Theology for the Unwanted

Grab bag questions! And why messiness in life is an opportunity to be like Mary.

Dan Tilson and co-host John Byram answer listener questions about annulments, same-sex attraction versus acting on it, family rejection, and how to respond to homophobic comments in church. They reflect on pastoral failures, the complexity of church processes, and practical ways to show care and challenge harmful language—calling the church to be like Mary, who holds things together amid brokenness.

Opening remarks at the book launch party.

Dan Tillson’s opening remarks at the launch party for the newly published book Theology for the Unwanted. Using the image of postwar rubble and the story of Vatican II, they argue that true moral life grows from grief, risk, and rebuilding connection, and invite those who feel excluded—gay, divorced, or worn by rules—to reclaim their place in the church.

A look inside my book. My pain as a closeted Catholic and how theology helped me move forward

Daniel Tillson and co-host Jon discuss Tilson’s new book, Theology for the Unwanted, exploring his journey from a conservative Catholic upbringing to intern work at the Vatican, coming out, and the church’s response to marginalized Catholics.
The episode covers discernment, church teachings versus lived reality, same-sex blessings, and how theology can guide those who feel pushed out of the Church toward dignity and belonging.

New Wineskins: Bishops Rethinking Human Nature and Church Practice

Hosts Dan and Jon explore Luke 5's parable of the new wineskins to ask how the Church can keep its core truths while renewing structures to meet modern human needs. They discuss Vatican trivia, Thomas Aquinas, Monsignor Massimo Lapponi, and a rising number of bishops calling for a fresh look at anthropology, pastoral care, and church discipline.
The episode examines three bishop types—administrators, theologians, and pastors—and considers gradual, compassionate approaches to issues affecting gay and divorced Catholics, mental health, and everyday struggles, while previewing the forthcoming book Theology for the Unwanted.

Respect Life Month. How to think like a Catholic theologian and not get trapped in politics

Hosts Dan and Jon mix light conversation and candid storytelling with deep reflection, from a government shutdown anecdote and two truths and a lie to memories of study abroad and encounters with St. Francis’s spirit in Pope Francis.
They explore the balance between charity and spirituality, discuss Respect Life Month and the March for Life through a theological lens rather than a purely legal one, and tease Dan’s forthcoming book, Theology for the Unwanted.

Clericalism, Politics, and Peace: A Vatican Reporter Keeps Her Faith

Vatican correspondent Colleen Dulle joins hosts Dan and Jon to discuss her book Struck Down, Not Destroyed and her reporting on the Synod, canonization, clericalism, and the ongoing abuse crisis. The conversation weaves personal testimony, practical ministry from Sant’Egidio, and reflections on holiness, evangelization, and how the Church can better listen and heal.
This episode balances reporting from Rome with intimate stories about grief, mental health, and community, offering both critique and hope for renewal within the Catholic Church.

Beyond Certainty: Does "God with us" mean "God allows" bad things to happen? And Catechism on Same-Sex Couples

Host Dan and co-host Jon sit down with theologian Brandon Ambrosino to explore his book Is It God’s Will?—a frank conversation about where God is in tragedy, the role of randomness and divine presence, and how Jesus’ suffering shapes Christian responses to pain.
Our guest proposes a shift toward a relational understanding of God's power and presence, focusing on the meaning of "God is with us" (Emmanuel).
The episode also addresses practical faith questions: how Christians should accompany suffering people, reinterpretations of the cross and resurrection, and hopeful reflections on the Catholic Church’s teaching and pastoral outreach toward LGBT people.

Cardinal's hot take on un-mercy in Catholic textbooks. Doing mercy. And pro-abortion senator gets an award?

Hosts Dan and Jon explore how the Church can move mercy from abstract theology into real encounters. They discuss pastoral responses to LGBT/same-sex attracted Catholics, divorced and remarried people, IVF parents, immigration work, and the controversy around a Chicago award for Senator Dick Durbin.
Through personal stories — tattoos, homeless outreach, and an Oppenheimer quote — the episode emphasizes listening, proximity, and relationship as the heart of mercy, urging listeners to ask questions and share their stories.

When Rules Meet Real Life: Stories, Sin, and the Church

Hosts Dan and Jon tackle tough pastoral topics—from IVF, annulments, and same-sex couples to questions about sexual ethics—while tracing how Catholic moral teaching developed from medieval monks to modern debates.
Using Aquinas’s framework of action, circumstance, and intent and Father Fumagalli’s symbolic action theory, they show why sharing personal stories matters for a more compassionate, sensible Church response.

Pain as a Status Symbol: Modern "Offer It Up" vs. the Theology of Catholic Compassion

In this episode of Theology Forward: The Unwanted, hosts Dan and Jon talk with hospital chaplain Matthew about suffering, empathy, and how the Church can accompany those who feel marginalized. They discuss St. Catherine of Siena, clinical chaplaincy, and personal stories of coming out to explore how pain can open the way to compassion.
Matthew shares his journey from seminary to chaplaincy, explains inherent versus avoidable suffering, and urges a church that listens and stays with people in their wounds—offering presence and mercy before scripted responses.