Called to Treason, Matthew Chapters 14-16
Queer Theology Podcast
This episode dives into Matthew Chapters 14-16 and the rich political, communal, and spiritual tensions woven throughout. We unpack the death of John the Baptist, the feeding miracles, Jesus walking on water, debates about purity, the encounter with the Canaanite woman, and Peter’s declaration of Jesus as Messiah. These stories are especially revealing as they challenge Empire, center outsiders, and call followers into risky, justice-oriented solidarity. We get into what treasonous acts we may be called to take up when confronting power, and what it really means to “take up your cross”...
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Still Scared About Sex and the Bible?
Queer Theology Podcast
We’re diving into one of their most asked-about topics: sex, relationships, and faith. Building on years of listener questions like, “Is it okay to masturbate?” “What does the Bible say about premarital sex, polyamory, or kink,” we explore why so many of us seek definitive answers and how that impulse comes from an evangelical mindset that treats the Bible like a rulebook. As always we invite y’all to move beyond arguing Bible passages toward a deeper, embodied understanding of faith, sexuality, and ethics that is grounded in consent, respect, and self-awareness. Queerness, desire,...
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Gender is a Calling with Justin Sabia Tanis
Queer Theology Podcast
In this episode, Fr. Shannon talks with the Rev. Dr. Justin Sabia-Tanis. He is an assistant professor and director of the Social Transformation program at United Theological Seminary. He earned his Ph.D. from the Graduate Theological Union in Interdisciplinary Studies in addition to a Master of Divinity degree at Harvard Divinity School and a Doctor of Ministry from San Francisco Theological Seminary. We explore Justin’s journey as a transgender man of faith, his groundbreaking contributions to trans theology, and the evolution of queer and trans thought within the church and academia....
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The First Gospel
Queer Theology Podcast
For this episode, we’re diving into the Gospel of Mark. We unpack why Mark was likely the first Gospel written, who it was written for, and what was happening politically under Roman occupation. Drawing on scholarly interpretation, we look into how Mark’s storytelling and its urgency, as well as its focus on common people, challenges Empire and centers the marginalized. This perspective also redefines discipleship as active resistance through themes like repentance, liberation, and community transformation, showing how Mark’s “good news” remains a radical call to action for today’s...
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Angelic Troublemakers: Edafe Okporo
Queer Theology Podcast
We had the pleasure of speaking with activist and author, Edafe Okporo. Edafe was born in Warri, Nigeria. He migrated to the United States in 2016 as an asylum seeker and is now a refugee of the United States. He is a global gay rights activist, the founder of Refuge America, and one of the country’s most visible voices on the issue of displacement. We spoke about the issues of detainment for immigrants in the US, especially difficult for trans people seeking asylum and LGBTQ people. Edafe’s story is inspiring and powerful, reminding us that our work for equality must include marginalized...
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Celebrating Jewish Empowerment and Teaching the Masses with Milli Not So Vanilli
Queer Theology Podcast
For this interview, we are excited to talk with Millie, more well-known as Milli Not So Vanilli on social media. She is a 34-year-old Jewish mother and "accidental" TikTok creator. We learn how her grandmother has inspired her to speak out and how she is her greatest source of inspiration; her grandmother had been a Holocaust survivor and her grandfather was a victim of McCarthyism. We discuss how important it is for Christians to learn about their own history, to learn about Jewish history, and why this will help end prevalent misconceptions about Judaism and Jews. She also explains how...
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Throwback: God is a Black Woman with Dr. Christena Cleveland
Queer Theology Podcast
We’re revisiting our interview episode with the remarkable Dr. Christena Cleveland. Dr. Cleveland is an author, activist and a founder and director of the Center for Justice + Renewal as well as its sister organization, Sacred Folk. Tune in as Fr. Shay talks with Dr. Cleveland about her journey to find the Black Madonna and the Sacred Feminine, what that means for her view of the white, male god and her evangelical upbringing, and how wisdom and the Sacred Divine can be found within ourselves. Grab a copy of her book: course Dr. Cleveland Patreon: Website: Resources: Join our...
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Faith and Identity: Miryam Kabakov on Building Inclusive Orthodox Communities
Queer Theology Podcast
We welcome Miryam Kabakov to the podcast this week. Miryam is a national leader who has worked for more than three decades on the inclusion of LGTBQ+ individuals in the Orthodox world. She is Executive Director and co-founder of Eshel, @eshelonline, a national organization that supports LGBTQ+ Orthodox individuals and their families. Prior to being a leader at Eshel, Miryam was the New York and National Program Director of AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps, Director of LGBT programming at the JCC Manhattan, Social Worker at West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing, and was the...
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Throwback: The End. Or is it? Matthew 26-28
Queer Theology Podcast
In this week’s throwback episode, we return to the final episode of our eight-part series on Matthew. And here is where we come to crucifixion and resurrection.. The End… but really, the Beginning! It’s important for us to call out and recognize in these texts the significant polemic against the Jewish leaders, even if most of Matthew’s audience still considered themselves to be Jewish. The context is crucial here for us to not continue the anti-semitic rhetoric that “the Jews killed Jesus”, but underline that the Roman Empire killed Jesus. We have stories of the anointing...
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Throwback: The Devil and His Many Names
Queer Theology Podcast
What was your upbringing regarding your belief in Satan or the Devil? How were you taught (or scared) growing up about the fallen angel, the demon, the serpent, Beelzebub, and the many other names? In this throwback episode, we will discover where our idea of Demon or Satan comes from and see how your beliefs or ideas about the devil line up with what scripture says. Satan in the Hebrew Bible: Numbers 22:22 Satan in the Garden of Eden as the serpent: Ezekiel 28:12-19 Where the term “fallen archangel” come from: Isaiah 14:12 Pop-cultural resources about The Devil: Inferno...
info_outlineFr. Shannon has a new book coming out soon, “Come and See: An Invitation to a Radical Encounter with Jesus,” which is a devotional aimed at youth and young adults. We talk about the role of traditional devotionals in shaping young people's faith, especially how our experiences with devotionals have impacted us. We get into the limitations of these devotionals and their practices, and the importance of understanding how limiting they can be, especially since they often leave out the Bible's context. Shannon shares his motivations for writing the book, emphasizing accessibility, justice, and the need for young people to engage with scripture meaningfully. This book is aimed for a younger audience, but anyone can engage with this as a means for deepening a personal understanding of scripture and faith.
Takeaways
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Devotionals are often seen as a proxy for faith.
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Many youth devotionals lack depth and context.
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Understanding the Bible requires recognizing its complexity.
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Devotionals can reinforce harmful theology if not critically engaged.
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There are various ways to engage with spirituality beyond devotionals.
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Shannon's book aims to provide tools for understanding scripture.
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The book encourages readers to ask questions and wrestle with faith.
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'Come and See' is designed to be accessible for young people.
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The book includes journaling prompts for reflection and discussion.
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Engaging with the Bible can be a communal experience.
Chapters
(00:53) Devotionals: A Personal Journey
(10:36) Alternatives to Traditional Devotionals
(14:05) Introducing 'Come and See' Devotional
(17:41) Understanding the Bible: Context Matters
(21:09) Target Audience for 'Come and See'
Resources:
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Pre-order “Come And See: An Invitation to a Radical Encounter With Jesus” by Fr. Shannon TL Kearns
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Join our online community at Sanctuary Collective Community
If you want to support the Patreon and help keep the podcast up and running, you can learn more and pledge your support at patreon.com/queertheology