Complexified: Recent Episodes
Institute of Religion Politics and Culture, Amanda Henderson, Iliff School of Theology
For too long we have avoided talking about religion and politics. But the truth is, religion and politics are about daily life. When we avoid the hard topics connected to religion and politics, we become stuck in the status quo. On Complexified we dive into the places where religion and politics collide with real-life, so we can get unstuck- so we can make real change. We dive into our most entrenched problems to better understand the hidden histories and experiences of real people on the front lines. We look at the ways religion has shaped our systems - and the ways we see ourselves and others– from there, we work together to imagine new paths forward.
In this episode, Amanda Henderson talks to Dr. Kristina Lizardy-Hajbi, a biracial scholar and professor at the Iliff School of Theology. They explore the American dream through the lens of personal experiences and the stories of ancestors, especially focusing on the immigrant journey.
Dr. Lizardy-Hajbi shares tales of her grandparents from Italy and Puerto Rico, revealing the challenges they had to overcome to settle in America and the personal experiences tied to these journeys. The conversation touches on aspects such as name Anglicization, language loss, and various legal hurdles in the quest for the coveted American Dream.
Also discussed is the paradoxical political situation of Puerto Rico as an intricate part of the United States, but lacking in full political representation. Amanda interrogates how religion and differing cultural contexts shaped these immigrant experiences.
00:01 Introduction and Background
01:14 Exploring the History of Puerto Rico
01:41 Guest Introduction: Dr. Kristina Lazardi-Hajbi
02:22 The Prerequisites of the American Dream
04:10 The Story of Puerto Rican Immigration
06:13 The Complexities of Puerto Rican Citizenship
10:23 The Impact of Americanization on Immigrant Families
14:48 The Italian Immigrant Experience
27:31 The Role of Religion in Immigrant Communities
33:14 Reflections on the American Dream
35:52 Conclusion and Future Plans
Want to Learn More?
Puerto Rico: A U.S. Territory in Crisis Article: https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/puerto-rico-us-territory-crisis
New Partnership in 2024 with Religion News Service. Learn more about RNS here: https://religionnews.com/
Want to Take Action?
Learn about immigration rights and how to take action in Colorado: https://www.aclu-co.org/en/campaigns/immigrants-rights
Sign up for Complexified Newsletter: https://complexified.substack.com/
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Contact us: email complexified@iliff.edu
Complexified Website: https://www.complexified.org/
In this episode, Amanda Henderson interviews Dr. Albert Hernández - a Cuban-American academic with a unique perspective on the American Dream. Dr. Hernández discusses the challenges faced by those who exist in-between cultures, feeling a lack of belonging to either.
He shares historical perspectives on the experience of immigration to the U.S, particularly from Cuba, and explores how global political conflicts can drive individuals to relocate, seeking safety and better futures for their offspring. The episode illuminates the significance of personal and political narratives in shaping our understanding of the past and our vision for the future. The discussions range from colonial legacies, racialization, to the long road to societal change.
Lastly, it presents a reflective poem reading by Mariela Saavedra Carquin – I swear There Was a River. In Maps You Can’t Make, Mariella Saavedra Carquin confronts hard truths in this powerful debut collection, pushing through layered complexities of immigration, race, and identity to find a way forward.
00:00 Introduction: The Hyphenated Existence
00:33 Understanding the American Dream
02:04 Historical Context: Cuba and the United States
03:25 Interview with Dr. Albert Hernández: A Cuban-American Perspective
05:55 The Cuban Revolution and Its Impact
07:50 The Hyphenated Existence: A Personal Journey
09:01 The Struggle of Belonging: Between Cuban and American
10:19 The Influence of Personal History on Academic Interests
13:09 Generational Differences in Immigrant Experiences
20:22 The Complexity of Identity and the American Dream
23:39 The Role of History in Shaping Our Present and Future
30:56 The Long Haul Commitment to Change
33:12 Poetry Reading: I Swear There Was a River by Mariella Saavedra Carquin
35:58 Conclusion and Acknowledgements
Guest Bios
Dr. Albert Hernández joined the Iliff faculty in 2001. He teaches courses in the history of Christianity from Medieval to Early Modern times with additional expertise in the history of the ancient Hellenistic-Roman period. His research and teaching areas include the history of mysticism and pneumatology; Muslim and Christian relations beginning with the Crusades; religious diversity in medieval Iberia and the Spanish Empire; and the history of medicine and pandemics. Hernández led the faculty design team that created the Authentic Engagement Program™ focusing his contribution on human flourishing and the philosophy of Happiness.
Poet Mariella Saavedra Carquin is a graduate of Middlebury College, holds an EdM and an MA in psychological counseling from Columbia University, and recently earned an MA from Middlebury's Bread Loaf School of English. She is a licensed mental health counselor who has practiced in clinical, higher education, and middle school settings and published in academic journals on the psychological impact of microaggressions experienced by undocumented immigrant youth. Born in Peru and raised in Miami, she currently lives in Colorado.
Want to Learn More?
Cuban Missile Crisis - https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cuban-missile-crisis
Mariella Saavedra Carquin, the poet who read one of her poems at the end of this episode. Her recently published book of poems confronts hard truths in this powerful debut collection, pushing through layered complexities of immigration, race, and identity to find a way forward. https://www.juneroadpress.com/maps-you-cant-make
Want to Take Action?
Learn about immigration rights and how to take action in Colorado: https://www.aclu-co.org/en/campaigns/immigrants-rights
Sign up for Complexified Newsletter: https://complexified.substack.com/
Help Make Complexified Happen - Donate here https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E345509&id=75
Contact us: email complexified@iliff.edu
Complexified Website: https://www.complexified.org/
In this episode, Amanda Henderson talks to Nga Vương-Sandoval, a refugee from Việt Nam and United States Refugee Advisory Board Project Manager. The conversation explores the transformation of the American Dream, immigration histories and policies, and the experiences of refugees.
Vương-Sandoval shares her insights on the true meaning of the American Dream, which she believes should not be drowned by materialism but rather focused on essential human aspirations such as freedom, safety, and security. The episode also investigates how immigration laws shape daily life, how global events affect personal perspectives, and the complex realities of being displaced and navigating life in a foreign country.
Lastly, it presents a reflective poem reading by Mariela Saavedra Carquin on the complex realities of loss that come with displacement and resettlement in a new land.
00:02 Introduction and Overview
02:01 Understanding Immigration Laws and Policies
03:55 The Impact of Immigration Policies
05:08 Guest Introduction: Nga Vương-Sandoval
06:34 Nga's Journey and Perspective on the American Dream
13:53 The Influence of Capitalism on the American Dream
17:53 The Global Perception of the American Dream
21:20 The Role of History in Shaping Perceptions
24:22 Empowering Refugees and Asylum Seekers
28:27 Reflecting on Personal Experiences and the Concept of Home
31:20 Closing Remarks and Preview of Next Episode
Guest Bio
As a Việtnamese refugee, Nga Vương-Sandoval embraces her heritage and refugee experience and is empathetic to the plight and struggle of other underrepresented communities. In addition to being a TEDx Presenter, she is active in a number of advocacy roles, including being a member of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders; a founding member and public speaker with Colorado Refugee Speakers Bureau; a refugee advisor for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees Refugee Advisory Group; the first refugee elected to Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains Board of Directors and Vice-Chair of the Program Services Committee; a Noble Ambassador for Christina Noble Children’s Foundation; an advisory member for Denver’s Little Sài Gòn Redevelopment Group; and an advisory member to the Denver Elections Advisory Committee. She previously served as a Commissioner with the Denver Asian American Pacific Islander Commission.
Nga earned a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice and Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. In her free time, she enjoys meeting, learning and engaging with diverse communities, reading, writing op-eds on Medium.com, watching documentaries, traveling domestically and internationally, exploring and savoring cuisines locally and around the world and creating origami for her NVS Cre-Asian line that’s sold at Ruby’s Market in Denver.
Want to Learn More?
Hart-Cellar Act of 1965: https://cis.org/Report/HartCeller-Immigration-Act-1965
The James Truslow Adams book Nga referenced that was published in 1931– The Epic of America: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1192936.The_Epic_of_America
Mariella Saavedra Carquin, the poet who read one of her poems at the end of this episode. Her recently published book of poems confronts hard truths in this powerful debut collection, pushing through layered complexities of immigration, race, and identity to find a way forward. https://www.juneroadpress.com/maps-you-cant-make
Want to Take Action?
Learn about immigration rights and how to take action in Colorado: https://www.aclu-co.org/en/campaigns/immigrants-rights
Sign up for Complexified Newsletter: https://complexified.substack.com/
Help Make Complexified Happen - Donate here https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E345509&id=75
Contact us: email complexified@iliff.edu
Complexified Website: https://www.complexified.org/
Last month, we had our first live audience recording of Complexified! Amanda Henderson and Lex Dunbar welcomed Denver Drag Performers Juiccy Misdemeanor and Dixie Krystals for a provocative conversation confronting the efforts across the U.S. to ban drag performances. We laughed, we cried, we learned, and we laughed some more!
00:02 Introduction and Welcome
00:27 The Complexified Live Episode: Why Ban Drag?
01:38 Introducing the Drag Performers: Dixie Krystals and Juiccy Misdemeanor
02:50 The Current State of Drag and LGBTQ Rights
04:41 The Origins and Evolution of Drag
10:41 The Role of Activism in Drag
12:34 The Intersection of Religion and Drag
13:35 The Impact of Politics on Drag and LGBTQ Community
18:37 The Challenges and Joys of Being a Drag Performer
46:57 The Importance of Community in Drag
49:09 Conclusion and Future Plans
Guest Bio & links
Lex Dunbar - Co-Host for this episode
Lex Dunbar (They/Them) is a Black ENBY, June Gemini, and Norf-Philly native. They are a passionate educator, avid protestor, dynamic workshop facilitator, and compassionate neighbor. Lex completed their second Master’s degree at Iliff School of Theology and is currently a PhD candidate in the Joint Doctoral Program at Denver University and Iliff School of Theology.
Guest Panelist and Performer: Juiccy Misdemeanor
Juiccy is a dancer, artist, drag performer, and a growing icon here in Denver, Colorado. Juiccy is the recent winner of Miss Peach 2023, a dynamic performer bringing life of the party energy to the spaces she occupies.
https://www.instagram.com/juiccymisdemeanor/
Guest Panelist and Performer: Dixie Krystals
Dixie Krystals has been dazzling audiences for 25 years. Her passion for community is what drives her to excellence. She is an ordained minister, bingo queen, emcee and fabulous hostess with the mostess.Dixie has been featured in Generation Drags, Streaming on Max and Camp Wannakiki Season 5 on Out TV.
https://www.dixiekrystals.com/
Music by DJ Erin Stereo for the live event:
Erin Stereo is a DJ, curator and record collector from Denver, Colorado. Recently, Erin was named Best House DJ by The Denver Westword, Erin Stereo is known for spinning House music designed to ignite and delight the dance floor.
https://www.erinstereo.com/
Links for things shared in the episode:
Learn more about Mx, the title in place of Mr or Mrs mentioned in the show: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mx_(title)
Want to Learn More?
From police raids to pop culture: The early history of modern drag https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/drag-queen-drag-balls-early-history-pop-culture
12 historic LGBTQ figures who changed the world - https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/historical-lgbt-figures-activists-culture
Anti-Drag legislation - https://people.com/politics/anti-drag-legislation-united-states/
Trans History: https://www.historians.org/research-and-publications/perspectives-on-history/may-2018/what-is-trans-history-from-activist-and-academic-roots-a-field-takes-shape
Want to Take Action?
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/branded/authentic-voices-of-pride/drag-as-activism/
https://glaad.org/drag/
https://action.aclu.org/give/support-drag-defense-fund
Vote!
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Complexified Website: https://www.complexified.org/
In this episode, recorded before the attacks by Hamas on Israel and the devastating response by the Israeli Military in Gaza, Colorado State Representative Iman Jodeh shares her family story of leaving Palestine in the late 1960s seeking refuge from daily discrimination and violence. Making a way meant teaching Americans about Islam and building bridges of understanding and awareness. Rep. Jodeh shares how the legacy of her parents inspires her to serve as a State Legislator and ensure future generations know the power they hold to shape their future.
Guest Bio & links
Representative Iman Jodeh is an American politician serving as a Democratic member of the Colorado House of Representatives from the 41st district. Elected in 2020, she is the first Muslim elected to the legislature and assumed office on January 13, 2021.
Want to Learn More?
History of Palestine: https://www.un.org/unispal/history/
Israel Gaza Conflict Timeline by the New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/07/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-conflict-timeline.html
Want to Take Action?
6 ways you can support Palestinians in Gaza by the American Friends Service Committee https://afsc.org/news/6-ways-you-can-support-palestinians-gaza
Sign up for Complexified Newsletter: https://complexified.substack.com/
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Contact us: email complexified@iliff.edu
Complexified Website: https://www.complexified.org/
In this episode, recorded before the attacks by Hamas on Israel and the devastating response by the Israeli Military in Gaza, Rabbi Joe, from Temple Emanuel in Denver, Colorado, shares his family story. His father’s family fled persecution in the late 19th century to find safety in the U.S.
After the terror of Kristallnacht, the night of the broken glass, his mother’s family fled to the U.S. Rabbi Joe shares how the legacy of seeking refuge and ensuring ‘never-again’ lives in him. You don’t want to miss Rabbi Joe’s song for his mother at the end of the episode, Salty Taste of Tears.
Guest Bio & links
Rabbi Black has been the Senior Rabbi of Temple Emanuel since 2010, previously serving as rabbi of Congregation Albert in Albuquerque, New Mexico from 1996-2010. He served as Assistant and then Associate Rabbi at Temple Israel in Minneapolis, Minnesota from 1987-1996. He received his Bachelor's degree in Education from Northwestern University in 1982 and his Master's degree and rabbinic ordination from the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1987. In 2012 he received an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from HUC-JIR.
Website:
https://www.emanueldenver.org/about/clergy#RabbiBlack
Want to Learn More?
Holocaust Encyclopedia – KRISTALLNACHT
https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/kristallnacht
Holocaust Encyclopedia – Pogrom is a Russian word meaning “to wreak havoc, to demolish violently.” https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/pogroms?gclid=CjwKCAiA9dGqBhAqEiwAmRpTC0Hm5LWaL36azOTif9FgHWyCrPG3hIeaO4ZiPVO6vhCajIMc9yWVqBoCRDQQAvD_BwE
“ADL Records Dramatic Increase in U.S. Antisemitic Incidents Following Oct. 7 Hamas Massacre” https://www.adl.org/resources/press-release/adl-records-dramatic-increase-us-antisemitic-incidents-following-oct-7
Want to Take Action?
Donate – “By donating to ADL today, you’ll ensure we are well positioned to disrupt the spread of antisemitism, anti-Zionism, conspiracy theories and all forms of hate online …” https://support.adl.org/give/174715/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA9dGqBhAqEiwAmRpTC40oq1U92ujPFS4Z9w4vNotO-PEl9zd6yEKDgtRYVMI1hb4uZgdFMRoCwcQQAvD_BwE#!/donation/checkout?utm_source=paidsearch&utm_medium=googlepaid&utm_campaign=Evergreen&c_src=evergreen&c_src2=googlepaid
Monitor – Act – Educate: https://americansaa.org/?gclid=CjwKCAiA9dGqBhAqEiwAmRpTC8c9_WKBVWvPxB0OFzn3-2jPaae0qm3pb5NW3oZeAW_I1f9_F6KT5RoCVWUQAvD_BwE
Sign up for Complexified Newsletter: https://complexified.substack.com/
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Complexified Website: https://www.complexified.org/
Why is homeownership such an integral part of the American Dream? Why have some been systematically excluded from homeownership while others have been incentivized and subsidized to own their home? In this episode, Dr. Ben Sanders shares his family story of ownership and belonging from an experience as a Black American, as we continue to peel apart the myth of the American Dream.
Guest Bio
Ben Sanders, Ph.D is the Chief Equity Officer of the City of Denver. He is an Equity Professional/Consultant, Social Ethicist, Theologian, Passionate Servant-Leader, Change-Agent, Community Builder, and a Dad. Ben creates measurable and effective, equity-centered systems, processes, and policies that help companies, communities, and organizations optimize and achieve their missions and goals.
Want to Learn More?
NBC News: The American Dream while Black: ‘Locked in a Vicious cycle’: Homeownership is supposed to be the gateway to the American dream. Black Americans have been denied access – https://www.nbcnews.com/specials/american-dream-while-black-homeownership/
NAACP: the home of grassroots activism for civil rights and social justice.
We advocate, agitate, and litigate for the civil rights due to Black America. In our cities, schools, companies, and courtrooms, we are the legacy of W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells, Thurgood Marshall, and many other giants – https://naacp.org/
Homeownership rates by Race: https://usafacts.org/articles/homeownership-rates-by-race/
Want to Take Action?
Donate to NAACP: https://naacp.org/resources/reparations
Donate to advancing Black Homeownership: https://www.habitat.org/our-work/advancing-black-homeownership
https://www.dearfieldfund.com/
https://downpaymentresource.com/homebuyer-resource/highlighting-homebuyer-assistance-programs-for-black-homebuyers/#:~:text=The%20Dearfield%20Fund%20for%20Black,through%20affordable%20and%20sustainable%20homeownership.
Facing Race: A National Conference: https://facingrace.raceforward.org/
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Contact us: email complexified@iliff.edu
Complexified Website: https://www.complexified.org/
One afternoon, her clothes, hair, language, name, and even her parents were taken from her. In this episode, Navajo woman Bessie Smith, who survived the Indian Boarding Schools, shares her story of losing everything and then reclaiming the traditions she learned as a child to find healing.
Join us in this episode as we go to Bessie's home in Denver, Colorado, and hear about the day her parents were forced to hand her over to the U.S. Government. Bessie shares with breathtaking detail, remembering the gravity of all she lost. Listen to the full episode for ways you can learn more, and take action to first listen and feel, and then to heal, together.
Guest Bio
Bessie Smith (Dzabahe) was born around January 12th, 1942 and raised on the Diné reservation, halfway between Leupp and Tuba City, Arizona. She was born into Hashkáán Hadzohí (yucca fruit plant) clan, born for Bįįhbitodní clan (deer water), and paternal grandfather of Kiyáání (tower house people) clan, and maternal grandfather ofTłeziłaní (manygoats) clan. She was raised in a traditional Diné way of life. Bessie has been designing and making jewelry for over 25 years. She currently works on a part time basis as a consultant to agencies who are in need of Navajo interpretation services throughout the State of Colorado.
Bessie’s Jewelry Website:
https://www.dzabahe.com/
Links for things shared in the episode:
The Denver Post article referenced by Amanda:
https://www.denverpost.com/2023/10/03/native-american-boarding-schools-graves-fort-lewis-grand-junction/
Supreme Court preserves law that aims to keep Native American children with tribal families: https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-native-american-children-adoption-8eee3db1e97cee84a7fdcd98d43df795#tbl-em-lnwebu7xuuio4ldv5e
Want to Learn More?
CPR News Article: Legacy Of Indigenous Boarding Schools In Colorado Includes Unmarked Graves And Generational Scars
https://www.cpr.org/2021/08/02/indigenous-boarding-schools-colorado-unmarked-graves-generational-scars/
9 News interview with Bessie Smith: Federal Indian Boarding School survivor shares the abuse she endured, and how her jewelry business helps her heal:
https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/next/federal-indian-boarding-school-survivor-abuse-jewelry-business-heal-denver-colorado/73-91ebf2d1-051f-413d-8977-f97f8ed5c199
New York Times article: Researchers Identify Dozens of Native Students Who Died at Nebraska School:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/17/us/native-american-boarding-school-deaths-nebraska.html
New York Times article: ‘WAR AGAINST THE CHILDREN’ - The Native American boarding school system — a decades-long effort to assimilate Indigenous people before they ever reached adulthood — robbed children of their culture, family bonds and sometimes their lives:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/08/30/us/native-american-boarding-schools.html
Want to Take Action?
Land Back Movement: https://landback.org/
Global Fight to End Fossil Fuels: https://climatenetwork.org/can-event/global-fight-to-end-fossil-fuels/
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Contact us: email complexified@iliff.edu
Complexified Website - https://www.complexified.org/
As debates rage in state legislatures and school boards about history curriculums or critical race theory or the impact of slavery, we know that how we imagine our future has everything to do with how we remember our past. In this episode, we begin our series pulling apart the stories we have been told about the American Dream through our own multiple, honest, complicated stories of Dreaming America. We begin with our host, Amanda Henderson’s own family story. Moving West to find a better life, open space, and a land of their own, Amanda’s grandparent’s encountered hardship and built community. Their story mirrors the classic stories we have been told about pioneers and homesteaders, and there was more to that story, and there is more to our story. Begin the journey for the weeks ahead in the American Southwest with the stories we are told before we move further into the many stories we hold.
Resources to learn more:
Homestead Act of 1862 - https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/homestead-act#:~:text=The%20Homestead%20Act%2C%20enacted%20during,plot%20by%20cultivating%20the%20land.
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Connect with us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/complexifiedpodcast/
Complexified Website - https://www.complexified.org/
Resources from the Guest:
New River (Images of America) Book, Marcy Miller
https://www.amazon.com/River-Images-America-Marcy-Miller/dp/1467115932
Land of Our Own: New River, Arizona Paperback
by Pauline Essary Grimes (Author)
"How the American Dream Has Changed Over Time." Gale Student Resources in Context, Gale, 2016. Student Resources in Context
A Brief History of the American Dream
An Essay by Sarah Churchwell, Professor at the University of London, and Author, Behold, America: The Entangled History of ‘America First’ and ‘the American Dream’
The American Dream… is complicated. It always has been.
For some - this dream has been a nightmare
… a mirage in a forsaken desert.
A myth.
For others, it’s been an oasis from hardship, oppression, violence.
… a vision realized through physical freedom and material success.
This season on Complexified, we’re asking:
Where did the myth of the American dream come from?
What’s it got to do with religion and politics?
And how is it shaping our lives, for better or worse?
Coming to you from the Institute for Religion, Politics & Culture at Iliff School of Theology, I’m your host, Amanda Henderson, back with a new season of Complexified…my show about the powerful ways religion and politics intersect and affect my life. Your life. And all of our lives, together.
Each week, I’ll share what I’m learning as we turn the myth of the American Dream into our multiple, honest ways of Dreaming America.
Complexified: Dreaming America launches October 5th. Follow and share the show now, wherever you listen.
Denise is an award-winning Latina filmmaker and cultural storyteller. Denise is the American-born daughter of first-generation immigrants from Puerto Rico, growing up first in the Bronx and then in a mostly white community further upstate in New York. She never felt like she belonged anywhere. not white enough and American enough for the suburban community around her. Nor fluent enough in Spanish to feel completely Latina. She was a girl and then a woman who felt out of place. So what did she do? She created a film called, "Being Enye". All about that sense of being in between.
Dr. Butler is the founder of the seekr project, a distinctively black conversational artificial intelligence with mental health capacities, and is partner director of the Iliff School of Theology's AI Institute, where he works to change how computers see people.
Ian is a political strategist, dad, and the first gentleman of the seventh congressional district in Colorado. We discuss the tension between incrementalism and revolutions and how religious ideologies influence our political mindsets.
For more information about Dr. De La Torre, visit his website and check out all 42 of his books!
"All that you touch, you change. All that you change changes you. The only lasting truth is change. God is change. " Octavia E. Buter
Amanda and Lex talk about their favorite episodes and what they've learned in these first two seasons of the Complexified podcast! They also share the vision and what you can expect for season 3!
We are approaching the holiday season, and many folks have questions and anxieties about sharing space with family members with whom we disagree based on our political understanding and involvement in the world. Sarah Holland and Beth Silvers from Pantsuit Politics talk with Amanda, and they help us approach the holidays with family and engage them in political discussions rooted in love and care.
Reverend Dr. Jennifer Leath speaks on liberation and the AME church. We hear about her journey growing up as a Quare young person knowing that she was called to preach and how she had to make choices aligned with HER TRUTH. We also dive into her decision to move to Canada and her quest to become a mother.
Why does the government care so much about our bodies and whether we have babies? Get nerdy with us as we talk with philosophy professor Thomas Nail, and explore the history of governments forming the populations they want to govern.
Rabbi Joe Black joins us in the studio to share his moving music and poetry. Rabbi Joe helps us understand what Jewish tradition teaches about abortion and shares his own story of navigating difficult life and death decisions in his own family.
We continue our conversation about religion, politics, and abortion with biblical scholar, pastor, and professor of New Testament at Iliff School of Theology, Reverend Dr. Eric Smith. Eric and Amanda talk about some of the ways the Bible is used in anti-abortion arguments and how it shapes our society and our cultural expectations. We ask what the Bible can actually teach us to understand about abortion.
Iliff Student Lex Dunbar and host Amanda Henderson share their personal stories about their relationships with the anti-abortion movement and journies toward championing equitable reproductive health and justice. These stories are powerful and eye-opening - unveiling the truth behind the manipulation, harm, and misuse of religious ideals that uphold the anti-abortion movement in their missionary efforts.
accidents happen when you’re talking on the fly we know Mike Brown was murdered in 2014. Sorry for the mistake!
Born in a Church, and raised moving between the worlds of poverty in Jamaica Queens, and private school in the wealthy Upper East Side of New York City, Ann Marie Benitez knows what access to healthcare looks like when you have resources, and when you dont. Listen in to learn about Reproductive Justice, and the realities people of color face when trying to access reproductive healthcare after the end of Roe v. Wade.
Over the last year, a number of things have happened that signal an alarming change in American life: church and state seem to be no longer separate. In this episode, lawyer, advocate, strategist, and President and CEO of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, Rachel Laser tells the stories of those whose lives are directly impacted when the Supreme Court favors one religious ideology over the well-being of families and children. And she shares how her own family story shapes her work and reminds us all why the separation of church and state is vital to our democracy.
Articles mentioned in the episode:
Understanding Christian Nationalism - Diana Butler Bass
Colorado Politicians Address Christian Fundamentalists in Woodland Park - Heidi Beedle
Rep. Boebert tells churchgoers to ‘rise up’ at far-right Christian conference - Chase Woodruff
DeSantis’ ‘full armor of God’ rhetoric reaches Republicans. But is he playing with fire? - Ana Ceballos
Report on Christian nationalism and the January 6 insurrection - BJC
Is America a Christian Nation? - Americans United
Politicians, Christian fundamentalist activists plan an American theocracy - Heidi Beedle
Rev. Dr. Jacqui’s newest book, Fierce Love, "is a manifesto for all generations, a universalist’s vision for mending our broken hearts and fractured world" - Get your copy TODAY!
For more wisdom from Rev. Lewis, check out her podcast "LOVE. PERIOD. WITH REV. DR. JACQUI LEWIS"
For more resources on the historical connection between anti-Black racism and abortion see the article links below:
- The Racist History of Abortion and Midwifery Bans
- The Religious Right and the Abortion Myth
To many, Rob Schenck is THE father of the anti-choice movement. As a young pastor, he drew headlines for a stunt in which a dead fetus was thrust at president Bill Clinton. Later, as you’ll hear, Rob had the ears – and the hearts and pens – of conservative Supreme Court justices. In this provocative conversation, Rob shares his fundamental transformation and how he came to see- and fight- the full danger of Christian Nationalism.
With the first two episodes under our belt, Host Amanda Henderson and Iliff graduate student Lex Dunbar dig into the key takeaways they hope our listeners come away with after the first two episodes: 1) The idea that there are clear god-ordained, universal religious teachings about gender, sexuality, and marriage as we know them today is a myth. 2) Regulation of bodies, sexuality, and marriage relationships has been a part of the business of the State since the founding of the U.S. and before. With these two realities in mind, how are we to understand and navigate the deeper questions tied to gender, sexuality, and marriage?
State Representative Sam Park is a native Georgian born and raised by a single mother who instilled in him the importance of faith, family and hard work. Sam's grandparents were refugees from the Korean War who moved to the US in the early 1980's in pursuit of the “American Dream.” After receiving a Fellowship in Civil Rights and Constitutional Law from American University Washington College of Law, Sam earned his Masters in Law in 2014 with a specialization in law, politics and legislation. In December 2014, Sam’s mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Through her fight against cancer, Sam learned firsthand the importance of having access to healthcare. On a platform of expanding Medicaid to ensure access to healthcare for all Georgians, Sam ran for office as a first-time candidate in 2016 and unseated a three-term Republican chairwoman with a grassroots campaign to become the first Asian American Democrat and first openly gay man elected to the Georgia State Legislature.
Rev. Brandan Robertson is a noted author, pastor, activist, and public theologian working at the intersection of spirituality, sexuality, and social renewal. He is the author of seven books on spirituality, justice, and theology. Robertson has multiple publications such as TIME Magazine, San Diego Union Tribune, and The New York Times. Named by the Human Rights Campaign as one of the top faith leaders leading the fight for LGBTQ+ equality, Robertson has worked with political leaders and activists worldwide to end conversion therapy and promote the human rights of sexual and gender minorities.
Resources:
Bills:
- Nearly 240 anti-LGBTQ bills filed in 2022 so far, most of them targeting trans people
- 10 anti-LGBTQ laws just went into effect. They all target schools.
- How Onslaught of Bills on LGBTQ Rights Affects Young People
Resources:
- LGBT Youth Resources - CDC
- My Kid is Gay: Helping Families Understand Their LGBTQ Kids
- Loving Families - PFLAG
Brandan:
- How Brandan Robertson, a.k.a. the ‘Tik-Tok Preacher,’ Is Taking on the Anti-LGBTQ Teachings of His Faith
- Brandan Robertson - Website
It’s been a ROUGH few years. If you’re like me, you feel overwhelmed.
Worrying about what we’re living through, what scary headline we might see next
— and what we can DO about it.
Why can’t we keep our kids safe from guns? Why are voting rights under attack? Why can’t we even talk about abortion, gender, sexuality, or racism?
How we got here is not a mystery. And we’ll talk about that.
(Rob Schenck) "I was there in the middle to late 90s at the tables with Republican Party operatives. When they offered us a deal, and they said, Look, we're with you on abortion, we know you want the reversal of Roe v Wade, we're going to give you that, we're going to deliver that for you. But in exchange, and some of them would be quite crude, they would say, at a time, I can see this, I was seated seated seated at an oak table inside the US Capitol, there were a number of national evangelical leaders at the table, I was there. we're going to take down Roe, we're going to make abortion illegal in this country. But you're gonna have to give us your full support, because there's nowhere else for you to go. Do you understand? And there were literal handshakes across the table, we understand."
I’m Amanda Henderson, and this is my new podcast, Complexified.
On Complexified, we dig into the places where religion and politics collide with real-life, - so we can make real change.
(Robyn Henderson-Espinoza) “The activist theology project was born out of my desire to help people get their hands dirty with the wounds of the world.”
(Rep. Sam Park) "When, when it came to running for office, I was asked the question by my pastor at the time, um, you know, what breaks your heart, know what breaks your heart and do something about it, the question mm-hmm because, because, you know, just as faith is dead without deeds love is also meaningless if it's not demonstrated without action."
I’ll talk with activists and thinkers about the issues tearing our lives up today… the end of Roe v. Wade, climate change, Christian Nationalism, attacks on trans kids, homelessness, and so much more.
As a progressive pastor and the former head of an interfaith advocacy organization, I’ve preached at pulpits – and protests! I’ve testified at city council meetings and state capitols. I’ve shared ideas and activism and questions with people from all walks of life.
And I am here to say: Life is not black and white.
It’s complicated.
For too long we have avoided talking about religion and politics. But when we avoid these hard topics, we stay stuck.
On Complexifed, we’ll navigate the messiness… With compassion, curiosity, and community.
Complexified launches August 11. Join me. Follow the show wherever you listen to podcasts. And become a part of this movement to embrace the complexity of real life – and to move forward, together.
This podcast is a project of the Institute of Religion Politics & Culture at Iliff School of Theology.