11. Rev. Joseph Yoo (Episcopal Church) – Reconstructing Faith After It All Falls Apart

Reconstructing Faith After It All Falls Apart — with Rev. Joseph Yoo

Alexis Rice is joined by Rev. Joseph Yoo @joseph.yoo — a priest and writer whose honest, funny, and deeply human reflections have connected with millions online. Together, they explore what happens when the certainty of faith collapses, why deconstruction isn’t a trend but often a lonely and costly journey, and how healing, community, and curiosity can guide the process of rebuilding something real.

Joe shares stories from seminary, growing up as a pastor’s kid in an immigrant family, and navigating life as a Korean American priest in a denomination still learning to embrace diversity. This episode is for anyone who's asking, Can I still be a Christian if I don’t believe everything I used to? It’s for those who’ve lost their community but not their longing—and for those wondering if it’s possible to create a faith that feels honest, expansive, and rooted in love.

💡 Key Takeaways
• Deconstruction is holy—but it often hurts
• Rebuilding faith takes time, questions, and community
• Asian American Christians navigate unique tensions in certain church cultures
• You don’t need certainty to follow Jesus—just curiosity and love
• Social media ministry can be sacred, subversive, and healing

⛪ About Our Guest
Rev. Joseph Yoo @joseph.yoo is an Episcopal priest, speaker, and author based in Texas, where he pastors Mosaic Episcopal Church—an inclusive, LGBTQ+‑affirming spiritual home for skeptics, seekers, and the spiritually bruised.

Raised in both Korean and American church contexts, Rev. Joe has served in United Methodist and Episcopal traditions and brings a rare blend of cross-cultural insight, pastoral honesty, and wit. He’s the author of When the Saints Go Flying In, a collection of theological reflections rooted in personal story.

Joe holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa and a Master of Divinity from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. He’s also a husband, dad, a pop culture junkie, and a reluctant TikTok star whose humor and depth have made him one of the internet’s most relatable clergy voices.

📚 Resources Mentioned
• When the Saints Go Flying In by Rev. Joseph Yoo
• Mosaic Episcopal Church — https://www.mosaicpearland.org/
• Brené Brown — IG @brenebrown                                                                                       • Joseph Yoo - https://josephyoo.com/
• Shane Claiborne - IG @shane.claiborne

🌿 Community Guidelines
If we claim to follow Jesus, let us strive to be known by our love —
not by what we say, wear, or perform, but by the fruit of the Spirit:

❤️ love, 💫 joy, ☮️ peace, 🕊 patience, 💝 kindness, 🌿 goodness, 🙏 faithfulness, 🤲 gentleness, 💪 self-control

🕊️ Let this space, and all spaces we’re part of, be shaped by it

Where the slippery slope becomes sacred ground.
For the spiritually tender—raised in or rooted in Christianity, exploring its many expressions.

🌿 Community Guidelines

If we claim to follow Jesus, let’s be known by our love—evidenced by the Fruit of the Spirit: ❤️ love • 💫 joy • ☮️ peace • 🕊 patience • 💝 kindness • 🌿 goodness • 🙏 faithfulness • 🤲 gentleness • 💪 self-control
🕊 May our words online and actions offline reflect that love.

🔗 Connect
🎧 Explore episodes & community: linktr.ee/TheSacredSlope
🎙 Hosted by Alexis Rice
🎵 Music by Brett Rutledge, Eddie Irvin & Sean Spence
📬 Nominate a guest: [email protected]