29. Part 2. Reproductive Rights - Rev. jessica young chang (UCC): Faith, Freedom, and Who Gets to Decide

🎙️ 29. Part 2. Reproductive Rights - Rev. jessica young chang (UCC): Faith, Freedom, and Who Gets to DecideA note: This is so hard to talk about.I was raised to believe this was the issue. The line you could never cross.And if you did… you were wrong. You were evil.So I get it. I really do.But after listening to real stories… and sitting with real people… I realized this isn’t simple. It never was.There’s more nuance here than we were told.Alexis Rice sits down with rev. jessica young chang, a UCC minister and reproductive chaplain, for a compassionate conversation about faith, reproductive justice, and what it means to follow Jesus in complex, real-world situations.Following Part 1 with Alexis’s childhood friend Valerie - a story of pregnancy, cancer, and survival - this episode moves into the pastoral and theological realities behind reproductive decisions.This is a deeply emotional topic. For many Christians in the United States, this has been the defining political issue for over 40 years. Many have been taught that to think differently is to be wrong, sinful, or beyond redemption.If you feel tension, grief, or resistance as you listen, you are not alone.This episode does not tell you what to think. It invites you to listen.Together, they explore how faith, power, and the body intersect - and create space for those who have felt judged, silenced, or pushed out of the conversation.At the heart of this episode is a grounding truth: nothing separates you from the love of God.💬 In This Episode• Reproductive chaplaincy & spiritual care• Why this issue is not simple or binary• What the Bible does/doesn't say about abortion• Life begins at breath & personhood• Power, politics, & Christian nationalism• Pro-life vs anti-choice• Why access reduces abortion rates• Real-world consequences when care is restricted• Grief, relief, & lived experiences• Deconstructing faith while holding onto Jesus• Navigating shame & inherited beliefs• A prayer for healing & freedom👥 THANK YOU to the following folks who allowed me to include their social media clips in this episode:• Dan McClellan: @maklelan• Tim Whitaker: @timwhitakerspeaks / @thenewevangelicals• Mark Sandlin: @marksandlin / @progressivechristianity / @the_christian_left• John Fugelsang: @johnfugelsang• Jeremy Steele: @skeptic.pastor• Heather Gardner: @heathergtv📚 OrganizationsFaith Aloud | Faith Choice Ohio @faithchoiceohioPlanned Parenthood @plannedparenthood#Christianity #deconstruction #reproductiverightsSupport the showAbout The Sacred SlopeWhere 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: [email protected]🌿 Community Guidelines 🌿Fruit of the Spirit:  ❤️ love • 💫 joy • ☮️ peace • 🕊 patience • 💝 kindness • 🌿 goodness • 🙏 faithfulness • 🤲 gentleness • 💪 self-control