Justice is central to the teachings of the Bible—so why has it become so contested within Christianity?

In this episode of Holy Uncertain, hosts Lauren Ranzino and Chris McLeod are joined by priest, theologian, and author Fr. Joash Thomas to discuss how history, culture, and power have shaped the Western church’s understanding of justice, and what might be lost when care for the vulnerable becomes secondary to ideology or certainty.

Drawing from his own story—growing up in India as part of an ancient Christian tradition and later working within American politics—Joash offers a perspective that challenges the ways many of us have come to understand justice, faith, and what it means to follow Jesus.

This conversation invites a broader, more global view of Christianity—one that learns from traditions outside the Western church and re-centers the life and teachings of Jesus as a call to love, humility, and care for others.

If you’ve ever wondered why justice has become so complicated within the church—or felt disillusioned by the divide—this episode offers a thoughtful place to wrestle and reflect.

Continue to learn from Joash Thomas:
www.joashpthomas.com
Instagram: @joashpthomas
Substack: Masala Chai Theology with Fr. Joash P. Thomas
Read Joash’s Book:
The Justice of Jesus

Have a question or topic you want us to explore?
Email us: questions@holyuncertain.com
Holy Uncertain is a Blue Elevator production.

What can the study of stories teach us about the Bible?

In this episode of Holy Uncertain, hosts Chris McLeod and Lauren Ranzino are joined by mythologist, storyteller, and Executive Director of the Joseph Campbell Foundation, John Bucher, to explore how stories shape the way we understand faith, scripture, and the world around us.

Together, they unpack what “myth” really means—and why it has less to do with something being false and more to do with how humans make meaning. Through conversation spanning everything from Harry Potter to ancient texts, John invites us to reconsider how we read the Bible: not just as history to be proven, but as story that can transform the way we see ourselves, God, and the world.

Along the way, they wrestle with belief, doubt, and the role of storytelling in shaping a life of faith—asking what might become possible if we approached scripture with curiosity instead of certainty.

If you’ve ever felt stuck between taking the Bible literally or leaving it behind entirely, this conversation offers a different way forward.

Continue learning from John Bucher:
www.tellingabetterstory.com

Instagram: @tellingabetterstory
Joseph Campbell Foundation: https://www.jcf.org/

Read John’s Books:
The Storytelling Almanac: A Weekly Guide To Telling A Better Story
And many more.

Take John’s Courses:
The Shared Heroes’ Journey: Myth and Social Change
The Mystic Wizard of Oz

Have a question or topic you want us to explore?
Email us: questions@holyuncertain.com

Holy Uncertain is a Blue Elevator production.

In place of our usual episode this week, we’re offering a short Good Friday reflection—an invitation to pause, to grieve, and to sit with what is broken before rushing to what comes next.

Co-host Lauren Ranzino sits with the weight of a broken world, while holding onto both grief and hope.

Today, we take a beat.
We make space for what breaks our hearts.
And we remember: this is not the end of the story.

We’ll be back next week with a full episode.

Have a question or topic you want us to explore?
Email us: questions@holyuncertain.com

Holy Uncertain is a Blue Elevator production.