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Happy holidays! To celebrate the ~festive season~, we thought we'd release a fan-favorite: Phill's conversation with Brittany Packnett Cunningham about Jesus. Yes, that Jesus! As appealing as hunky blondes can be, Phill isn’t interested in worshipping one (well, at least not as the son of God). There's a whole lot of myths about Jesus—and then there's who the Bible ACTUALLY says he was. And turns out, he's kind of a great guy! To help him dissect the activist Jesus was in his own life, Brittany Packnett Cunningham joins to play a fun Bible game. (The grand prize is kind of a bummer, though.) For a transcript of this show, please visit crooked.com/unholierthanthou.

On the final episode of this season of Unholier Than Thou, we end where it all began. On the first episode, Phill sat down with his fiancé, Darien, about being a healthcare worker during the first wave of covid. Darien is back, covid is still here, and the world is much changed. He and Phill discuss how being on the frontline worker has changed, and their newly long distance relationship, and how they remain committed to each other. For a transcript of this show, please visit crooked.com/unholierthanthou.

This week, Phill is joined by Bambi, who helped him come out of the closet many moons ago in a magical land called gay.com. They talk about what it's like growing up the black sheep, finding acceptance and love in the arms of strangers, and what it's like reconnecting with someone who changed your life. For a transcript of this show, please visit crooked.com/unholierthanthou.

This week, Phill is joined by his classmate, Sarah Pearson, who works fighting clergy abuse. She and Phill discuss how high up the chain coverup efforts go, how predatory priests are often relocated into communities of color, and what justice for victims may look like. For a transcript of this show, please visit crooked.com/unholierthanthou.

Alcohol consumption increased 23% during the pandemic, particularly among women and those who live alone. People are cut off from their support systems, and many have lost their income. Without social and financial resources, staying in recovery is hard and entering it can be even harder. This week, we have two stories about recovery. First, we have Odette. Odette is part of an online recovery group called Cafe RE, and over the course of the pandemic, became the host of its podcast and the face (and voice) of the community. She talks about her religious upbringing and spiritual practice, where we find strength, and misconceptions about recovery. Then we have Quianna. Quianna's road to recovery has been long, and credits her success to finding god on her journey. If you're curious about sobriety, here are some resources that might help: Find an AA meeting near you Join Odette and Cafe RE Looking to moderate? SMART Recovery might be for you Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's 24 hour hotline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) For a transcript of this show, please visit crooked.com/unholierthanthou.

This week, Phill is joined by author Reza Aslan to revisit the early aughts in the American imagination. In the wake of America's withdrawal from Afghanistan, how do notions of American exceptionalism hold up? Reza and Phill discuss how Christian imperialism has crept its way into allegedly secular politics, look critically at America's outmoded hero complex, and question to legitimacy of the liberator theology that we carry with us today. For a transcript of this show, please visit crooked.com/unholierthanthou.

And now for something a little different. This week, Phill is joined by a panel of great thinkers, writers, and theologians to tackle a big question: What role does Christianity have in an increasingly secular America? Do we need it? Does it leave room for those of marginalized identities? Does it welcome those who might have left and want to come back? Can it eschew its imperial past and embrace those it has harmed? It sounds heavy, but you'd never know it from the all the laughter. Panelists: Jacqui Lewis Meggan Watterson Darnell Moore Erica Williams For a transcript of this show, please visit crooked.com/unholierthanthou.

Content warning: This episode contains discussions of suicide Have you heard the one where the atheist walks into the divinity school? Oh, it’s not a joke, it’s the lived experience of humanist chaplain Chris Stedman. Phill and Chris talk about the pros and cons of organized religion, cultivating community and ritual outside of religious contexts, using the internet to heal after personal tragedy, and finding the divine in pop divas. Required listening for the “spiritual vibes of non-religious people.”   Resources: National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255 or text HELLO to 741741 For a transcript of this show, please visit crooked.com/unholierthanthou.

Welcome to covid’s Groundhog Day. Every day’s the same and we constantly have six weeks to go before it’s over. But school’s open, traffic is back, and it’s time to start thinking about what the world looks like on the other side. Here to talk to Phill about reentering a very changed and very similar world are writers Michael Arcenaux and Aminatou Sow. They chat about the challenges of creating through disaster, seeing old injustices through new eyes, creating boundaries, and finding god in memes. For a transcript of this show, please visit crooked.com/unholierthanthou.

Phill was always bound to interview Michelle Williams. You could call it fate, but we prefer DESTINY, child. The Gospel Girl talks to Phill about the connections between mental health and faith, how god lives in the high notes, and what to do with your life after you check ‘global superstar’ off the checklist. For a transcript of this show, please visit crooked.com/unholierthanthou.

In the inaugural episode of our resurrected show, Phill talks to one of his favorite people in the world: Samhita Mukhopadhyay. Samhita made some big changes during covid (like a lot of us). As Editor in Chief of Teen Vogue, she was at the height of her career: she had the high profile, the platform, the influence. And then? She stepped away. She and Phill dive in to betting on yourself, the lessons of grief, and rebuilding relationships over time.  For a transcript of this show, please visit crooked.com/unholierthanthou.

Someone must have moved a boulder out of the way, because Unholier Than Thou is back from the dead, baby! And we’re celebrating our resurrection with stories about yours. New jobs, new loves, new mistakes, new realizations, new challenges, new gay people talking about Catholic guilt (not all new — Phill’s still here). Join Phill and a stable of stars, friends, colleagues, and strangers as they try to glean answers from a year full of questions. New episodes every Friday, starting October 8.  Follow Phillip Picardi Follow Crooked