Adventist Voices by Spectrum: The Journal of the Adventist Forum

I talk with the editors of A House on Fire: How Adventist Faith Responds to Race and Racism. Signs Publishing book editor Nathan Brown and La Sierra University professor Maury D. Jackson share how this multi-scholar project was started and why this is a comprehensive Adventist approach to one of the most persistently intractable issues of our time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Filmmakers Trevor Frost and Melissa Lesh talk about their documentary Wildcat, streaming now on Amazon. We discuss their beautiful film, set in the rainforest of Peru and featuring a lot of very cute baby ocelot footage. The story focuses on two real young people and the mental and spiritual healing that re-creation provides. One is a troubled British veteran, suffering from PTSD acquired during his tour in Afghanistan. The other is an American female PhD student researching in the jungle and dealing with her history with complicated men. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In part two of a series of conversations with Don Casebolt about his new book, Father Miller’s Daughter, we discuss a minor figure with a large influence on Ellen White: S.S. Snow. Casebolt explains how Snow wrested control of the Millerites in late 1843 and used several highly allegorical interpretations that whipped the believers into a frenzy for Oct. 22, 1844. With historical detail Casebolt explores several of the texts used and then shows how Ellen White reinforced the questionable methodology even as Snow grew increasingly marginal and erratic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we are reflecting on the first year of the Imago Gei podcast. It’s been a little over a year since that defining moment of disclosing my bi identity, and today we are reflecting on the growth and journey this year has brought from the many wonderful guests who opened up an incredible world of theology, therapy, and hope for a more inclusive tomorrow. We also discuss the journey of learning to be comfortable with the uncomfortable, managing the anxiety of being different within our religious communities, and answering the big question of "when all our dragons are slayed, who am I now?" Our co-host for this week is Spiritual Care Provider Roxan Del Valle, M.Div. along with yours truly, Kendra Arsenault, M.Div. This week is our concluding podcast for this season of Imago Gei, which has been sponsored by two magnificent organizations that are so near and dear to my heart. I want to give a special thanks to Spectrum Magazine and Alexander Carpenter, in particular, along with SDA Kinship, and Floyd Poenitz, who have partnered with me to bring you this project to amplify LGBTQ voices and LGBTQ theology for a wider audience. If you as a listener are able, please be sure to support these incredible organizations @SDAKinship.org and @spectrummagazine.org See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Along with faculty sponsor Bryan Ness, PhD, four Pacific Union College students of GASP (Gay and Straight People) discuss what recently happened on campus that created a lot of pain. They also share stories of coming out and explain why a welcoming campus witness can be a great Adventist recruiting tool. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spiritual Care Provider Roxan Del Valle and myself, Kendra Arsenault, discuss on a recent panel hosted by SDA Kinship the role of Spiritual Care amid a mental health crisis. As a Spiritual Care Provider for the psychiatric unit, Chaplain Del Valle works with a team of care providers and specializes in a particular set of interventions to de-escalate and establish a grounded connection. As one of our listeners asked, how do you continue to care for your mental and spiritual health when you’re doubting your faith? What happens when your deconstruction journey takes you down the road of isolation, and you’re looking for ways to connect with self, community, and God once again? Today’s sponsors are Spectrum magazine @spectrummagazine.org and SDA kinship international @sdakinship.org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I talk with Jody Washburn (PhD, UCLA), Associate Professor of Hebrew and Biblical Studies at Walla Walla University. She explores the intersections between psychological science and theology, particularly in the area of compassion and spirituality. Dr. Washburn is passionate about empowering people to engage with scripture out of their own lived experience. In our interview, she talks about her recent work designing a course that brings together concepts of compassion and wholeness from the Bible, attachment science, and trauma studies. Learn more about her work here: www.compassionandwholeness.com and on Instagram @compassionandwholeness. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gretchen Van Ness, Civil Rights Attorney and Executive Director at LGBTQ Senior Housing Inc., discusses how the LGBTQ affordable senior housing project took flight and why LGBTQ seniors are a particularly vulnerable population. The Pryde LGBTQ, affordable Senior housing project, is a model for how to support the marginalized, provide justice for the outcast, and begin the work of healing past traumas. You can find out more at LGBTQSeniorHousing.org. Today’s sponsors, Spectrum magazine and SDA kinship international can be found at spectrummagazine.org and sdakinship.org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For this week: I kick off a new Adventist Voices series with Donald Casebolt about his brand new book, Father Miller’s Daughter (2022). He talks about his extensive research showing how William Miller’s faulty hermeneutic continues to influence Adventism through Ellen White’s endorsement. Casebolt details more than a dozen examples of William’s failed predictions—beyond the 2300 day prophecy—all employing a typological-allegorical method. He also debunks myths about Williams originality, shares specific quotes from Ellen White supporting Miller, and also notes the extremely sectarian Millerite roots of the Three Angels’ Messages. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gretchen Van Ness, Civil Rights Attorney and Executive Director at LGBTQ Senior Housing Inc. is the past president of the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts and recognized as one of Boston's top LGBT leaders by Boston Magazine. Gretchen has decades of experience in community activism and representing and advocating for the LGBTQ community. She was part of the major movements in the LGBTQ community in the 90s and 2000s that lead to the Equal Marriage Act in 2015. Today, we’re listening in to her story along with the history of LGBTQ rights and the legislation that continues to impact LGBTQ people today. For those of you who would like to know more about our guest today, Civil Rights Attorney Gretchen Van Ness or about the LGBTQ Senior housing project, stay tuned for next week and check out their website, https://www.lgbtqseniorhousing.org/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we are making space to hear Nathon Hilton’s story of being disfellowshipped at his church due to the affirmation of himself and other gay Christians. We also discuss his work in which he looks at the Androgyny of Christ in Scripture, along with other ways that marginalized identities throughout history have made space for their existence by finding their own stories in the narrative of the Bible. Nathon holds a Master of Arts in Comparative Literature and Literary Theory from the University of Salamanca in Spain, in addition to a BA in English and Theology from Andrews University. He is currently translating Alicia Johnston’s book “The Bible and LGBTQ Adventists" into Spanish and focusing his studies on the philosophical and theoretical intersections of literature, religion, and spirituality. I first met Nathon a few years ago back at Andrews, and I am excited to have him share his personal journey of faith through the LGBTQ lens as well as some of his contributions to the world of queer theology. I’m your host, Kendra Arsenault, M.Div. And our sponsors for today’s episode are Spectrum Magazine @spectrummagazine.org and SDA Kinship International @sdakinship.org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Imago Gei, we are talking about the importance of the "box," as well as the dangers of deconstruction, especially when done in isolation. Imago Gei is a podcast dedicated to the value of Imago Dei, because equality and dignity of BIPOC and LGBTQ lives matter. I’m your host Spiritual Care Provider Roxan Del Valle, M.Div. along with Kendra Arsenault, M.Div. We will also be discussing some never before heard pieces of Ms. Arsenault’s journey to affirming as well as nuggets of our own deconstructive journey, the benefits as well as the perils. So stay tuned because this is an episode you do not want to miss! We want to shout out to our sponsors for today, Spectrum Magazine and SDA Kinship. This month Kinship has an incredible lineup of educational panels and opportunities for connection, so if you would like to be a member or are just curious about finding more ways to connect with the LGBTQ community, please check them out at SDAKinship.org. As always, Spectrum Magazine has some of the latest and greatest articles about what is happening in the academic world, so to keep up with some contemporary happenings, please sign up at Spectrum Magazine.org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Imago Gei Halloween Special we discuss superstition and the ways it shows up in our spirituality. How do we integrate our encounters with coincidence, intuition, and bad energy with our rational minds, and do we even need to? Spiritual Care Provider Roxan Del Valle, M.Div. is our co-host, along with yours truly, Kendra Arsenault, M.Div. In this episode, we continue our Redefine series creating bigger boxes for a bigger God. Today we explore the Salem Witch trials, the superstitious mind, and the bordering lines between spirituality and psychosis. And we end with how connection with Self, God, and Community, are helpful bridges to cross the chasm of belief and how compassion is the tie to what makes us truly human. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Halloween, we’re talking about spooky encounters and experiences that could be classified as supernatural. How do we determine what’s real, what’s not, and what might be a mental health condition? Spiritual Care Provider Roxan Del Valle, M.Div. is our co-host, along with yours truly, Kendra Arsenault, M.Div. In this episode, we are continuing our Redefine series, creating bigger boxes for a bigger God. Today we’re discussing the role of chaplains amid a mental health crisis and ways we can feel more empowered when confronting eerie encounters and things that go bump in the night. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our third conversation on the three main figures in Gil Valentine's Ostriches and Canaries: Coping with Change in Adventist 1966-1979, we focus on Siegfried H. Horn, influential archaeologist and scripture scholar who taught at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary from 1951-1976. In this conversation Valentine shares about how he obtained Horn's diary, the role it plays in the book, and what it reveals about the tensions between occupation preservation and commitment to truth. We also draw some conclusions about how the themes of the book intersect with today's tensions between clerical administration and academic inquiry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we’re tackling the pinnacle of faith and what it all relies on, and that is the belief in God or the belief that there is something out there bigger than ourselves. Sometimes the wounds we receive in communal spaces are so big and so traumatic that we need alternative routes for connecting with God. Picking up the Bible and attending exclusive gatherings like non-affirming churches can often be more triggering for those in the LGBTQ community because of the rejection we have experienced at the hands of religion. Finding alternative routes to God, spirituality, and a personal derivation of meaning and community might mean you blaze a trail off the beaten path. Ultimately, our goal is to give each other space to encounter the Divine at our own pace. Sometimes that might look like deriving meaning from cosmic coincidences or feeling connected to something bigger than ourselves while driving through the vast landscapes of an Arizona desert. Other times, it's simply gathering gems, meaningful pieces of insight, and treasure that we can pass on to a new generation to build a bigger box for a bigger God to dwell in. Welcome back to Imago Gei, a podcast dedicated to the value of Imago Dei, because equality and dignity of BIPoC and LGBTQ lives matter. This week Spiritual Care Provider Roxan Del Valle, M.Div. is our co-host, along with yours truly, Kendra Arsenault, M.Div. In this episode, we are continuing our Redefine series creating bigger boxes for a bigger God. Happy National Hispanic Heritage month, everyone! There is so much to learn from indigenous cultures of the past and present and the ways we can validate a spirituality that is native to ourselves. Our sponsors for today are Spectrum Magazine.org and SDA Kinship.org, so if you haven’t already, please sign up for their newsletters, where you will get the latest updates on queer news and happenings or follow them on Instagram @adventistforum and @sdakinship! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to Imago Gei, a podcast dedicated to the value of Imago Dei because the equality and dignity of BIPOC and LGBTQ lives matter. This week Spiritual Care Provider Roxan Del Valle, M.Div. is our co-host, along with yours truly, Kendra Arsenault, M.Div. In this episode, we are continuing our Redefine series creating "bigger boxes for a bigger God. "A pillar of faith that could use some remodeling is the topic of Salvation. Today we are exploring the relational dynamic that we have with this concept, not to contend with anyone’s personal relationship with God. Rather we discuss how easy it is to transfer this Savior relationship to the relationships around us and how the pursuit of savior figures can keep us from important stages in adult development. We also discuss the importance of knowing when to ask for help. Sometimes a problem can be too big for one person to solve. We also challenge ourselves to know when to venture into the impossible and how to think responsibly about our futures. Happy National Hispanic Heritage month, everyone! There is so much to learn from indigenous cultures of the past and present and how we can validate a spirituality native to ourselves. Our sponsors for today are Spectrum Magazine and SDA Kinship international, so if you haven’t already, please sign up for their newsletters at spectrummagazine.org and sdakinship.org, where you will get the latest updates on queer news and happenings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ernesto Herrera, a music student at La Sierra University, talks about how he went from creating music in Cuba to the USA. We discuss how his Adventist faith, cultural heritage, and interest in mixing the sacred and secular inspires his art. In this special podcast, we also mix in several of his compositions, sung by the Brigham Young University singers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to Imago Gei, a podcast dedicated to the value of Imago Dei, because equality and dignity of LGBTQ lives matter. This week co-host Spiritual Care Provider Roxan Del Valle, M.Div. along with your host Kendra Arsenault, M.Div discuss the ways we can improve relationships and find community through shared values. Spiritual Care Provider Del Valle explores her spiritual evolution through the work of chaplaincy along with a few intriguing stories on how chaplaincy has forced her to bridge divides through common connections. We also continue our celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, exploring insights from Kat Armas' book Abuelita Faith. Our sponsors for today are Spectrum Magazine and SDA Kinship international, so if you haven’t already, please sign up for their newsletters, where you will get the latest updates on queer news and happenings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the second of a three-part series, historian Gil Valentine focuses his analysis on the main characters in his book, Ostriches and Canaries: Coping with Change in Adventism, 1966-1979, (Oak & Acorn), 2022. For this conversation, Valentine explores the motivations and methods of Richard Hammill, President of Andrews University. We explore the difficulties he tried to navigate church administrator concerns about the scholarly work and beliefs of faculty. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to Imago Gei, a podcast dedicated to the value of Imago Dei, because equality and dignity of LGBTQ lives matter. This week we have Spiritual Care Provider Roxan Del Valle, M.Div. along with your host Kendra Arsenault, M.Div both discussing the first topic in the Redefine series, where we look at finding bigger boxes for a bigger God. This week we are addressing fundamental belief number one: the Bible is a sacred text. In the spirit of finding community through common values, we’re tackling one of the first central tenets of Christian beliefs, including SDAs, to see if we can turn this belief into a value that can be shared by both Christians and non-Christians alike. In addition to this, we are celebrating National Hispanic Heritage month and beginning our podcast discussing our experience as Latinx LGBTQ persons of faith. Our sponsors for today are Spectrum Magazine and SDA Kinship international, so if you haven’t already, please sign up for their newsletters, where you will get the latest updates on queer news and happenings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to Imago Gei a play on the term Imago Dei because the dignity and equality of LGBTQ lives matter. This week on Imago Gei Kendra Arsenault, M.Div. and Roxan Del Valle, M.Div. host the episode Bigger Boxes, Bigger God, where we discuss the limitations of belief to bind us as communities and instead learn how we can begin to find common ground in common values. Further still, we ask how can we begin to find a resolution between our beliefs and our bodies. What do we do with cognitive dissonance, and how cognitive dissonance shows up in our spiritual practices? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the first of a three-part series, historian Gil Valentine focuses his analysis on the main characters in Ostriches and Canaries: Coping with Change in Adventism, 1966-1979, Oak & Acorn, 2022. For this conversation, Valentine explores the motivations and methods of Robert Pierson, General Conference President from 1966-1979. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to Imago Gei, a podcast dedicated to the value of Imago Dei, because equality and dignity of LGBTQ lives matter. On this episode of Imago Gei we have Spiritual Care Provider Roxan Del Valle, M.Div. along with your host Kendra Arsenault, M.Div discussing the book "Repotting Your Life" by Frances Edmonds and asking the question, What is Enough? We also observe the parallels in our own personal journeys of what it has meant to restart life as open, same-gender loving women, and the obstacles that arise when a person makes a fresh start. How do we begin to redefine joy? God? Faith? Salvation? And Friendship? What pots are you bursting out of and in what areas do you need to be replanted. This week is an introduction to our new series called "Redefine" where we find bigger pots to plant a more inclusive God. Our sponsors for today are Spectrum Magazine and SDA Kinship international, so if you haven’t already, please sign for their newsletters where you will get the latest updates on LGBTQ news and happenings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Juan Perla, MPA, JD, talks about the U. S. Supreme Court amicus brief we submitted last week. A graduate of Andrews University, USC, and the University of California, Berkeley and now a partner at the Curtis law firm, Perla discusses the arguments the brief makes on behalf of minority rights—particularly Seventh-day Adventists and LGBTQ folks who value marriage. The case in question is 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis and concerns the free speech clause of the First Amendment and religiously motivated discrimination. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to Imago Gei, a podcast dedicated to the value of Imago Dei, because equality and dignity are what we impart when I see the image of God in each other. This week, host Kendra Arsenault continues her conversation with Pastor Alicia Johnston, the author of her new book, "The Bible and LGBTQ Adventists,"where she addresses queer theology and answers a number of questions about the Bible and what it has to say regarding LGBTQ persons, relationships, origins, and marriage. We are picking up our conversation around how institutions often create standards that are difficult for marginalized communities to obtain to and what a more inclusive community of faith can look like. If you’d like an opportunity to win a free copy of Pastor Alicia Johnston’s new book listen to the end and find out how you can win your free copy today! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In light of the allegations surrounding Weimar, I interview Sarah McDugal, an Adventist author of several books on abuse including Myths We Believe: Predators We Trust. Sarah is the co-founder of Wilderness to WILD. After 25 years in media production, a series of life experiences led her to pivot into full-time advocacy and resource development for women escaping abuse. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to Imago Gei, a podcast dedicated to the value of Imago Dei, meaning we are all deserving of dignity because we are all made in the image of God. This week I am excited to be sharing this platform with Pastor Alicia Johnston, the author of the new book, The Bible and LGBTQ Adventists, where she addresses queer theology and answers a number of questions about the Bible and what it has to say regarding LGBTQ persons, relationships, origins, and marriage. If you’d like an opportunity to win a free copy of Pastor Alicia Johnston’s new book "The Bible and LGBTQ Adventists" listen to the end and find out how you can win your free copy today! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Josh Jamieson and David Ryan Olson talk with me about their brand new music release, “Here to Stay.” Josh is Pastor of Modern Worship on Loma Linda University Church’s Anthem, a worship collective that meets on Sabbath morning on the campus. David is Producer and Mix Engineer for Evergreen Records. We discuss what makes for good praise music, the state of Adventist music “wars,” and what motivates both of them in their ministries. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today I’m tackling a controversial question. However, it’s not so much an answer that we’re going to arrive at, but a journey we’re going to go on. Was EGW an LGBTQ? Now for those of you listening who are not familiar with Adventist history, I apologize. She was a historical figure in the founding of the Adventist church. I’m not unaware of how negatively and even unfavorably just asking this question might be received. But I really believe it’s important to ask questions, even the questions you think you shouldn’t ask. I recently gave this presentation at the Kinship Kampmeeting, and it all started when I Googled a single question, as I often do, “Was Ellen White an LGBTQ?” For those who may be wary that I’m even asking the question, let me assure you, the results are inconclusive. Culture and language, and expressions of self-identity have drastically changed since the 1840s. So we have to do a bit of time traveling to explore 19th-century same-gendered relationships. While there are no hard claims made at anything, I do investigate a series of private letters that reveal a not-so-public truth. So if you’re interested in going on a journey, buckle up because it’s a wild ride. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I talk with Chigemezi Wogu, PhD, who recently defended his dissertation on intercultural theology from the Free University Amsterdam. A graduate of Babcock University in Nigeria, Chigemezi discusses the tensions between “pristine” Nigerian Adventism and more recent spirited Pentecostal approaches to Christianity. An ethnographer and pastor by training, Chigemezi also discusses the role of empathy in academia and in his work in Berlin, Germany, serving two congregations, one multicultural and the other German-speaking. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This month we are continuing the celebrations of Pride Month, as we uplift LGBTQ stories. Today, I, Kendra Arsenault, engage with Spiritual Care Provider Roxan Del Valle to discuss the impact of the overturn of Roe v. Wade on us women along with the impacts this decision has on trans and non-binary lives. We also discuss how this decision is relevant to queer history. This weekend, I am sharing a presentation on same-gender lesbian relationships in the 1800s and discovering how much society has changed as well as how much it hasn’t. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello friends, welcome back to Imago Gei, a play on the term Imago Dei, which means in the image of God because as humans, we are all entitled to dignity and kindness. This week, I am interviewing Jay Wintermeyer, a former NAD administrator who was outed by an anonymous letter and then forced to resign. We discuss the ways these types of behaviors affect the LGBTQ community as well as better ways to be an ally. For those listening, I’m your host Kendra Arsenault and our sponsors for today are Spectrum Magazine and SDA Kinship International, so make sure you sign up for their newsletters where you will get the latest on queer news and happenings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Imago Gei (a play on the term Imago Dei), we end pride month with a heavy heart, discussing the impact of Roe v. Wade upon our lives along with some recent events in which Spectrum Magazine was uninvited to a pastoral convention because of their brave work associated with empowering LGBTQ people and voices. This week, I have Chaplain and Spiritual Care Provider Roxan Del Valle along with myself, Kendra Arsenault and our sponsors for today are Spectrum Magazine and SDA Kinship International, so make sure you sign up for their newsletters where you will get the latest on queer news and happenings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy Pride month everyone, today, I have Chaplain and Spiritual Care Provider Roxan Del Valle. In honor of pride month, I want to talk about what is family. There is often controversy when it comes to LGBTQ marriage and family, and what makes a happy home. Are children worse off if they have two gay parents? Or is there something to be celebrated about LGBTQ love and growing up in queer households? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shawn Brace, a pastor in Maine, talks about his new book, The Table I Long For (Signs Publishing) in which he tells about changing himself and his church. Brace tells about the moment gathering in a home when he asked, “Why does church have to be more than this?” We discuss drive-by evangelism, pseudo-community, and why it isn’t enough to be “not racist.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From St. Louis, MO, Spectrum’s managing digital editor Alex Aamodt and I talk about the General Conference Session. We discuss the election of Ted Wilson to his third term, some of the motions that have passed, and the ways that women’s ordination keeps showing up. We also share our thoughts on the general vibe here and how anti-vax Adventists are trying to throw a wrench in the proceedings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy Pride month everyone, today on Imago Gei, I have a special interview with the president of SDA Kinship International, Floyd Poenitz. In honor of pride month, I want to highlight Kinship, the people behind it, and the effort they have dedicated to creating safe spaces for LGBTQ Adventists. In this interview, we discuss the journey of self-acceptance and the often winding and difficult decisions we make along the road to loving ourselves. As you listen, I hope you enjoy this story of someone who has long been in the struggle for equity and witnessed steady progress towards equality and inclusion in society while continuing to work patiently with churches to envision a safer and more diverse environment. For those listening, I’m your host Kendra Arsenault and our sponsors for today are Spectrum Magazine and SDA Kinship International, so make sure you sign up for their newsletters where you will get the latest on queer news and happenings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do Adventists from South Africa, China, Brazil, and the US have in common? And what do they think needs to change in the church? This four person chat explores these questions in the first of a new series on Global Adventist Conversations focused on the 2022 General Conference session. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy Pride Month! This week Spiritual Care Provider Roxan Del Valle and Kendra Arsenault M.Div. reflect on a year of LGBTQIA pride along with female sexuality through the lens of the female gaze.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bonnie Dwyer, editor emerita of Spectrum, talks about why the 2022 GC session is important, how leaders are elected, and what changes to policy will have her attention. We discuss if it’s time for Ted Wilson to go, what qualities the church needs in its leaders, and the wording and purpose of the changes around auditing church membership. We also discuss Bonnie’s recent trip to Spain and her takeaways from walking the Camino de Santiago spiritual pilgrimage route. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Imago Gei Kendra Arsenault talks with author Kellie Woolf about her upcoming book, "Mount Hope" which is a fictional story about a community rocked by a violent outburst against a gay member of its community. It explores issues related to LGBTQIA inclusion and religious trauma while challenging readers to envision a greater future of what a diverse and inclusive church could look like. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Austin Loignon, PhD, talks about his dissertation research on John Harvey Kellogg’s European influences in health and spirituality. Loignon argues that Kellogg was influenced by Catholic Late Scholasticism revival of Thomas Aquinas' theology. A graduate of Southwestern Adventist University, Austin Loignon is an adjunct professor of History University of Texas at Arlington. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Imago Gei, we discuss healing from religious trauma with Dr. Dee Knight, a clinical psychologist. The road to healing is a journey we are all invited to take and none of us have to take it alone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Historian Michael W. Campbell talks about his new book, 1922: The Rise of Adventist Fundamentalism. We discuss GC leadership, Ellen White, creationism, and the continuing problems around Hermeneutics. Dr. Campbell is the newly appointed director of archives, statistics, and research for the North American Division. Previously serving as pastor and educator, Campbell recently was a professor of religion at Southwestern Adventist University. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My relationship with God and my relationship with the Church has often been a very different relationship. In part two of "Journey to Affirming Theology," I discuss particular junctures at which my experience and my beliefs were incongruent, and what happens at the crossroads. As someone who has grown up with an understanding of the church as a vehicle for humanitarian efforts--feeding the homeless, healing the sick, and helping the vulnerable among us--the gospel and social justice have often been inextricably linked. But what happens when the questions of ethics are at crossroads with institutional idealisms? How can we begin to allow the questions of ethics to inform how we practice a faith that performs practical good in the world? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A pastor for 43 years, Will James, now retired from leading the Paradise Valley Adventist Church, talks about his continuing work engaging his local community. Assimilating refugees, delivering food, caring for a community garden, Pastor James discusses Friendships for Hope, his history and his continuing work for toward a multifaceted ministry to the large refugee and low income communities of San Diego, CA. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this LGBTQ Podcast, Dr. Melodie Roschman discusses her dissertation, "Identity, Counternarrative, and Community in Progressive Christian Women's Memoir," with Kendra Arsenault on this episode of Imago Gei, affirming Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer identities in religious spaces. When we think about testimony in Scripture, eye-witness accounts, what a person heard or saw, life stories like Ruth and Esther, the testimony of John in Revelation, or the visions of Isaiah and Daniel, personal experience with the world and with God matter. So what is the place of personal story and memoir when building a reflective theology? How do we include the proverbial Yelp Review of certain Christian disciplines or traditions and use it to inform our present beliefs and practices? What’s the role of feedback and should it be taken into consideration when building a belief about God? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Darriel Hoy, who earned a BA in Public Policy from Duke University and an MDiv from Andrews University shares her vision for community engagement in Adventism. An ordained minister with 18 years of church ministry service, Darriel is the Communications Director for the Office of Regional Ministries and the Regional Conference Retirement Plan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The journey to becoming LGBTQ affirming in a religious setting or church environment is dependent on more than simple Bible knowledge or good exegesis. LGBTQ affirming is a position people come to based on a theology that takes holistic consideration of what is ethical, good, and just. At a minimum, LGBTQ affirming is to exercise the reflexive practice of asking how a particular theological construct advantages or disadvantages people, especially marginalized people. The experiences for queer, trans, gay, and lesbian members under the religious constructs of the church are the nerve endings that, in a healthy body, signal to the brain vital feedback necessary to keep the body from harm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.