by Laura Sommer
I am a queer autistic theology enthusiast with no formal training. In my podcast episodes I will sit down with future pastors and present to them the theological theories that have formed from accumulated knowledge. personal experiences and pop culture, all filtered through the prism of my mysterious, trauma-informed autistic brain. I will ask my guests wether my ideas are boring mainstream opinions, radical groundbreaking new theology or just plain heresy. Should be fun! :-)
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
11/5/2020
Pitch yourself as a guest, propose sponsorships, or reach out directly to the host.
June 24, 2026
<p><br></p><p>Laura welcomes AuDHD pastor and professor Rev. Dr. Taylor Denyer to discuss neurodivergent fixations around “ethical” eating. How do we move from individualistic blame and personal shame into grace, community support, and effective action against systemic injustice? </p><p>Content warning for OCD, scrupulosity, paranoia, disordered eating, food</p><p>Links: </p><ul><li><p>Laura’s email: <a href="mailto:laurasommer1@gmx.de"><u>laurasommer1@gmx.de</u></a> </p></li><li><p><a href="https://wibbleywobbleyminds.wordpress.com/ocd/"><u>Laura’s OCD cartoons</u></a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eco-Kashrut"><u>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eco-Kashrut</u></a> </p></li></ul><p>Timestamps</p><ul><li><p>00:00 Introducing Taylor</p></li><li><p>03:49 Autism and various food struggles</p></li><li><p>08:22 Orthorexia — “Am I ethically allowed to eat this?” — Taylor’s experiences</p></li><li><p>13:23 Grocery store overwhelm</p></li><li><p>17:50 Describing OCD — the brain seeking reasons & control in a chaotic world </p></li><li><p>31:00 “Instead of getting help, I got scholarships” — OCD behavior rewarded</p></li><li><p>35:15 Scrupulosity/Religious OCD and learning theology that helps</p></li><li><p>39:41 Neurodivergence in Church History</p></li><li><p>45:22 Bringing in the Bible — moral traps, Luke 5’s anti-empire, economic lens</p></li><li><p>62:00 That which makes unclean — <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2015%20&version=CEB"><u>Matthew 15</u></a> / <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%207&version=CEB"><u>Mark 7</u></a>; focusing on systemic issues, not the individual</p></li><li><p>70:08 Grace for self, communal resistance, creating rituals</p></li></ul><p><br></p>
February 27, 2026
<p>I have been looking forward to recording this episode for a long time. Jonas, one of my oldest friends, joins me as we discuss the impulses to over-commit, disagree compulsively and/or both at the same time. We look at these patterns in biblical figures and stories and ourselves.</p>
December 23, 2025
<p>Avery and I are doing a Christmas episode about haptics, breaking the body/mind binary, and a wonderfully autistic touchy-feely Jesus.</p><p><br></p><p>0:00 Introducing topic, defining haptics, need for embodiment </p><p>11:00 Use of touch in Gospels’ healing stories</p><p>27:54 The autisticness of Jesus: hypersensitivity, denying and offering touch</p><p>39:34 More autistic Jesus — drawing in the dirt; a messy Messiah </p><p>48:21 Somatopsychic impacts, disconnecting from body parts, shame and reconnection</p><p>60:04 Medieval haptics — touching Jesus’s wounds</p><p>70:10 Bringing the messiness back into the Christmas story — and the pulpit</p>
Discover related shows you might enjoy
Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
I am a queer autistic theology enthusiast with no formal training. In my podcast episodes I will sit down with future pastors and present to them the theological theories that have formed from accumulated knowledge. personal experiences and pop culture, all filtered through the prism of my mysterious, trauma-informed autistic brain. I will ask my guests wether my ideas are boring mainstream opinions, radical groundbreaking new theology or just plain heresy.
Should be fun! :-)
This podcast updates monthly.
This podcast is available on 8 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
Information about guest appearances is not available.
Pod Engine is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected with any of the podcasts displayed on this platform. We operate independently as a podcast discovery and analytics service.
All podcast artwork, thumbnails, and content displayed on this page are the property of their respective owners and are protected by applicable copyright laws. This includes, but is not limited to, podcast cover art, episode artwork, show descriptions, episode titles, transcripts, audio snippets, and any other content originating from the podcast creators or their licensors.
We display this content under fair use principles and/or implied license for the purpose of podcast discovery, information, and commentary. We make no claim of ownership over any podcast content, artwork, or related materials shown on this platform. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
While we strive to ensure all content usage is properly authorized, if you are a rights holder and believe your content is being used inappropriately or without proper authorization, please contact us immediately at hey@podengine.ai for prompt review and appropriate action, which may include content removal or proper attribution.
By accessing and using this platform, you acknowledge and agree to respect all applicable copyright laws and intellectual property rights of content owners. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or commercial use of the content displayed on this platform is strictly prohibited.
