The Holy Post

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 Christia...

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....

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...

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 b...

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 outco...

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 w...

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 Ou...

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 mo...

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 p...

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...

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'...

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 progressi...

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 c...

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 crisi...

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 t...

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 20,0...

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 Kelle...

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...

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...

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...

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 politi...

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...

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 t...

What story are we in?  A rescue plan to get us out of a dying world?  God's mission to save us from sin?  Is my true purpose in life to "go to heaven and take as many people with me as I can?"  Is the Bible all about Jesus?  Phil sits down with the ever-provocative New Testament Bible scholar Timothy Gombis to talk about the BIG story of the Bible and God's plan for us that's even bigger than "res...

Martin Luther King Jr. is widely celebrated today, but that wasn't the case when he was killed in 1968. Esau McCaulley's editorial explains how King's current popularity comes from the tendency to cherry pick a few MLK quotes about race, but conveniently overlook his more controversial sermons about poverty, justice, and reparations. What does it mean to take King's words seriously today? Then, sc...