The Holy Post

Has Wheaton College, the flagship of evangelical higher ed, gone woke? Concerned parents and alumni have published a letter accusing the school of valuing diversity more than discipleship. Others have responded by defending Wheaton against the unfounded claims of the MAGA mob. What does the controversy reveal about the state of evangelicalism in the U.S.? A new piece by friend of the show, Karen S...

Skye explains the strong biblical ties between two seemingly related concepts: worship and justice. Can you even have one without the other?   Get the full episode by signing up for Holy Post Plus: https://www.patreon.com/posts/122739547/

Since WWII, the United States has been actively engaged in foreign aid as part of its strategic foreign policy, and Christians of all theological and political views have broadly supported this effort. In the first month of the Trump administration, however, Christians on the far right have suddenly turned against international aid. What's behind this change and are there parallels on the religiou...

The White House is defunding USAID, one of the largest distributors of foreign aid, and blaming it on wasteful spending—like a D.E.I musical in Ireland. But as Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn unpack, the real losers are Christian relief organizations like World Relief and Catholic Charities, which now face devastating budget cuts. Then, it's been over 20 years since the release of Blue Like Jazz, the best...

During a recent Fox News interview, Vice President J.D. Vance cited "an old school and very Christian concept" to justify rejecting refugees and ending international aid. Bishops from his own church disagreed. The Holy Post crew explores the concept Vance was citing, how he misunderstands it, and why his interpretation undermines the entire New Testament. Kaitlyn interviews Skye about his new book...

David French brings us his thoughts on why the GOP is no longer the party of the Constitution. Have political party allegiances broken the system? What Constitutional guard rails can operate when people are worried about falling out of the President's favor? Then, he talks about Carl Schmitt, a German political thinker who may have the key to understanding the difference between the politics we're...

The first week of the second Trump administration has seen refugees cut off and January 6th criminals cut loose. Franklin Graham declared in his inauguration prayer that God himself had chosen the President. The MAGA faithful applauded this mix of Christian faith and politics, but when Bishop Budde asked the President to "show mercy" to frightened people during her homily at the National Cathedral...

According to New York Times columnist, David Brooks, our society has given up on moral formation to focus instead on individual success and happiness. Can we recover a culture of shared virtue? Surprising new data shows that overall college enrollment is down, but Christian colleges and universities are growing. What's the explanation? Then Robert P. Jones, from PRRI, is back to unpack the numbers...

How can we help those impacted by the L.A. wildfires? Because of A.I., climate change, and falling fertility rates, Ezra Klein says we are living "in the age of monsters," but is he really just upset about Trump? And how is technology fundamentally rewiring our brains to avoid social interaction, and what should we do about it? Phil, Kaitlyn, and Skye offer their suggestions. Then Kaitlyn talks wi...

Former president and born again Christian, Jimmy Carter, died at the age of 100. As the media reflects on his legacy of public service and humanitarianism, some are contrasting Carter's faith with that of conservative white evangelicals. Esau McCaulley says Carter is being used as a cudgel by progressives to shame their political opponents. Is he right? Skye and Phil unpack two explanations for th...

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...