Episode 533: Why Do We Struggle with the Sabbath? with Ruth Haley Barton
Release Date: 11/02/2022
French Friday: Transgenderism & Parental Rights
The Holy Post
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 positions on youth transgenderism, both violate the long-affirmed rights of parents to make healthcare decisions for their own children without government interference. Is it another case of both the...
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558: Saddleback vs the SBC & Misusing the Marriage Metaphor with Beth Felker Jones & Amy Peeler
The Holy Post
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 about Joshua Butler’s controversial article comparing the gospel to marital sex. They explain what his article gets fundamentally wrong about the New Testament’s marriage metaphor. Plus, a new...
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557: The Rise of Christian Nashville-ism & What Christians Must Do with Claude Alexander
The Holy Post
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’s increasingly fueled by entertainment interests in the South. Phil explains this rise of “Christian Nashville-ism.” Then, Skye talks to Bishop Claude Alexander about his book...
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556: Teen Mental Health Revisited & Digital Discipleship with Nona Jones
The Holy Post
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 progressive. So, why did white evangelicals abandon him—or did they? And former Facebook executive, Nona Jones, explains why social media companies say their mission is to create community but their...
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555: “The Article” & Biblical Critical Theory with Christopher Watkin
The Holy Post
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 conservative teens. What’s the explanation? And Phil talks to professor Christopher Watkin about his book, “Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible's Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life...
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554 Teenage Girls in Crisis & Rethinking Revelation with Scot McKnight
The Holy Post
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 crisis. They also revisit the Asbury revival and how previous revivals in America produced both good and bad fruit. New Testament professor, Scot McKnight, talks about his latest book, “Revelation for...
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French Friday: The Real Masculinity Crisis
The Holy Post
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 this diagnosis is wrong. He argues that the real crisis isn't that men lack respect, but that they lack "virtuous purpose." Plus, French and Jethani revisit the war in Ukraine one year after the...
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553: Revival Tourism & Christ vs Christians with Beth Moore
The Holy Post
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 20,000 people to a small town in Kentucky—including a lot of Christian celebrities. Is it a genuine movement of God’s Spirit, or a product of social media spin? Could it be both? Plus, a Christian...
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552 Jesus Gets Us & We Get Data on Christian Nationalists with Kristin Kobes Du Mez Vu
The Holy Post
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 Keller has a new article with his prescription for how Christianity can thrive again in America, but does it all come down to overcoming political idolatry? And a new report from PRRI looks at the...
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551 Power, Pacifism, & Being Consistently Pro-Life with Shane Claiborne
The Holy Post
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 consistent ethic of life changed once it gained political power. It’s one thing for a tiny church on the margins of society to apply the teachings of Jesus, but how do we apply his words when...
info_outlineElon Musk announced his takeover of Twitter by carrying a porcelain sink into the headquarters. Will his plan to loosen restrictions on social media help or hurt the country? Archeologist have discovered a new way to verify events in the Old Testament, but Phil wonders if anyone really cares. And is it ever loving for Christians to mock their opponents? The gang examines six rules for Christian mockery from the 17th century and why they may not apply today. Then, spiritual director Ruth Haley Barton explains how she came to see sabbath as a gift rather than an obligation. Her new book, “Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest,” looks at why we struggle to practice sabbath rest, the challenge of technology, and how to make sabbath a lifestyle and not just a weekly discipline. Plus, the saving power of worm spit.
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News Segment
0:00 - Intro
5:08 - Worm spit
9:12 - Elon Musk and Twitter
18:57 - Geomagnetic fields and Biblical narratives
29:46 - Rules for Christian mockery
45:21 - Sponsor: Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology
Visit www.biola.edu/talbot for more information and to apply today.
Interview with Ruth Haley Barton
“Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest: From Sabbath to Sabbatical and Back Again” - https://amzn.to/3FSkMgP
Ruth Haley Barton - https://www.ruthhaleybarton.com
46:33 - Interview intro
49:09 - Spiritual formation
52:59 - Value of sabbath
56:34 - Guilt around sabbath
1:00:47 - More than a day of rest
1:04:46 - Sabbath as delight
1:07:00 - Challenges of technology
1:17:55 - A communal practice
1:24:24 - Credits
Links from news segment:
“Worm spit could be a secret cure to the world’s plastic problem” (Inverse) - https://www.inverse.com/innovation/worm-saliva-plastic-pollution
“TAU, HU Scientific Breakthrough: Geomagnetic Fields Reveal Truth of Biblical Narratives” (Jewish Press) - https://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/tau-hu-scientific-breakthrough-geomagnetic-fields-reveal-truth-of-biblical-narratives/2022/10/25/
“Can you laugh at your enemies and love them? Rules for Christian mockery” (The Christian Post) - https://www.christianpost.com/voices/can-you-laugh-at-your-enemies-and-love-them.html
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