Jesus, Justice + Mercy: Bold faith, radical love and justice for the church
Jesus, Justice + Mercy
Bold faith, radical love, and justice for the church.
Welcome to Jesus, Justice + Mercy, a podcast for those who believe justice matters but aren’t sure how it fits with the faith they’ve always known. If you’re wrestling with the disconnect between Jesus and what you see in the church, you’re not alone.
I'm your host, Kristen, a woman rooted in the church, learning to reimagine faith through the lens of justice and mercy. In this season, we’ll explore the tensions between faith, justice, and identity. We’ll unpack hard questions about race, trauma, civic responsibility, and how we move forward with bold faith and radical love.
Whether you’re deconstructing, rebuilding, or simply asking honest questions, this is a space to listen, learn, and live out a justice-centered faith that’s deeply rooted in the heart of Scripture.
Jesus, Justice + Mercy: Bold faith, radical love and justice for the church
Not Just Pie and Playlists: Bias, Privilege, and the Bible
Episode 5: “Not Just Pie and Playlists: Bias, Privilege, and the Bible”
Bias isn’t just about politics. Privilege isn’t just about power. And interpreting Scripture isn’t as neutral as we’ve been taught.
In this deeply personal episode, I share why I almost didn’t hit record, and why I knew I had to. We’re talking about the invisible lenses we all carry, the unearned advantages we may not notice, and how both shape how we read the Bible and live out our faith.
From sweet potato pie to Paul’s letters, we explore how culture, race, and power influence theology. You’ll hear how enslaved Africans saw liberation in Exodus while white Christians clung to control through Paul. We’ll wrestle with questions like:
· Who’s been centered in your faith formation?
· How has theological privilege shaped what gets called “truth”?
· What happens when we read Jesus through the lens of empire instead of love?
If you’ve ever felt uncomfortable in conversations about justice and Scripture, this one’s for you. The goal isn’t guilt, it’s integrity. And the invitation? To stay curious, hold your questions close, and let disruption lead to deeper faith.
Just a few books I have learned from and have shaped my theology:
· Color of Compromise: Jemar Tisby
· Dear White Peacemakers: Osheta Moore
· Jesus and the Disinherited: Howard Thurman
· Shoutin’ In the Fire: Dante Stewart
· Reading While Black: Esau McCaulley
· After Whiteness: Willie James Jennings
· Colorblind: Tim Wise
· The Politics of Jesus: Obery M. Hendricks
· A Fire in the Bones: Albert J. Raboteau
· Unsettling Truth: Mark Charles and Soong-Chan Rah
· We Drink From Our Own Wells: Gustavo Gutiérrez
· God of the Oppressed: James Cone
An invitation to think about things:
1. When you read Scripture, whose voice or experience do you connect with most? The marginalized? The powerful? The rule-keepers or the rule-breakers?
2. How has your race, gender, upbringing, or culture shaped your view of God?
3. Where might you be mistaking familiarity for truth? Or comfort for clarity?
4. Have you ever dismissed someone’s interpretation because it felt unfamiliar or too disruptive?
5. What voices have you trusted to shape your theology? And who’s been left out?
If you find hope and challenge here, help grow this community by liking, sharing, and leaving a review so more people can join us in pursuing justice and Jesus together.
RESOURCES:
Holy Disruption: Reclaiming a Justice-Rooted Faith course info and interest list
Justice Coaching options!