Summary
Brother Jones and Brother Knox describe themselves as staunch advocates for the theology and harsh critics of the culture when it comes to Mormonism. A black life-long member and queer convert respectively, they bring a less heard perspective to the notoriously white and heteronormative faith. They feel their desire for justice, love, and salvation for all people, regardless of color, sex, orientation, and other identities is not only consistent with the message of Christ, but *is* the message of Christ. In that spirit, they share their thoughtful, honest, and occasionally raw and humorous take on Mormonism in an effort to shift the culture of Mormonism more into alignment with the theology of Mormonism.
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About the Hosts
James Jones
Co-Host
The brain-dad of Beyond The Block. As an army brat, he claims no hometown, but currently resides in New York City attending Union Theological Seminary where he's becoming the first theologian to study Black Liberation Theology from a Mormon perspective. He's been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints his whole life where he's held numerous callings at the ward and stake levels and also served a mission in South Africa before graduating from BYU. He has since embraced the life of a creative entrepreneur and has traveled the country working on projects like singing in Carnegie Hall and back-up dancing for Flavor Flav.
Derek Knox
Co-Host
Derek Knox is a theologian, educator, poet, and scholar hailing from Texas. His research interests involve grounding LGBTQIA+ theology and activism in the scriptures. He joined the LDS Church in 2015 after starting a masters degree in biblical studies at Andover Newton Theological School and has quickly become one of the most respected queer voices in the church, speaking at and hosting various events. When he's not studying scriptures or learning ancient Greek, he can be found teaching high schoolers.
Start Here
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