Phil Vischer
The Holy Post
Join VeggieTales and What's in the Bible? creator Phil Vischer and co-host Skye Jethani (author, speaker, pastor) for a fast-paced and often funny conversation about pop culture, media, theology, and the fun, fun, fun of living a thoughtful Christian life in an increasingly post-Christian culture.
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Episodes
728: The Political Divide over Matthew 25 plus Tish Harrison Warren 08.07.2026 1:29:50
Two members of Congress, one Republican and one Democrat, had a meeting recently where they fundamentally disagreed about the meaning of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25. Their disagreement has now spilled into the media. Why has this chapter of the Bible become the new dividing line between Christians in the public square? Kaityn interviews Tish Harrison Warren about her new book about Chris...
727: Rethinking the Sexual Revolution & America Turns 250 with Robert Tracy McKenzie 01.07.2026 1:28:42
The United States is turning 250 this week, but the country is divided about the anniversary. Should the country celebrate or lament? Historian Robert Tracy McKenzie joins Skye to talk about the ongoing fight over how to tell America's story, why we reject nuance, and what he saw at the Rededicate 250 event in Washington, D.C. that made him concerned. Kaitlyn offers her take on a New York Times in...
726: Reimagining Biblical Politics with Michael Rhodes 24.06.2026 1:35:15
Over the last decade, white evangelicals in the U.S. have lost their moral credibility. In response, Peter Wehner says the church should embrace a form of "Christian humanism." The Holy Post crew discusses his article, what he gets right, and why that label may be a barrier for some. Kaitlyn interviews biblical scholar Michael Rhodes about his book,"Reimagining Biblical Politics: What Scripture Sa...
725: The Cage Match for America's Story plus Nijay Gupta 17.06.2026 1:28:48
Last year, the President celebrated his birthday with a military parade. This year, he hosted a UFC cage match on the South Lawn of the White House. It's easy to compare it to the gladiator games honoring the Roman emperor, but Phil asks whether it's a sign that America would rather emulate pre-Christian Roman values than biblical ones. Americans can no longer agree on how to teach American histor...
724: The Problem with Pagan Masculinity with Zach Wagner 10.06.2026 1:27:24
While secular journalists, scholars, and even the Pope are wrestling with big questions about Artificial Intelligence, the war in the Middle East, and what it means to be truly human, the Southern Baptists have decided the most urgent problem in 2026 is banning women from preaching. Phil asks why evangelicals are still fixated on issues from 50 years ago, while other Christian traditions are leadi...
723: Pope Leo, A.I., & the Intimacy Economy plus a Guided Tour of HP+ 03.06.2026 1:34:32
The Pope's first encyclical about the importance of human dignity and the threat posed by A.I. is causing a stir. Some secular journalists are celebrating Leo's moral clarity, while Trump administration officials are saying the Pope should stay in his lane. Historian Yuval Noah Harari has his own warning about A.I. and explains how we are moving from an "attention economy" into an "intimacy econom...
722: Colbert & the Problem of Public Faith plus Karen Swallow Prior 27.05.2026 1:25:12
Last week, Stephen Colbert ended his tenure as the host of The Late Show on CBS. Along with witty political commentary and comedy, Colbert was also open about his Catholicism at a time when many were growing skeptical of faith. Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn discuss Colbert, the criticism public Christians receive, and how to discern which examples of public faith to emulate. It's graduation season, and...
721: Easy Optimism vs Durable Hope with Sharon McMahon 20.05.2026 1:25:39
MAGA politicians, pastors, and influencers gathered on the National Mall this weekend to rededicate America to God. Unlike biblical ceremonies of rededication, however, this one included no repentance or lament. Elon Musk is upset that a black woman was cast as Helen of Troy in Christopher Nolan's upcoming film "The Odyssey." Sharon McMahon is back to explain how political backlash and violent thr...
720: The Casino-fication of the Church and Mark DeYmaz 13.05.2026 1:24:14
Online gambling is changing the way we watch sports. Rather than cheering for a team together, more people now focus on their individual prop bets. Russell Moore says the same thing is happening in the church as individual interests and personal goals are overshadowing our collective calling as Christ's people. Mark DeYmaz talks with Skye about how the prayer of St. Francis has helped his church n...
719: King Charles' Christian Message plus Alan Noble 06.05.2026 1:33:35
King Charles III addressed Congress last week, citing his Christian faith as a foundation for pluralism and peace. President Trump, in contrast, gave a speech welcoming the King that referenced Christianity as a cultural identity requiring exclusion and protection. Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn unpack the two very different visions of faith. Alan Noble is back to discuss his new book, "To Live Well," an...
718: HOLY POST LIVE from Atlanta with Lecrae 29.04.2026 1:04:57
Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn hosted a live podcast recording in Atlanta on April 22. They were joined by Grammy-winning hip-hop artist Lecrae to discuss his journey through doubt and deconstruction toward a renewed faith in Christ. He shared what helped him through the dark season, and why he felt the need to abandon the "fraud" but not the "faith." They also discussed the tenets of Just War Theory, in...
717: The Parenting Prosperity Gospel with Kelsey Kramer McGinnis 22.04.2026 1:31:45
Anthropic has sought the help of Christian theologians to make Claude, their A.I. model, more ethical, but they are also meeting with representatives from other religious and philosophical traditions. Should this make us more optimistic about tech companies controlling the future? The Atlantic has a story about the popularity of John Mark Comer even among non-religious young adults. Is his advocac...
716: The President vs. The Pope and Bri Stensrud 15.04.2026 1:29:36
It's been another week of deranged comments and posts from the President. This time he has targeted Pope Leo by accusing him of being weak on crime and catering to the radical left. Mr. Trump followed up by posting an A.I. image of himself as Jesus. The outrage was swift, including from his own MAGA supporters, but are they actually to blame for his messianic self-image? On Palm Sunday, the Pope s...
715: How MAGA Rewired Evangelical Morality with Peter Wehner 08.04.2026 1:35:07
We have a roundup of extravagant Easter celebrations, including helicopter egg drops, holy week drone shows, and skydiving bunnies. But what do these spectacles really achieve, and what do they communicate about the way of Jesus? Bible sales are breaking records. Is Donald Trump the reason? Conservative writer Peter Wehner, who worked for three Republican administrations, is back to explain how MA...
714: What's Driving the Surge of Catholic Converts? plus Gabriel Salguero 01.04.2026 1:25:16
Catholic bishops around the U.S. are reporting a dramatic increase in applications for church membership and a surge of new converts as Easter approaches. What's driving this new interest in the Catholic Church, and why aren't evangelical churches seeing a similar boom? Mike Erre joins Phil and Kaitlyn to discuss the trend. Gabriel Salguero is back to update Skye on the impact of immigration enfor...
713: Is "Christian Nationalism" Overused? plus Amar Peterman 25.03.2026 1:26:35
A recent article in The Atlantic argues that we should stop using the label "Christian nationalism" to criticize the religious right because both conservatives and progressives throughout American history have been motivated by Christian faith. Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn discuss what the article gets right and why we need to keep talking about the danger of Christian nationalism. Phil wonders why Cat...
712: A New Kind of Christian Fundamentalism plus Bob Goff 18.03.2026 1:25:41
In the past, Christian fundamentalism was defined by a literal reading of the Bible and conservative social values. They believed in things like a seven-day creation, the rapture, prophecies about the return of Jesus, and supporting the state of Israel. But data shows that fewer evangelicals hold these beliefs, but that doesn't mean fundamentalism is going away. Skye and Kaitlyn are joined by Mike...
711: Donald and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad War plus Preston Sprinkle 11.03.2026 1:32:07
Do you remember the children's book, "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day"? That title also sums up what most Americans think about Trump's new war with Iran. Kaitlyn explains why the war is immoral based on Christian theology, Phil channels Ezra Klein to define America's new "heads on pikes" foreign policy, and Skye says the war fits Donald Trump's long pattern of laziness...
710: Iran, Immigration, & the Trouble with Certainty with Carrie McKean 04.03.2026 1:25:54
The U.S. launched a military strike on Iran and President Trump is framing it in moral terms. Phil, Kaitlyn, and Katelyn Beaty discuss the administration's shifting justifications for war, and why Christians should be cautious of language that makes it easier to dehumanize enemies. Then, they turn to the mass shooting in Austin and the predictable scramble to turn tragedy into political leverage....
709: A Rabbi and a Priest Walk into a Podcast with Father James Martin 25.02.2026 1:28:21
Many of our political leaders invoke the Bible, but Rabbi Shai Held says many don't understand one of its most important commands. Rabbi Held argues that Scripture's call to love immigrants was a "moral revolution" and says the mistreatment of immigrants is an abomination in God's eyes. Skye interviews Father James Martin about his new memoir, "Work in Progress," about his journey from the busines...
708: Mistaking Certainty for Maturity with Joshua Harris 18.02.2026 1:27:29
Thirty years ago, Joshua Harris became the cheerleader for purity culture with his book "I Kissed Dating Goodbye." Since then, he's apologized for the book, exited from ministry and his marriage, and announced he's no longer a Christian. He talks to Skye about his journey from fundamentalism to deconstructionism, and back toward curiosity about Jesus. Also this week, how the Trump administration i...
707: Halftime Hullabaloo and Tyler Johnson 11.02.2026 1:25:29
The big game was on Sunday, and for most of the country, it was a big letdown unless you're heavily invested in the culture war. Phil, Kaitlyn, and Skye start by breaking down Bad Bunny's halftime show (en español) and Turning Point USA's alternative with Kid Rock. Then they discuss how Jesus became such a big part of football culture. Is it good that so many players start their media interviews w...
706: The Second Slap plus Leah Libresco Sargeant 04.02.2026 1:24:01
We've all heard the stories of people raised within American evangelicalism who became disillusioned because of abuse, scandals, or political idolatry. Some migrated to more progressive church traditions while others deconstructed their faith entirely. Joshua Harris, made famous for his seminal purity culture book "I Kissed Dating Goodbye," was in the latter category. Harris now says he is emergin...
705: Minnesota, Civil Rights, & Contagious Courage with Justin Giboney 28.01.2026 1:29:34
The country is on edge after another protester was killed by ICE officers in Minneapolis. Phil, Kaitlyn, and Skye look at how different Christian journalists and media outlets are covering, or not covering, the story, and what protests against ICE share in common with the Civil Rights movement, and how they're different. Speaking of the Civil Rights era, Justin Giboney is back to discuss his new b...
704: Love is All We Need + Moderate Churches with Ryan Burge 21.01.2026 1:27:05
Over the last 30 years, the number of Americans who say they highly value patriotism, religion, community, and family has dropped dramatically. At the same time, the number of Americans who care about making more money has gone up. Phil, Kaitlyn, and Skye discuss David Brooks' new article about the culture's shift toward autonomy and away from loving attachments, and how Christians can begin rebui...
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