31. Jeremy Steele (United Methodist, Skeptic Pastor) - Stop Ceding Faith: Democrats & Media Need Progressive Pastors Now

🎙️ 31. Jeremy Steele (United Methodist, Skeptic Pastor) - Stop Ceding Faith: Democrats and Media Need Progressive Pastors NowAlexis sits down with Jeremy Steele (@skeptic.pastor), a United Methodist pastor, author, and self-described “deep skeptic,” for a bold, unfiltered conversation about faith, politics, and the stories shaping Christianity in America today.Jeremy returns to The Sacred Slope to challenge some of the most widely held beliefs in evangelical spaces - including the rapture - and to name what’s really happening when extreme voices dominate the narrative. Together, Alexis and Jeremy unpack Christian nationalism, the absence of progressive faith voices in media and politics, and why that silence is creating a dangerous vacuum.This episode is both a wake-up call and a clear invitation: if Democrats and media want to reach people of faith, they cannot keep ignoring progressive pastors. The voices exist. The audience is there. The moment is now.💬 In This Episode• Why the rapture isn’t supported by serious biblical scholarship• How fear-based theology stays in our bodies even after deconstruction• Christian nationalism and the “shock jock” effect in media• Why Democrats and progressive media have ceded the language of faith• A direct call: put progressive pastors and faith leaders on stage• The gap between evangelical narratives and global Christianity• Letting go of all-or-nothing faith frameworks• Reclaiming spiritual practices and rituals after church hurt• Why compassion is central to the teachings of Jesus👥 People/Resources Mentioned• Jeremy Steele: @skepticpastor | https://skepticpastor.com • Rituals for Heretics: https://skepticpastor.com/rituals • How to Not Suck as a Christian https://jeremy-steele.com/suck-book• Dan McClellan: @maklelan• Jennifer Garcia Bashaw: @jgbashaw• The Bible for Normal People: @thebiblefornormalpeople• Senator Raphael Warnock: @raphaelwarnock• Jimmy Kimmel: @jimmykimmel• Stephen Colbert: @stephenathome• MSNow: @msnbc• CNN: @cnn • Don Lemon Show: @donlemonofficialFrom calling out harmful theology to naming the silence in progressive spaces, Jeremy makes a compelling case: the rapture isn’t real, but the consequences of bad theology are. And if we don’t elevate better voices, we leave the loudest ones unchecked.#Christianity #deconstruction #progressiveChristianity #ChristianNationalism #faithandpolitics #exvangelical #OpenAndAffirming #MentalHealthSupport 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