A Christian Transgender Journey – Austen Hartke

In this week’s podcast, we’re honored to learn from Austen Hartke about coming out as transgender in seminary, the work he is doing right now to help transgender and gender-expansive Christians, and some encouraging words for Christians parents of transgender youth.

You can get this episode on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or YouTube. You can also listen or download the full podcast episode here.

In this episode, Austen talks with us about:

• Choosing an affirming vs non-affirming seminary
• Anxiety about going to a non-affirming seminary
• Advice for LGBTQ+ students wanting to attend seminary
• How Hebrew courses helped Austen understand bias in Bible translations
• What shocked Austen in his Pentateuch (Torah) classes
• Dealing with difficulties in the Bible
• Genocide and sexual violence in the Bible
• Fears of coming out as transgender in a non-affirming seminary
• Anti-transgender legislation and fears of trans youth
• Advice to trans people on self-acceptance and transitioning
• Tips for parents and guardians of transgender and gender-expansive Christians

Austen Hartke is a graduate of Luther Seminary’s Master of Arts program in Old Testament/Hebrew Bible Studies, and is the winner of the 2014 John Milton Prize in Old Testament Writing. He is the author of a book entitled “Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgender Christians,” which is published by Westminster John Knox Press. He is also the founder and director of Transmission Ministry Collective — an online community dedicated to the spiritual care, faith, and leadership potential of transgender and gender-expansive Christian.

Exploring the Epistle to the Philippians w/ Dr. Jeannine Brown

In this week’s podcast, we learn from Dr. Jeannine Brown about her latest commentary on Philippians, which is part of the Tyndale New Testament Commentary series by InterVarsity Press. Her thoughtful commentary provides key insights into the background, content, and structure of Paul’s letter to the Philippian believers.

You can get this episode on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or YouTube. You can also listen to the full podcast episode here.

In this episode, Dr. Brown talks with us about:

• Process for writing an academic commentary on Philippians
• How to choose commentaries and Bible study tools
• On choosing themes to study in Philippians
• Key themes in Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians
• How Paul reframe’s his prison situation (from suffering to joy)
• Paul’s gratitude for the Philippians
• Paul’s poetry in The Christ’s Hymn (Philippians 2:6-11)
• Who is Paul?
• Paul’s Loss and Gain (Philippians 3:4-11)
• Righteousness by faithfulness of Christ vs. faith in Christ
• The importance of studying scripture that you’ve already studied

Dr. Jeannine K. Brown is Professor of New Testament at Bethel Seminary in San Diego, California, USA. Her books include Scripture as Communication, The Gospels as Stories and Biblical commentaries on the Gospel of Matthew. She is also the co-editor of the second edition of the Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels.

Creation Rediscovered: Finding New Meaning in an Ancient Story w/ Dr. Jeffery M. Leonard

In this week’s podcast, we learn from Dr. Jeffery M. Leonard about his book “Creation Rediscovered: Finding New Meaning in an Ancient Story,” which was written to help Christians understand the creation stories in our Hebrew Bible, while also appreciating what science tells us about our world. He talks with us about the struggle that many Christians face when trying to love their Bible and science – and ways to understand the various creation stories in our Hebrew Bible. 

You can get this episode on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or YouTube. You can also listen or download the full podcast episode here.

In this episode, Dr. Leonard talks with us about:

• Understanding the mindset of ancient Hebrews writing about creation
• The Christian dilemma of loving the Bible & science
• Different creation narratives and allusions in the Hebrew Bible 
• The cosmic battle between God and leviathan in Psalm & Job
• How to talk to kids about allusions and parables in the Bible 
• How ancient Hebrew people thought how our world was structured
• Why Biblical authors thought the moon was a light  and that stars would fall from the sky
• The church’s response to Copernicus that the earth isn’t the center of the universe
• How a misunderstanding of Sola Scriptura tripped up Luther, Melanchthon & Calvin
• Understanding that the Bible is a product of human authors and divine
• The Poetry & Allusions in Biblical Creation Accounts 
• Creation Story in Genesis vs Babylonian Creation Account in Enuma Elish
• “Let there be Light” 
• Why Genesis Doesn’t Include the Cosmic Battle Between God & Leviathan 
• Advice for discouraged Christians when science and scripture clash
• What the Genesis creation story teaches us (and how it relates to Revelation)

Jeffery M. Leonard is Associate Professor of Religion at Samford University in Birmingham, AL, where he specializes in Hebrew, Hebrew Bible, and the ancient Near East. He received his MDiv from Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, and his PhD from Brandeis University in Waltham, MA.

Disability Justice, Church Accessibility & Our Disabled God – Dr. Amy Kenny

In this week’s podcast, we learn from Dr. Amy Kenny about her important and brilliant new book entitled “My Body is Not a Prayer Request: Disability Justice in the Church.”

It’s a book that describes her experiences as a disabled Christian in the church – and the unintentional ableism occurring regularly in religious communities. She also provides guidance on how we all can create more inclusive spiritual homes where disabled people fully belong and thrive in all aspects of church ministry.

You can get this episode on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or YouTube. You can also listen or download the full podcast episode here.

In the episode, Dr. Amy Kenny talks with us about:

• On writing about disability justice in the church
• Why this book is a scream for disability justice
• Being aware of our language when discussing our disabled community
• The difference between identity-first vs person-first language
• How disabled people are dismissed and silenced at church
• Types of ableist language used at church
• What it means to be made in the image of God (even in our disabilities)
• How our disabled bodies become a theological problem for some believers
• Why church leaders fought against the Americans with Disability Act
• Ways that churches can improve accessibility for disabled people
• Encouragement for disabled people who have been dismissed at church
• Advice for church members who want to love and support disabled people
• Sneaky ways ableism shows up at church
• Understanding our disabled God
• Ways to take a disability lens when reading scripture

Amy Kenny (PhD, University of Sussex) is a disabled scholar and a Shakespeare lecturer whose research focuses on medical and bodily themes in literature. Her work has been featured in Teen Vogue, The Mighty, The Audacity, and Sojourners. Follow her on Twitter.

Exploring Early Christian Narratives of Heaven & Hell w/ Dr. Bart Ehrman

We’re grateful to learn from Dr. Bart Ehrman about his helpful new book entitled “Journeys to Heaven and Hell: Tours of the Afterlife in the Early Christian Tradition,” which is published by Yale University Press.  It’s a fascinating look into the ancient literature that describes descents into hell and ascents into heaven.

Dr. Bart D. Ehrman is the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He completed his M.Div and Ph.D. degrees at Princeton Seminary and started his teaching career at Rutgers University. He has written or edited over thirty books, six of which were New York Times best sellers. His books have been translated into twenty-seven languages. You can learn more about his academic work and subscribe to his blog here: EhrmanBlog.org.

In this podcast, Dr. Ehrman talks with us about:

• Guided tours of heaven and hell in the ancient world
• Apocalypse of Peter
• How to read ancient literature (and understand context)
• What Jesus meant when discussing Gehenna
• Importance of reading academic scholarship on the Bible
• Ancient Hebrew ideas about death and annihilation
• Early Christian thinking on Jesus and his descent into hell
• Harrowing of Hell
• The Gospel of Nicodemus
• The Apocalypse of Paul, The Acts of Thomas, The Gospel of Nicodemus
• Origin of Purgatory
• Abraham’s Bosom: Rich Man & Lazarus
• Ancient thinking of where heaven and hell were located
• How to be critical readers of the Bible
• Academic study tools for Biblical interpretation

You can listen or download the podcast conversation here:



You can also subscribe or download this podcast episode on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or YouTube. .

Exploring Gender & Islam: A Muslim Transgender Journey w/ Leyla Jagiella

Today, we’re honored to learn from Leyla Jagiella about her book “Among the Eunuchs: A Muslim Transgender Journey, which is published by Hurst.

Her fantastic book shares the story of Leyla’s transgender journey as a Muslim woman and finding belonging among the third-gender communities in South East Asia. Her brave and insightful book explores perspectives of gender identity and sexuality in Islam and South Asian cultures.

From an early age, Leyla Jagiella knew that she would be defined by two things: being Muslim and being trans. Struggling to negotiate these identities in her conservative, small hometown, she travelled to India and Pakistan, where her life was changed by her time among third-gender communities.

Known as hijras in India, khwajasaras in Pakistan, these marginal communities have traditionally been politically and culturally important, respected for their supernatural powers to bless or curse, and often serving as eunuchs in Mughal India’s palaces. But under British colonialism, the hijras were criminalised and persecuted, entrenching taboos they still battle today.

In this podcast conversation, Leyla talks with us about:

• Studying Anthropology & The Problem of Othering
• Constructions of Gender & Sexuality in Culture
• Being Drawn to Islam & Beauty of Diversity
• Suppressing Gender Identity & Sexuality
• Advice for Those Struggling with Gender Identity and/or Sexuality
• Gendered Spaces in Mosques
• Gaining Recognition as a Transgender Woman in Islam
• Third-Gender Communities in Islam & Joining the Hijras in South East Asia
• Muslim Spirituality, Sufi Shrines & Eunuchs
• Trans-Affirming Scriptures in the Quran, New Testament & Talmud

You can watch the entire conversation about Leyla’s new book here.

Leyla Jagiella is a cultural anthropologist and scholar of religion, working on orthodoxy and heterodoxy in Islam and gender and sexuality in Muslim societies. As a Muslim trans woman, she has also been a community activist for several decades and works as a social worker with LGBTQI refugees in Germany.

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Ways to Help Transgender Teens Explore Their Gender & Faith

What should you do if your teen comes out as transgender? What are ways to support them in their transition, while also helping them grow in their faith?

Many parents struggle to understand ways to support their their transgender teenager, especially if they think that it’s just a phase of gender exploration, or a mild form of gender dysphoria that will eventually resolve.

A parent may further struggle on how to care for their trans youth if they belong to a non-affirming religious community, which may exclude their teen from participating in important spiritual activities (e.g. communion, confirmation, mitzvahs) and/or gender-based ministries. Sadly, some of these religious communities may further harm trans youth with transphobic teachings and political agendas aimed to hurt the transgender community.

All of this can lead trans youth to feel unaccepted, unloved, and less likely to continue in their faith journey.

This is why it’s important for parents and spiritual leaders to be aware of the prejudice, discrimination, gender harassment, and barriers faced by transgender youth so they can learn ways to help.

Here are some distressing statistics:

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Loving Scripture, Theology & Our LGBTQ Community

Are you interested in learning about ways to better love (and create safer spiritual homes) for LGBTQ+ Christians?

In this episode, we’re honored to learn from Bridget Eileen Rivera about her journey growing up in Reformed Baptist church, coming out, and ways the church can better love and care for LGBTQ+ Christians.

In fact, this is the topic of her latest book entitled: “Heavy Burdens: Seven Ways LGBTQ. Christians Experience Harm in the Church,” where she addresses the pain, trauma and discrimination that many LGBTQ people have experienced in the church – and steps that churches (and all of us) need to take to create safe and inclusive spiritual homes.

Bridget Eileen Rivera is a sociologist completing her PhD at the City University of New York Graduate Center. Rivera has become a leading voice on gay celibacy in the church, helping Christians better grapple with gender and sexuality in a divided culture. She has worked with a number of faith-based organizations, including Revoice, Christians for Social Action, and Preston Sprinkle’s Center for Faith, Sexuality & Gender. Follow her on social media at @travelingnun.

You can download or listen to the conversation here:



You can also subscribe or download this episode on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or YouTube.

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Early Christian History: Councils & Creeds Shaping Christian Thought – Dr. Jennifer Woodruff Tait

Are you interested in learning about the history of the Christian church?

Today, we’re honored to learn from Dr. Jennifer Woodruff Tait about her book “Christian History: In Seven Sentences,” which is published by InterVarsity Press.

Her latest book provides fantastic insights into key moments of Christian history; including thoughtful chapters on The Edict of Milan (313), The Nicene Creed (325), The Rule of Saint Benedict (530), Excommunication of Patriarch Kerularios (1054), Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses (1517), and much more.

In this podcast conversation, Dr. Tait shares insights on some of the key historic moments and creeds that shaped Christian thinking. She also talks about some of the key points that led to the spread of Christianity, despite persecution of the church.

Dr. Tait talks with us about the legalization of Christianity under Constantine with the Edict of Milan, early church views on baptism (and why some Christians waited to be baptized later in life), why the Nicene Creed was developed, why the eucharist was viewed by some as a form of cannibalism, the role of the monastic movement, and the testimony and martyrdom of Perpetua.

Jennifer Woodruff Tait (PhD, Duke University) is the managing editor of Christian History magazine, the author of The Poisoned Chalice: Eucharistic Grape Juice and Common-Sense Realism in Victorian Methodism, and a priest in the Episcopal Church. Follow her on GoodReads.

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Loving the Old Testament & Dealing with Difficult Scriptures w/ Dr. John Goldingay

Are you curious about ways to improve your study and love of the Old Testament?

Today, we’re honored to learn from Dr. John Golingay about his love of the Old Testament, ways to handle difficult passages, and how these beautiful books speak to us today.

In this podcast, Dr. Goldingay shares his thoughtful approach to studying scripture, ways he prepares to write academic commentaries on the Bible, and how he handles difficult scriptures.

He encourages us to study our Bible with both an analytical and spiritual mind – and to come to the Bible humbly with our questions. He also shares tremendous wisdom on how to deal with passages in the Old Testament that perhaps don’t make sense to us, and how to better explore (and question) those difficult texts. He also talks about some controversial stories in the Book of Joshua, and how different theologians like Origen and Calvin understood them.

His love and humble approach to exploring scripture is inspiring and encouraging.

Check out this quote from his book on exploring the Old Testament:

“I want to see things through the eyes of Genesis or Isaiah or Lamentations. My Christian faith will sometimes enable me to perceive things in the Old Testament that I might otherwise miss. . . . but I want the Old Testament to correct my Christian assumptions when they need correction. When I can work out what these books would mean for the Israelites for whom they were written, there’s a good chance that I can find my way to what it might mean for me.”

Dr. John Goldingay studied theology at Oxford, earned his PhD from the University of Nottingham; Doctor of Divinity, and a Doctor of Divinity from the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth. He is Professor Emeritus of Old Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary. He was previously principal and professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at St. John’s Theological College in Nottingham, England. He has written countless commentaries on the Old Testament, and now focused on writing a commentary on the book of Joshua. To learn more on ways to explore and study the Old Testament, check out An Introduction to the Old Testament: Exploring Texts, Approaches & Issues by IVP Academic.

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