601: Never Church Evangelicals and Hopeful Politics with Michael Wear
Release Date: 01/24/2024
The Holy Post
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 leading the culture in tackling modern questions. Zachary Wagner, author of “Men of Virtue,” joins Skye and Kaitlyn for a roundup of masculine news. Wagner says the excesses of some expressions of...
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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 economy.” With the launch of Holy Post Media on Substack, Kaitlyn and Skye take you behind the paywall to sample everything offered by Holy Post Plus, including a daily devotional for people who...
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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 Karen Swallow Prior is back to discuss her new book, “You Have a Calling.” She says our culture has narrowed our understanding of calling to paid work, but finding our calling is not a matter of...
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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 threats canceled her commencement speech at Utah Valley University, and why the message she planned to deliver is more relevant than ever. Also this week—religious skeptics used to ask, “Why do...
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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 navigate racial, economic, and political divisions. Christian colleges say a provision in the Republicans’ Big Beautiful Bill is an “existential threat to the future of religious higher education...
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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,” and why young people are looking for virtues that are grounded in something more than online influencer advice. Also this week: Was the shooter at the White House Correspondents' Dinner a devout...
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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, innovative Chinese cars, and they responded to audience questions you won’t want to miss. Holy Post Plus: Ad-Free Version of this Episode: 0:00 - Show Starts 1:09 - Theme Song...
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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 advocacy of contemplative Christian practices the answer to digital secularism our culture has been searching for? Kelsey Kramer McGinnis, co-author of “The Myth of Good Christian Parenting,” talks with...
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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 said Jesus does not hear the prayers of those who wage war. Most assume he was referring to the Secretary of Defense’s wrathful prayer for U.S. troops in Iran. Defenders of Pete Hegseth’s prayer...
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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 MAGA has rewired evangelical morality and what pastors should do about it. Also this week, the contrasting Easter messages of the Pope and the President. Holy Post Plus: Ad-Free Version of this...
info_outlineEvangelical voters have long supported Republican candidates, but who identifies as an evangelical Christian has changed over the years. A recent article written in The New York Times by Ruth Graham and Charles Homans argues that Trump is attracting a different kind of evangelical - one who loves their country and believes in God, but doesn’t actually go to church. Katelyn Beaty joins Phil and Kaitlyn to discuss the trend and why they aren’t as concerned this election cycle as previous ones. Then, Kaitlyn sits down with Michael Wear to discuss his new book, The Spirit of Our Politics: Spiritual Formation and the Renovation of Public Life. He explains how he uses the teachings of Dallas Willard to talk about how Christians should engage in politics and what it would look like to place our politics under our spiritual formation. Also this week, an Alabama man gets stuck in a vase.
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Getting Schooled - Bible Reading Plans
https://www.patreon.com/posts/96689795
0:00 - Intro
1:37 - Show Starts
3:14 - Theme Song
3:39 - Sponsor - AG1 - Get your FREE 1 year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 free travel packs with your first purchase, go to https://www.athleticgreens.com/HOLYPOST
4:54 - Man Stuck in Urn
11:29 - New Year’s at Applebee’s
13:44 - Prince William Told to Abdicate
18:54 - Trump Attracting Unchurched Evangelicals
52:04 - Sponsor - World Relief - Visit https://worldrelief.org/holypost/ to download your Lenten devotional from World Relief and learn more about the Path Community
53:16- Sponsor - Songfinch - Go to https://www.songfinch.com/HOLYPOST and start your song – after you purchase, you’ll be prompted to add Spotify Streaming for your original song for FREE! That’s a $50 value!
54:58 - Interview with Michael Wear
1:33:41 - End Credits
Links Mentioned in the News Segment:
Alabama Man Stuck in Decorative Urn Breaks His Silence: https://www.thedailybeast.com/alabama-man-connor-padgett-stuck-in-decorative-urn-breaks-his-silence
Prince William Told to Back Christianity or Abdicate: https://www.newsweek.com/prince-william-church-england-abdicate-1861430
Trump Is Connecting With a Different Type of Evangelical Voter: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/08/us/politics/donald-trump-evangelicals-iowa.html
Other Resources:
The Spirit of Our Politics: Spiritual Formation and the Renovation of Public Life. https://amzn.to/4b9ka3f
Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/
Holy Post Plus: https://www.holypost.com/plus
Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost
Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop
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