLVUpSRj7VFB1g5_NgeMdCVwiqEllHyZ4kvwlCNGUh-3QM2FM4VzDmI0Zr3FXb8QGQ3RpMpNXs1UoEwNuWHnnIRqkrYEgB1y9hvyJWa44QFpJQ-oMdgO5PXqHIKZwGJs-UfRPkHi9vQyoVEPxRfxNDq2L4d

The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at progressivechristians@theloftla.org.

Vice President JD Vance wants to be the next leader of the MAGA movement. Speaking during a recent Turning Point USA event at Ole Miss, he cast a vision for America that blends Christian Nationalism, white supremacy, and conservative populism. In this episode, we discuss Vance's beliefs about immigration, how his wife, Usha Vance, got caught up in the rhetoric, and how Pope Francis and Pope Leo offer a very different Roman Catholic perspective on how we are to love our immigrant neighbors.

The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

Show Notes

1. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/03/great-gatsby-book-fitzgerald-race-interpretation/672778/
2. Gina Zurlo- https://ginazurlo.com/
3. https://www.rev.com/transcripts/vance-speaks-at-turning-point-event
4. Usha Vance interview with Meghan McCain- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwpR0yUWgvY
5. https://www.thelettersfromleo.com/p/why-two-popes-told-jd-vance-he-was
6. https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/guest-voices/jd-vance-wrong-jesus-doesnt-ask-us-rank-our-love-others
7. https://katarmas.substack.com/p/the-pope-shared-my-article-and-the

The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at progressivechristians@theloftla.org.

This is the second episode in a three-part series on Christian Nationalism and its role in Donald Trump's White House. In this episode, we discuss Pete Hegseth and how his theology is influencing the Department of Defense. Hegseth was affiliated with the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC) in Nashville before his appointment, and he has stated that he affirms the teachings of Doug Wilson, a pastor and co-founder of the CREC. Wilson openly endorses Christian Nationalism and believes that America, and indeed the entire world, should be governed by biblical principles—specifically, his own interpretation of those principles.

Show Notes

1. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/what-to-know-about-the-archconservative-church-defense-secretary-pete-hegseth-attends
2. https://theconversation.com/what-is-crec-the-christian-nationalist-group-has-a-vision-for-america-and-defense-secretary-pete-hegseths-support-258273
3. https://religionnews.com/2025/07/14/with-pete-hegseth-in-the-pews-a-christian-nationalist-outpost-launches-in-dc/
4. https://youtube.com/shorts/JGoymv33ZWc?si=0Czzwd_D6msjk0gx
5. https://youtu.be/qFeIO0ZjdF8?si=KnSmLODBeVQ2JTCA

The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at progressivechristians@theloftla.org.

This is the first of a three-episode series on Christian nationalism and its influence in Donald Trump's White House. In this episode, we define Christian Nationalism and describe how Christian Nationalists use religion to shape American politics. We specifically discuss the impact of Stephen Miller and Russ Vought and how their policies on immigration, border protection, the government shutdown, and public services cannot, in good faith, be called Christian.

The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at progressivechristians@theloftla.org.

Show Notes

1. Southern Poverty Law Center Profile of Stephen Miller https://www.splcenter.org/resources/extremist-files/stephen-miller/
2. The Top 5 Most Awful Things You Need To Know About Stephen Miller https://www.commoncause.org/articles/top-5-most-awful-things-you-need-to-know-about-stephen-miller/
3. What You Should Know About Russ Vought, Trump's Shadow President https://www.propublica.org/article/about-russell-vought-trump-shadow-president#:~:text=1.,Hill%20colleague%20of%20Vought's%20said.
4. The Shadow President https://www.propublica.org/article/russ-vought-trump-shadow-president-omb

In this episode, we are joined by Claire McKeever-Burgett, author of In the Beginning Were the Women, to explore some of the well-known and lesser-known women in the Bible. From the mystics to the brave to the misunderstood and overlooked, these women played essential roles in their communities and our faith tradition. Throughout our conversation, you will gain a deeper understanding of how these stories are relevant to our lives today.

Show Notes:

1. Young Republicans group chat article - https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/14/private-chat-among-young-gop-club-members-00592146
2. https://chalicepress.com/products/in-the-beginning-were-the-women?srsltid=AfmBOorso8YVfRoE0GBsK3Uq2cioci5SHk0Ghmn9OArVJYZ1UWWZK4ma
3. https://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/news/new-study-finds-single-women-are-happier-single-men
4. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mens-health/marriage-and-mens-health
5. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/5-types-of-people-who-can-ruin-your-life/202403/is-marriage-good-or-bad-for-women

The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on YouTube and all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians

The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at progressivechristians@theloftla.org.