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68. Robert P. Jones, PhD (PRRI) | Backslide: Christian Nationalism, Trump & America's Moral Reckoning
What happens when Christians are taught that one political party speaks for God? What happens to democracy when faith becomes a tool for political power? And how do we reclaim our moral conscience?
Just before the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, Dr. Robert P. Jones (Robby), founder and president of the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), joins Alexis Rice to discuss his book Backslide: Reclaiming a Faith and a Nation after the Christian Turn Against Democracy.
I believe Backslide is one of the most important books of our time. Whether you're in America or elsewhere, it offers a way to understand the history, research, and choices shaping this moment.
Tim Whitaker of The New Evangelicals has a cameo joins the episode to reflect on some findings from PRRI's new American Values Survey.
Alexis and Robby discuss Christian nationalism, white evangelical support for Trump, biblical authority, religious formation, and what happens when Christians hand their moral conscience to a party or pastor. They explore the stakes of the midterms, democratic checks and balances, protest, civic engagement, and why American Christian nationalism affects people far beyond U.S. borders. Amid the troubling data, where can we find hope?
WHO IS THIS EPISODE FOR?
Christians, exvangelicals, pastors, scholars, voters, and anyone concerned about faith, democracy, religious nationalism, and human rights worldwide.
GUEST + FOLLOW
Dr. Robert P. Jones | @robertpjonesdc
PRRI | @prripoll | prri.org
Cameo Tim Whitaker | @thenewevangelicals @timwhitakerspeaks
The Convocation Unscripted | convocation.substack.com
MENTIONED + RESOURCES
Backslide; White Too Long; The End of White Christian America | Robert P. Jones
Get it on The Sacred Slope Guest Reccos Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/shop/thesacredslope
PRRI American Values Survey | PRRI & Brookings
Diana Butler Bass | @dianabutlerbass
Kristin Kobes Du Mez | @kkdumez
Jemar Tisby | @jemartisby
EXPLORE AFFIRMING CHRISTIANITY
Hear from guests around the world
TheSacredSlope.com | Episodes, guests & resources
EPISODE CHAPTERS
02:18 | Christianity's Global Impact
07:24 | Robert P. Jones & Backslide
10:01 | Religion, Media & Politics
14:39 | Why Backslide Matters
16:59 | When Data Breaks Your Heart
19:47 | The Welcome Table
21:38 | What Americans Are Feeling
24:19 | Stakes of the Midterms
29:23 | Reclaiming Moral Conscience
40:48 | Scripture & Religious Formation
43:12 | Christian Nationalism
46:51 | Protest & Civic Engagement
49:32 | Finding Common Ground
56:43 | A Moment of Reckoning
59:55 | Moral Responsibility
01:05:06 | Humanity & Hope
#ChristianNationalism #Backslide #RobertPJones #Democracy #Deconstruction #christianity
Support the show
About The Sacred Slope 
thesacredslope.com

Where the slippery slope becomes sacred ground.
For the spiritually tender - raised in or rooted in Christianity.
Come explore our global, diverse, inclusive Christian faith, deconstruction, and spiritual identity in a rapidly changing world. Through conversations with clergy, scholars, and cultural voices, the show creates space for people navigating faith after certainty, church harm, or political co-option of religion.
🎧 WATCH: YouTube / Spotify
     LISTEN: Apple Podcasts + everywhere
     FOLLOW: @thesacredslope (IG, FB, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky)
🔗 Connect
🎧 Explore episodes & community: linktr.ee/TheSacredSlope
🎙 Hosted by Alexis Rice
🎵 Music by Brett Rutledge, Eddie Irvin & Sean Spence
📬 Nominate a guest: alexis@thesacredslope.com
🌿 Community Guidelines 🌿
Fruit of the Spirit:  ❤️ love • 💫 joy • ☮️ peace • 🕊 patience • 💝 kindness • 🌿 goodness • 🙏 faithfulness • 🤲 gentleness • 💪 self-control

Send us Fan Mail
67. Tracy E. Gilchrist | Holding Space in Hollywood: Queer Media, Advocacy & the Power of Human Connection
What does it take to make some of Hollywood's biggest stars feel truly seen?
For Tracy E. Gilchrist, it starts with a simple question, genuine curiosity, and the willingness to hold space for another human being.
The longtime LGBTQ+ entertainment journalist and former editor-in-chief of The Advocate became a viral sensation after her unforgettable "holding space" interview with Wicked stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. But there's so much more to Tracy than one viral moment.
After decades of interviewing Hollywood's biggest names and amplifying LGBTQ+ voices, Tracy is bringing her distinctive warmth, empathy, and love of storytelling to Holding Space with Tracy E. Gilchrist.
In this episode of The Sacred Slope, Tracy joins Alexis Rice for a heartfelt conversation about Hollywood, queer representation, the importance of independent LGBTQ+ journalism, and what it means to create genuine human connection in a world that too often divides us.
Tracy shares her coming-out journey, reflects on the importance of The Advocate and the It Gets Better Project, and explores why visibility and authentic storytelling matter - especially when LGBTQ+ communities face growing hostility.
They also discuss Christianity, the impact of Christian Nationalism on queer lives, meaningful allyship, and where Tracy finds joy, courage, and hope.
Beyond the viral moments and celebrity interviews is a woman who has spent her career helping people feel seen, heard, and valued. This is her story.
In this episode
The viral Wicked interview and the meaning of "holding space"
Hollywood, celebrity interviews, and the art of human connection
Tracy's new show, Holding Space with Tracy E. Gilchrist
Her journey through LGBTQ+ entertainment journalism
The Advocate and the importance of queer media
The It Gets Better Project and uplifting LGBTQ+ youth
Tracy's personal coming-out story
Queer identity, Christianity, and Christian nationalism
Threats to LGBTQ+ representation in entertainment
Finding hope, joy, and community in challenging times
Explore more
The Sacred Slope: https://thesacredslope.com
Explore searchable conversations with pastors, scholars, artists, and cultural voices about faith, identity, belonging, and the world we're creating together.
Chapters
00:19 Introduction to Tracy E. Gilchrist
01:33 The Art of Holding Space
03:26 Getting to Know Tracy E. Gilchrist
09:53 The Impact of "Defying Gravity"
12:30 Tracy's Journey in Queer Media
19:53 It Gets Better: Uplifting Queer Youth
22:19 Holding Space as a Personal Ethos
23:43 Tracy's Coming-Out Story
26:09 The Advocate: A Lifeline for the Community
35:49 Why Queer Media Matters
39:41 Navigating Queer Identity and Christianity
39:52 Christian Nationalism and Its Impact on Queer Lives
41:55 What Meaningful Allyship Looks Like
43:56 Threats to Queer Representation in Media
46:12 Hope and Resilience in Queer Communities
47:04 The Role of Money in Church Dynamics
47:18 Finding Joy and Hope in Public Figures
52:26 Community Support and Personal Resilience
56:04 The Sacred Slope and Clergy Nominations
Media Credits: Photos courtesy of Tracy E. Gilchrist’s press kit. Additional video and images sourced from Tracy E. Gilchrist’s Instagram and original media publishers. All rights belong to their respective owners.
#LGBTQ #QueerMedia #deconstruction
Support the show
About The Sacred Slope 
thesacredslope.com

Where the slippery slope becomes sacred ground.
For the spiritually tender - raised in or rooted in Christianity.
Come explore our global, diverse, inclusive Christian faith, deconstruction, and spiritual identity in a rapidly changing world. Through conversations with clergy, scholars, and cultural voices, the show creates space for people navigating faith after certainty, church harm, or political co-option of religion.
🎧 WATCH: YouTube / Spotify
     LISTEN: Apple Podcasts + everywhere
     FOLLOW: @thesacredslope (IG, FB, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky)
🔗 Connect
🎧 Explore episodes & community: linktr.ee/TheSacredSlope
🎙 Hosted by Alexis Rice
🎵 Music by Brett Rutledge, Eddie Irvin & Sean Spence
📬 Nominate a guest: alexis@thesacredslope.com
🌿 Community Guidelines 🌿
Fruit of the Spirit:  ❤️ love • 💫 joy • ☮️ peace • 🕊 patience • 💝 kindness • 🌿 goodness • 🙏 faithfulness • 🤲 gentleness • 💪 self-control

Send us Fan Mail
66. Meghan Tschanz (Exvangelical) | How Purity Culture Fuels **pe Culture & Silences Women
What happens when Christianity teaches girls that their bodies are dangerous—and men's behavior is their responsibility?
What if purity culture doesn't protect women, but helps create the conditions for abuse?
And what happens when Christian women trust their own voices?
Meghan Tschanz, author of Women Rising and host of Faith and Feminism, joins Alexis Rice to explore purity culture, rape culture, patriarchy, sexual violence, consent, and Christian feminism.
Raised evangelical, Meghan learned that a good Christian girl should be modest, submissive, obedient, and responsible for men's desires. 
Together, Alexis and Meghan examine how purity culture can normalize victim-blaming, protect male power, and teach women to distrust their intuition. They challenge biblical patriarchy, the manosphere, tradwife ideology, and the claim that male dominance defines Christianity.
They also discuss feminist theology, seminary, diverse Christian traditions, and replacing purity culture with consent culture.
What if questioning harmful teachings isn't abandoning Jesus—but following him more faithfully?
And what if girls never had to shrink themselves to please God?
The slippery slope doesn't have to lead to hell. Sometimes it leads to sacred ground.
WHO IS THIS EPISODE FOR?
Women healing from purity culture, sexual shame, or religious trauma; evangelicals and exvangelicals questioning patriarchy; survivors; and parents, pastors, and men seeking healthier conversations about consent, equality, and power.
✨ GUEST + FOLLOW
Meghan Tschanz | IG: @meghantschanz
Faith and Feminism | meghantschanz.com
📚 MENTIONED + RESOURCES
Women Rising | Meghan Tschanz
Jesus and John Wayne | Kristin Kobes Du Mez
John Fugelsang | Jesus and Women
Mattie Mae Motl | Feminist Theology
Amy Moses | Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy
Mark Driscoll | Biblical Patriarchy Discussion
Matthew 5 | Jesus on Lust and Responsibility
Sacred Slope Book Reccos: https://bookshop.org/shop/thesacredslope
⛪ EXPLORE AFFIRMING CHRISTIANITY
Church Clarity | @churchclarity
The Episcopal Church | @theepiscopalchurch
United Church of Christ | @unitedchurchofchrist
ELCA | @elca
PC(USA) | @pcusa
⏱️ EPISODE CHAPTERS
02:45 | A Difficult Conversation for Christian Women
04:41 | Growing Up in Purity Culture
18:33 | Are These Really Christian Values?
25:01 | Leaving Evangelical Patriarchy
35:10 | Purity Culture vs. Consent Culture
37:19 | How Church Culture Harms Women
39:12 | The Myth of Biblical Womanhood
42:23 | Seminary and Questioning Authority
47:35 | Discovering Diverse Christian Theology
52:46 | Finding Healthier Christian Communities
56:24 | Reclaiming Your God-Given Voice
1:03:01 | Spirituality, Nature and Healing
#PurityCulture #RapeCulture #ChristianFeminism #ReligiousTrauma #Exvangelical
Support the show
About The Sacred Slope 
thesacredslope.com

Where the slippery slope becomes sacred ground.
For the spiritually tender - raised in or rooted in Christianity.
Come explore our global, diverse, inclusive Christian faith, deconstruction, and spiritual identity in a rapidly changing world. Through conversations with clergy, scholars, and cultural voices, the show creates space for people navigating faith after certainty, church harm, or political co-option of religion.
🎧 WATCH: YouTube / Spotify
     LISTEN: Apple Podcasts + everywhere
     FOLLOW: @thesacredslope (IG, FB, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky)
🔗 Connect
🎧 Explore episodes & community: linktr.ee/TheSacredSlope
🎙 Hosted by Alexis Rice
🎵 Music by Brett Rutledge, Eddie Irvin & Sean Spence
📬 Nominate a guest: alexis@thesacredslope.com
🌿 Community Guidelines 🌿
Fruit of the Spirit:  ❤️ love • 💫 joy • ☮️ peace • 🕊 patience • 💝 kindness • 🌿 goodness • 🙏 faithfulness • 🤲 gentleness • 💪 self-control

Send us Fan Mail
65. Rev. Darrell Hamilton II (Baptist) | Healing Religious Trauma: Tending to Open Wounds
What happens when the Christianity that was supposed to heal you is what wounded you?
What if questioning your faith isn't a slippery slope to hell, but the beginning of liberation?
And what if the image of God you inherited shapes how you see women, LGBTQ+ people, race, and power?
Rev. Darrell R. Hamilton II is an ordained Baptist minister, preacher, writer, and advocate for faith-rooted justice. A graduate of Wake Forest University School of Divinity, he has served at Middle Collegiate Church and worked with Repairers of the Breach and the Poor People's Campaign.
Rev. Darrell joins Alexis Rice for a powerful conversation about religious trauma, deconstruction, Black liberation theology, decolonizing Christianity, Christian nationalism, and what it really takes to heal from harmful Christianity.
Raised in Oklahoma, Rev. Darrell grew up believing that questioning certain Christian teachings could threaten his salvation.
Then he met a gay Christian whose church wouldn't allow him to sing in the choir.
How could a church silence someone's praise to God?
That question changed everything.
At Wake Forest University School of Divinity, Rev. Darrell discovered an enormous Christian theological world he had never been introduced to. Black liberation theology. Queer theology. Feminine images of God. Perspectives that challenged everything he had been taught about who God is and who belongs.
Together, Alexis and Rev. Darrell explore why so many Christians never encounter these perspectives, how white-centered theology became normalized, and what happens when Christians imagine God exclusively as a white man.
They discuss James Cone, the power of Black preaching and worship, and why liberation theology invites us to understand Christianity through the experiences of people who have been oppressed.
If the way we imagine God shapes how we treat one another, what happens when we change our understanding of God?
And then there's the question of healing.
Some people have scars from harmful Christianity. Others are still carrying open wounds. Not everyone is ready to reconstruct their faith, return to church, or even talk about God.
How can pastors, churches, and those who understand multiple Christian traditions help people heal without causing more harm?
Rev. Darrell also shares his hope for his daughter and the next generation: a Christianity rooted in love, justice, dignity, belonging, and the beloved community rather than fear and domination.
The slippery slope doesn't have to lead to hell.
Sometimes it leads to sacred ground.
WHO IS THIS EPISODE FOR?
Evangelicals in distress, exvangelicals, and anyone navigating religious trauma, deconstruction, or disillusionment.
Christians who still love Jesus but are questioning the theology, politics, and power structures they inherited.
LGBTQ+ Christians, women in ministry, and people who have been told they don't belong.
White Christians seeking to learn from Black liberation theology, decolonization, and Christian traditions beyond their own.
Cradle mainliners and progressive Christians who want to better understand the experiences of those leaving fundamentalist Christianity.
People of any faith or none seeking healing, justice, and hope.
Pastors, seminarians, scholars, bishops, and church leaders who want to create communities where people can question, heal, and belong.
✨ GUEST + FOLLOW
Rev. Darrell R. Hamilton II (Baptist) | IG: @blackandeducatedpreacher
Wake Forest University School of Divinity | IG: @wakedivinity
Middle Collegiate Church | IG: @middlechurch
📚 MENTIONED + RESOURCES
Rev. Dr. James H. Cone | Black Liberation Theology
A Black Theology of Liberation | James H. Cone
The Cross and the Lynching Tree | James H. Cone
Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas | Womanist Theology
Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God | Kelly Brown Douglas
Gustavo Gutiérrez | Liberation Theology
Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis | IG: @revjacquilewis
Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III | Trinity United Church of Christ
Bishop William J. Barber II | Repairers of the Breach
Repairers of the Breach | breachrepairers.org
Poor People's Campaign | poorpeoplescampaign.org
Rev. Dr. Bill Leonard | Wake Forest University
John Mark Comer | IG: @johnmarkcomer
Practicing the Way | John Mark Comer
Diana Butler Bass | IG: @dianabutlerbass
Find these books and more on The Sacred Slope Book Reccos List: https://bookshop.org/shop/thesacredslope
⛪ EXPLORE AFFIRMING CHRISTIANITY
Church Clarity | @churchclarity | churchclarity.org
The Episcopal Church | @theepiscopalchurch
United Methodist Church | @theumc
United Church of Christ | @unitedchurchofchrist
ELCA Lutheran | @elca
Presbyterian Church (USA) | @pcusa
Disciples of Christ | @disciplesofchrist
⏱️ EPISODE CHAPTERS
00:00 | When Christianity Causes Harm
12:45 | Meet Rev. Darrell Hamilton II
14:58 | The Future of Progressive Churches
23:04 | The Slippery Slope to Hell
29:30 | Deconstruction in Seminary
37:28 | Finding an Open-Minded Seminary
42:00 | What Christian Bookstores Didn't Teach Us
44:48 | Questioning Traditional Theology
47:41 | Discovering Feminine Images of God
51:11 | Is God a Man?
55:42 | How Theology Shapes Society
1:00:17 | What Is Liberation Theology?
1:06:36 | Understanding God and Jesus
1:07:22 | Theology Through the Eyes of the Oppressed
1:08:11 | Deconstructing White-Centered Christianity
1:09:10 | Seeing God in Others
1:09:55 | Confronting Whiteness in Christianity
1:11:43 | Why Black Preaching Matters
1:13:10 | Divesting from Whiteness
1:14:39 | Entering Sacred Spaces
1:15:11 | The Beauty of Black Worship
1:16:32 | An Invitation into Black Churches
1:18:39 | Reclaiming Identity Through Diversity
1:20:33 | The Path to Transformation
1:21:35 | Building the Beloved Community
1:23:11 | Hearing God Through Diversity
1:26:04 | The Sacred Slope Community & Clergy Nominations
#ReligiousTrauma #Deconstruction #LiberationTheology #BlackLiberationTheology #DecolonizingChristianity
Support the show
About The Sacred Slope 
thesacredslope.com

Where the slippery slope becomes sacred ground.
For the spiritually tender - raised in or rooted in Christianity.
Come explore our global, diverse, inclusive Christian faith, deconstruction, and spiritual identity in a rapidly changing world. Through conversations with clergy, scholars, and cultural voices, the show creates space for people navigating faith after certainty, church harm, or political co-option of religion.
🎧 WATCH: YouTube / Spotify
     LISTEN: Apple Podcasts + everywhere
     FOLLOW: @thesacredslope (IG, FB, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky)
🔗 Connect
🎧 Explore episodes & community: linktr.ee/TheSacredSlope
🎙 Hosted by Alexis Rice
🎵 Music by Brett Rutledge, Eddie Irvin & Sean Spence
📬 Nominate a guest: alexis@thesacredslope.com
🌿 Community Guidelines 🌿
Fruit of the Spirit:  ❤️ love • 💫 joy • ☮️ peace • 🕊 patience • 💝 kindness • 🌿 goodness • 🙏 faithfulness • 🤲 gentleness • 💪 self-control

Send us Fan Mail
64. Healing After Evangelicalism & Finding a Beautiful Faith | Diana Butler Bass (Methodist → Evangelical → Episcopal)
What if the Christianity you were taught was never the only Christianity that existed?
What if leaving evangelicalism didn't mean leaving Jesus?
And what if the people best positioned to help heal Christianity are those who understand more than one Christian world?
Dr. Diana Butler Bass, historian, theologian, and bestselling author, joins Alexis Rice for a conversation about religious trauma, deconstruction, Christian nationalism, and finding beauty and belonging beyond evangelical fundamentalism.
Diana shares her journey from a Methodist childhood through evangelicalism and into the Episcopal Church. Together, they explore the theological diversity many Christians never knew existed and why mainline churches can offer an alternative to the faith systems people are leaving.
At the heart of this conversation is the urgent need for TRANSLATORS.
People who understand evangelical culture AND mainline Christianity. People who can explain evangelical beliefs, fears, and wounds to progressive Christians, pastors, and scholars, while helping those leaving high-control religion discover other ways of following Jesus.
WHO IS THIS EPISODE FOR?
For evangelicals in distress and exvangelicals seeking healing.
For cradle mainliners and progressive Christians who want to understand the evangelical world.
For people of any faith or none who are carrying religious wounds and longing for hope.
And especially for seminarians, scholars, pastors, bishops, and church leaders who want to welcome people shaped by religious trauma and learn from those who can translate between Christian traditions.
Diana reminds us:
"Mainline theology is not a Jenga Tower. Mainline theology is a mosaic."
We also explore her new book, A Beautiful Year: 52 Meditations on Faith, Wisdom, and Perseverance, the Christian calendar, and the beauty of quiet faith.
There are other ways to follow Jesus. There is still beauty to be found.
✨ GUEST + BOOKS
Diana Butler Bass | @dianabutlerbass
A Beautiful Year bookshop.org/shop/thesacredslope
The Cottage | dianabutlerbass.substack.com

⛪ EXPLORE MAINLINE CHRISTIANITY
Episcopal Church | @theepiscopalchurch
United Methodist Church | @theumc
United Church of Christ | @unitedchurchofchrist
ELCA Lutheran | @elca
Presbyterian Church (USA) | @pcusa
Disciples of Christ | @disciplesofchrist
🎙️ PEOPLE + COMMUNITIES
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde | @mariannbudde
Kristin Kobes Du Mez | @kkdumez
Jemar Tisby | @jemartisby
Robert P. Jones | @robertpjonesdc
Theology Beer Camp | @theologybeercamp
Tripp Fuller | @trippfuller
Dr Jennifer Garcia Bashaw | @jgbashaw
Homebrewed Christianity | @theologynerd
Bible for Normal People | @biblefornormalpeople
Pete Enns | @peteenns
Jared Byas | @jaredbyas
Brian McLaren | @brian_mclaren
Sarah Bessey | @sarahbessey
Jen Hatmaker | @jenhatmaker
Nadia Bolz-Weber | @sarcasticlutheran
Barbara Brown Taylor | @barbarabrowntaylor
Rachel Held Evans (1981-2019) | @rachelheldevans
⏱️ CHAPTERS
03:51 | Meet Diana Butler Bass
11:48 | Methodist to Evangelical
14:46 | Taking Jesus With You
23:21 | Why Christianity Needs Translators
28:54 | Evangelical vs. Mainline
33:43 | Finding a New Church Home
39:48 | Translating Religious Trauma
45:59 | Why Young Adults Leave
52:13 | Jesus, Politics & No Kings
58:02 | Jenga Towers vs. Mosaics
01:03:53 | Deception & Responsibility
01:06:19 | Healing After Evangelicalism
01:10:01 | The Beauty of Quiet Faith
01:14:20 | Empathy & Shared Grief
01:17:36 | A Beautiful Year
01:22:48 | Opening Our Minds
01:36:48 | The Sacred Slope Community
#DianaButlerBass #ABeautifulYear #Deconstruction #ReligiousTrauma #MainlineChristianity
Support the show
About The Sacred Slope 
thesacredslope.com

Where the slippery slope becomes sacred ground.
For the spiritually tender - raised in or rooted in Christianity.
Come explore our global, diverse, inclusive Christian faith, deconstruction, and spiritual identity in a rapidly changing world. Through conversations with clergy, scholars, and cultural voices, the show creates space for people navigating faith after certainty, church harm, or political co-option of religion.
🎧 WATCH: YouTube / Spotify
     LISTEN: Apple Podcasts + everywhere
     FOLLOW: @thesacredslope (IG, FB, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky)
🔗 Connect
🎧 Explore episodes & community: linktr.ee/TheSacredSlope
🎙 Hosted by Alexis Rice
🎵 Music by Brett Rutledge, Eddie Irvin & Sean Spence
📬 Nominate a guest: alexis@thesacredslope.com
🌿 Community Guidelines 🌿
Fruit of the Spirit:  ❤️ love • 💫 joy • ☮️ peace • 🕊 patience • 💝 kindness • 🌿 goodness • 🙏 faithfulness • 🤲 gentleness • 💪 self-control