Brad Watson spent years as a Salvation Army officer — humanitarian disaster responder, senior leader, insider. He's also gay. In this conversation, Brad shares what led him to research the lived experience of LGBTQ+ officers within the Salvation Army, and what he found: stories of moral injury, religious trauma, and quiet resilience, gathered from officers who trusted him with their experiences.

We talk about the Salvation Army's unusual dual identity as both beloved welfare organisation and conservative evangelical church, the concept of moral injury, and what genuine allyship actually requires when the cost becomes real. But we also go looking for hope — and find it in authenticity, unexpected ministry, and a theology of grace that refuses to stay within its own boundaries.

Brad's book Queer Blood and Fire is available now:

https://www.queerbloodandfirebook.com/

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