Coming Out Christian
Coming Out Christian
Podcast Description
Sometimes, it's as hard to come out as an LGBTQIA+ person in a Christian space as it is to come out as a Christian in an LGBTQIA+ space. Deeply faithful, critical, and sometimes a bit irreverent, "Coming Out Christian" meets that challenge head-on through the often silent and silenced narratives of Queer Christians. Join Siobhan Boyd-Nelson and the Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp for frank and revealing conversations at the intersection of faith, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, and other identities."Coming Out Christian" is a project of LOVEboldly, an organization working to create spaces where LGBTQIA+ people can flourish in Christianity. Learn more about LOVEboldly at www.loveboldly.net.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on themes of faith, identity, and acceptance, with episodes addressing topics like navigating LGBTQIA+ identities within Christian communities, the experiences of queer Christians, and critical discussions on race and gender identity in relation to faith. Specific examples include episodes that explore the challenges of coming out in both religious and LGBTQIA+ spaces.
Sometimes, it’s as hard to come out as an LGBTQIA+ person in a Christian space as it is to come out as a Christian in an LGBTQIA+ space. Deeply faithful, critical, and sometimes a bit irreverent, “Coming Out Christian” meets that challenge head-on through the often silent and silenced narratives of Queer Christians. Join Siobhan Boyd-Nelson and the Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp for frank and revealing conversations at the intersection of faith, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, and other identities.
“Coming Out Christian” is a project of LOVEboldly, an organization working to create spaces where LGBTQIA+ people can flourish in Christianity. Learn more about LOVEboldly at www.loveboldly.net.
Coming Out Christian | Season 3, Episode 15Guest: Joseph “Zé” Soza
What happens when the faith you were raised in no longer fits and you find yourself building something new from the pieces?
Joseph “Zé” Soza (he/him/el) grew up in a deeply Pentecostal household in Ohio, shaped by long Sundays filled with ecstatic worship, speaking in tongues, and teary altar calls. His father is a theologian, Bible scholar, and pastor; his mother a devoted pastor’s wife and public servant. Faith wasn’t just part of Zé’s upbringing, it was the air he breathed. And yet, after years of being torturously closeted, Zé came out as a gay Queer man in his early 20s and began a journey of self-actualization that eventually led him away from Christianity and toward Buddhism, though he’d be the first to tell you it’s more complicated than that.
In this episode, hosts Siobhan Boyd-Nelson and Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp sit down with Zé to explore his journey from Pentecostal pastor’s kid to Buddhist practitioner and yoga teacher and his deeply thoughtful approach to spirituality, not adopting a tradition wholesale, but using the tools and practices of multiple faiths to build a life of meaning and authenticity.
Honest, searching, and beautifully human.
- 📲 Follow Zé on Instagram: @zesoza8
- 🧘 Find Zé at Modo Yoga Columbus: modoyoga.com/columbus
- 🎙️ Follow the podcast on Instagram: @comingoutchristian_podcast
- 🌈 Follow LOVEboldly: @loveboldly
Note – Since this episode was recorded the date of “Over the Rainbow: A Symposium on LGBTQIA+ Death and Dying” has changed to August 22, 2026. For more information visit https://www.loveboldly.org/overtherainbow.
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.