Queer Theology

Queer Theology Q***r Theology: Because q***r people have more to offer the world than what we are not.

🎙️ In this episode, we tackle the complicated question of when to stay, when to take a break, and when to leave a religi...
08/23/2026

🎙️ In this episode, we tackle the complicated question of when to stay, when to take a break, and when to leave a religious tradition. Our own journeys are very different, but there are definitely similarities. There was a point when we started questioning Christianity, stepping away from church, wrestling with doubt, and finding more expansive ways of understanding faith. Fr. Shay shares how coming to terms with his q***rness, experiencing exclusion in evangelical spaces, and taking time away from church ultimately led him toward a deeper, more embodied Christian faith and ordained ministry. Brian reflects on his own gradual drift from Christianity, his return through q***r activism and progressive Christian communities, and the experiences that eventually led him to convert to Judaism. We get into the difference between dabbling and committing to a spiritual tradition, the value of finding a community and story that can sustain you, and how to recognize when a faith tradition is asking you to become more fully yourself or asking you to leave. ⁠
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🎧 Listen at q***rtheology.com/657
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🗣️ What helped you find your way back—or know it was time to leave? Let us know in the comments!

🎙️ Brian was recently interviewed by Brent Saccucci () from the University of Lethbridge to talk about Q***r Theology an...
08/16/2026

🎙️ Brian was recently interviewed by Brent Saccucci () from the University of Lethbridge to talk about Q***r Theology and how it differs from affirmative ministry and we’re going to share that interview with y’all! In this interview, Brian challenges the idea that q***r people need to justify their existence within faith traditions and explains the difference between affirmative faith and q***r theology. Always at the heart of our work is our belief that we need to move beyond debating whether q***rness is “okay” and instead ask what q***r perspectives can reveal about God, Scripture, sacredness, and justice. Brian shares how a radically expansive understanding of God, not as a man in the clouds, but as love, connection, awe, q***r resilience, justice, and the miraculous fact that we find one another at all, is so sacred.
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🎧 Listen at q***rtheology.com/656
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🗣️ What does q***r theology reveal about God? 🌈

🎙️ Because we’re the Q***rTheology Podcast, of course we’re going to dive into Isaiah 1:10–18. This is a familiar and po...
08/09/2026

🎙️ Because we’re the Q***rTheology Podcast, of course we’re going to dive into Isaiah 1:10–18. This is a familiar and powerful passage. Just the words, “Sodom and Gomorrah” evoke a reaction because of their use in evangelical Christian religion. But we invite you to challenge common assumptions about their so-called "sin." We explore how Isaiah shifts the focus away from ritual and religious performance and toward justice for the oppressed, care for the vulnerable, and accountability for those whose faith causes harm. We reflect on what it means to reclaim a progressive Christian witness in a culture where harmful expressions of faith often dominate the public conversation, and why sharing life-giving, justice-centered theology matters now more than ever.
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🎧 Listen at q***rtheology.com/655
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🗣️ What does justice-centered faith look like to you?

🎙️ This episode features a powerful conversation between Rev. Don Abram and Brian on reimagining care as an abundant res...
08/02/2026

🎙️ This episode features a powerful conversation between Rev. Don Abram and Brian on reimagining care as an abundant resource rather than a scarce commodity. Don Abram () is a Chicago-based social innovator and founder of Toward Pride, leading work that advances the well-being of Black LGBTQ+ communities through partnerships with civic, cultural, and community institutions. Don shares how his Christian faith shapes a vision of both interpersonal and structural care, calling individuals and institutions alike to move beyond affirmation toward active advocacy for LGBTQ+ communities. Brian and Don discuss Toward Pride's Institutional Church Continuum from ‘antagonizing’ to ‘advocating’ churches and the organization's evolution from Pride in the Pews to Toward Pride, and why religion must be understood as a social determinant of health. This conversation calls us to think beyond debates over theology and instead consider how faith, public policy, healthcare, education, and housing intersect to either harm or help marginalized communities.⁠
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🎧 Listen at q***rtheology.com/654
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🗣️ What does real care look like in your community? 💬

🎙️ In this episode, Fr. Shannon reflects on growing up in a high-control evangelical religion where every aspect of fait...
07/26/2026

🎙️ In this episode, Fr. Shannon reflects on growing up in a high-control evangelical religion where every aspect of faith and how he was supposed to show up, was laid out for him. It was a long journey to untangle those deeply ingrained beliefs, but when we explore how harmful messages and unrealistic expectations can shape anyone's spiritual life, not just those from high-control religious spaces, then we can see why taking ownership of our faith is so crucial. Rather than waiting for perfect circumstances, we should seek to embrace opportunities for healthy, life giving spiritual growth and discover a faith that is truly our own.
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🎧 Listen at q***rtheology.com/653⠀⁠

🗣️ What's one belief you've had to rethink on your faith journey?

🎙️ What do you do when you come across difficult passages in the Bible? In this episode, Fr. Shannon explores how to eng...
07/19/2026

🎙️ What do you do when you come across difficult passages in the Bible? In this episode, Fr. Shannon explores how to engage with challenging texts, especially those often used to condemn LGBTQ people, as well as passages that portray God as violent, or seem to support slavery, or take a negative view of s*x and the body. While some see these verses as a reason to abandon the Bible altogether, Fr. Shannon offers a different perspective for those who want to remain rooted in the Christian tradition. He shares three practical ways to grapple with hard passages honestly, thoughtfully, and with faith.
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🎧 Listen at q***rtheology.com/652
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🗣️ What Bible passage has challenged you the most—and why? 👇

🎙️ Fr. Shannon is joined by author Catherine Meeks on the pod this week to talk about self-interrogation, discernment, a...
07/12/2026

🎙️ Fr. Shannon is joined by author Catherine Meeks on the pod this week to talk about self-interrogation, discernment, and what it means to move beyond being an ally toward becoming a committed co-resistor and fellow pilgrim in the work of collective liberation. Catherine Meeks, PhD, is the founder of the Turquoise & Lavender Institute for Transformation and Healing and a nationally recognized leader in racial healing and spiritual transformation. She is the author of “Bridging the Rivers of Difference” as well as “The Night Is Long but Light Comes in the Morning” and”The Quilted Life”. A regular contributing columnist for Baptist News Global, she is widely known for her decades of work advancing dialogue, reconciliation, and community-based healing, and is a recipient of the President Joseph R. Biden Lifetime Achievement Award. In this thoughtful conversation, she shares the vision behind the Turquoise and Lavender Institute and discusses why healing must extend beyond race to encompass the many ways we divide ourselves. Drawing from decades of work in racial healing, she talks about her new book, and invites us to imagine a new path forward rooted in solidarity rather than competition among marginalized communities. Dr. Meeks explains the dangers of the “oppression Olympics,” the impact of internalized oppression, and the essential inner work required for lasting social change. Her message is a powerful invitation to cultivate both personal and communal healing in service of the common good.

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🎧 Listen at q***rtheology.com/651
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🗣️ What does becoming a fellow pilgrim in healing and justice look like to you?

🎙️ Brian is joined by his longtime friend, Michael R. Speciàle (.mr) on this pod this week for an interview that is funn...
07/05/2026

🎙️ Brian is joined by his longtime friend, Michael R. Speciàle (.mr) on this pod this week for an interview that is funny, provocative, and moving. Michael is a writer, performer, and cultural strategist based in Los Angeles. He grew up between Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington, converted himself to the Mormon Church at fifteen, faithfully served a mission in Paraguay, and left the Church at twenty-three. Two decades later, that experience became the catalyst for “Bottoming for Jesus” which is his debut solo work. The conversation is an exploration of faith, s*xuality, belonging, and the search for purpose. Drawing from his experience converting to Mormonism as a teenager, serving as a missionary, and later embracing his q***r identity, Michael reflects on the performances we all give to find acceptance, the ways religion and desire can intertwine, and the lingering impact of religious trauma. Brian and Michael discuss q***r hospitality, hookup culture, creative healing, and the surprising ways friendship shaped both of their lives. They also unpack the show's irreverent title, its liturgical structure, the role of Judy Garland as a q***r patron saint, and Michael's powerful reimagining of atonement and repentance as practices of self-acceptance rather than shame. Michael invites listeners to consider what holes they're trying to fill, and what it might mean to finally come home to themselves.
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🎧 Listen at q***rtheology.com/650
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🗣️ What part of your journey has most shaped who you are today? 💬

06/28/2026

We are part of a sacred lineage and Pride is a reminder of that. Who are your LGBTQ possibility models?

Q***rTheology.com co-creator Brian G Murphy Brian G. Murphy speaking at a Multifaith Pride Service in Frederick, MD at Grace UCC and over a dozen faith leaders from local congregations.

🎙️ In this episode, Fr. Shannon reflects on the grief and complexity of navigating a strained relationship with family a...
06/28/2026

🎙️ In this episode, Fr. Shannon reflects on the grief and complexity of navigating a strained relationship with family after coming out. After a recent trip home, he shares the painful realization that no amount of patience or perfectly crafted theological arguments can change people who are unwilling to change. It's ok to grieve the family relationships we hoped for while still honoring our own needs through healthy boundaries. AND recognizing that boundaries can be reassessed and reaffirmed over time. Most importantly, Fr. Shannon reminds us that Chosen Family and supportive community are essential lifelines. While this journey is messy, painful, and deeply personal, you don't have to walk it alone.
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🎧 Listen at q***rtheology.com/649
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🗣️ What boundary has brought you the most peace? 💬

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