The Holy Post

Happy new year! We're starting 2025 by answering questions from the Holy Post audience. You've asked us about movies and shows we are looking forward to this year, and what regrets we have about things we've said in the past. Phil explains his fashion choices, Skye explains why he's still a conservative, and Kaitlyn has an idea for replacing "News of the Butt." Plus, will there be enough room for...

The MeToo movement was a huge cultural movement—but now, many major government leaders with sexual abuse scandals under their belt seem to go under the radar—how did we get to this point? And what about the aftermath of the ChurchToo movement? David and Skye discuss this, as well as a case in the Supreme Court about Tennessee's ban on transgender medical intervention for kids.   0:00 - Theme Song...

Merry Christmas! In celebrity conversion news, Denzel Washington got baptized at his church in Harlem just days before his 70th birthday and became a licensed minister, and New York Times columnist, David Brooks, has written about his surprising journey from agnosticism to Christianity. What do these stories tell us about our culture's ongoing hunger for God? On the other side, David French explai...

A Catholic bishop, with a social media following second only to the Pope, is proving that dumbing down the faith is the wrong way to reach young adults. But is his celebrity status getting in the way? A new study finds the most generous people are also the most likely to consistently read the Bible. Kaitlyn talks to Pricelis Perreaux-Dominguez about telling the truth to the church out of love. Her...

More Americans than ever are single but they're not happy about it. A new article in The Atlantic examines how the sexes are drifting apart, why more men are looking for a partner than women, and the side-effects of using an app rather than community to find a date. Then, political scientist Hahrie Han's new book "Undivided" explores why the racial solidarity program at an evangelical megachurch w...

Many ideas about the end times including the role of Israel, the mark of the beast, and the rapture became popular through Hal Lindsey's best-selling book from the 1970s, "The Late Great Planet Earth." Lindsay died last week at 95. We discuss his legacy and how his book is still shaping the American church long after most of its theology has been debunked. Then, Kaitlyn talks to Douglas McKelvey a...

David French has finally watched Rings of Power season two—and he and Skye don't quite have the same feelings about it. They compare it to House of the Dragon's more cynical fantasy world—and why Dune is maybe closer to Tolkien than Martin. They also talk about the Penguin crime drama series, the upcoming Superman movie, and Silo.   0:00 - Theme Song   0:18 - Show Begins   1:16 - David's Take on R...

Mike Erre joins Phil and Skye to discuss how to survive the holidays. What's the best way to engage (or disengage) a contentious relative who wants to argue about politics, and how do we remain united as churches and families in these divided times? Professor, author, and preacher Tony Campolo died last week. Shane Claiborne returns to discuss his friendship with Campolo and his legacy of challeng...

After an exhausting year of politics and the re-election of Donald Trump, what is a faithful way for Christians to navigate the next four years? Should we continue to immerse ourselves in political news, or is it better to disconnect from the media? And should Christians join the political fights online, or unplug to better serve our local communities? The Holy Post crew responds to articles by a...

  It's been a week since the election and why Americans voted to send Donald Trump back to the White House is beginning to come into focus. The entire Holy Post team—Phil, Skye, Kaitlyn, and Esau—is here to talk about why Trump won and how Harris lost. Was it the economy? Was it racism and misogyny? Was it identity politics or disinformation in the media? Everyone has a theory. Then New York Times...

The 2024 election is finally here. Who won? We don't know because we recorded this episode on Monday. But we do know that MAGA men are not happy about their wives secretly voting for Kamala Harris. And a new study finds trust in American institutions—especially the media—continues to decline. Is there a way to reverse the trend? Then, to take an overdue break from politics, Skye talks to author an...

With only a week before the presidential election, Phil and Kaitlyn are joined by Mike Erre to discuss Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden. Why do so many white evangelicals ignore the racism, misogyny, and dehumanizing rhetoric coming from the MAGA movement? It is really about supporting certain policies or the idolatry of power? Then, David Swanson is back to discuss his latest book, "Plunder...

Today's episode is all content from our recent live event in Chicago. Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn discuss the rapid shift in public opinion about immigration—and it's not just among Republicans. Why is support for immigration down dramatically among Democrats and independents too? Then Charlie Dates, the pastor of Progressive Baptist Church and Salem Baptist Church in Chicago, joins the show to talk a...

The election is just three weeks away and Phil is exhausted, Kaitlyn is concerned that evangelicals supporting Harris are making the same mistake as those supporting Trump, and Skye blames the whole mess on WWJD bracelets. Based on Kaitlyn's recent Religion News Service article, the Holy Post crew discuss a better way for Christians to think about politics and voting. Then, Wheaton College profess...

Being a cultural Christian used to be an insult, but more people are embracing the label with pride. The Holy Post crew unpacks what's behind the growing affection for cultural Christianity, and they explain why it's more important than ever to embrace the weird, supernatural beliefs of the faith. Historian Kristen Kobes Du Mez is back to discuss her new documentary, "For Our Daughters," about the...

Steve Bezner, a pastor in Houston, had a troubling realization—his people were being shaped more by social media, YouTube, and cable news than by the Bible, and their views of money, sex, and power looked more American than Christian. He talks with Kaitlyn about his new book, "Your Jesus Is Too American," and how being more relational than organizational may be the first step toward healing our ch...

In a military operation straight out of a spy novel, Israel infiltrated Hezbollah's communication networks and detonated pager bombs and walkie talkies. David French and Skye discuss the operation and the long term ramifications. Then, they break down Pope Francis' controversial comments on salvation that have sparked backlash among conservative Catholics. Finally, they unpack a surprising trend:...

With both the election and polls getting closer, new research from Lifeway says a record number of pastors are refusing to say who they're voting for—even on an anonymous survey. Mike Erre says he wouldn't answer the survey either. His reason may surprise you. Phil explores how Pat Buchanan's 1992 presidential campaign was a harbinger of today's politics. And diversity experts featured in Matt Wal...

During last week's presidential debate, Donald Trump amplified a false rumor about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. Since then the community, which was already facing significant challenges, has been shaken by deepening divisions, racism, and even bomb threats. We look at how church leaders in Springfield are responding, what's really behind the pet-eating lie, and why some of...

Today's show is all about perspective. First, Phil offers his perspective on the news stories fans send him on social media about Icelandic cucumbers and water buffalos, and how they compare to articles he actually likes about robotic mushrooms and avoiding gluteal amnesia. Then, a recent article explores our culture's focus on products, practices, and apps designed to increase our happiness, and...

A very old trend is making a big comeback among Catholic women—veils. Is the turn toward head coverings rooted in Scripture, a desire for sacred symbols, a longing for traditional womanhood, or is it just a nostalgic fashion trend field by TikTok? A new study says what separates conservatives and liberals is how hierarchically they view the world and the importance of maintaining strict boundaries...

For the first time in decades, the Republican Party has removed all pro-life language from the party platform. Trump has also called for less free-trade, more government regulation, and he is indifferent about Russian aggression in Europe. At the same time, the Democratic Party is embracing patriotism, law and order, tax cuts, and retreating from its more progressive social and environmental polic...

As we start a new academic year, school districts throughout the country are increasingly banning smartphones. No one is more responsible for this trend than Dr. Jonathan Haidt. He talks to Skye about his latest book, "The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness," and how smartphones are also interfering with our spiritual lives, and what Ch...

In the last two presidential elections about 8 in 10 evangelicals voted for Donald Trump, but can Kamala Harris steal some of those votes in 2024? We discuss the recent "Evangelicals for Harris" call and why it's so difficult to get Christians to think more theologically about politics. Ed Stetzer argues that abortion should still be a top priority when voting, and Tyler Huckabee says we should be...

We all hear stories of people walking away from faith because of cultural challenges and hypocrisy in the church. That's what makes Dave Gibbons' new memoir, "The Shape of My Eyes," so powerful. He joins Skye to talk about growing up within American fundamentalism as a mixed-race kid, and how he encountered God despite deep family trauma and church dysfunction. Also this week—Mike Erre joins the c...