Bishop Mary Glasspool models what it looks like to live one’s convictions with courage, humility, and grace — this “Best Of” episode reminds us that pluralism is not an abstraction, but a practice.
Best Of TP&R
As we close out the year, we’re resurfacing a small handful of conversations from the Talkin’ Politics & Religion Without Killin’ Each Other archive that best reflect what this show exists to do: create space for thoughtful disagreement, moral seriousness, and the hard work of living together in a pluralistic democracy.
In this ...
Bishop Mary Glasspool models what it looks like to live one’s convictions with courage, humility, and grace — this “Best Of” episode reminds us that pluralism is not an abstraction, but a practice.
Best Of TP&R
As we close out the year, we’re resurfacing a small handful of conversations from the Talkin’ Politics & Religion Without Killin’ Each Other archive that best reflect what this show exists to do: create space for thoughtful disagreement, moral seriousness, and the hard work of living together in a pluralistic democracy.
In this Best of 2025 spotlight, we revisit a deeply human and spiritually rich conversation with Bishop Mary D. Glasspool, a pioneering leader in the Episcopal Church whose life and ministry embody the possibility of faith without fear, conviction without coercion, and leadership without domination.
From her early years growing up in the church, to wrestling with vocation, identity, and resistance from within her own denomination, Bishop Glasspool reflects on what it means to remain rooted in one’s faith while staying genuinely open to others — across theology, politics, and lived experience.
This is not a conversation about winning arguments. It’s about becoming the kind of people who can stay in relationship even when the conversations are hard.
Calls to Action:
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What We Explore
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Growing up in the Episcopal Church and discovering a call to ministry
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Wrestling with faith, sexuality, and belonging during moments of deep personal and institutional resistance
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The historic ordination of women and the legacy of the Philadelphia 11
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Why being deeply rooted in one’s own faith can make genuine interfaith dialogue possible
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Navigating polarization, fear, and exhaustion within religious communities
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The difference between hope and expectation — and why hope must remain central
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How listening, silence, and collaboration can heal what competition and certainty have fractured
Highlights & Timestamps
[00:00:00] Why this conversation still matters — and why we’re resurfacing it now
[00:03:00] Growing up Episcopalian and the formative power of place, family, and church
[00:13:00] Faith as identity vs. faith as choice — and learning to remain rooted without fear
[00:19:00] Women’s ordination, the Philadelphia 11, and a church at a crossroads
[00:31:00] Reconciling vocation, sexuality, and faith when the institution says “no”
[00:40:00] Creating space for people who disagree — without surrendering conviction
[00:48:00] Clergy exhaustion, political division, and the call to preach the basics
[00:53:00] Hope vs. expectation — and why hope leaves the future in God’s hands
[00:59:00] Why diversity is a strength — and what it takes to live that truth
[01:06:00] Three closing reflections: beyond binaries, the discipline of listening, and collaboration over competition
Memorable Quotes
🗣️ “If you are deeply rooted in your own faith, you are not threatened by people of other faiths.” — Bishop Mary Glasspool
🗣️ “Hope is not the same as expectation. Hope leaves the future in God’s hands.” — Bishop Mary Glasspool
🗣️ “Diversity is not a problem to be solved — it’s a strength to be lived into.” — Bishop Mary Glasspool
❤️ “The risk of staying in relationship is real — but it’s where hope lives.” — Corey Nathan
Resources Mentioned:
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It’s not about erasing difference. It’s about making room for one another — with courage, humility, and care.
