96: The Homophobic Belief Statement That Will Send Foster Children Back To The System

Bethany Christian Services, the nation's largest Protestant adoption and foster care agency, has decided that all staff, board members, foster families, and adoptive families must sign a belief statement defining marriage as "a covenant between one man and one woman." The change takes effect in June 2027(happy pride!)   Obviously, this is unacceptable. But somehow, Bethany Christian Services is defending their discrimination with the Bible. How can they make this claim without the cognitive dissonance breaking their brain? Why did they make this change? What does the Bible actually say about this, and what will the effect be on our society? What will the effect be on these children? Join us to break down this insanity and more, and learn about what you can do to fight back.   Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro/ Cold Open 6:00 - Bethany Christian Services Homophobia 20:00 - Evangelical Christianity + Adoption 28:00 - The Statement Of Faith 40:00 - "Biblical Family" 49:00 - Olmstead Decision 1:04:00 - Good News :)   Show Notes: Bethany Christian Services Commits to Homophobia Over Helping Kids 1: https://religionnews.com/2026/06/22/is-bethanys-break-with-lgbtq-people-a-bellwether-for-foster-care/  Source 2: https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/christian-adoption-giant-reverses ACLU Statement On Olmstead: https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/aclu-statement-on-doj-memo-threatening-the-right-to-community-living-for-people-with-disabilities Overview of Olmstead Decision: https://thearc.org/blog/doj-opinion-on-olmstead-threatens-the-right-of-people-with-disabilities-to-live-in-the-community/ Lost In America: ‎Lost in America - Apple TV RFK Says kids should go to "wellness camps" https://www.npr.org/2026/04/29/nx-s1-5798733/rfk-jr-addiction-treatment-centers Coral Reef Resilience: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-identify-swaths-of-coral-reefs-that-might-be-able-to-withstand-climate-change-offering-new-avenues-for-conservation-180988976/  The Progressive Christians Podcast is available on all podcast platforms, TikTok, and Instagram. You can find the links and the links to the host's social media here: https://linktr.ee/theprogressivechristians    Please subscribe to the Love Your Neighbor newsletter, an outgrowth of this podcast community. It will be a way for us to create new relationships and deepen existing ones with people of faith who want to learn how to practice their faith in ways that align with their values of love, justice, and compassion. We hope to see you on Substack!   If you love the show, please sign up to become a supporter of The Progressive Christians Podcast! You can choose to make a one-time or monthly donation, and your support is tax-deductible. We need your support to continue and grow this outreach ministry. You can sign up to support us here: https://secure.myvanco.com/YGTN/campaign/C-168BG?access=tile_direct   The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at [email protected].