Faithful Politics

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com In Oklahoma, religious extremism is reshaping public education, political rhetoric, and community life. In this episode, Faithful Politics hosts Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram sit down with Rev. Dr. Shannon Fleck, the new Executive Director of Faithful America. Fleck discusses...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com In an era where political figures command crowds with cult-like devotion, what role does charisma truly play in shaping public life? Historian and journalist Molly Worthen joins Faithful Politics to explore the deep history of charisma—from the revivals of Anne Hutchinson and Josep...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com In a time when LGBTQ Christians still face rejection from many pulpits, author and theologian Brandan Robertson is helping them reclaim their place at the table. In this episode, we talk with Brandan about his new book Queer Christian: Reclaiming the Bible, Our Faith, and Our Place...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com How should we read the Old Testament today? In this episode, Faithful Politics dives deep with Dr. John H. Walton, a leading Old Testament scholar and professor emeritus at Wheaton College. With decades of research on ancient Near Eastern contexts, Walton discusses why understandin...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com In this episode, former federal prosecutor Kristy Parker returns to Faithful Politics to discuss the drastic shifts in the Department of Justice under Donald Trump. With nearly two decades of experience in the DOJ, Parker offers a rare insider’s perspective on the erosion of instit...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com What role does the church play in supporting vulnerable children and families in marginalized communities? In this episode, Faithful Politics sits down with Rev. Moya Harris, Director of Racial Justice at Sojourners and ordained AME minister, and Rev. Thomas Brackeen Jr., Minister...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com In this episode, Faithful Politics welcomes back Kiera Butler, senior editor at Mother Jones, to discuss her latest reporting on a group of Christian nationalists aiming to build a secluded community in Appalachia. Butler unpacks how this network of self-identified "Theo Bros,...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com In this episode, Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram speak with Amy Hawk, author of The Judas Effect: How Evangelicals Betray Jesus for Power. Once a hyper-patriotic evangelical leader, Amy shares her journey of disillusionment during the 2016 election when Donald Trump became the...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com In an era of rising polarization, what does religious liberty really mean—and why does it matter today? Dr. Owen Anderson, professor of philosophy and religious studies at Arizona State University, joins Will and Josh to unpack the philosophical roots of religious freedom, natural...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com Why is it so hard to admit when we’re wrong—even when the evidence is right in front of us? Cognitive bias isn’t just a problem for “other people”—it affects all of us, shaping how we think, vote, and even practice our faith. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Erin Devers, socia...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com The Seven Mountain Mandate—a concept calling for Christian dominance over key spheres of American life like government, education, media, and family—has quietly gained traction in right-wing political and religious circles. But what does this strategy really entail, and why should...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com Please join us on May 2nd for our Beyond the Echo Chamber event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1320567174969?aff=oddtdtcreator As Donald Trump ramps up executive actions targeting law firms, student protestors, and immigrant communities, constitutional experts are sounding the alarm...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com Since 1977, lethal injection has been portrayed as the most humane way to execute someone—but what if that’s a myth? In this episode, legal scholar and death penalty expert Corinna Lain joins host Will Wright to expose what really happens inside America’s execution chambers. From b...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com In a time when empathy is seen by some as a threat and theology often feels emotionally detached, what if the Apostle Paul’s core message was actually centered on love? In this episode, we welcome back Dr. Nijay Gupta, New Testament scholar and author of The Affections of Christ Je...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com Why do so many Americans believe the U.S. is God’s chosen nation? And how did Protestant ideas of martyrdom, land ownership, and war shape the founding of our democracy? In this episode, Will and Josh sit down with Dr. John Fanestil, a United Methodist pastor, historian, and author...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com In this conversation, Will Wright and Josh Burtram interview Jemar Tisby, author of 'The Color of Compromise' and 'How to Fight Racism,' about his new book 'The Spirit of Justice.' They discuss the importance of Black theologians in the national conver...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com 📝 Show Description: After publishing a critique of biblical gender roles, author Aimee Byrd faced an online smear campaign—led in part by leaders from her own church. In this episode, she joins Will Wright and Josh Burtram to discuss her new book Saving Face , a deeply personal re...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com In the wake of rising authoritarianism and social unrest, Christian ethicist David P. Gushee returns to discuss how Christians should respond to the erosion of democracy and the assault on marginalized groups in America. With record-low approval ratings from outside the Republican...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com Is everything we think we know about the devil wrong? In this episode, author and filmmaker Jared Brock joins the Faithful Politics podcast to discuss his latest book, A Devil Named Lucifer. From the myth of the horned red figure to the misuse of the word “Lucifer,” Brock breaks do...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com In recent years, white Christian nationalism has grown from a fringe ideology into a dominant force shaping American politics and religious identity. But what happens when Christianity is weaponized for power rather than justice? In this episode, political host Will Wright and past...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com In recent years, American Christianity has undergone a profound transformation—and it's reshaping the foundations of our democracy. In this episode, we talk with Jonathan Rauch, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and author of Cross Purposes: Christianity’s Broken Barg...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com Christian nationalism has surged to new heights in American politics, raising urgent concerns about democracy, religious freedom, and the separation of church and state. In this episode, we sit down with Amanda Tyler , executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com What does it mean to follow a "Migrant God"? In this episode, Pastor Josh Burtram and political host Will Wright sit down with Isaac Samuel Villegas , an ordained Mennonite minister and advocate for immigrant justice. His new book, Migrant God: A Christian Vision for Immi...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com What does it mean to be an atheist in a world where faith and politics are deeply intertwined? In this episode, we sit down with Hemant Mehta , author, speaker, and creator of The Friendly Atheist blog and podcast. Mehta shares his journey from Jainism to atheism, his experiences v...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com How should the church engage with the world without becoming entangled in political partisanship? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Steven Felix-Jäger to discuss his book The Problem and Promise of Freedom: A Public Theology for the Church. As an artist, scholar, and minister,...