“Find the Stories to Leave For Good.”
Welcome to the Faith in a Fresh Vibe podcast! There’s space for you at the table. Receive this invitation to listen and learn, bemoan and curse, celebrate and liberate, around ideas towards deconstructing and decolonizing the Christian faith. This is Episode 1 in a serial series called: Farewell Evangelicalism. In this series we will interrogate the main pillars of formation in the evangelical tradition to answer the question: is evangelicalism still a legitimate expression of the Christian faith? And if not, what would it take to see more people leave the tradition? We give the insight and the tools to interrogate the movement and identify its malformed formation.
It’s the first quarter of 2025, which is important to name, because depending on which side of the political spectrum you’re on, and which country you’re from, you’re either in shock of the political upheaval dumped on your country, or you everything is trending your way. Amidst waves of confusion is a simple truth: the current state wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for the unwavering support from white evangelicals. We ask the question: would society be better off if more people left evangelicalism? If you’re on the fence about that, this series will help, as we offer tools and pathways for more folks to say, Farewell Evangelicalism!
Episode 1 – Show Notes
(00:00) – Introduction (01:00) – Setting the Table (01:50) – Saying Farewell to Evangelicalism (02:40) – Who is this podcast for? (04:45) – Introducing your host, Rohadi! (07:20) – Why did we choose evangelicalism/conservative Christianity? (12:40) – Right Rev. Dr. Mariann Budde (15:00) – Evangelical violence (19:00) – Introducing Marla Taviano (20:45) – Marla’s introduction and story (26:15) – What catalyzed Marla’s deconstruction and exit from evangelicalism? (31:50) – Marla wrap, Mason’s introduction (33:00) – Mason Mennenga’s intro and growing up in evangelicalism. (36:47) – Mason’s deconstruction journey from purity culture and weirdness. (40:30) – Mason talks about the toxicity spewed by theobros. (42:25) – Talking about Exvangelicals and whiteness in deconstruction. (46:00) – Wrapping up with a glimpse of hope. (52:14) – Outro and wrap.
Featuring your host, Rohadi (from Rohadi.com). Special guests in Episode 1:
Writer/Poet – Marla Taviano Marla Taviano (she/her/) is into: books, love, justice, globes, anti-racism, blue, gray, rainbows, poems (and a hundred other things). Reads and writes for a living (and a life). Wears her heart on her t-shirts. On a mission/quest/journey to live wholefarted (not a typo). (Big fan of parentheses—and em dashes.) She is mom to some freaking awesome kids and two cats and lives in South Carolina. Find more about Marla, including her trilogy of poetry on deconstruction, on her website.
Social Media Influencer – Mason Mennenga Mason Mennenga (he/him/his) is an aspiring theologian, podcaster, YouTuber, and the Internet’s youth pastor. He received his Master of Divinity from Christian Theological Seminary in 2020 and a Master of Arts in Theology from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities in 2022. Find all of his links including his podcasts on his website.
Intro Music by Jesse Peters. Bumper music by Daniel Wheat.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.