Deedra and Megan sit down with public theologian and author Brian Recker to unpack his new book, Hellbent: How the Fear of Hell Holds Christians Back from a Spirituality of Love. Brian shares his journey from fundamentalism and eight years in the evangelical pastorate to a more inclusive way of following Jesus—one that replaces fear, punishment, and gatekeeping with curiosity, reclamation, and love. Together they explore how doctrines of eternal torment shape our image of God, our bodies, and our communities—and why removing hell from the center can actually deepen faith and free us to do the work of justice and mercy now.Listen as we discuss:Growing up fundamentalist (yes, Bob Jones University) and the first “mini-deconstruction”Why fear of hell quietly programs our spirituality (and our church cultures)How punitive atonement stories make God the “bad guy” and stunt real transformationThe demonic as forces that split us from God, self, and neighbor (not cartoon villains)Reclaiming practices, language, and church life after deconstructionCentering the margins: why Jesus starts with the last, lost, least, and left outLiving the good news here and now vs. selling fire insurance for the afterlifeBrian Recker, M.Div, is a public theologian, speaker, and writer on Christian spirituality without exclusionary dogma. The son of a Baptist preacher and an alum of the fundamentalist Bob Jones University, he spent eight years as an evangelical pastor before deconstructing his faith to find a more inclusive spirituality. He now speaks about following Jesus without fear of hell on his popular Instagram account and his Substack, Beloved. He lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, and has four children and a rescue pup named Maev.

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