{"href":"http://player.captivate.fm/services/oembed?url=http%3A%2F%2Fplayer.captivate.fm%2Fepisode%2F0ed2f2b4-fa2e-41f8-a745-4626ee29e0a9","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Captivate.FM","provider_url":"https://www.captivate.fm","width":600,"height":200,"type":"rich","html":"","title":"Episode 114: Coming Out To Leave Your Church But Not Your Faith \u2013 Dr. Josh Packard","description":"Let\u2019s be honest. A majority of LGBTQ individuals find themselves at the crossroads of their faith and their sexuality. In fact, most of us, find that faith often condemns us to a life of living in sin\u2026or at least that\u2019s what most would have us believe. Yet, we still want to keep that connection with the higher power and often find ourselves doing so not in the pew, but in our own homes\u2026our own way. Yet, even if we do find a church that is welcoming and embracing, why does it seem that there is a mass exodus from gathering together to celebrate divinity?\r\nHelping us to dissect this question is Dr. Josh Packard. His new book Church Refugees takes a closer look at why millions of church members \u2013 regardless of sexual orientation \u2013 are falling into inactivity and skipping church altogether. His book uses in-depth sociological research to get to the heart of the issue by interviewing real people about why they are leaving and who they really are and why they have become the \u201cdones\u201d with church, but not their faith. An all too familiar stance that many LGBTQ individuals find themselves facing on a regular basis.\r\nShow Highlights\r\n\r\n* What is becoming of those who are with church but not their faith?\r\n* You can\u2019t really be in community if you\u2019re worried about always being judged\r\n* Organizations, religious or not, have forgotten to connect people\r\n* This coming out journey is everyone\u2019s journey. Hear why\u2026\r\n* Questioning is part of our own exploration\r\n\r\nConnect with\u00a0Dr. Josh Packard\r\nJosh Packard is a sociologist, professor and researcher at the University of Northern Colorado, where he\u00a0is also the Executive Director of the Social Research Lab. He studies institutional participation in America and focuses on professional, religious and voluntary associations. Josh is a sought after speaker and trainer for corporate, religious and non-profit organizations. His research has appeared in numerous academic and trade publications, and he is the author, with Ashleigh Hope, of Church Refugees. Josh earned his B.A. in English from Texas Lutheran University in 2000 and his Ph.D. in Sociology from Vanderbilt University in 2008.\r\nWebsite\r\nTwitter\r\njosh.packard@unco.edu\r\n\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n<a class="a2a_dd addtoany_share_save addtoany_share" href="https://www.addtoany.com/share#url=https%3A%2F%2Frickclemons.com%2Fepisode-114-coming-out-to-leave-your-church-but-not-your-faith-dr-josh-packard%2F&title=Episode%20114%3A%20Coming%20Out%20To%20Leave%20Your%20Church%20But%20Not%20Your%20Faith%20%E2%80%93%20Dr.%20Josh%20Packard" data-a2a-url="https://rickclemons.com/episode-114-coming-out-to-leave-your-church-but-not-your-faith-dr-josh-packard/" data-a2a-title="Episode 114: Coming Out To Leave Your Church But Not Your Faith \u2013 Dr.","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/4b9b6c41-474a-4fd0-a374-cbb2a7aa23a4/1400x1400_uncloseted_artwork-01-573.jpg"}