The Life After Leaving Podcast: An Ex-Christadelphian Podcast

S1 Ep.1 Fellowship with Heather

Today we're chatting with Heather! Let's cozy up by a babbling stream with our favorite transcendental books for this one! 
 
If you’re interested in coming on the podcast or have comments or questions, you can contact Zinnia at lifeafterleavingpodcast@gmail.com
 
Resources:
⁠Heather's Blog⁠

S1 Ep. 5 Harbingers of Destruction! Talking with Amy about Women in Christadelphia

Today we're chatting with Amy! She has a master's degree in Religious Studies, and wrote her thesis using the Christadelphians as a test case for theories of conservative women.
There's no need to don a skirt or headcovering this Sunday morning! Join us as we delve into the reason why nothing ever changes in Christadelphia; talk about the limited roles for women in the ecclesia; reminisce on the dramas of headcoverings and pants-wearing (that's trousers for the Brits); and much, much more.
Resources:
 
Amy’s thesis
Not publicly available. Please email lifeafterleavingpodcast@gmail.com to request a digital copy
 
Christadelphian Moms Survey Results, May 2024
 
Tidings magazine, May 2024 Issue
 
Tidings magazine, article on race from August 2020
 
The Ecclesial Guide by Robert Roberts
 
Esme Louie Tradwife Video
 
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
 
Books referenced:
 
The Psychology of Religious Doubt by Philip Helfaer
Educated by Tara Westover
The Holy Bible by Vanessa Russell (an ex-christadelphian!)
Leaving the Fold by Marlene Winell 

S1 Ep. 4 Fellowship with Rob

Today we’re chatting with Rob! Rob had reached the pinnacle of success as an international Christadelphian lecturer and prominent leader in his ecclesia before his journey to explore the root of his faith took him on an unexpected “reverse road to Damascus” and to leaving religion for good. This episode is the perfect accompaniment to a leisurely Sunday morning spent sleeping in, enjoying a fresh cup of coffee, and savoring not having to rush to the Sunday morning meeting anymore. Pull on your most colorful underwear for this episode and enjoy! 
If you’re interested in coming on the podcast or have comments or questions, you can contact Zinnia at lifeafterleavingpodcast@gmail.com
Resources:
 
Unbelievable: A journey from faith via evidence. Why a university professor gave up religion and became an unbeliever 
 
Unbelievable on Amazon
 
Bibliography of Rob’s Book
 
Tidings Article on Seeking Truth
 
Book: Good without God by Greg Epstein
 
Book: The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion
By Jonathan Haidt

S1 Ep. 3 Fellowship with Keturah

Today we're chatting with Keturah! There are some heavy topics in today's episode but this was still so much fun! We wonder, why do Christadelphians love one room schoolhouses so much? What is the proper gender neutral term for a baptized Christadelphian? Why did tights have such a chokehold on Christadelphian women for so long? The world may never know but we can laugh about it anyway!
 
TW: domestic violence, child abuse, incest, depression
 
If you’re interested in coming on the podcast or have comments or questions, you can contact Zinnia at lifeafterleavingpodcast@gmail.com
 
Resources:
Jezebel Vibes on Youtube⁠

S1 Ep. 2 John Thomas: The Man, the Myth, the Founder of the Christadelphians

Today we're diving into the origin of the Christadelphians and taking a look at their founder/rediscover-er Doctor John Thomas! Let's count how many times he got baptized and see what lengths he went to in order to get away from the priest-ridden society of England. This story is probably a little different than the Christadelphian origin story you thought you knew...
Resources and References:
 
Appletons' Cyclopedia of American Biography, 1600-1889- Dr. Thomas entry on page 84
 
John Thomas: His Life and His Work by Robert Roberts
 
Joe Dispenza Article
 
John Thomas and his Rediscovery of Bible Truth by Norman Fadelle, 2004
 
Christadelphian History and Rediscovery 
 
 John Thomas His Friends and His Faith by Peter Hemingray, 2003
 
Ancestry.com, John Thomas in the England & Wales, Non-Conformist and Non-Parochial Registers, 1567-1936, Page 46
 
Alexander Campbell Shipwreck and Journey to Glasgow, Scotland
Memoirs of Alexander Campbell, by Robert Richardson, Volume 1, Chapters 7 & 8, pages 104-128.
“The shipwreck which Thomas Campbell's family had suffered seemed to be a complete disappointment of all their hopes, as it was an entire frustration of their plans and purposes. But there was an important work for Alexander to accomplish, needing special preparation both of heart and mind; and this seeming calamity was afterward seen to be one of the most important of that train of events by which that preparation was secured. Already had it led him to a final determination as to his proper field of labor; and the [113] circumstances in which it directly involved him were those precisely adapted to qualify and guide him in that future life-work."
 
History of the Restoration Movement
“Alexander Campbell had splendid advantages for an education. His father was a teacher of no mean ability, as well as a preacher. He took great interest in the education of his son… Like many today he did not examine the Bible or search from its pages to find out the will of the Lord. He united with the church of his father, and because his father was a Presbyterian he became one. Of course in later years he studied the Bible to know the will of God and to do it. He soon began taking public part in the church work. … in 1812. He was now in full accord with the Baptist Church on what was called "the mode of baptism," and out of harmony with the Presbyterian Church. He soon discovered that he was out of harmony with the Baptist Church on its creed as well as much of its practice.”
 
Restoration Movement
“He affiliated for a time with the Baptist Church, but he saw that to follow the Scriptures he must repudiate all human institutions and exalt only the Church of our Lord. He had faith in this church and had the courage to stand by his convictions. He believed in the church of the Bible and had the courage to condemn sects and denominations with their creeds and human devices. He began calling upon people to worship as the New Testament directs, and he found many who were eager to do this. Local congregations were established on the New Testament pattern, and guided only by the New Testament in their work and worship. After he had been preaching independent of the Baptist Church for some time, the Baptist Church in some formal way condemned his action. Alexander Campbell was not excluded from the Baptist Church. He was never in full faith and fellowship with the Baptist Church. He was baptized by a Baptist preacher, and affiliated in a rather loose way with the Baptist Church while he was groping in darkness. But soon the light of God's truth dawned upon his soul, and he ignored the claims of the Baptist Church upon him and pursued a course independent of the Baptist Church… He simply called upon people to take the New Testament as their guide and the church of the New Testament as the only church which is authorized by the word of God”
 
Christadelphian Standards by H.P. Mansfield in 1961 Page 104
 
“My Days and My Ways” by Robert Roberts, 1894 Requesting Vigilantius and his Times
 
Eureka volume III
 
The preface of Eureka Vol III

Welcome, Start Here!

Welcome to the Life After Leaving Podcast! Check out this episode to learn about who we are, what we plan to do, and get some background on who the Christadelphians are before listening to our full episodes. 
If you’re interested in coming on the podcast or have comments or questions, you can contact Zinnia at lifeafterleavingpodcast@gmail.com