Brad and Dan begin by discussing a litany of stories related to the 45th president - the releasing of his tax returns, the criminal referrals to the DOJ by the J6 Select Committee, and the silence from the GOP. They then get into a column at the New York Times that bemoans how Americans have "updated" and "personalized" Christianity be going "woke" and so on. This leads to an epic dual rant by the co-hosts befitting the Festivus Season. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free ...
Dec 23, 2022•9 min
We’ve likely all heard someone tell us to “remember the reason for the season.” But what exactly does that mean? What are Christians doing when they say that? In this episode, we find that there never has been a single “reason for the season” and decode the demand that we nevertheless “remember” the reason for the season. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ https...
Dec 21, 2022•7 min
There are two phenomena that we hear a lot about these days in connection to the NAR: The Seven Mountains Mandate and Sean Feucht. The former is a theology, or ideology, or brand depending on who you ask. It proposes that Christians have a call to dominate every sphere, or mountain, of earthly existence--from the economy to entertainment to politics. It was first popularized by Lance Wallnau, a popular figure in NAR circles and one of C. Peter Wagner's closest followers. But before diving into t...
Dec 19, 2022•11 min
There are two phenomena that we hear a lot about these days in connection to the NAR: The Seven Mountains Mandate and Sean Feucht. The former is a theology, or ideology, or brand depending on who you ask. It proposes that Christians have a call to dominate every sphere, or mountain, of earthly existence--from the economy to entertainment to politics. It was first popularized by Lance Wallnau, a popular figure in NAR circles and one of C. Peter Wagner's closest followers. But before diving into t...
Dec 19, 2022•10 min
Brad and Dan begin by discussing the Young Republicans gala, where the president said: “We want to cross the Rubicon. We want total war. We must be prepared to do battle in every arena. In the media. In the courtroom. At the ballot box. And in the streets. This is the only language the left understands. The language of pure and unadulterated power." It was followed up by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green saying if she was in charge of J6 "we would have won" and "been armed." In the second segment, Dan ...
Dec 17, 2022•8 min
Brad and Dan begin by discussing the Young Republicans gala, where the president said: “We want to cross the Rubicon. We want total war. We must be prepared to do battle in every arena. In the media. In the courtroom. At the ballot box. And in the streets. This is the only language the left understands. The language of pure and unadulterated power." It was followed up by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green saying if she was in charge of J6 "we would have won" and "been armed." In the second segment, Dan ...
Dec 17, 2022•7 min
Who “owns” Christmas? When Christians tell non-Christians that they need to “remember the reason for the season,” or accuse them of engaging in a “war on Christmas,” do they have a right to do so? Is Christmas “theirs” just because it originated as a Christian religious holiday? In this episode, Dan argues that American Christians made Christmas a mainstream part of American culture, a dimension of general Americana, and that as a result they no longer have a claim on the holiday or the right to...
Dec 15, 2022•8 min
Ché Ahn may be C. Peter Wagner's most dedicated student- and his most successful heir. He leads a network of 25,000 churches and an international superstar known to many simply as Pape Ché. A Korean immigrant raised in Maryland, he has operated from Pasadena, Ca for the last three decades. But he's much more than a pastor. He is an apostle. Or so he says. The story of Ché Ahn is, in many ways, emblematic of the whole Independent Charismatic sphere and what has emerged from it in the past 40 year...
Dec 12, 2022•12 min
CORRECTION: We said on this episode that TH Warren is Episcopalian. She is not. She is part of the Anglican Church of North America. The former is a progressive LGTB+ denomination. The latter is not. We apologize for this mistake - it was made in the heat of the moment. We will do better in the future. Brad and Dan begin by discussing the results in Georgia and what they mean going forward. Their conversation is tinged by the announcement that Senator Sinema has left the Democratic party and is ...
Dec 09, 2022•9 min
Christian nationalism is a kind of con game. And of all the authors examined in this podcast, the one most likely to appreciate that con would be Richard Marsh, author of the 1897 horror novel The Beetle. A one time con artist himself, Marsh treats the gender fluidity of his shapeshifting monster as a con game, a scam that defrauds God himself. Today, we're going to talk about how The Beetle's view of transgenderism illuminates the complex of hate, fear, and fascination with which Christian nati...
Dec 07, 2022•12 min
This is the first episode in our new series - Charismatic Revival Fury: The New Apostolic Reformation, written and created by Dr. Matthew Taylor. In this episode, Matthew traces the beginning of the NAR to C. Peter Wagner, a former missionary and seminary professor who spent the last part of his life cultivating what he believed to be a new apostolic age in the life of the church. Wagner wanted to go beyond denominations to a new Reformation - one in which modern day apostles and prophets used t...
Dec 05, 2022•1 hr 22 min
Brad and Dan begin by discussing the Senate's passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, which provides federal protections for same-sex marriage. Both hosts see the bill as a net win, but are concerned about the concessions it gives to churches and conservative lawmakers. They then discuss the seditious conspiracy conviction for Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes. Again, it's a net win, but it won't prevent right-wing extremism or put out the fire of the Big Lie. For that, we need the conviction ...
Dec 02, 2022•9 min
“Count it all Joy” Why do Christians sometimes tell people they should feel “joy” when they experience difficult times? What can that possibly mean? Is it intended as a form of encouragement? As a fatalistic acceptance of everything that happens to us? And what are the implications of this? What are the implications of this idea for mental health, for high-control religious environments, or for the range of feelings, emotions, and experiences that are considered legitimate within the faith commu...
Nov 30, 2022•8 min
We are kicking off a new series on the history of the New Apostolic Reformation with Dr. Matthew Taylor. "Charismatic Revival Fury: The New Apostolic Reformation" will run from the first Monday in December all the way to the January 6th anniversary. The series will explore the history of the NAR through its key figures - starting with C. Peter Wagner, then moving to Ché Ahn, Lance Wallnau, Cindy Jacobs, and Dutch Sheets. Along the way we will see how people like Sean Feucht, Gen. Michael Flynn, ...
Nov 28, 2022•9 min
On a solo Weekly Roundup Brad discusses the significance of anti-Semitic Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes having dinner at Mar A Lago with former president Trump and Ye (formerly Kanye West). Beyond the frightening implications of a former president - who remains the figurehead of his party - inviting two anti-Semitic celebrities to dine with him, the event demonstrates once and for all that despite the better than expected outcome of the 2022 midterms, fascist threats to American democracy are loo...
Nov 26, 2022•8 min
In the second episode from their 2019 series, Brad and Dan continue their discussion of the history of the Christian Religious Left. They try to figure out how Mainline Protestantism won massive cultural victories in the 20th century, only to decline rapidly in terms of membership and political visibility. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Order Brad's new book...
Nov 23, 2022•6 min
This is the first episode in a 2019 series on the Religious Left . Brad and Dan begin by giving a brief history of the Christian Left over the last century. They highlight four main differences with evangelicalism: approaches to the Bible, the relationship between science and religion, the end of the world, and the Social Gospel vs. Individual Piety. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://a...
Nov 21, 2022•9 min
Monster in the Mirror Episode 3: The trope of the “Asiatic criminal mastermind” has haunted Asians for over a century, from the notorious Fu Manchu right up to the myths of dastardly Wuhan virologists circulating in the COVID era. But these myths, which have helped fuel a historic spike in anti-Asian racism, didn’t start with Sax Rohmer’s “Devil Doctor.” Before Fu Manchu, there was Dr. Yen How, the villain of M.P. Shiel’s smash hit The Yellow Danger (1898). In this episode, we examine how Asians...
Nov 18, 2022•9 min
We often hear Christians, cultural conservatives, and conservative politicians appeal to the family, and particularly the need for children to have families. Why do they say this? Would anyone disagree with it? When we crack the code of this language, do find more going on that the simple affirmation that children need and deserve adult caregivers who love them, care for them, and want them to thrive? In this episode, Dan argues that when we crack this code, we find that this sentiment is primar...
Nov 16, 2022•8 min
Brad is joined by return guest and co-author Annika Brockschmidt to discuss three things: Her recent piece at Religion Dispatches on the fascist elements of the Right's taste for violence and cruelty The 2022 midterms, including J.D. Vance, Blake Masters, and the looming DeSantis/Trump showdown What the f*ck is happening with Twitter? We have thoughts. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https:/...
Nov 14, 2022•8 min
Brad and Dan breakdown the good, the bad, the ugly, and the hopeful from the 2022 midterms. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Order Brad's new book: https://www.amazon.com/Preparing-War-Extremist-Christian-Nationalism/dp/1506482163 To Donate: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BradleyOnishi SWAJ Apparel is here! https://straight-white-american-jesus.creator-spring...
Nov 11, 2022•9 min
When it was first published in 1897, Bram Stoker's Dracula immediately triggered a spate of strong emotional responses. These responses partly stemmed from its action-movie depiction of Christianity, but also partly from the xenophobic fears of European Jews that lurk beneath its titular monster. Dracula also introduced the idea of a holy conspiracy, whose members must conduct their sacred fight against evil in secret. In this episode, we talk about how a century of adaptations has preserved the...
Nov 07, 2022•9 min
Brad and Dan begin by discussing the attack on Paul Pelosi. Brad discusses the conspiracy theories that have taken hold surrounding the attack and why the jokes, memes, and laughs coming from the American Right reveal how they think of the country - and themselves. Dan then dives into Kanye West's anti-Semitic remarks and discusses his history of anti-Blackness. The episode finishes with an examination of the open racial fear mongering on GOP midterm ads in the South. Subscribe for $5.99 a month...
Nov 04, 2022•8 min
One of the most central commands given by Jesus of Nazareth in the Bible is to “love your enemies.” But if this is true, why does it seem like we seldom see this in practice among Christians, especially those who actively articulate their faith in terms of culture war and Christian nationalism? Dan tackles these issues in this episode, decode Christian understandings of what “love of enemies” does, and doesn’t mean, for the Christians who appeal to it. Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus ep...
Nov 02, 2022•27 min
Monster in the Mirror is a limited audio series produced by Straight White American Jesus, and created and written by Dr. Lucas Kwong. Monster in the Mirror is a series about monsters. It's about how the fantastical beasts who stalk the imagination of contemporary Christian nationalists were birthed in another white God fearing empire. It's about how Christian nationalism's past and the clues to its future line, the pages of some of the most popular novels in English. Christian nationalism isn't...
Oct 31, 2022•1 hr 2 min
Brad and Dan begin by discussing the brand new survey data from Pew Religion and PRRI about faith, politics, and American values. Dan brings up the numbers on how many people think the USA is a Christian nation and what that means. Brad discusses the high number of Christians who think that patriotism is an important part of faith - and why that feeds Christian nationalism on an everyday level. After the break, Dan brings up the PRRI data that shows how many Americans think the country has been ...
Oct 28, 2022•8 min
Brad speaks with Dr. Lucas Kwong, creator of the SWAJ spinoff podcast series Monster in the Mirror - first episode drops Halloween 2022. They discuss how Christian nationalism is a story - a story about empire, fear of replacement, and anxiety about the other. In this story, White Christian invent monsters that they then blame for "destroying" the nation and the culture they want to protect. So, political enemies become demons. Elections become apocalyptic events. And the stakes are reduced to a...
Oct 24, 2022•7 min
Brad and Dan discuss three stories from this week that show American conservatism is over - and what is taking its place is a right-wing totalitarianism that should scare us all. They begin by discussing new material on House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy who it seems is willing to hold the country hostage by not raising the debt limit in order to get what he wants in the form of cutting certain government programs. Brad and Dan use this to delve into the shift from classical conservative ideal...
Oct 21, 2022•11 min
In the previous episode, Dan decoded the affirmation that Christians are called not to “live in a spirit of fear,” showing that this affirmation actually masks a pervasive culture of fear. In that episode, he looked at the dynamics and effects of this affirmation within the spiritual and religious experience of individuals and particular congregations. In this episode, he continues that work, looking at how this culture of fear spills out from individuals and congregations, taking form the Chris...
Oct 19, 2022•10 min
Brad links last's week's episode on Christianity as the original American purity culture to the argument made in a new book by Stephen Wolfe - "The Case for Christian Nationalism." In the book and in his public comments, Wolfe makes an argument like this: God created humans on earth Those humans were always going to gather in separate communities Christianity therefore assumes nations Christians should institutionalize Christianity in order to rightly order the public sphere You should love thos...
Oct 17, 2022•8 min
