Spiritual Misfits Podcast
If you’ve ever felt on the fringes of Christian faith this is a safe space for you. Your questions, doubts and hopes are all welcome here. We’re creating conversations, affirmations, meditations and other resources to support you on your spiritual journey and let you know that even if you feel like a misfit, you don’t have to feel alone.
Episodes
136 episodes since 2022
Jason John on sex, evolution and a poem you’ll never forget
Jason John is a fascinating human being with a very interesting story doing very interesting things. He’s an ordained minister in the Uniting Church, has a PhD in zoology and is, amongst other things, a ‘forest chaplain.’In this convers...
September 14, 2024
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1:07:55
Amy Kenny: 'My Body is Not a Prayer Request'
Amy Kenny, author of 'My Body Is Not A Prayer Request,' joins Will for a discussion about disability justice and ableism in the church. She shares her experiences of being prayed over for her disability to be erased and the harmful treatment sh...
September 07, 2024
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1:00:19
Mental Health and Loneliness with James Aaron and Sarah Bishop
This is the fifth and final episode in our mini-series produced in collaboration with the Pulse team from Uniting Mission and Education. And in my opinion, this one was such a profound, vulnerable and meaningful conversation. Sarah Bishop and J...
August 31, 2024
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1:00:19
Technology, AI and Spirituality with Aditee Vora, Somerset Drayton and Jonty Cornford
Take a quick moment to think about how much technology has changed during your lifetime? What was the height of tech when you were a kid? Can you divide your life up into before and after internet connection? The pace of technological c...
August 24, 2024
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57:32
Racial injustice and the Church with Nathan Tyson, Radhika Sukumar-White and Leisl Homes
Hello good people, Welcome to the third conversation in our five episode mini-series with UME’s Pulse team. Over the last two weeks we’ve explored generational divides and climate crisis, eco anxiety and the like. <...
August 17, 2024
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1:03:04
Navigating eco-anxiety, finding ways forward with Joyce Tangi, Karina Kreminski & Jono Row
Hello again good people!This is the second in our series of 5 collaborative conversations hosted by Spiritual Misfits and the Uniting Mission and Education Pulse team, exploring major challenges in our world today and the kind of faith t...
August 10, 2024
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48:30
‘My Generational Deconstruction’ with Joanna Drayton, Ken Day and Ella Evans
Spiritual Misfits and Uniting Mission and Education's Pulse team have collaborated to bring you a series of conversations about 5 pressing challenges we face on planet earth today, and the kind of faith that may help emerging generations to nav...
August 03, 2024
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1:02:50
Christine Redwood, Belinda Groves & Nathan Nettleton on the Open Baptists
In this episode Will is joined by Christine Redwood, Belinda Groves and Nathan Nettleton to discuss the emergence of the Open Baptists, a new Baptist movement within Australia. The Open Baptists seek to reimagine what it means to work together ...
July 27, 2024
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1:01:06
Karen Pack on starting loved and restoring the erased
The Reverend Dr Karen Pack is a religious historian, ordained Christian minister, Commonwealth-registered marriage celebrant, and current
July 20, 2024
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1:03:04
Thomas Jay Oord on 'God After Deconstruction'
In this conversation, Will Small, Thomas Jay Oord, and Becca De Souza discuss open and relational theology, the challenges of suffering, and the process of deconstruction and reconstruction in faith. They also touch on the topic of LGBTQ+ affir...
July 13, 2024
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1:01:26
5 Big Ideas for the Future Church (Future Church Conference Night: Joyce Tangi, Jessica Morthorpe, Karen Pack, Mitch Forbes & Joel Hollier)
Well hello again my friends! If you’ve been listening in recent weeks I hope you have enjoyed these talks from Future Church Conference. I am excited to share that a few of us met this last week to start planning the next one...
June 01, 2024
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1:12:33
The Future Church is...Intersectional (Will Small at Future Church Conference)
Hello again friends! The last few weeks there’s been less of my voice on the pod, which has probably been a refreshing change. However if you proceed with listening to this one, it is my talk from Future Church Conference. Which iro...
May 25, 2024
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46:39
The Future Church is....LGBTQIA+ Inclusive (Karen Pack at Future Church Conference)
Hello Spiritual Misfits! This week I have another brilliant talk for you from Future Church conference which happened in January this year. We know the questions and themes we were exploring in the room that day are so pr...
May 18, 2024
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52:17
The Future Church is...Decolonising (Safina Stewart at Future Church Conference)
Hello good people!In January this year a group of us hosted the first ever Future Church conference. It was a fantastic day — we had people travel from South Australia, Queensland, Victor...
May 11, 2024
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48:25
The Future Church is....Trauma Informed (Joel Hollier at Future Church Conference)
Hello good people,In January this year…which feels like a long time ago right now….a group of us hosted the first ever Future Church conference. It was a fantastic day — we had people travel ...
May 04, 2024
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49:11
Scott M. Coley on 'Ministers of Propaganda'
Scott M. Coley is a lecturer in philosophy and the author the forthcoming book 'Ministers of Propag...
April 24, 2024
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1:15:40
Adis Duderija on progressive Islam and process theology
Growing up my understanding of Islam was largely informed by Christian sources telling me what was wrong. I actually remember a book I owned called ‘why are there so many gods?’ In and of itself this is not a terrible question, but ...
April 20, 2024
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1:07:17
Rachel Collis on doubt, faith and showing up either way
Rachel Collis has often felt like the ‘non-Trekkie at the Star-Trek convention’ at church. Still, she has shown up over the years, through faith, doubt and everything in between. We explore her story as well as the powerful music she makes, clo...
April 13, 2024
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59:58
Pub Theology (with Carlynne Nunn) on shame and disappointment
We're adding a twist to our beloved Pub Theology episodes: bring a friend - who brings the topic. This time, Will has brought Carlynne Nunn. And Carlynne has brought shame and disappointment. Great topics for a lively ol' pub chat! Pour a drink...
April 06, 2024
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1:01:32
Josephine McDonnell Inkpin on Trans Resurrection Reflections
Dear friends, If you are listening on the day this comes out, happy resurrection Sunday! And if you are listening at any other time that’s cool because resurrection is not restricted to Easter Sunday. It pops up in al...
March 30, 2024
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1:10:02
James Watson wrote a song for Spiritual Misfits (and you can help name it)
James Watson is a musician, music educator and a lovely fella who possesses many of the same qualities as a golden retriever. He’s warm, loveable and quick to make friends. He’s also deeply thoughtful and considered, as you’ll hear in this conv...
March 23, 2024
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1:01:50
Rob Waters (National Poetry Slam champion) on reminders of truth and love
Rob Waters, Gomeroi poet and storyteller and the current Australian Poetry Slam champion joined me for a rich and deep conversation about an all-encompassing spirituality that exists beyond the boxes of a compartmentalised life. Rob shares abou...
March 16, 2024
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1:06:49
Karen Pack, Tash Holmes & Karl Hand on Queer Christian Pride [Replay]
Hello my friendsA few words at the top here before the episode starts. I had to rearrange some interviews I had lined up for this week — so I’m pulling a great conversation out of the archive for you. Given that last weekend was ...
March 09, 2024
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1:11:08
Will & Hannah debrief 'Prosper'
Will and Hannah debrief their thoughts after binging 'Prosper' on Stan. We avoid spoilers, and there's still plenty of interesting questions here for people who haven't watched the show. So get yourself a cuppa and join us as we di...
March 02, 2024
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1:06:47
Emily Hayes (& Mitch Forbes) on learning to listen
Emily Hayes is the minister at Alice Springs Uniting Church. Mitch and Will met Emily towards the end of 2023 at a gathering and began a fascinating conversation which they pick up in this episode, exploring things like calling, discernment, an...
February 24, 2024
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1:18:13