- It’s been one year since the Dobbs decision by the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade. What have we learned, who has benefitted politically, and has it really reduced the abortion rate? Do television shows that focus on individual heroes and violent solutions to problems cultivate authoritarian beliefs? A new study finds a link between how much TV a person watches and how they vote. A spokesperson from Liberty University says that in order to control the education of their kids, Christians ca...
Jun 28, 2023•2 hr 33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Christians in Germany are using ChatGPT to create liturgies and even preach sermons. Is the rise of AI different from previous technologies, and how should the church respond? Meanwhile, the South Baptists voted overwhelmingly to prohibit women from being pastors and banned any churches that disagree. How did an issue that even John Piper argued was not essential in 1991 become grounds for excommunication in 2023? Then, a new documentary by author and pastor, Rasool Berry, introduces the history...
Jun 21, 2023•1 hr 26 min•Transcript available on Metacast Two events have our attention. First, a new documentary about reality TV’s Dugger family is exposing the ugly side of the Christian fundamentalism, patriarchy, and legalism taught by Bill Gothard’s ministry. And, Christian broadcaster and pillar of the Religious Right, Pat Robertson, died this week at 93. Was there a link between the popularity of Gothard and Robertson for a whole generation of American Christians? Then, New Testament scholar Nijay Gupta talks about his new book “Tell Her Story:...
Jun 14, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Bud Light, Target, Kohls, Chick-Fil-A—the list of companies and brands being boycotted by Christians keeps getting longer. Now there are even calls to boycott the hit streaming series about Jesus, “The Chosen.” When are boycotts justified, when are they just performative, and is there any escape from the purity death spiral they create? Then, Skye talks to Pastor Brenda Quinn and author Richard Foster about his new book, “Learning Humility.” When did Christians decide humility was a vice rather ...
Jun 07, 2023•2 hr 38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Phil’s file of Christian Nationalism stories has gotten full, so we’re covering a number of them this week. We explore the beliefs of early Christian Nationalists from the 1920s, how modern Christian Nationalism can’t shake its racist roots, and why it’s gaining popularity with some followers of Reformed theology. Skye explains what Christian Nationalism shares in common with the Prosperity Gospel, and Kaitlyn dismantles Christian Nationalists who say their views are rooted in God’s design in na...
May 31, 2023•1 hr 18 min•Transcript available on Metacast David French has just returned from Ukraine where he saw the devastating impact of the Russian invasion. He talks to Skye about the resilience of the Ukrainian people, the need for more American support, and how a Trump victory in 2024 is part of Putin’s war plan. Then, the Supreme Court appears likely to rule against colleges and universities that consider race in the admission process. What are the arguments for and against Affirmative Action, and how will the court’s decision reverberate beyo...
May 26, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Transcript available on Metacast Influential pastor, author, and apologist, Tim Keller, passed away last week. We reflect on Keller’s ministry and wonder who is filling the shoes of the Christian giants we’ve lost. A new book about poverty says that the U.S. spends more on welfare than any other country except France, but the majority goes to help the wealthy and middle-class rather than the poor. Why aren’t we doing more to end poverty, and is our view of the Bible to blame? Then, it’s been 25 years since Rich Mullins died. Sk...
May 24, 2023•2 hr 36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ethicist, David Gushee, says we are seeing the emergence of a new kind of loveless Christianity. But those who practice it say their anger, culture warring, and pursuit of power are actually how they’re loving their neighbors. Then, Skye talks to actor Rainn Wilson, best known as Dwight Schrute from “The Office,” about religious pluralism, spiritual narcissism, why Hollywood misrepresents Christians, and how he became a follower of the Baha’i faith. Wilson’s new book is “Soul Boom: Why We Need a...
May 17, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Transcript available on Metacast How did a theological system that rejected Christian participation in politics eventually give birth to the Religious Right? Phil talks to historian Daniel Hummel about the spread of rapture theology in the 20th century, why it spawned so many conspiracies, the legacy of the Left Behind books, and why rapture theology remains so popular despite being rejected by nearly every evangelical seminary. Also this week, why did controversial author, Joshua Butler, resign from his church? The embrace of ...
May 10, 2023•2 hr 32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Many Christians in America simply assume that Jesus could return at any moment, that believers will be raptured in the twinkling of an eye, that the state of Israel has a special role in the End Times, and that the church should just save souls and stay out of politics. In Part 1 of an interview about this new book, historian Daniel G. Hummel explains to Phil how this rapture theology isn’t rooted in church history, but was invented by a British layman less than 200 years ago. And why it was emb...
May 03, 2023•2 hr 36 min•Transcript available on Metacast From Harvard Law School to The New York Times, David French has repeatedly found himself in communities where secular progressivism is the majority view, and where his Christian beliefs face suspicion, ridicule, or even hostility. Skye Jethani asks French how he's learned to not just survive in these post-Christian enclaves, but actually thrive. What mistakes did he make? How did he successfully build relationships across political and philosophical barriers? And how did closer connections with ...
Apr 28, 2023•59 min•Transcript available on Metacast After admitting it broadcast election lies and conspiracies, and paying $787 million in damages, Fox News has fired its most popular host. Does this signal a change at the cable news network? An online chatbot says Christianity gives it hope. Are we witnessing the first A.I. convert? Then, more innocent people are being shot by fearful gun owners who “feel threatened.” Is this the inevitable outcome of America’s addiction to fear and idolatry of guns? And Derwin Gray is back to ask a question he...
Apr 26, 2023•1 hr 25 min•Transcript available on Metacast From the Jesus Movement in the 1970s, through the Religious Right in the 1980s, the rise of New Calvinism in the 1990s, and the MAGA movement today, as a Christian kid in the suburbs and then a political journalist in Washington, Jon Ward has had a front seat to the most significant characters and events in American evangelicalism. He talks with Skye about his new autobiography, “Testimony,” and why he is still committed to Christian faith despite the failure of the movement that raised him. Als...
Apr 19, 2023•2 hr 31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Protests have continued after last month’s school shooting in Nashville, including in the Tennessee state legislature where the majority Republicans expelled two Democrats after their protests broke the rules of decorum. What was really accomplished by this extreme response, and what’s really behind the rise of retaliation politics? Then, Skye talks to Alan Noble about his new book, “On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden and Gift of Living.” Noble says we’ve believed the lies that life is supposed t...
Apr 12, 2023•1 hr 27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Description: Immediately after last week’s school shooting in Nashville, opportunists used it to advance their favorite culture war narratives. Why does this happen after every tragedy, and why are we more likely to empathize with victims we identify closely with? Then, what impact will Donald Trump’s indictment have on the 2024 presidential race? Are his evangelical supporters finally ready to move on? And, can preaching really undo the damage and division caused by cable news and social media?...
Apr 05, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s becoming increasingly clear that parental rights is poised to be a significant issue in the 2024 election, particularly as it relates to transgenderism and gender-affirming healthcare. Skye Jethani talks to David French about his recent editorial that provoked a backlash from both ends of the political spectrum. French explains why recent efforts in California and Texas, which take opposite positions on youth transgenderism, both violate the long-affirmed rights of parents to make healthcar...
Mar 31, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast Description: Rick Warren, the founder and former pastor of Saddleback Church, is speaking out after his church was ejected from the Southern Baptist Convention for ordaining women. Phil explains how the SBC went from being accepting of female leaders, to opposing them, to kicking out churches that depart even slightly on the issue. Then, Kaitlyn talks with Dr. Beth Felker Jones and Dr. Amy Peeler about Joshua Butler’s controversial article comparing the gospel to marital sex. They explain what h...
Mar 29, 2023•1 hr 20 min•Transcript available on Metacast 557: The Rise of Christian Nashville-ism & What Christians Must Do with Claude Alexander Why doesn’t Congress work? A recent article explains how diversity, education, and geography are driving the political parties apart. These findings also help explain the widening fractures among evangelicals. In the past, evangelicalism was primarily driven by academic institutions in the North, but now it’s increasingly fueled by entertainment interests in the South. Phil explains this rise of “Christian N...
Mar 22, 2023•2 hr 32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Feedback on the recent episode about the teen mental health report by the CDC was so strong that the Holy Post gang revisits the topic. Jonathan Haidt says three untruths that fuel depression were embraced by progressives ten years ago, but now they’re commonplace among conservatives too. Then, in 1976, Jimmy Carter represented a biblically-rooted evangelicalism that was also politically progressive. So, why did white evangelicals abandon him—or did they? And former Facebook executive, Nona Jone...
Mar 15, 2023•2 hr 31 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Gospel Coalition published an article last week that brought together every divergent faction of the church to say, “Ick!” While many are discussing the troubling content of the article on social media, the Holy Post crew examines what is says about the troubling state of evangelical publishing. Then, new data finds liberal teens are struggling with depression at higher rates on average than conservative teens. What’s the explanation? And Phil talks to professor Christopher Watkin about his ...
Mar 08, 2023•2 hr 39 min•Transcript available on Metacast A new report from the CDC finds a record number of teenage girls are now debilitated by mental illnesses including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. And social psychologist Jonathan Haidt says the evidence is abundant that social media is the cause, but the tech industry is resisting any changes. Phil, Kaitlyn, and Skye discuss the social, political, and spiritual dimensions of the crisis. They also revisit the Asbury revival and how previous revivals in America produced both good and ...
Mar 01, 2023•2 hr 33 min•Transcript available on Metacast There's no denying that American men are struggling. Depression, drug use, and suicide are on the rise, and there are plenty of voices on the far right eager to blame feminists, the LGBT movement, #MeToo, and the left in general. They say our culture has made traditionally masculine traits "toxic" and stolen from men the one thing they need most—respect. David French explains to Skye Jethani why this diagnosis is wrong. He argues that the real crisis isn't that men lack respect, but that they la...
Feb 24, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Transcript available on Metacast She’s finally here! Bible teacher and author Beth Moore joins Kaitlyn Schiess to discuss her new memoir, her calling, and how she found the courage to speak out against the political idolatry of evangelical leaders in 2016. Moore says she learned how to put her faith in Christ himself rather than in Christian people. Also this week, we discuss the revival at Asbury University that’s attracted 20,000 people to a small town in Kentucky—including a lot of Christian celebrities. Is it a genuine move...
Feb 22, 2023•1 hr 26 min•Transcript available on Metacast A Christian campaign spent $20 million on two ads during the Super Bowl, but the “He Gets Us” commercials are facing criticism from both the right and left. One side says the ads did not present the gospel. The other says the campaign’s funders are bigots. And everyone is wondering if the $20 million could have been spent more effectively. Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn offer their takes. Then, Tim Keller has a new article with his prescription for how Christianity can thrive again in America, but does...
Feb 15, 2023•2 hr 33 min•Transcript available on Metacast What does it mean to be pro-life? Drawing from the words of Jesus, the Apostles, and the early church, Shane Claiborne says most American Christians have gotten it wrong. His new book, “Rethinking Life: Embracing the Sacredness of Every Person,” argues for the value of the unborn, but also for combating poverty, racism, and other dehumanizing evils. He talks with Skye about how the early church’s consistent ethic of life changed once it gained political power. It’s one thing for a tiny church on...
Feb 10, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Transcript available on Metacast How did American politics go from a disagreement over policies to become a war between the forces of good and evil? Phil takes us on a journey through the fascinating origins of the New Apostolic Reformation movement as he traces a line from a professor at Fuller Seminary in the 1980s to the January 6th attack on the Capitol. Along the way, we learn how the movement popularized the integration of culture, politics, and spiritual warfare, and shaped the imaginations of generations of evangelicals...
Feb 08, 2023•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast Phil catches up with friend-of-the-show Esau McCaulley (New Testament Professor, NYT columnist, author of CT Book of the Year Reading While Black) for a wide-ranging conversation. Why do we keep getting MLK wrong? What do Black voices give up in order to be invited into white spaces, and is there a better way? What does McCaulley do to refocus on Jesus? And why did he decide his new book should be about, of all things, Lent?? McCaulley is a deep thinker AND a little bit of a goofball. Which make...
Feb 03, 2023•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast In a video clip from a sermon, influential megachurch pastor Andy Stanley said gay men and women who remain in the church “have more faith than a lot of you.” The backlash has been swift, but are people misunderstanding his point? And why do some Christians think shifting views on sexuality and gender are the greatest threat to the church, while others believe it’s Christian Nationalism and politics? Who’s right? And what does our view say about us? And a new article explains the rise of Spirit ...
Feb 01, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast David French shares about his move to The New York Times, and why MAGA Conservatives call him a “sell out” when journalism on the far right is where the big money is found. Then, Skye and David discuss the 303 Creative case at the Supreme Court. Is creating a website a service or is it speech? The answer will determine whether the government may compel some religious businesses to support same-sex weddings. And new research shows diversity training is largely ineffective. Why do we continue to b...
Jan 27, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Church of England has decided to not allow same-sex marriages, but it will bless civil same-sex unions. Is it a wise compromise or terrible attempt to dodge a divisive issue? Brazil’s president lost reelection and his conservative Christian supporters stormed the capital. Is the American church exporting its nuttiness? New research from Gallop reveals which professions are the most and least trusted. Where do pastors land on the list? Plus, A.I. is causing layoffs for tech workers, Trump is ...
Jan 25, 2023•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
