Cody is a singer/songwriter here in Nashville, living into his identity as a gay man while making country music. You might recognize his name from Season 3 of The Voice, and he is now working on his first full length album. Cody was raised southern baptist and identifies as gay.

Together, we talk about growing up and praying to not be gay, and how he eventually came out to his parents. Cody's found his own way to be spiritual outside of going to church, identifying as a, "spiritual being having a human experience," which is a phrase coined by the French Philosopher and Jesuit, Pierres Teilhard de Chardin. We also discuss Cody's songwriting, where he channels his own experiences and the experiences of those around him.

Find Cody at codybelew.com and on Instagram @codybelew.

For Reflection: What do you appreciate about your church or religious background? And which elements are more of a struggle? How has your form of prayer changed over your life? And in what ways has it stayed the same?

Resources: We gave a shoutout to our friends at The Forbidden Apple podcast at the top of the show. Be sure to check them out! And we played Cody’s single “Crimes” during the show. You can stream "Crimes" over on Apple Music and watch the music video on YouTube.

Out Loud is a podcast by and for queer people of faith in the South. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and join our mailing list for updates. Support the show financially by becoming a Patreon member, or by leaving a one-time donation on our website. Hosted by Greg Thompson. Edited by Cariad Harmon. Music by JP Rugierri.