New video series from Unbound seeks to counter hurtful ‘Christian’ narratives

LOUISVILLE  — “Changing the Christian Narrative,” a new video series spreading messages of love and justice during a divisive period in U.S. history, is the latest offering from Unbound: The Intersections of Faith and Justice. 

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The weekly series, hosted by the Rev. Lee Catoe, a Presbyterian minister and Editor of Unbound, sprang from the need to change “the narrative of Christianity in this country and possibly around the world — a narrative co-opted by Christian nationalism and right-wing Christianity,” he said. “I think progressive Christians, mainline Christians, and the ‘religious left’ have got to begin taking seriously the ways in which these co-opted narratives have both hurt people and hurt the message of Christ.” 

Episodes drop each Monday on Unbound’s YouTube channel and center on a particular issue or theological concept while also providing scriptural insight, guest commentary and resources.

This series features “theological concepts that have been weaponized” and seeks to “turn our attention to more life-giving theologies instead of many death-dealing ones that are being exploited right now,” Catoe said.

By reorienting the conversation toward love and justice, Catoe hopes the new series will show viewers that “following Jesus means to love our queer and trans siblings,” he said. “Following Jesus means to be on the side of our immigrant siblings. Following Jesus means fighting for reproductive rights and lifting up people who are in poverty or who are homeless.”

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Unbound also wants to counter that “online platforms like YouTube and other spaces with algorithms have been used to radicalize folk to be perpetuators of Christian nationalism,” Catoe said. “We need to have a big presence there and we need to be in these spaces to offer up different narratives.” 

A variety of interesting guests, including reproductive justice advocate Constance Dunlap and Presbyterian minister and social  worker the Rev. Brooke Scott, have appeared on the series so far, and Catoe encourages everyone to view past episodes and subscribe.

“My hope is that any person of faith watches because we all perpetuate and co-opt the narrative of the biblical text,” Catoe said. “Presbyterians should most definitely watch and I hope those folk who are people of faith and who may be uncomfortable with how the narrative of Christianity is being distorted watch as well. I hope folk of more conservative ideologies listen in and have conversations.”

Topics that have been discussed include queer and trans rights, poverty and homelessness, reproductive justice, immigration and as of late, the environment.

The Rev. Rebecca Barnes, who manages the Presbyterian Hunger Program and is featured in Episode 6, notes, “There is a narrative that is very well known that we are to dominate and plunder and use the Earth as we want to, and it is so clearly not what is in scripture, from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation.”

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Another counter-narrative comes from Dunlap who, in Episode 4, uses the biblical account of David and Bathsheba to illustrate abuse of power. 

It’s common to focus on the males in Jesus’ line and to discuss “how great David is, and other folks, but we forget that there are instances where they use their power incorrectly,” Dunlap said. “There are instances where they abuse their power and people are harmed, and so, I think, we have to be able to tell that whole story because we know in our churches, in our communities, in our world, there are folks who have power who abuse their power every day.”

For more information about “Changing the Christian Narrative” and other offerings from Unbound, go here.