Queering Contemplation

About Queering Contemplation

A new podcast from Cassidy Hall and the Christian Century examining the intersection of queerness and contemplative life. Based on her forthcoming book, Queering Contemplation: Finding Queerness in the Roots and Future of Contemplative Spirituality (Broadleaf, 2024). The world of contemplative Christianity has yielded to the same voices for far too long, many of whom are from centuries before our time, with lives unlike our own, and often from experiences disconnected from marginalization, oppression, and what it feels like to be an outsider. Cassidy Hall, an LGBTQIA+ Christian contemplative scholar and podcast host, takes us on a journey to queer the contemplative tradition. For Hall, queering is not solely about identifying as queer or applying queer theory; it is about what is gained by seeing things differently. "Queer," she says, "is the way I tilt my head to look at the world." As queerness reawakened her own contemplative life, Hall discovered that queering and questioning the tradition allowed her to listen more closely to voices that are queer, marginalized, and oppressed--voices that have long existed but have often been overlooked or silenced. For Hall, that also meant moving differently into contemplation, into silence, into liminality and ritual. In showing us the way, she helps us envision what contemplative faith can look like, what spiritual spaces we can reclaim for welcome--and how queering contemplation, and lifting up queer contemplative voices, frees us to seek the infinite possibility of our own identity and engage our spiritual lives with open hearts and open hands.

Publisher

Cassidy Hall

Category

religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

18 Jul 2023

Latest episode

22 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

15 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   22 Aug 2026

   Queering the Enneagram with Abi Robins

   Abi Robins (https://www.consciousenneagram.com/) (they/them) is a trained Enneagram Teacher who studied with Helen Palmer, Marion Gilbert, Peter O’Hanrahan and others through The Narrative Enneagram in Menlo Park, CA. Robins is also a CIAYT Yoga Therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapists and studied at Yoga Yoga in Austin, TX. Abi’s teaching combines the deep and transformative insight of the Enneagram with the holistic and down to earth practices of Yoga Therapy. Robins seeks to share these two powerful systems to help people better understand themselves and those around them and live more fulfilling and meaningful lives. Abi is the author of The Conscious Enneagram: How to Move from Typology to Transformation (https://a.co/d/0dkm2mzh). You can learn more about Abi and their work at www.consciousenneagram.com (http://www.consciousenneagram.com). ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall)

2. 

   15 Aug 2025

   Queering Sacred Art with Fr. William Hart McNichols

   Father William Hart McNichols (https://frbillmcnichols-sacredimages.com/) (he/him) is widely known as one of the world’s most gifted iconographers. A former Jesuit and student of Franciscan iconographer Robert Lentz, Fr. Bill’s icons have been in exhibitions across the U.S. In 1980, a year after becoming a priest, he moved to NYC where he ministered to people with HIV/AIDS. From 1983 - 1990 he worked with the AIDS Hospice team of St. Vincent's Hospital in Manhattan. In 1990, Fr. Bill moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where he has assisted with sacramental ministry  in Taos and Albuquerque. He is author and collaborator on numerous books including Mother of God Similar to Fire, with Mirabai Starr (https://orbisbooks.com/products/mother-of-god-similar-to-fire?_pos=33&_sid=4ae4823b2&_ss=r&variant=23987389628480), Light in All Darkness, Image to Insight, You Will Be My Witnesses (https://orbisbooks.com/products/you-will-be-my-witnesses?pr_prod_strat=e5_desc&pr_rec_id=27fbad5ec&pr_rec_pid=2582212771904&pr_ref_pid=2582969221184&pr_seq=uniform), and more. His most recent book with Dr. Christopher Pramuk is titled All My Eyes See: The Artistic Vocation of Father William Hart McNichols (https://orbisbooks.com/products/all-my-eyes-see-the-artistic-vision-of-fr-william-hart-mcnichols), which explores his life’s journey. Rev. Cassidy Hall (http://www.cassidyhall.com) (she/her/hers), MA, MDiv, MTS, is an author, award-winning filmmaker, podcaster, ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, and leading voice in contemplative spirituality. She is the cohost of the Encountering Silence (https://encounteringsilence.com/) podcast, and the creator of the Contemplating Now (https://www.christiancentury.org/podcast/contemplating-now) and Queering Contemplation (https://www.christiancentury.org/podcast/queering-contemplation) podcasts. Her films include In Pursuit of Silence (https://www.pursuitofsilence.com/) and Day of a Stranger (https://www.dayofastranger.com/). Her forthcoming book, Queering Contemplation: Finding Queerness in the Roots and Future of Contemplative Spirituality (https://amzn.to/3OIf18X). Cassidy is widely published and currently resides in Indianapolis where she is studying for her doctorate degree. You can learn more about her at cassidyhall.com (https://www.christiancentury.org/www.cassidyhall.com). ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall)

3. 

   20 Apr 2025

   Queering Paradox with James Crews

   James Crews (https://www.jamescrews.net/) (he/him) is the editor of several bestselling anthologies, including The Path to Kindness: Poems of Connection and Joy (https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/james-crews/the-path-to-kindness/9781635865332/) and How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope (https://bookshop.org/p/books/how-to-love-the-world-poems-of-gratitude-and-hope-james-crews/14822459?ean=9781635863864&next=t), which has over 100,000 copies in print. He has been featured in The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The New York Times Magazine, The New Republic, The Christian Science Monitor, and on NPR’s Morning Edition. James is the author of four prize-winning books of poetry—The Book of What Stays, Telling My Father, Bluebird, and Every Waking Moment (https://www.jamescrews.net/books)—and a book of short essays, Kindness Will Save the World: Stories of Compassion and Connection (https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/James-Crews/199903651). James also speaks and leads workshops on kindness, mindfulness, and writing for self-compassion. He lives with his husband on forty rocky acres in the woods of Southern Vermont. Learn more about him and his work at jamescrews.net (https://www.jamescrews.net/). Click here to pre-order Love is for All of Us. (https://bookshop.org/p/books/love-is-for-all-of-us-poems-of-tenderness-and-belonging-from-the-lgbtq-community-and-friends/a318c39faed923cc) The Rev. Cassidy Hall (she/her/hers), MA, MDiv, MTS, is an author, award-winning filmmaker, podcaster, ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, and leading voice in contemplative spirituality. She is the cohost of the Encountering Silence (https://encounteringsilence.com/) podcast, and the creator of the Contemplating Now (https://www.christiancentury.org/podcast/contemplating-now) and Queering Contemplation (https://www.christiancentury.org/podcast/queering-contemplation) podcasts. Her films include In Pursuit of Silence (https://www.pursuitofsilence.com/) and Day of a Stranger (https://www.dayofastranger.com/). Her forthcoming book, Queering Contemplation: Finding Queerness in the Roots and Future of Contemplative Spirituality (https://amzn.to/3OIf18X). Cassidy is widely published and currently resides in Indianapolis where she is studying for her doctorate degree. You can learn more about her at cassidyhall.com (https://www.christiancentury.org/www.cassidyhall.com) and support her work here. (https://www.christiancentury.org/www.patreon.com/cassidyhall) Learn more about Cassidy Hall (http://www.cassidyhall.com/) Support the Podcast (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall)

4. 

   29 Jan 2025

   Queering Power with the Rev. Larry J. Morris III

   The Rev. Larry J. Morris III (he/they) is an apostle, digital marketer, scholar, and spiritual director based in Chicago, IL. In his work, he “helps individuals and organizations realize their extraordinary purpose.” Larry is also Executive Director of the Inclusive Collective, a campus ministry in the Chicagoland area. Larry is a Ph.D. student in the African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric program at Christian Theological Seminary (Indianapolis, IN), focusing on the intersections of Blackness, Queerness, and Sacred Rhetoric. You can learn more about Larry's work by visiting his website: https://larryjmorris3.com/ (https://larryjmorris3.com/) The Rev. Cassidy Hall (she/her/hers), MA, MDiv, MTS, is an author, award-winning filmmaker, podcaster, ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, and leading voice in contemplative spirituality. She is the cohost of the Encountering Silence (https://encounteringsilence.com/) podcast, and the creator of the Contemplating Now (https://www.christiancentury.org/podcast/contemplating-now) and Queering Contemplation (https://www.christiancentury.org/podcast/queering-contemplation) podcasts. Her films include In Pursuit of Silence (https://www.pursuitofsilence.com/) and Day of a Stranger (https://www.dayofastranger.com/). Her book, Queering Contemplation: Finding Queerness in the Roots and Future of Contemplative Spirituality (https://amzn.to/3OIf18X) was released May 2024. Cassidy is widely published and currently resides in Indianapolis where she is studying for her doctorate degree. You can learn more about her at cassidyhall.com (https://www.christiancentury.org/www.cassidyhall.com) and support her work here. (https://www.christiancentury.org/www.patreon.com/cassidyhall) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall)

5. 

   10 Jan 2025

   Queering Genesis with Jessica Jacobs

   Jessica Jacobs (https://jessicalgjacobs.com/)is the author of unalone, poems in conversation with the Book of Genesis (Four Way Books, March 2024); Take Me with You, Wherever You’re Going (Four Way Books, 2019), one of Library Journal’s Best Poetry Books of the Year, winner of the Devil’s Kitchen and Goldie Awards, and a finalist for the Brockman-Campbell, American Fiction, and Julie Suk Book Awards; Pelvis with Distance (White Pine Press, 2015), a biography-in-poems of Georgia O’Keeffe, winner of the New Mexico Book Award in Poetry and a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award; and co-author of Write It! 100 Poetry Prompts to Inspire (Spruce Books/Penguin RandomHouse). She is the founder and executive director of Yetzirah: A Hearth for Jewish Poetry (https://yetzirahpoets.org/). The Rev. Cassidy Hall (she/her/hers), MA, MDiv, MTS, is an author, award-winning filmmaker, podcaster, ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, and leading voice in contemplative spirituality. She is the cohost of the Encountering Silence (https://encounteringsilence.com/) podcast, and the creator of the Contemplating Now (https://www.christiancentury.org/podcast/contemplating-now) and Queering Contemplation (https://www.christiancentury.org/podcast/queering-contemplation) podcasts. Her films include In Pursuit of Silence (https://www.pursuitofsilence.com/) and Day of a Stranger (https://www.dayofastranger.com/). Her book, Queering Contemplation: Finding Queerness in the Roots and Future of Contemplative Spirituality (https://amzn.to/3OIf18X) was released May 2024. Cassidy is widely published and currently resides in Indianapolis where she is studying for her doctorate degree. You can learn more about her at cassidyhall.com (https://www.christiancentury.org/www.cassidyhall.com) and support her work here. (https://www.christiancentury.org/www.patreon.com/cassidyhall) Learn more about Cassidy Hall (http://www.cassidyhall.com/) Support the Podcast (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall) Subscribe to the Magazine (https://subscribe.christiancentury.org/CCY/?f=renewp&s=I2207RDRNW) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall)

6. 

   8 Nov 2024

   Queering Eros with Jon Carl Lewis

   Jon Carl Lewis (https://www.joncarllewis.com/) (he/him/his) is a spiritual guide and liberative educator in the queer, contemplative Christian tradition. He loves helping people recognize vital connections among the various aspects of themselves as a way of grounding their exploration of what brings them deep meaning, connection, and joy. You can learn more about him and read his work on his substack here (https://queerchristianramblings.substack.com/): https://queerchristianramblings.substack.com/ (https://queerchristianramblings.substack.com/) and his instagram here (https://www.instagram.com/joncarllewis/): https://www.instagram.com/joncarllewis/ (https://www.instagram.com/joncarllewis/) The Rev. Cassidy Hall (she/her/hers), MA, MDiv, MTS, is an author, award-winning filmmaker, podcaster, ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, and leading voice in contemplative spirituality. She is the cohost of the Encountering Silence (https://encounteringsilence.com/) podcast, and the creator of the Contemplating Now (https://www.christiancentury.org/podcast/contemplating-now) and Queering Contemplation (https://www.christiancentury.org/podcast/queering-contemplation) podcasts. Her films include In Pursuit of Silence (https://www.pursuitofsilence.com/) and Day of a Stranger (https://www.dayofastranger.com/). Her book, Queering Contemplation: Finding Queerness in the Roots and Future of Contemplative Spirituality (https://amzn.to/3OIf18X) was released May 2024. Cassidy is widely published and currently resides in Indianapolis where she is studying for her doctorate degree. You can learn more about her at cassidyhall.com (https://www.christiancentury.org/www.cassidyhall.com) and support her work here. (https://www.christiancentury.org/www.patreon.com/cassidyhall) Learn more about Cassidy Hall (http://www.cassidyhall.com/) Support the Podcast (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall) Subscribe to the Magazine (https://subscribe.christiancentury.org/CCY/?f=renewp&s=I2207RDRNW) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall)

7. 

   17 Aug 2024

   Queering Mystical Theology with Dr. James Staples

   Dr. Staples’s research takes seriously the productive intersection of theology—specifically mystical theology—and poetry in the development of alternative modes of critical thinking in the Middle Ages. Studying the Middle Ages through the lenses of queer theory, posthumanism, gender and sexuality studies, and critical race theory, Dr. Staples demonstrates the disorienting value of reading the past and the present together. He’s written articles related to these topics, published in various journals, including Romanic Review and Exemplaria, and he’s currently developing a book project on the Pearl-Poet. The Rev. Cassidy Hall (she/her/hers), MA, MDiv, MTS, is an author, award-winning filmmaker, podcaster, ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, and leading voice in contemplative spirituality. She is the cohost of the Encountering Silence (https://encounteringsilence.com/) podcast, and the creator of the Contemplating Now (https://www.christiancentury.org/podcast/contemplating-now) and Queering Contemplation (https://www.christiancentury.org/podcast/queering-contemplation) podcasts. Her films include In Pursuit of Silence (https://www.pursuitofsilence.com/) and Day of a Stranger (https://www.dayofastranger.com/). Her book, Queering Contemplation: Finding Queerness in the Roots and Future of Contemplative Spirituality (https://amzn.to/3OIf18X) was released May 2024. Cassidy is widely published and currently resides in Indianapolis where she is studying for her doctorate degree. You can learn more about her at cassidyhall.com (https://www.christiancentury.org/www.cassidyhall.com) and support her work here. (https://www.christiancentury.org/www.patreon.com/cassidyhall) Learn more about Cassidy Hall (http://www.cassidyhall.com/) Support the Podcast (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall) Subscribe to the Magazine (https://subscribe.christiancentury.org/CCY/?f=renewp&s=I2207RDRNW) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall)

8. 

   9 May 2024

   Queering Ontology with lenny duncan

   lenny duncan (they/them) (https://lennyduncan.com/) is a writer, speaker, scholar, and media producer working at the forefront of racial justice in America. lenny is the author of Dear Church, United States of Grace, and Dear Revolutionaries, and co-creator of the podcast BlackBerryJams with PRX. A PhD student in Historical and Cultural Studies of Religion, lenny's current research is what they have termed "a peoples history of magic." lenny is originally from West Philadelphia, has hitchhiked thousands of miles on American byways, and makes home up and down the I-5 to see found family, and in the E bay for research. You can learn more about lenny at their website here: https://lennyduncan.com/ (https://lennyduncan.com/) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall)

9. 

   16 Feb 2024

   Queering the Wild Goose with Assata de la Cruz

   Assata de la Cruz (https://linktr.ee/assatadelacruz) is a Black and Indigenous Queer mother. She is the Executive Director of Savage Daughters (https://www.thesavagedaughters.org/shop)and Director of Community Outreach for Soulforce (https://soulforce.org/assata/), an organization for Queer folks reclaiming our spirits from weaponized religion. She is certified and trained a variety of embodied practices including Birth Work, Spirit Work, Heart Work, and Body Work. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall)

10. 

    9 Jan 2024

    Queering Community with the Rev. Nicole Garcia

    The Rev. Nicole M. Garcia (she/her) (https://www.thetaskforce.org/staff-bio-rev-nicole-m-garcia-m-a-lpc/), M.A. LPC, is a queer transgender Latina who currently serves as the Faith Work Director at the National LGBTQ Task Force. Nicole earned a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from CU Denver and is a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Colorado. Nicole earned a Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary in St. Paul MN and is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. She is a former member and faculty emeritus of the Trans Seminarian Leadership Cohort. Nicole is dedicated to preaching queer liberation theology and is passionate about doing the work of moving social justice from a concept to reality. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall)

11. 

    2 Dec 2023

    Queerly Rooting with Rev. Jes Kast

    The Rev. Jes Kast is a progressive minister, constructive theologian, and gardener. Raised in Michigan, Jes took her second call to ministry in New York City. After the 2016 election, she longed to share healing and desired a slower way of life. Those passions, among many others led her to taking a call as the settled pastor at Faith UCC in State College, Pennsylvania where she now resides with her wife, Dr. Jessy, and together they have two cats and puppy named Charlie. You can learn more about Jes at revjeskast.com. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall)

12. 

    19 Oct 2023

    Queer God de Amor with Dr. Miguel H. Díaz

    Dr. Miguel H. Díaz is the John Courtney Murray University Chair in Public Service and was selected by President Barack Obama as the 9th U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See. Prof. Díaz obtained his doctorate in Systematic Theology from the University of Notre Dame. Among his scholarly interests include trinitarian theology, theological anthropology, queer theologies, liberation theologies, and Latin@ theologies. He is a prolific writer and public speaker. His most recent publications include Queer God de Amor (https://www.amazon.com/Queer-God-Amor-Disruptive-Cartographers/dp/1531502474) and The Word Became Culture. He is co-editor of the groundbreaking series Disruptive Cartographers: Doing Theology Latinamente. (https://www.fordhampress.com/2022/07/11/fordham-university-press-acquires-groundbreaking-series-disruptive-cartographers-doing-theology-latinamente/) Learn more about Dr. Miguel H. Díaz (https://www.luc.edu/theology/facultystaff/diazmiguelh.shtml) Learn more about Cassidy Hall (http://www.cassidyhall.com) Support the Podcast (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall)

13. 

    2 Oct 2023

    Queerness is Magic with Rev. Mihee Kim-Kort

    The Rev. Mihee Kim-Kort is a Presbyterian minister, agitator, speaker, and writer. Her writing and commentary can be found in the New York Times, TIME, BBC World Service, USA Today, Huffington Post, Christian Century, On Being, Sojourners, and the author of the book Outside the Lines: How Embracing Queerness Will Transform Your Faith (https://www.amazon.com/Outside-Lines-Embracing-Queerness-Transform/dp/1506408966). She is co-pastor with her spouse of First Presbyterian Church in Annapolis, MD and a doctoral candidate in Religious Studies at Indiana University (http://www.indiana.edu/~relstud/). Learn more about Rev. Mihee Kim-Kort (https://www.mkimkort.com/) Learn more about Cassidy Hall (http://www.cassidyhall.com/) Support the Podcast (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall)

14. 

    21 Aug 2023

    Queering Incarnation with Prof. Lisa Isherwood

    Professor Lisa Isherwood is the first Professor of Feminist Liberation Theologies in the UK. Professor of Practice and Research Supervisor at the University of Wales and is an extensively published researcher with 28 books (https://www.amazon.com/Books-Lisa-Isherwood/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ALisa+Isherwood) and numerous articles. Her work explores such areas as liberation theologies, feminist theologies, eco-theologies, Psychology of Religion, Mysticism, Queer theory and theology. As one of the founding editors of the Feminist Theology journal, she’s helped develop reflections of Feminist Theology over the past 30 years and continues to look to its future. She currently works as Professor of Practice and Research Supervisor at the University of Wales and is an extensively published researcher with 28 books and numerous articles. Her work explores such areas as liberation theologies, feminist theologies, eco-theologies, Psychology of Religion, Mysticism, Queer theory and theology. Learn more about Professor Lisa Isherwood (https://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/staff/lisa-isherwood/) Learn more about Cassidy Hall (http://www.cassidyhall.com/) Support the Podcast (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall)

15. 

    18 Jul 2023

    Queerness Subverts with Alicia Crosby Mack

    Alicia T. Crosby (she/her/hers) is a justice educator, activist, and minister whose work addresses the spiritual, systemic, and interpersonal harm people experience. Alicia helps individuals, communities, and institutions explore and unpack topics related to identity, justice, journey, and intersectional equity. Her passions for justice, spiritually engaged activism, and community engagement led her to pursue a M.A. in Social Justice and Certificate in Non-Profit Management & Philanthropy at Loyola University Chicago. Her interest in religious violence, abuse, and trauma led her to Duke Divinity School where she obtained a Master of Theological Studies degree. More about Alicia T. Crosby (https://www.aliciatcrosby.com/about) More about Cassidy Hall (https://cassidyhall.com/) Support the Podcast (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall) ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★ (https://www.patreon.com/cassidyhall)

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

6 ratings

Contact Queering Contemplation

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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