The Russell Moore Show

A few years ago, the faith community Russell Moore loved—and the country he respected—seemed to be becoming unrecognizable. As Moore looked at his surroundings, a metaphor from The Lord of the Rings came to mind. Had The Shire, the place he loved and believed to be home, really been the evil realm of Mordor all along? On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, CT Director of Podcasts Mike Cosper i...

Join us in Houston, TX on August 9th for a LIVE podcast recording and an evening of conversation hosted by Beth Moore in celebration of Russell's book: Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America. For more info, click here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the latest Q&A episode of The Russell Moore Show, which addresses a question we all want answered: is every question submitted to the show theological or political? As it turns out, the answer is no! Our first question today is about none other than Johnny Cash, which leads to a discussion of Merle Haggard and even Nine Inch Nails.  If you came for the heavier stuff, though, never fear....

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, our times of worship changed in measurable ways. What did we learn about God and ourselves through that disembodied experience? How does the sensory affect our spirituality? Why did God create human bodies to be so, well, bodily in everything from procreation to waste elimination? On today’s episode of The Russell Moore Show, Moore poses these questions to W. David...

It’s time for the quarterly books episode of The Russell Moore Show!  On this episode, Russell shares the books on his desert island bookshelf. He and producer Ashley Hales discuss what it takes for a title to belong on that shelf. They consider the power of finding a book for a specific season and how such reads take root in our hearts. Their conversation spans genres and generations as they talk...

When Roe vs. Wade was overturned, Benjamin Watson was happy. But he also felt acutely aware of a complicated truth: millions of people felt devastated by the decision. And so the question became: what’s next? On today’s episode of The Russell Moore Show, Watson—writer, speaker, and former NFL tight end—shares insights into the state of abortion in America. He and Moore talk about the ways that rac...

On June 19, 2023, the United States of America will celebrate its newest federal holiday: Juneteenth, which marks the anniversary of some slaves in Texas being told that they were free. But this is far from the first time that Juneteenth, which today’s guest refers to as “a second Independence Day,” has been celebrated.  On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, Justin Giboney shares his memories...

Does the body of Christ have a moral obligation to call for gun reform? Why does the Far Right fight the idea of critical race theory (CRT)? How will the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) affect the way people read the Bible? These are some of the prescient listener questions that Russell and producer Ashley Hales address on this episode of The Russell Moore Show. They discuss cultural issues i...

When John Starke, an author and the pastor of Apostles Church Uptown, moved to New York City, he quickly realized that he wasn’t all that impressive to his neighbors. It didn’t feel great at first. But now, he sees the ability to embody seasons of being unimpressive—even being embarrassed and humiliated—as a gift. On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, Moore and Starke talk about perseverance,...

Anxiety is having a moment. Compared to prepandemic rates, for example, anxiety has doubled in young people. The increase feels daunting and downright scary at times as Christians struggle to determine how to help. Enter Curtis Chang, theologian, consulting faculty member at Duke Divinity School, and senior fellow at Fuller Theological Seminary. Cohost of the Good Faith podcast, executive director...

“He was always shot through with gratitude.” So says Russell Moore of pastor, theologian, and author Tim Keller, who died on Friday, May 19, 2023. Husband to Kathy and father of three, Keller was the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City and the cofounder of Redeemer City to City. Moore believes Keller to be the most significant American evangelist since Billy Graham, a...

“Whenever I'm about to do something, I think 'Would an idiot do that?' And if they would, I do not do that thing.” - Dwight Schrute, The Office In an age of cultural division and religious disagreement, many people feel that talking to someone with a different perspective on faith is, well, something an idiot would do. But today’s episode of The Russell Moore Show tells a different story as Russel...

From disagreements about baptism to a tendency toward tribalism, it’s easy to feel like the state of American Christianity is best summed up in the word division. But does that have to be the case? On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, Russell and producer Ashley Hales answer listener questions on finding a church, theological disagreements, and living out Christian beliefs in the workplace....

What is the most racist thing you’ve ever experienced?  That’s the question that was posed to Esau McCaulley, an author, assistant professor, and contributing opinion writer for the New York Times, as he sat on a panel in front of a mostly white audience. He didn’t answer the question. On a new episode of The Russell Moore Show, he explains why.  Tune in for a rich conversation on suffering, how w...

When people look at the American church today, many perceive instability and division. But what if some of the fragmentation they see is actually God’s work? On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, Russell and producer Ashley Hales respond to listener questions that revolve around how people relate to communities and institutions. They talk about God’s way of pulling apart old patterns in order...

"I am convinced that it’s not just an American Dream that has been consuming our lives. There’s actually an American gospel that’s hijacked our hearts.” So says David Platt, pastor and author of three New York Times bestsellers, on today’s episode of The Russell Moore Show. Referencing his 2010 book Radical, Platt now believes that the core issues in American Christianity run even deeper than he t...

When Russell Moore first heard the title of Christopher Watkin’s new book, Biblical Critical Theory, his mind immediately went to the controversy around critical race theory. But, as this episode’s conversation with Watkin—a professor and senior lecturer at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, reveals—it’s about so much more. Tune in for a rich discussion of what critical theory actually is...

Welcome to a new quarterly feature of The Russell Moore Show: all about books! The enthusiastic listener response to the “Best of Books 2022” episode encouraged Russell and producer Ashley Hales to share their recent reads more often. Tune in for a conversation that celebrates reading widely while also going deep into a few books, specifically Looking for the Hidden Folk by Nancy Marie Brown. This...

How do people who have devoted their lives to ministry know that Christianity is true? What can believers do to address the cultural loss of biblical literacy? How should we think about the social unrest we see in everything from political divides to tragic shootings? On today’s episode of The Russell Moore Show, American Episcopal priest and author Fleming Rutledge joins Moore to respond to these...

“I’ve had both a great time and a terrifying time on this planet. Lord, somewhere in the middle of that is my real life." So says Beth Moore, our returning guest on this episode of The Russell Moore Show. Reflecting on writing her recently-published memoir All My Knotted Up Life, Beth and Russell (friends who are regularly mistaken for relatives) talk about the heaviness and hope of Beth’s story. ...

What is the biblical and historical evidence for the resurrection? What does it mean when Scripture says we carry around the death of Jesus in our bodies? How can Christians be deeply committed to interpreting the Bible faithfully while also taking care not to become legalistic? These are some of the listener questions that Russell Moore and producer Ashley Hales engage on this episode of The Russ...

Rick Warren needs very little introduction. The planter and pastor of Saddleback Church in Orange County, California for 43 years, Warren is widely considered one of the most influential spiritual leaders in America. His book The Purpose-Driven Life has been translated into 137 languages and sold more than 50 million copies. And yet, on February 21, the Southern Baptist Convention disfellowshipped...

How should Christians think about evolving technology? What does it look like to engage in conversations about ChatGPT or the Bing AI bot that recently tried to persuade a New York Times reporter to leave his spouse for the bot? How is society affected by apocalyptic predictions regarding overpopulation or climate change? On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, poet, author, and literary critic...

“What can people do about the fact that things are so tense with their families, especially when it comes to politics?” This is one of the pressing questions that Russell Moore poses to Jon Ward, Chief National Correspondent for Yahoo News. A long-time political reporter, Ward acutely perceives the relationship between religion and politics in America. His new book, Testimony: Inside the Evangelic...

Just one in three of today’s pastors say that they are healthy. By 2050, less than half of the US population may identify as Christian. At the same time, 61 percent of millennials who attended church before the pandemic still worship with the same congregation. Not only that, but Barna recently found that young people—specifically Generation Z—are uniquely open to learning about Jesus. It’s within...