Episode 516: A Boomer and a Millennial on the Future of the Church with Nancy Beach & Samantha Beach Kiley
Release Date: 07/06/2022
742: The Problem with Public Executions & Why We Fear Silence with John Mark Comer
The Holy Post
Following last week’s episode about the death penalty and a Southern Baptist leader calling for public executions, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the execution by firing squad of the man who killed 13 soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009 would be livestreamed. Skye is back with his take on what the Bible says about the death penalty, and why the brutality of public execution would make America more like ISIS than Jesus. Televangelist Jim Bakker died this week. Phil tells Bakker’s messy story, how he exemplified the entrepreneurial spirit within evangelicalism, and even sings a song...
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741: Celebrity Pope, Christian Bloodlust & Is Israel Losing America with Todd Deatherage
The Holy Post
Why is Pope Leo drawing massive crowds in one of the most secular countries in Europe? Phil, Kaitlyn, and Mike Erre talk about the Pope’s surprising celebrity in France and whether people are becoming more open to Christianity when they see it lived with sincerity and conviction. Then, after a botched execution in Tennessee, some Christian leaders are calling for a return to public hangings and firing squads. Is the death penalty really demanded by Christian theology, or does the gospel call Christians toward a different vision of justice and mercy? Finally, Skye talks with Todd Deatherage...
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740: Is Empathy Killing the West & What Makes a Soul Secure with Alison Cook
The Holy Post
Is empathy becoming a liability in American Christianity? Phil, Kaitlyn, and Mike Erre discuss the growing backlash against empathy and why some conservatives argue that too much compassion can lead to bad politics, bad theology, and even the decline of Western civilization. They also look at Russell Moore’s warning about the “fear-driven church” and how anxiety about God, outsiders, and our own communities can shape the way Christians think and behave. Then, Kaitlyn talks with psychologist Alison Cook about attachment theory, the limits of human relationships, and why no other person...
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739: Debriefing the Debate over Evangelicalism
The Holy Post
Podcast hosts, ASSEMBLE! Phil, Skye, Kaitlyn, and Esau come together to debrief the new books by Kristen Kobes Du Mez, Bonnie Kristian, and Charlie Dates, as well as their recent interviews on The Holy Post. They each critique or defend evangelicalism, but who's right? Is evangelicalism worth fixing? Does the current debate unknowingly center only white experiences of evangelicalism? And is evangelicalism even a thing, or just a category pollsters made up? Plus, the team wrestles with their own responsibility and calling in the Christian media marketplace. Holy Post Plus: Ad-Free...
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738: Are Evangelicalism’s Failures Bugs or a Feature? with Bonnie Kristian
The Holy Post
Following the 9/11 terrorist attack 25 years ago, Americans began using more “good versus evil” rhetoric, but have we taken it too far? Many of the tech bros developing AI were fans of sci-fi novels and movies in middle school, but completely missed the point of those stories. We may all pay the price. Bonnie Kristian, the deputy editor at Christianity Today, returns to discuss her new book “In Defense of Evangelicalism.” While she agrees with many of the recent criticisms of the movement, she says the problems within evangelicalism are bugs rather than features and believes its...
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737: The Surprising Origin of Evangelical Femininity with Kristin Kobes Du Mez
The Holy Post
Historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of the best-selling “Jesus and John Wayne,” is back with another look at the forces that shaped modern American evangelicalism. This time she explores the backstory of evangelical femininity in her new book, “Live Laugh Love: The Secret History of White Christian Women and the World They Made.” Also this week: Phil wants to know what links three recent celebrity deaths—Dolly Parton, Gloria Steinem, and Wendell Berry. To the surprise of many, The Christian Post has published an anti-Christian nationalist article. Is it a sign that the evangelical...
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736: Reuniting Justice & Righteousness with Charlie Dates
The Holy Post
Why are the Christians who profess right doctrine about God often the most opposed to social justice in his name? That contradiction is at the heart of Charlie Dates’ new book. He talks with Skye about how separating justice and righteousness is damaging both white evangelicalism and young black activists. Also this week: Reflections on the wisdom of Dolly Parton, why religious tolerance isn’t enough to heal America’s divisions, and the difficulty of being an introvert within evangelicalism. Holy Post Plus: Ad-Free Version of this Episode: 0:00 - Show Starts 0:44 - Theme Song...
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735: Is Socialism Christian? plus Matthew Loftus
The Holy Post
Socialism appears to be having a moment with a recent CNN poll finding that one-third of Democratic voters now consider themselves “democratic socialists.” But what does socialism believe, and is it compatible with Christianity? Kaitlyn interviews Matthew Loftus about pop psychology and how the spread of therapy culture can distort the Christian life. Also this week: After shutting down U.S.A.I.D., why is the Trump administration now increasing funding to Christian relief agencies? Why do conservatives have more children than liberals? And would you like cake in your shake? Holy...
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734: The Problem With Modern Dating Culture and the Resurgence of Christian Music with Kelsey McGinnis
The Holy Post
Dating apps were supposed to make romance easier, but have they actually made men and women worse at dating? Kaitlyn Schiess takes over the host chair with Skye Jethani and Mike Erre to talk about Bumble’s decision to let men make the first move and why modern dating culture seems to be leaving everyone frustrated. Then they turn to AI and ask what happens when people start outsourcing friendship, advice, and intimacy to chatbots, and why churchgoing Christians may be especially eager to trust the technology. Later, Kaitlyn talks with musicologist Kelsey McGinnis about the resurgence of...
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733: Will Progressive Pastors Close the Political “God Gap”? and Elizabeth Neumann
The Holy Post
Since the 1980s, the Republican Party has increasingly been associated with Christianity, while the Democratic Party has distanced itself from religious rhetoric to be more inclusive. But is that changing? This year, a surprising number of pastors are running for Congress as Democrats, and they are not shy about infusing their campaigns with faith. Republicans eager to protect their brand are fighting back by calling these progressive clergy candidates “PINOs”—Pastors in Name Only. In related news, Ryan Burge reveals surprising data about the political views of mainline ministers....
info_outlineAlthough the Religious Right is on a winning streak at the Supreme Court, data shows it’s losing in the court of public opinion. Gallop reports more Americans than ever no longer believe in God, and only a minority of Americans share the political and cultural beliefs of conservative evangelicals. The Holy Post crew responds to a Jesuit priest’s article wondering if overturning Roe was worth the costs, and congresswoman Lauren Boebert says the church should be running the government. But which church does she have in mind? Then Skye talks to mother and daughter, Nancy Beach and Samantha Beach Kiley, about their book “Next Sunday: An Honest Dialogue About the Future of the Church.” Nancy pioneered the seeker-driven megachurch movement at Willow Creek, but also experienced its toxicity and collapse. Her daughter, Samantha, is now a pastor seeking to apply the lessons—both positive and negative—from her megachurch upbringing to a new generation. Plus, the New York Supreme Court makes a jumbo ruling.
Patreon Bonus: Christian Asks... Angry mobs and the end times - https://www.patreon.com/posts/68708383/
News Segment
0:00 - Intro
2:21 - Christian’s travelogue and other updates
5:45 - Happy the Elephant
14:03 - More SCOTUS rulings
23:27 - Christian Right losing in public opinion
30:38 - Costs of overturning Roe
46:07 - Americans’ belief in God is dropping
Sponsor
52:19 - Faithful Counseling
faithfulcounseling.com/holypost
Interview with Nancy Beach and Samantha Beach Kiley
“Next Sunday: An Honest Dialogue About the Future of the Church” - https://amzn.to/3nHnA68
Nancy Beach - http://www.nancylbeach.com/
Samantha Beach Kiley - www.samanthabeach.work
56:04 - Relevance and trust
1:03:24 - Beyond content delivery
1:08:02 - Experiencing other traditions
1:10:59 - Blind spots and overcorrecting
1:18:00 - Church leadership culture
1:27:42 - Credits
Articles referenced in news segment:
“Happy the elephant is not a person, New York’s highest court rules” - https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/happy-the-elephant-is-not-a-person-new-yorks-highest-court-rules
“The Christian Right is winning in court while losing in public opinion” (NPR) - https://www.npr.org/2022/07/01/1109141110/the-christian-right-is-winning-cultural-battles-while-public-opinion-disagrees
“What has the demise of Roe v. Wade cost the Catholic Church?” by Thomas Reese (Religion News Service) - https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/what-has-demise-roe-v-wade-cost-catholic-church
“Poll: Americans’ belief in God is dropping” - https://religionnews.com/2022/06/21/poll-americans-belief-in-god-is-dropping/
Resource mentioned in interview:
“The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters” by Priya Parker - https://amzn.to/3akrxui