Negotiating Christianity, Gender, and Feminism in Italy: Podcast Conversations Redrawing the Boundaries of Religious Communities

Christian feminism has a long history and has taken many forms, including Christian feminist theology, Christian groups and associations advocating for feminism (in its many understandings) in religious organizations and churches, as well as individuals committed to both Christianity and feminism. This article contributes to the analysis of Christian feminism and the digital by exploring the negotiation of gender, feminist, and Roman Catholic identities in the conversations of an Italian podcast. The analysis highlights three forms of negotiation: contesting the boundaries of the imagined Roman Catholic community; reimagining new boundaries of a renewed Christian community; and accepting the ambivalences embedded in the intersection of multiple identities, embracing being resident aliens. Rather than positioning themselves outside the Christian framework, the speakers mobilize their lived experiences, theological literacy, and activist sensibilities to redefine what it means to belong to the Church. Also, this article notes the sensoriality of the podcasts, the power of orality and its mechanisms of sense-making and affective communication, and the interconnections between being and having a voice. Overall, the article highlights how the podcast becomes a space for critically engaging with religious traditions, challenging ecclesial norms, and articulating feminist and queer theological perspectives and contributes to broader discussions on digital religion and feminism.