Ep 4: Faith Communities and Institutions episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 9, 2026 · 1H 35M

Ep 4: Faith Communities and Institutions

from The Side Aisle · host Sara Billups, Amanda Held Opelt, Kendall Vanderslice, Lore Wilbert

What does it look like to stay faithful inside institutions that sometimes disappoint us? When do you stay, and when do you go?In this episode, hosted by Amanda, Lore, Sara, and Kendall get honest about their own church histories. including formative moments and the tension of engaging politically and spiritually in communities that don't always make it easy.The group talks about what it actually takes to create space where people with genuinely different views can stay in the room together and stay curious.If you've ever felt the friction of faith and politics colliding inside a community you love, this one is for you. Plus, listener questions. A special thanks to all of our paid subscribers on Substack for making it possible for us to have these kinds of conversations. Thanks, too, to Dan Koch for the music and Nate Sahr for audio engineering. Submit your questions for us to discuss on thesideaisle.comHow to Start a Conversation at Church About Immigration (Women of Welcome)Order Sara's new book Nervous SystemsOrder Kendall’s newest book Bake and PrayOrder Amanda’s latest book, Holy UnhappinessOrder Lore’s latest book, The Understory(All books linked to support independent bookshop, Nooks)Find Lore on Sayable and InstagramFind Amanda on Provisions and InstagramFind Sara on Bitter Scroll and InstagramFind Kendall on Edible Theology and Instagram

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Ep 4: Faith Communities and Institutions

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This episode was published on April 9, 2026.

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What does it look like to stay faithful inside institutions that sometimes disappoint us? When do you stay, and when do you go?In this episode, hosted by Amanda, Lore, Sara, and Kendall get honest about their own church histories. including...

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