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Homebrewed Christianity

Kelly Brown Douglas: Faith at the Crossroads

Homebrewed Christianity

Dr. Tripp Fuller | Theologian, Philosopher, Minister

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.6612 Ratings

🗓️ 13 May 2025

⏱️ 66 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

What happens when you stand at the crossroads where the sacred meets the secular, where your identity refuses to fit into neat binaries, and where faith seeks understanding in the midst of doubt? In this deeply personal conversation, Episcopal priest and pioneering womanist theologian Kelly Brown Douglas returns to the podcast to explore theology as a lived experience, not abstract speculation. We dive into her powerful concept of "crossroads theology" – that stable, definite space where the blues singer performs both pain and praise, where Black and Episcopalian identity refuse to be bifurcated, and where God meets us in our full complexity. Kelly unpacks how the dangerous narratives of respectability and white supremacy create false binaries that diminish our humanity, and how Jesus's own crossroads moment challenges our comfortable Christianity. From her nightly prayers on her knees to calling the names of deported families, from finding God in resistance movements to wrestling with faith after Trayvon Martin's death, Kelly shows us what it means to do theology from "the complicated and sometimes contradictory spaces of our living." She reminds us that Christianity has a crucifixion at its center – and it's high time we act like it. Plus, we celebrate Kelly's upcoming appearance at Theology Beer Camp 2025, where she'll be bringing this transformative theological vision to 600 nerdy friends ready to do theology while day-drinking in a sanctuary. Trust me, you don't want to miss this conversation about finding resurrection hope in our Gethsemane moments. You can WATCH the conversation on YouTube Theology Beer Camp is a unique three-day conference that brings together of theology nerds and craft beer for a blend of intellectual engagement, community building, and fun. This event features a lineup of well-known podcasters, scholars, and theology enthusiasts who come together to "nerd out" on theological topics while enjoying loads of fun activities. Guests this year include John Dominic Crossan, Kelly Brown Douglas, Philip Clayton, Stacey Floyd-Thomas, Jeffery Pugh, Juan Floyd-Thomas, Andy Root, Grace Ji-Sun Kim, Noreen Herzfeld, Reggie Williams, Casper ter Kuile, and more! Get info and tickets here. Rev. Canon Kelly Brown Douglas is the Canon Theologian at the Cathedral. In 2017, she was named Dean of Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and in 2019, she was appointed to the Bill and Judith Moyers Chair in Theology at Union. You can listen to her previous visit to the podcast here: Resurrection Hope & A Future Where Black Lives Matter Upcoming Online Class:⁠ Rediscovering the Spirit: Hand-Raisers, Han, & the Holy Ghost⁠ "⁠Rediscovering the Spirit: Hand-Raisers, Han, and the Holy Ghost⁠" is an open-online course exploring the dynamic, often overlooked third person of the Trinity. Based on Grace Ji-Sun Kim's groundbreaking work on the Holy Spirit (pneumatology), this class takes participants on a journey through biblical foundations, historical developments, diverse cultural perspectives, and practical applications of Spirit theology. ⁠As always, this class is donation-based, including 0. To get class info and sign up, head over here. ⁠ _____________________ ⁠⁠⁠Hang with 40+ Scholars & Podcasts and 600 people at Theology Beer Camp 2025 (Oct. 16-18) in St. Paul, MN. ⁠⁠⁠ This podcast is a ⁠⁠⁠Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠ production. Follow ⁠⁠⁠the Homebrewed Christianity⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Theology Nerd Throwdown⁠⁠⁠, & ⁠⁠⁠The Rise of Bonhoeffer⁠⁠⁠ podcasts for more theological goodness for your earbuds. Join over 80,000 other people by joining our⁠⁠⁠ Substack - Process This!⁠⁠⁠ Get instant access to over 45 classes at ⁠⁠⁠www.TheologyClass.com⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Follow the podcast, drop a review⁠⁠⁠, send ⁠⁠⁠feedback/questions⁠⁠⁠ or become a ⁠⁠⁠member of the HBC Community⁠⁠⁠. ⁠⁠⁠Theology Beer Camp | St. Paul, MN | October 16-18, 2025⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

What is up theology nerds?

0:06.1

This is Tripp.

0:07.9

And today, returning to the podcast is a legendary theologian.

0:14.1

One of the original womanist theologians, Episcopal priest and downright. Downright downright just fun brilliant and exciting.

0:24.4

Kelly Brown Douglas is back on the podcast.

0:27.0

Mm-hmm.

0:27.7

And we had an amazing conversation.

0:29.7

I hope you dig it.

0:30.7

You know why?

0:31.2

I have high, high, high, high, confidence you will.

0:35.1

Because she was on the podcast last time and the members of the

0:38.4

home route community they vote they vote like what are what were some of your

0:42.7

favorite episodes are there any of these theologians that were on in the last year

0:46.6

that you definitely want to come to theology beer camp next year and who who who

0:51.4

was rocking up on that list but Kelly Brown Douglas Douglas, I emailed her. She said, yes,

0:56.0

she's going to be joining us October 16th to 18th in St. Paul, Minnesota. So when you hear this

1:01.6

conversation, you not only get to go check out some of our amazing books, which if you haven't

1:05.7

checked them out, you're welcome for telling you. But you could go to theology beard.com and get your ticket, get the info, and come join us in St. Paul.

1:15.2

Hmm.

1:16.0

It's a great idea.

1:17.0

It's a great idea.

1:18.5

You know why?

...

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