Twenty-five years after her debut album, Kansas, redefined the Contemporary Christian Music landscape, Jennifer Knapp returns to the studio to breathe new life into the songs that started it all. In this episode of Curious Goldfish, Knapp joins Jason English to discuss Kansas 25, a project that is less about nostalgia and more about "rebellious resistance" against being written out of her own story.

A Kansas native who rose to fame under TobyMac’s Gotee Records, Knapp’s career is marked by four Dove Awards and two Grammy nominations. After a high-profile hiatus and coming out as LGBTQ+ in 2010, she has become a pivotal voice in the "deconstruction" movement.

Knapp views Kansas 25 as a tribute to her "OG" fans who have evolved alongside her. Produced by long-time collaborator Steve Hindelong, the record features a "raw and live" energy played by musicians who have gained the "patience that it takes to stop and observe the world". As Knapp playfully notes of her age, "I have so much more wisdom than you, Jason".

The conversation dives into the friction between personal spirituality and rigid dogma. Knapp, who later earned a Master’s in Theology, argues that "theology that hurts people is just theology that hurts people". She describes her journey as a move away from the "Kool-Aid of shaming" toward a life of "fruitfulness, dignity, and flourishing".

Analyzing the haunting lyrics of "Martyrs and Thieves," Knapp reflects on the earnestness of her 20-something self. These songs weren't manufactured for radio; they were "innocent prayers that no one had to witness". By revisiting them, she proves that while her vocabulary has changed, her search for "what it means to be free of shame" remains universal.