What if the story we’ve been told about Anne Boleyn is missing the most important part?

In this episode, Loren Richmond Jr. talks with Martha Tatarnic—priest, author, and co-host of the podcast—about her new book Anne Boleyn: Reputation, Revolution, Religion, and the Queen Who Changed History and the overlooked role Anne played in shaping the English Reformation.

Drawing from historical research and theological reflection, Martha challenges the familiar narrative that reduces Anne to a pawn in Henry VIII’s story. Instead, she presents Anne as a deeply formed, intellectually engaged, and theologically motivated leader whose influence helped shape the future of the Anglican Church.

The conversation explores how Anne’s faith informed her convictions, her advocacy for an English Bible, and her support of key reformers whose impact is still felt today. They also examine how history has often distorted Anne’s story—especially through gendered narratives that diminish strong women—and why those patterns still matter for leadership in the church today.

They discuss the ongoing challenges women face in ministry, the temptation toward self-congratulation in church systems, and the work still needed to create environments where all leaders can truly flourish.

• Why Anne Boleyn’s story has been misunderstood or misrepresented
• Her role as a reformer, not just a historical figure
• How her faith shaped her influence on the English Reformation
• How gendered narratives distort history and leadership
• Ongoing challenges for women in church leadership today
• Why the church must move beyond self-congratulation toward real change
• How Anne’s legacy still shapes Anglican identity and practice

Martha Tatarnic is a contributor to Christian Century, a blogger on Medium, and co-host of the Future Christian podcast. She is the author of Why Gather? The Hope and Promise of the Church. She is a priest in the Anglican Church of Canada and rector at St. George's Anglican Church in St. Catherines, Ontario. She lives in Catherines, Ontario, Canada.

Mentioned Resources:

📖 Martha's Books: https://churchpublishing.org/search?q=martha%20ta

🎧 Episodes Referenced: Martha Tatarnic

🎧 Episodes Referenced: Elizabeth Schrader Polczer: Pt 1

🎧 Episodes Referenced: Elizabeth Schrader Polczer: Pt 2

Connect with Future Christian:

📱 Future Christian Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurechristianpod/

📱 Martha's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martha_tatarnic/

📱 Loren's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richmondljr/

🟧 Future Christian Substack: https://futurechristian.substack.com/

Supporting Sponsors:

Martha's New Book! Anne Boleyn: Reputation, Revolution, Religion, and the Queen Who Changed History - Available now!

Loren's New Book: The Church as Community Hub: Sharing Spaces to Help Neighborhoods Thrive - Available for pre-order!

Free Range Priest Helping clergy and congregations reimagine ministry in the digital age.

Future Christian Team:

Loren Richmond Jr. – Host & Executive Producer

Martha Tatarnic – Co-Host

Dennis Sanders – Producer

SEO / Keywords

Anne Boleyn history, Anne Boleyn Reformation, English Reformation origins, Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Anglican Church history, Martha Tatarnic, women in church leadership, gender and church history, female leaders Christianity, church leadership challenges, Bible in English history, Tyndale New Testament, Thomas Cranmer Book of Common Prayer, Anglican identity theology, faith and power dynamics, church and patriarchy, women clergy challenges, sexual misconduct church accountability, historical theology women, Future Christian Podcast, Loren Richmond Jr.

What happens when a pastor realizes they’re going through the motions—but not actually experiencing God?

In this episode, Loren talks with Rev. Dr. Katherine Willis Pershey about faith, formation, and the unexpected influence of Eugene Peterson on her life and ministry. Drawing from her own journey across multiple Christian traditions, Katherine reflects on the tension between justice, belief, and personal encounter with God.

The conversation explores how Peterson’s writing helped her rediscover prayer, Scripture, and the heart of pastoral vocation—not as performance or productivity, but as attentiveness to a living, active God. They also wrestle with the challenges of ministry in a secular age, the pressures facing pastors today, and the difficulty of maintaining spiritual depth in a culture shaped by busyness and division.

They discuss the false divide between personal piety and social justice, the importance of spiritual practices like prayer and worship, and what it means to lead faithfully in a fragmented and polarized church landscape.

• How Eugene Peterson reshaped her understanding of ministry
• The struggle to experience God while leading a church
• Why personal piety and social justice belong together
• The dangers of a purely “therapeutic” model of ministry
• What it means to believe in a real, active God today
• Navigating faith across evangelical and progressive divides
• Why pastors must protect time for prayer and reading

Katherine Willis Pershey serves as co-pastor of First Congregational UCC Appleton, Wisconsin, having previously served congregations in Illinois and California. She is the author of Very Married: Field Notes on Love and Fidelity and co-author of Love Letters to God, and is a regular contributor to the Christian Century. She received a DMin from the Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination at Western Theological Seminary in 2024.

Mentioned Resources:

🌐 Katherine's Website: katherinewillispershey.com

📖 Katherine's Books: Books & Writings

🟧 Katherine's Substack: katherinewillispershey.substack.com/

📱 Facebook: @katherinewillispershey

Connect with Future Christian:

📱 Future Christian Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futurechristianpod/

📱 Martha's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/martha_tatarnic/

📱 Loren's Instagram: www.instagram.com/lorenrichmondjr/

🟧 Future Christian Substack: https://futurechristian.substack.com/

Supporting Sponsors:

Free Range Priest Helping clergy and congregations reimagine ministry in the digital age.

Martha's New Book! Anne Boleyn: Reputation, Revolution, Religion, and the Queen Who Changed History Available for Pre-order now!

Future Christian Team:

Loren Richmond Jr. – Host & Executive Producer

Martha Tatarnic – Co-Host

Dennis Sanders – Producer

SEO / Keywords

Katherine Willis Pershey, Eugene Peterson theology, The Message Bible, pastoral theology, spiritual formation pastors, progressive Christianity and orthodoxy, personal piety and social justice, prayer and ministry, contemplative pastor, working the angles, secular age Christianity, faith and doubt journey, church leadership formation, spiritual direction, mainline and evangelical divide, real active God theology, pastoral burnout and busyness, discipleship and formation, Future Christian Podcast, Loren Richmond Jr.