Honoring the Journey

In this episode of Honoring the Journey, I sit down with Rev. Joash Thomas—priest, public theologian, and author of The Justice of Jesus.

Joash shares his journey from an Indian Pentecostal upbringing in Mumbai, to political consulting in Georgia, to a powerful awakening that led him into human rights work. We talk about how Western Christianity has been shaped by colonialism, the difference between the “colonizer’s Jesus” and the historical Jesus, and how practices like prayer were meant to form us—not control outcomes.

This conversation got personal for me, especially when we talked about the cost of deconstruction—the grief, the loneliness, the loss of community. Joash offers such a grounded, compassionate perspective here, reminding us that love, curiosity, and “holy indifference” can guide us forward.

We close with a simple invitation: to look for the face of Jesus in the people around us—especially those on the margins.

You can find Joash’s work through his book and his Substack, Masala Chai Theology.

Find out more about Joash on his website: https://www.joashpthomas.com/

Honoring the Journey is hosted, produced and edited by Leslie Nease and the artwork for the show is also created by Leslie Nease.
Pick up Leslie's new book, Honoring the Journey: The Deconstruction of Sister Christian here.
Interested in working with Leslie as your Life/Faith Transitions Coach? Check out her website and learn more about what she offers! https://www.leslieneasecoaching.com
If you'd like to be a part of the Honoring the Journey Team on Substack, click here! You can find her work and also support her financially if you desire.
Would you like to leave a voicemail for Leslie? Click here!
If you are looking for community as you deconstruct or just a place to go and enjoy the company of people who are seekers, learners and who are looking to connect with the Divine without religious baggage, please join the Private Facebook Community! Leslie is very passionate about connection and community, so if that sounds like you, please come join us!


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This episode is a deep dive conversation between Leslie and Joe Boyd, a former pastor and biblical scholar, exploring how to approach scripture during deconstruction. They discuss the challenging journey of questioning long-held beliefs about biblical inerrancy, examining how the Bible was compiled, and wrestling with its ancient cultural context versus modern interpretation. Joe explains how evangelicals are often deconstructing their understanding of the Bible itself rather than losing faith entirely, and offers a historical-literary lens for reading scripture that acknowledges its human authorship, biases, and contradictions while still finding spiritual value. The conversation covers topics like biblical canon formation, the multiple versions of Jesus across the gospels, reading ancient texts "forwards" rather than through modern assumptions, and ultimately encourages listeners to courageously let the Bible "be what it is" rather than what they were taught or want it to be.

To hear Joe's journey on a former episode of Honoring the Journey, click here!

Find Joe on Substack HERE.

 

Honoring the Journey is hosted, produced and edited by Leslie Nease and the artwork for the show is also created by Leslie Nease.
Pick up Leslie's new book, Honoring the Journey: The Deconstruction of Sister Christian here.
Interested in working with Leslie as your Life/Faith Transitions Coach? Check out her website and learn more about what she offers! https://www.leslieneasecoaching.com
If you'd like to be a part of the Honoring the Journey Team on Substack, click here! You can find her work and also support her financially if you desire.
Would you like to leave a voicemail for Leslie? Click here!
If you are looking for community as you deconstruct or just a place to go and enjoy the company of people who are seekers, learners and who are looking to connect with the Divine without religious baggage, please join the Private Facebook Community! Leslie is very passionate about connection and community, so if that sounds like you, please come join us!


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on Honoring the Journey, we have a powerful conversation with Josh Harris, author of "I Kissed Dating Goodbye," as he shares his journey of reckoning with the impact of purity culture. Harris openly discusses how he came to recognize the harm caused by his influential book after years of hearing stories from people affected by its teachings, ultimately leading him to unpublish it and apologize publicly. The conversation explores the difficult process of deconstructing deeply held beliefs, navigating church leadership failures and sexual abuse mishandling, his own marriage ending, and stepping away from evangelicalism. We reflect on the challenges of leaving rigid certainty for authentic faith, the importance of self-compassion during deconstruction, the dangers of algorithmic rage and groupthink, and the freedom that comes from holding beliefs with open hands rather than dogmatic certainty, emphasizing that healing and growth are possible even after significant mistakes.

Find and follow Josh on Instagram!

Honoring the Journey is hosted, produced and edited by Leslie Nease and the artwork for the show is also created by Leslie Nease.
Pick up Leslie's new book, Honoring the Journey: The Deconstruction of Sister Christian here.
Interested in working with Leslie as your Life/Faith Transitions Coach? Check out her website and learn more about what she offers! https://www.leslieneasecoaching.com
If you'd like to be a part of the Honoring the Journey Team on Substack, click here! You can find her work and also support her financially if you desire.
Would you like to leave a voicemail for Leslie? Click here!
If you are looking for community as you deconstruct or just a place to go and enjoy the company of people who are seekers, learners and who are looking to connect with the Divine without religious baggage, please join the Private Facebook Community! Leslie is very passionate about connection and community, so if that sounds like you, please come join us!


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on Honoring the Journey, Leslie chats with Halli Carbrey (@hallifaith.liberated) about leaving high control religion. Halli shares her story of growing up in a small, insular group called the Lord's Recovery, experiencing excommunication with her then-husband in 2019, and navigating the complex process of deconstruction while raising three children. The discussion explores themes of religious trauma, purity culture's impact on sexuality, the struggle to find identity beyond rigid belief systems, and the journey toward self-trust and authentic spirituality. Both women reflect on questioning deeply held beliefs, the loss of community when leaving religion, and finding healing through vulnerability and connection. Halli, who transitioned from being a Christian couples therapist to a religious trauma and sex coach, emphasizes the importance of rest, unconditional self-love, and creating safe spaces for others wrestling with similar experiences.

Find Halli on Instagram!

Honoring the Journey is hosted, produced and edited by Leslie Nease and the artwork for the show is also created by Leslie Nease.
Pick up Leslie's new book, Honoring the Journey: The Deconstruction of Sister Christian here.
Interested in working with Leslie as your Life/Faith Transitions Coach? Check out her website and learn more about what she offers! https://www.leslieneasecoaching.com
If you'd like to be a part of the Honoring the Journey Team on Substack, click here! You can find her work and also support her financially if you desire.
Would you like to leave a voicemail for Leslie? Click here!
If you are looking for community as you deconstruct or just a place to go and enjoy the company of people who are seekers, learners and who are looking to connect with the Divine without religious baggage, please join the Private Facebook Community! Leslie is very passionate about connection and community, so if that sounds like you, please come join us!


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's the 100th Episode of Honoring the Journey today!! Leslie welcomes Beau Stringer, a former Southern Baptist preacher who transitioned to mainline Christianity. Beau shares his journey from growing up in an evangelical bubble in West Texas, serving as a youth pastor at 19, and eventually becoming a senior pastor, to questioning biblical inerrancy and evangelical theology—particularly around the violence in the Old Testament versus Jesus's command to love enemies. After wrestling with these tensions for years, he left vocational ministry briefly before finding a home in the United Methodist Church in Kansas City, where he now serves at one of the largest mainline churches in North America. Throughout the conversation, they discuss what mainline Christianity is, the importance of pastoral care over conversion agendas, the shift from fear-based faith to love-centered faith, rethinking hell and the kingdom of God, and how to lovingly engage with people still in evangelical spaces without erasing or dismissing them—emphasizing humility, questions, and staying in relationship rather than canceling those who disagree.
Find Beau on Substack at https://substack.com/@beaustringer

Honoring the Journey is hosted, produced and edited by Leslie Nease and the artwork for the show is also created by Leslie Nease.
Pick up Leslie's new book, Honoring the Journey: The Deconstruction of Sister Christian here.
Interested in working with Leslie as your Life/Faith Transitions Coach? Check out her website and learn more about what she offers! https://www.leslieneasecoaching.com
If you'd like to be a part of the Honoring the Journey Team on Substack, click here! You can find her work and also support her financially if you desire.
Would you like to leave a voicemail for Leslie? Click here!
If you are looking for community as you deconstruct or just a place to go and enjoy the company of people who are seekers, learners and who are looking to connect with the Divine without religious baggage, please join the Private Facebook Community! Leslie is very passionate about connection and community, so if that sounds like you, please come join us!


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.