676: Classroom Culture Wars & the Spirituality of Secular America with Rachel Martin
The Holy Post
With Phil on vacation, Kaitlyn and Esau join Skye to talk about the Supreme Court’s ruling that public schools must allow students to opt out of gender or sexuality content that may contradict the religious beliefs of their families. At the same time, more Americans say public schools should hire chaplains to offer spiritual guidance to students. With schools increasingly becoming the front line in the culture war, can public education survive? Then, Skye talks to Rachel Martin, the co-creator of NPR’s Wild Card podcast and former host of Morning Edition, about what she’s learned from...
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675: Iran, End Times, & the Political God Gap with Senator Chris Coons
The Holy Post
Nothing fires up the End Times industry faster than America dropping bombs in the Middle East. After President Trump decided to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities this weekend, YouTube was flooded with convoluted and contradictory videos on the biblical implications of the war. But if this really is a prelude to Christ’s return, as many online end timers claim, why are they stoking panic and fear? Shouldn’t Christians welcome this news? Skye talks to Senator Chris Coons about how his faith informs his politics, why he went to divinity school, and what the Democrats can do to close the...
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674: Parades, Protests, and Habeas Corpus with Michael Bird
The Holy Post
It was a wild weekend. Donald Trump presided over a military parade on his birthday while an estimated 5 million Americans protested around the country. Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn discuss the optics of both events and ask, with America’s divided politics and media silos, is protesting still effective? They also unpack a new article by Abby McCloskey in CT that argues evangelicalism’s focus on a private, personalized faith undermines learning, curiosity, and exercising the mind. Then, theologian and Holy Post Pundit, Michael Bird, is back. He offers an outsider’s perspective on Trump’s...
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673: The L.A. Protests & Becoming a Priest and Podcaster with Esau McCaulley
The Holy Post
Protests in Los Angeles against the Trump administration’s immigration policies have turned violent, but will the images of vandalism and attacks on police actually help the President? And Phil asks if there is any way to prevent necessary mass protests from becoming violent. One of the most respected Bible scholars of the last century has passed away. Old Testament professor Walter Bruggemann contrasted the world’s vision of scarcity with God’s kingdom of abundance, but Kaitlyn thinks his understanding of exile is over-applied today. Skye talks with his Holy Post Media colleague, Esau...
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672: Gender Worship Wars & the Joy of Being Cultural Outsiders with Patrick Miller
The Holy Post
In the past, debates over worship styles were often marked by generational differences; however, a new article suggests that this is changing. For Gen Z, worship preferences may be dividing along gender lines instead. For younger Christians, is CCM from Venus and liturgy from Mars? Drew Dyck joins Skye and Kaitlyn to discuss the evidence, the implications, and the solution for the worship gender divide. Then, Kaitlyn interviews Patrick Miller about his new book with co-author Keith Simon, “Joyful Outsiders.” He says there are six different ways we can respond to the loss of Christian...
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671: Mailbag! God’s Pronouns, Project 2025, & Asking Jesus Into Your Heart
The Holy Post
Phil, Kaitlyn, and Skye respond to questions from the listeners, including whether lay people should go to seminary, how important is attending a church after being hurt by one, and whether Christians should make violent video games. They also venture into theological topics like what pronouns are appropriate for God, what doctrines do we emphasize too much, and why they all think telling kids to “ask Jesus into your heart” is a bad idea. The crew also revisits the topic of Project 2025 and whether they regret their dismissive opinions about it from before the election. Also this...
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670: The Nicene Creed is Cool Again & Reading the Bible like Dallas Willard with Dave Ripper
The Holy Post
Why are more churches rediscovering and reciting the Nicene Creed? And what can the ancient articulation of Christian belief offer the church in these divided times? Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn discuss the 1700th anniversary of the creed and its place in the modern church. The Bible is critical to our faith, but have we been taught to worship the Bible rather than the God of the Bible? Dave Ripper, the author of “Experiencing Scripture as a Disciple of Jesus,” explains how Dallas Willard engaged the Bible and how it can become a source of transformation, not just information. Also this week:...
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669: From Common Good to Culture War—Lessons from the Q Conference with Katelyn Beaty
The Holy Post
We have a pope and he’s American! Cardinal Robert Prevost from Chicago is now Pope Leo XIV, and his connection to The Holy Post is closer than anyone imagined. Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn discuss reactions to the new Pope and the significance of his name. Katelyn Beaty is back to discuss the evolution of the Q Conference, led by Gabe and Rebekah Lyons. Why has an event that started almost 20 years ago with a positive vision of Christian cultural engagement for the common good now shifted to embrace the culture war? And what does it reveal about larger changes within American evangelicalism? Also...
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668: Pope Donald, Human Flourishing, & the Pastor’s Wife with Beth Allison Barr
The Holy Post
The White House is facing backlash for posting an AI image of Donald Trump as the Pope. Was it a careless joke or a calculated distraction? The most extensive study of its kind finds that the world’s largest Muslim country far outranks the United States in human flourishing, and also explains why secular elites are discovering a new respect for religion. But is there more than a practical purpose behind faith? Historian Beth Allison Barr is back to discuss her latest book, “Becoming the Pastor’s Wife.” She says expectations for ministry spouses aren’t rooted in Scripture but in a...
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667: The Future of Faith in America with John Kasich
The Holy Post
A slate of new articles analyzes Pope Francis through America’s progressive-conservative polarization, but are they confusing political categories with theological ones? Surprising data show that Gen Z is returning to religion, and belief in an afterlife is on the rise, but what's the explanation? Are young people returning to the church to rebel against their secular parents? Former Ohio Governor John Kasich believes America is on the cusp of a spiritual revival, and his new book, “Heaven Help Us,” explores how religious institutions are leading the way. He talks to Skye about how God...
info_outlineIn his first month in office, Donald Trump has broken international agreements with allies, ended all foreign aid, voted with America's enemies in the UN, posted a plan to turn Gaza into a Trump casino and resort, purged the Pentagon of military commanders, appointed podcasters and conspiracy theorists to his cabinet, and threatened to invade or annex Canada, Greenland, and Panama. David French and Skye Jethani discuss various theories to explain Trump's approach to governing, and find one model that makes a lot of sense in an article by Jonathan Rouch. Then they contrast it with what the Founders said was necessary for the republic to survive—virtue. Finally, they discuss how the decline of virtue in American leadership may be the fruit of the church's failure to make disciples.
0:00 - French Friday's Moving to The SkyePod!
1:27 - The Theme Song
2:23 - Ukraine and Trump
8:11 - Trump 1.0 vs Trump 2.0
16:43 - Triumphalism's Shelf Life
25:53 - Bureaucracy vs Mob Boss
32:38 - Megachurches and Patrimonialism
39:38 - American Democracy and Christianity
55:52 - Prophecy's Role in MAGA
1:05:00 - End Credits
One Word Describes Trump (Article by Jonathan Rauch): https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/02/corruption-trump-administration/681794/
Cross Purposes: Christianity’s Broken Bargain with Democracy by Jonathan Rauch: https://a.co/d/26wdqNC
Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America by Jeffrey Rosen: https://a.co/d/6Crl6Hk