The Let It Matter Podcast seeks to make space for, honor, and name… what matters — to us as individuals, as communities, and as beloved children of God. Host Kelly Wolfe, alongside a guest each week, explores & discusses topics ranging from faith & theology to mental health & trauma recovery to sex & sexuality to social justice issues —all from a progressive Christian viewpoint. New episodes drop eve ...
In this episode, host Kelly Wolfe is joined by author, speaker, and writer Shannan Martin to discuss themes from her book Start With Hello: (And Other Simple Ways to Live as Neighbors). Themes like: Simple, practical ways to begin reconstituting connection and community after years of collective distancing, disconnection, and division The importance of noticing homogeny in our existing relationships, in those we interact with & follow on social media, and in those whose books we read The difference between entertaining and hospitality and how to practice hospitality without pressure to perform or be/present yourself as perfect and more! Guest Bio: Shannan Martin, author of Start with Hello, The Ministry of Ordinary Places, and Falling Free, is a speaker and writer who found her voice in the country and her story in the city. She is a voracious reader, a wannabe-gardener, a news-geek, a thrift store-stalker, a justice-fighter, and an aficionado of not-too-spicy salsa. Shannan works as a cook at a community kitchen and falls asleep most nights thinking about breakfast. She and her family live as grateful neighbors in Goshen, Indiana. You can find her on IG, Twitter, and Threads @shannanwrites or on her website at shannanmartin.com
In this episode, host Kelly Wolfe is joined by Episcopal priest -- and former rector of Kelly's local parish church -- Rev. Catherine Thompson to explore various aspects of the Episcopal church like: The origins of the Church of England, the Anglican Communion, and the Episcopal Church in the US The differences between the Episcopal Church and the ACNA (Anglican Church in North America) The theological beliefs and practices in the categories of: God, mankind (LGBTQIA+ affirmation, egalitarianism, social justice issues, etc.), sin/salvation, heaven/hell, prayer, church polity/governance, sacraments & gatherings, the Bible, and more! To watch/listen to Mother Catherine's first appearance on the Let It Matter Blog during the Women of Valor series where we discuss Priscilla (and Paul/women in ministry): https://youtu.be/19skhNT4-cE To become a Patreon Partner with the podcast, go to Patreon.com/letitmatterpod and join us for as little as $4/mo (USD)! Guest Bio: The Rev. Catherine Thompson serves as the Priest-in-Charge of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Frederick, Maryland, a community of believers dedicated to growing in their love of God and love of their neighbors. She finds joy in learning and discovering new things, particularly in the area of congregational development. She also enjoys reading, traveling and spending time in nature. She holds degrees from Vassar College and Virginia Theological Seminary. She is married to Mark. They have two adult children and a 19-year-old poodle, named Mia, who offers daily lessons on the nature of unconditional love.
In this episode, host Kelly Wolfe is joined by scholar and professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary, Nijay Gupta (DPhil) to discuss themes from his book Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church, in particular: looking closer into the three main issues (used by those seeking to uphold or defend complementarianism/patriarchy) that come from Genesis 1-3: the created order, the use of the word "helper", and the fall/curses looking at the broader context of the Roman world -- Roman households, social & socioeconomic dynamics, gender roles, etc. -- which is the backdrop to the New Testament and has a huge influence on what is written in there, and which we are too far removed from today to know instinctually comparing the narrative + the greeting/commendation/salutation passages (which show Paul's ministry and convictions to be in partnership with many women for the sake of the gospel -- and described as deacons, apostles, missionaries, leaders of house churches, teachers, mothers in the faith, etc) with the specific prohibitions in 1 Timothy 2 and 1 Corinthians 14-- and how to reconcile all of it together without rewriting history..... and much more! Guest Bio: Dr. Nijay Gupta, DPhil. (he/him) is a professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary and is an author, scholar, and Bible translator. His most recent book is called Tell Her Story: How Women Led, Taught, and Ministered in the Early Church. He recently co-edited the second edition of Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, and has written & contributed to numerous other books, commentaries, and academic articles in theological journals. He lives in California.
In this episode, host Kelly Wolfe is joined by Kat Armas, author of the new book Sacred Belonging: a 40-Day Devotional on the Liberating Heart of Scripture, to discuss: What it means to “repattern, reweave, and reimagine” Scripture and how doing so gives us fresh insights and leads us toward liberation Why creation, Holy Spirit, wisdom, the body, and the feminine are five areas which are so ripe for (& in need of) decolonization How translation and language can impact our understanding and interpretation of Scripture (with a fascinating conversation about John 1:1 in Spanish, English, Greek, and in extra-biblical uses by the Greeks.) and much more! Guest Bio: Kat Armas (she/her) is a Cuban-American writer and speaker, and host of The Protagonistas podcast, where she highlights stories of everyday women of color, including writers, pastors, church leaders, and theologians. She is the author of Abuelita Faith: What Women on the Margins Teach Us About Wisdom, Persistence, and Strength which came out in 2021 and Sacred Belonging: A 40-Day Devotional on the Liberating Heart of Scripture which released this month! Kat has also written for Christianity Today, Sojourners, Relevant, Christians for Biblical Equality, Fuller Youth Institute, Fathom magazine, and Missio Alliance. She has an MDiv and MAT from Fuller Theological Seminary, she speaks regularly at conferences on race and justice and lives in Nashville, TN with her family. You can find her on IG and Twitter @kat_armas and on her website at katarmas.com
**Content Warning for this Episode: We discuss topics like sexuality, reproductive healthcare, abortion access, contraception, and more. Please proceed with caution if needed. In this episode, I am joined by Rev. Jes Kast to discuss various aspects of the women's reproductive healthcare conversation (including abortion, contraception, sex education, etc.). Jes is an ordained minister of Word and Sacrament in the United Church of Christ, and pastor of a UCC church in Pennsylvania, where she lives with her wife. She is also a member of the National Clergy Advocacy Board for Planned Parenthood, which you can read more about here. You can find Jes on IG, Threads, and Twitter @revjeskast. Link to: Where Do We Go From Here Podcast Episode 108: The Big One About Abortion