Grief and Religion with Dr. Rios

Grief doesn’t just break your heart—it can rewire your theology, your body, and your whole relationship with God. In “Grief and Religion,” Dionne C. Monsanto and Yvette Love Dávila are joined by Rev. Dr. Elizabeth “Liz” Rios—Afro-Boricua pastor, scholar, justice leader, and founder of Passion2Plant—for a candid conversation about what faith looks like when the miracle you prayed for doesn’t come. Because Dr. Rios has also lost a child, the table expands into Three Mothers, One Aché—three women speaking from lived experience, not performance. Together, they explore the silence that follows loss, the pressure to perform “faithful” grief, and the ways inherited theology can fail us when it’s built to explain pain instead of accompany it. Dr. Rios offers permission—clear and uncompromising—to grieve honestly, question openly, and trust that faith can hold lament, anger, rest, and becoming. This episode also honors the practical, embodied ways love shows up, and the spiritual practices that sustain us inside and outside the church—without rushing healing or demanding closure. Aché. Send us a text Two Mothers, One Aché: A Grief Dialogue is produced and distributed by Merrick Studios and hosted by Yvette Dávila and Dionne C. Monsanto. Each episode offers a brave and intimate space where grief is spoken aloud, healing is shared, and love refuses to fade—listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever your journey takes you. Join the conversation on Instagram @2mothers1achepod and learn more at wearemerrickstudios.com/two-mothers-one-ache-pod. Original music by Dasan T. Broadnax, known artistically as O.D. Mongrel. Discover more of his work on all streaming platforms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices