PRX, In Collaboration with The Moth, Introduces ‘The Confessional with Nadia Bolz-Weber’
The new weekly podcast of ugly confessions from beautiful people is like “a carwash for people’s shame and secrets”
Public media organizations PRX and The Moth announce The Confessional, a new podcast hosted by Nadia Bolz-Weber. Launching today, new episodes will be released weekly through June 9.
The Confessional invites guests to share stories about times they were at their worst, moments they regret, or things they’ve done that hurt people they love. Each guest speaks honestly about what led up to that moment, what they learned from it, and what changed in their life as a result.
A former stand-up comic, a recovering alcoholic, and the founder of the House for All Sinners & Saints in Denver, Colorado, Bolz-Weber is a public theologian, speaker, Moth storyteller, and author who often explores topics such as personal failings, recovery, grace, and faith. Bolz-Weber’s New York Times best-selling books include “Shameless: A Sexual Reformation,” “Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People,” and “Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint.”
“We have plenty of opportunities to be dazzled by the virtues and accomplishments of other people. But what I want is to feel less alone, and that only happens when someone admits their failings with me — the rough parts of their story,” said Bolz-Weber. “It’s the jagged edges of our humanity that actually connect us to one another. I see this show as a break from the Great Human Competition Extravaganza, a place where we can find grace for ourselves and for others.”
The debut episode of The Confessional will feature Bolz-Weber in conversation with Megan Phelps-Roper, a former spokesperson for the controversial Westboro Baptist Church. Now an activist and educator on topics related to extremism and bullying, Phelps-Roper is also the author of “Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church.”
A wide range of upcoming guests also include:
- Amy Brenneman, a Golden Globe-nominated actress starring in series including “The Leftovers,” “Judging Amy,” and “NYPD Blue;”
- R. Eric Thomas, a columnist for ELLE Magazine;
- Theresa Thames, the Associate Dean of Religious Life and the Chapel at Princeton University;
- Melissa Febos, writer of the critically-acclaimed memoir “Abandon Me;”
- Chris Schuhmacher, a convicted felon and the founder of a mobile app for addicts in recovery;
- Lenny Duncan, a Lutheran Pastor and the author of “Dear Church: A Love Letter from A Black Preacher to the Whitest Denomination in America;” and
- Mishka Subaly, a musician who’s shared the stage with The Strokes, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and The Decemberists.
Each episode of the podcast ends with a benediction for that week’s guest, penned by Bolz-Weber. In addition, listeners across the United States are invited to share their anonymous confessions via the dial-in phone line 618-CONFESS (618–266–3377). Confessions big and small may be shared on the podcast during an ongoing special segment called “Shit I’m Not Proud Of.”
“Nadia has a gift that few hosts have,” said Jason Saldanha, Director of Content at PRX. “The Confessional is not only a respite that makes you pause and reflect on your own life, but a place for conversation rooted in compassion. We’re thrilled to bring this podcast to audiences alongside our friends at The Moth, who like Nadia hold a space for stories that are incredibly honest, often humorous, and, most of all, deeply human.”
“The Confessional is the first podcast The Moth has collaborated on, and it’s been an exciting and rewarding endeavor. We’re thrilled to be a creative advisor to Nadia — a dear friend of The Moth — and to be continuing our work with PRX, our longtime partner,” said Catherine Burns, Artistic Director, The Moth. “Nadia’s show speaks to The Moth’s deepest values, and the connections available to us when we are willing to admit our flaws and make ourselves vulnerable. What most connects us to each other are our foibles, our mistakes. Our missteps make us interesting. This collaboration has been a dream come true, one we are excited to build on as we develop new projects rooted in The Moth’s DNA — authentic true stories.”
Co-produced by House of Pod and Shameless Media, The Confessional is available free to listeners on platforms including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher, and Pocket Casts. For more, visit nadiabolzweber.com.
About PRX
PRX is a non-profit media organization shaping the future of audio by producing and distributing content, building technology, and training talented, independent producers. PRX’s award-winning portfolio ranges from iconic public radio programs such as The Moth Radio Hour, This American Life, The World, The Takeaway and Reveal to a growing body of podcast-first productions, including the Radiotopia network. Each month, PRX reaches more than 28.5 million listeners and generates more than 70 million podcast downloads.
About The Moth
The Moth is a nonprofit dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. Since launching in 1997, The Moth has presented over 40,000 true personal stories, told live, without notes, to standing-room-only audiences around the globe. Renowned for showcasing a broad range of human experiences, The Moth produces approximately 600 live shows each year and has an ongoing presence in 30 cities worldwide. Additionally, The Moth runs storytelling workshops for high school students, teachers, adults and advocates from around the world through its Education, Community and Global Programs, and MothWorks which uses the essential elements of Moth storytelling at work and other unexpected places. The Moth Podcast is downloaded over 73 million times a year, and each week, the Peabody Award-winning The Moth Radio Hour, produced by Jay Allison at Atlantic Public Media and presented by PRX, is heard on over 500 radio stations.
