Welcome to Expansionist Theology: A Podcast for Expanding Love, Faith, and Imagination
What if faith were not about drawing smaller circles, but larger ones?
What if spiritual growth meant expanding our capacity for love rather than defending our certainty? What if the journey with God was not a narrowing of the soul, but an opening?
Welcome to the Expansionist Theology Podcast.
We are Shelly and Heather, women ministers, feminists, seekers, and lovers of God and people. Through thoughtful conversations, interviews with inspiring authors and spiritual leaders, and our own reflections on faith, we invite listeners into a wider, deeper, and more compassionate spirituality. At the heart of everything we do are three guiding words:
Wisdom. Spirit. Love.
These are not simply topics we discuss. They are the values that shape our conversations and the lens through which we explore theology, spirituality, justice, and human flourishing.
Why We Started Expansionist Theology
Many people today find themselves asking questions that traditional faith communities have not always made room for.
Questions about God.
Questions about Scripture.
Questions about identity.
Questions about belonging.
Questions about whether faith can survive honesty.
Some are experiencing Christian deconstruction. Others have already left church institutions behind. Still others remain deeply rooted in Christian faith while longing for a more expansive understanding of God and the world.
We created this podcast for all of them.
Expansionist Theology is a place where curiosity is welcomed, questions are honored, and spiritual growth is celebrated. We believe that doubt is not the opposite of faith. Often, it is the doorway to a deeper one.
A Wider Vision of God
The word "expansionist" reflects our belief that God is always larger than our assumptions.
Throughout history, people have encountered the Divine in ways that shattered their expectations and enlarged their understanding of love. The biblical story itself is one of continual expansion—from tribe to nation, from nation to humanity, from exclusion to inclusion, from law alone to love embodied.
We believe theology should help us grow in compassion, humility, and wonder. Rather than asking, "Who is out?" we are interested in asking, "How can we widen the circle?" Rather than fear, we choose curiosity. Rather than certainty, we choose wisdom. Rather than division, we choose love.
Conversations That Matter
On the Expansionist Theology Podcast, you'll hear conversations about:
Progressive Christianity
Feminist theology
Christian spirituality
Sacred wisdom traditions
Mysticism and contemplative practices
Spiritual growth and transformation
Justice, compassion, and belonging
Faith after deconstruction
Women in ministry
Inclusive theology
Spiritual practices for everyday life
We are honored to host thoughtful authors, scholars, pastors, activists, and spiritual teachers who help us imagine a larger, kinder, and more courageous faith. Our guests bring wisdom from many perspectives while sharing a common desire: helping people live more fully into love.
For the Ones Who Are Searching
Perhaps you've been told your questions are dangerous.
Perhaps you've felt like you no longer fit into the faith tradition that once shaped you.
Perhaps you've discovered that the God you've inherited is too small for the world you've experienced.
Or perhaps you've simply sensed a gentle invitation from Spirit calling you toward something deeper.
If that's you, you're not alone.
This podcast was created as a companion for the journey. Not to tell you what to think. Not to hand you a new set of certainties. But to encourage your own exploration of wisdom, spirit, and love.
Join the Conversation
We believe the future of faith belongs to communities that practice curiosity, compassion, courage, and connection.
If you're looking for conversations about progressive Christianity, feminist theology, spiritual growth, and expansive faith, we invite you to join us.
Listen to the Expansionist Theology Podcast, subscribe, share episodes with friends, and become part of a growing community committed to widening our circles of love, our understanding of God, and our understanding of ourselves.
Because the journey is not toward less.
It is toward more.
More compassion.
More wisdom.
More Spirit.
More love.
And perhaps, in the end, that is where God has been leading us all along.
