We're responding to your questions on our latest episode, 'Do christians just need a good wank?'

Content warning: This series covers issues of sexual relationships, abuse, gender and identity, so listener discretion is advised. Please look after yourselves.

Can sex toys and pornography help people to become more confident, empowered and sexually aware? And should churches be encouraging congregations to use these in their own sexual fulfilment.

Coming up

Episode 8 – Two genders and a spectrum walk into a bar – is released on Monday 16 March. Few issues within christendom are more divisive than that of sexuality. Many mainstream, global churches are facing existential collapse while they try to reconcile progressive and traditionalist voices.

While the battle rages, we examine the cultural and biblical claims that make up the debate and explore whether the church can embrace an inclusive view of sexuality and gender.

About A God We Could Believe In:

A frank and honest look at Christianity as we find it today. We’re examining the things the church says and does that are embarrassing, confusing or even downright offensive. In other religious contexts, your questions might be forbidden but not here. So whether you’re a lifelong churchgoer with the scars to prove it, or you’ve never entered a church and are just interested in the debate, this is a safe space for you.

New episodes are released every other Monday.

Support the project by sharing it widely and join our Substack community for bonus episodes and reflections at agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com

Stay in touch

Email: agodwecouldbelievein@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/agodwecouldbelievein

Instagram: www.instagram.com/agodwecouldbelievein

Content warning: This series covers issues of sexual relationships, abuse, gender and identity, so listener discretion is advised. Please look after yourselves.

Now that the average age of marriage in western societies north of 30, is sexual purity really worth two decades of bottled up urges and internalised shame?

If I never get married should I just pretend those bits aren't there? And what about whiplash of a culture that expects women to go from chaste and pure to innate pleasure seekers at the sound of an 'I do'?

Coming up

Our next Q&A episode is on Monday 2 March, so if you’d like to ask a question on anything you’ve heard from the podcast so far, then make sure you get your question to us by Friday 20 February to feature. Contact us via email, social media or our Substack page.

Episode 8 – Two genders and a spectrum walk into a bar – is released on Monday 16 March. Few issues within christendom are more divisive than that of sexuality. Many mainstream, global churches are facing existential collapse while they try to reconcile progressive and traditionalist voices. While the battle rages, we examine the cultural and biblical claims that make up the debate and explore whether the church can embrace an inclusive view of sexuality and gender.

About A God We Could Believe In:

A frank and honest look at Christianity as we find it today. We’re examining the things the church says and does that are embarrassing, confusing or even downright offensive. In other religious contexts, your questions might be forbidden but not here. So whether you’re a lifelong churchgoer with the scars to prove it, or you’ve never entered a church and are just interested in the debate, this is a safe space for you.

New episodes are released every other Monday.

Support the project by sharing it widely and join our Substack community for bonus episodes and reflections at agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com

Stay in touchEmail: agodwecouldbelievein@gmail.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/agodwecouldbelieveinInstagram: www.instagram.com/agodwecouldbelievein

We’re responding to your questions on our latest episode, ‘Why do abusers thrive in church?’

Content warning: This series covers issues of sexual relationships, abuse, gender and identity, so listener discretion is advised. Please look after yourselves.

What does safeguarding look like in practice? What are the signs that a pastoral relationship has become abusive? And how should communities respond when allegations of abuse come to light?

Coming up

Episode 7 – Do Christians just need a good w**k? – is released on Monday 16 February. Now that the average age of marriage in western societies north of 30, is sexual purity really worth two decades of bottled up urges and internalised shame? Perhaps we all might be better off for enjoying a good shame-free w**k every now and then.

The following Q&A is on Monday 2 March – make sure you get your questions to us by Friday 20 February to feature.

Then on Thursday 12 March, we’re joined in person by Revd Dr Helen Paynter for a live event in Leeds on Christianity and the Far Right. Subscribe to our substack page or keep an eye on our socials for more information.

About A God We Could Believe In:

A frank and honest look at Christianity as we find it today. We're examining the things the church says and does that are embarrassing, confusing or even downright offensive. In other religious contexts, your questions might be forbidden but not here. So whether you're a lifelong churchgoer with the scars to prove it, or you've never entered a church and are just interested in the debate, this is a safe space for you.

New episodes are released every other Monday.

Support the project by sharing it widely and join our Substack community for bonus episodes and reflections at agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com

Stay in touchEmail: agodwecouldbelievein@gmail.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/agodwecouldbelieveinInstagram: www.instagram.com/agodwecouldbelievein

Content warning: This series covers issues of sexual relationships, abuse, gender and identity, so listener discretion is advised. Please look after yourselves.

We discuss how theology, patriarchy and Christian cultures conspire to create the conditions that silence victims and expedite redemption for abusers.

What does this modelling say for abuse within our own relationships and has the theology of forgiveness become an accomplice? And what needs to change to make our churches safe spaces where abusers can’t hide in plain sight?

Coming up

Our next Q&A episode is on Monday 2 February, so if you’d like to ask a question on anything you’ve heard from the podcast so far, then make sure you get your question to us by Friday 23 January to feature. Contact us via email, social media or our Substack page.

Episode 7 – Do Christians just need a good wank? – is released on Monday 16 February. Now that the average age of marriage in western societies north of 30, is sexual purity really worth two decades of bottled up urges and internalised shame? Perhaps we all might be better off for enjoying a good shame-free wank every now and then.

About A God We Could Believe In:

A frank and honest look at Christianity as we find it today. We’re examining the things the church says and does that are embarrassing, confusing or even downright offensive. In other religious contexts, your questions might be forbidden but not here. So whether you’re a lifelong churchgoer with the scars to prove it, or you’ve never entered a church and are just interested in the debate, this is a safe space for you.

New episodes are released every other Monday.

Support the project by sharing it widely and join our Substack community for bonus episodes and reflections at agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com

Stay in touch

Email: agodwecouldbelievein@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/agodwecouldbelievein

Instagram: www.instagram.com/agodwecouldbelievein

Content warning: This series covers issues of sexual relationships, abuse, gender and identity, so listener discretion is advised. Please look after yourselves.

Can God-talk ever be redeemed from patriarchy? Where have we seen patriarchy at work in our lives and are there any positive principles for relationships we can derive from the Bible in spite of its patriarchal context?

Coming up

Episode 6 – Why do abusers thrive in church – is released on Monday 19 January. Is there something inherent to Christianity that means that abusive preachers can hide in plain sight? Why are we still surprised? We examine a few recent examples to explore if its just a few bad apples, or the canary in the coalmine of a wider system of abuse.

About A God We Could Believe In:

A frank and honest look at Christianity as we find it today. We’re examining the things the church says and does that are embarrassing, confusing or even downright offensive. In other religious contexts, your questions might be forbidden but not here. So whether you’re a lifelong churchgoer with the scars to prove it, or you’ve never entered a church and are just interested in the debate, this is a safe space for you.

New episodes are released every other Monday.

Support the project by sharing it widely and join our Substack community for bonus episodes and reflections at agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com

Stay in touch

Email: agodwecouldbelievein@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/agodwecouldbelievein

Instagram: www.instagram.com/agodwecouldbelievein

Content warning: This series covers issues of sexual relationships, abuse, gender and identity, so listener discretion is advised. Please look after yourselves.

We get to the heart of the matter, exploring patriarchy and what it means for the Christian worldview. Did God really put men in charge? Is God even male? Can Christianity be redeemed from a hierarchy that consistently privileges and places men over women.

Coming up

Our next Q&A episode is on Monday 5th January, so if you’d like to ask a question on anything you’ve heard from the podcast so far, then make sure you get your question to us by Friday 26 December to feature. Contact us via email, social media or our Substack page.

Episode 6 – Why do abusers thrive in Church? – is released on Monday 19 January. High profile churches across the world have been rocked by stories of abuse and cover-ups at the very heart of their organisations. We ask why, instead of siding with victims and survivors, the first instinct of these institutions is to close ranks?

About A God We Could Believe In:

A frank and honest look at Christianity as we find it today. We’re examining the things the church says and does that are embarrassing, confusing or even downright offensive. In other religious contexts, your questions might be forbidden but not here. So whether you’re a lifelong churchgoer with the scars to prove it, or you’ve never entered a church and are just interested in the debate, this is a safe space for you.

New episodes are released every other Monday.

Support the project by sharing it widely and join our Substack community for bonus episodes and reflections at agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com

Stay in touchEmail: agodwecouldbelievein@gmail.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/agodwecouldbelieveinInstagram: www.instagram.com/agodwecouldbelievein

Content warning: This series covers issues of sexual relationships, abuse, gender and identity, so listener discretion is advised. Please look after yourselves.

We’re picking up your questions on marriage since Biblical times and tying up loose ends from our last few episodes.

We explore Jesus’s teaching on divorce and how we should read that today. We’ll be unpicking ideas like ‘soul ties’ and ‘becoming one flesh’ - the implication that sex between two people creates an eternal spiritual bond.

Charlotte and Simon also get chance to share their thoughts on our episode with Lauren Jackson - Talking with young people about sex. They reflect on some important ideas Lauren raised, including ‘should’ stories and ‘emotionally safe’ sex.

Coming up

Episode 5 – We need to talk about patriarchy – is released on Monday 22 December. Patriarchy is the invisible thread that has run through all of our conversations so far. Can our relationships ever be truly equitable under a patriarchal system?

About A God We Could Believe In:

A frank and honest look at Christianity as we find it today. We’re examining the things the church says and does that are embarrassing, confusing or even downright offensive. In other religious contexts, your questions might be forbidden but not here. So whether you’re a lifelong churchgoer with the scars to prove it, or you’ve never entered a church and are just interested in the debate, this is a safe space for you.

New episodes are released every other Monday.

Support the project by sharing it widely and join our Substack community for bonus episodes and reflections at agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com

Stay in touchEmail: agodwecouldbelievein@gmail.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/agodwecouldbelieveinInstagram: www.instagram.com/agodwecouldbelievein

If not the Bible, where do our ideas about marriage come from? We take a jog through 2,000 years of church history, charting the evolution of Christian marriage to the institution we know today.

Content warning: This series covers issues of sexual relationships, abuse, gender and identity, so listener discretion is advised. Please look after yourselves.

Has the Church always cared about marriage? When did marrying for love become the norm and how does commonlaw marriage fit into the picture? How has marriage been used as a tool in religious power struggles?

Simon explains all, along with a few important ideas from the past few millenia that have shaped our view of relationships.

Coming up

Our next Q&A episode is on Monday 8th December, so if you’d like to ask a question on anything you’ve heard from the podcast so far, then make sure you get your question to us by Friday 28 November to feature. Contact us via email, social media or our Substack page.

Episode 5 – We need to talk about patriarchy – is released on Monday 22 December. Patriarchy is the invisible thread that has run through all of our conversations so far. Can our relationships ever be truly equitable under a patriarchal system?

About A God We Could Believe In:

A frank and honest look at Christianity as we find it today. We’re examining the things the church says and does that are embarrassing, confusing or even downright offensive. In other religious contexts, your questions might be forbidden but not here. So whether you’re a lifelong churchgoer with the scars to prove it, or you’ve never entered a church and are just interested in the debate, this is a safe space for you.

New episodes are released every other Monday.

Support the project by sharing it widely and join our Substack community for bonus episodes and reflections at agodwecouldbelievein.substack.com

Stay in touchEmail: agodwecouldbelievein@gmail.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/agodwecouldbelieveinInstagram: www.instagram.com/agodwecouldbelievein