This week – in what may be the best recommendation we’ve ever had – we’re talking to theologian, former American footballer, and probably Rowan Williams' biggest fanboy, Danté Stewart.

With fire in his belly, Danté “takes us to church”, telling us the story of his own faith journey; from his childhood spent learning of Black revolutionary power, to his full immersion into white evangelical culture as a college football star. And, ultimately, his decision to turn his back on white evangelicalism and to re-nourish and re-build his spirituality and identity as a Black man instead.

Plus, all this gets Katherine and Paul asking: what does healthy religion look like? And how can Greenbelt go beyond showcasing diverse performers and do more to create spaces that are designed for everyone?

Links, resources and episode timestamps (for all you skippers out there) below.

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ABOUT DANTÉ STEWART

Danté Stewart is a writer and speaker whose voice has been featured on CNN, The Washington Post, Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Sojourners, The Witness: A Black Christian Collective, Comment Magazine, and more. As an up-and-coming voice, he writes and speaks into the areas of Black literature, embodiment, and theology. He received his B.A. in Sociology from Clemson University. He is currently studying at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Ga. 

Website | Twitter | Instagram 

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LINKS AND RESOURCES

Under The Skin With Russell Brand: #105 Alienation and Extremism w/ Angela Nagle

Rowan Williams

Where to Start with Octavia Butler

Culture And Imperialism by Edward Said

Harry and Meghan detail royal struggles, from discussions of baby's skin tone to suicidal thoughts

The Divided Mind of the Black Church: Theology, Piety, and Public Witness

The Black Arts Movement (1965-1975)

It is like growing up black one more time by Toni Morrison

Clemson University

Two Days, Two Deaths: The Police Shootings Of Alton Sterling And Philando Castile

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

Audre Lorde

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00:00 - Welcome to Somewhere To Believe In

00:47 - Katherine and Paul catch up

08:08 - Introducing Danté Stewart

08:06 - Danté joins the conversation

09:40 - Danté on the pandemic 

13:40 - Danté on staying resilient

20:00 - Danté on history and change

24:50 - Danté on growing up

28:00 - Danté on white institutional spaces

32:10 - Danté on exile from those spaces

37:50 - Danté on his faith journey

43:08 - Katherine and Paul reflect on the conversation with Danté

55:35 - Next week on the podcast

56:32 - How to get in touch with us

57:10 - Thank you’s

58:00 - Hidden track

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A huge thanks to the Greenbelt Volunteer Talks Team for all their hard work on editing this episode. Our podcast music is ‘I Can Change’ by Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires.

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https://www.greenbelt.org.uk/

#SomewhereToBelieveIn

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