644: Unplugging from Politics & the Real Meaning of Acts with N.T. Wright
Release Date: 11/20/2024
The Holy Post
After a made-for-T.V. meltdown in the Oval Office between President Trump and President Zelensky of Ukraine, the administration cut all military aid to Ukraine and sided with Russia instead. Will this cause some evangelicals to rethink their support for Trump, and if so where will they go? Two popular Christian books are saying that empathy is manipulative at best, or downright sinful at worst. Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn examine their arguments. Most Christians probably believe that racism is rooted in hate or ignorance, but historian Malcolm Foley says it’s really all about greed. Until...
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In 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...
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Has Wheaton College, the flagship of evangelical higher ed, gone woke? Concerned parents and alumni have published a letter accusing the school of valuing diversity more than discipleship. Others have responded by defending Wheaton against the unfounded claims of the MAGA mob. What does the controversy reveal about the state of evangelicalism in the U.S.? A new piece by friend of the show, Karen Swallow Prior, explores the relationship between justice and mercy. Does emphasizing one value more than the other explain the rift in the American church? Derwin Gray is back to discuss his new book,...
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Skye explains the strong biblical ties between two seemingly related concepts: worship and justice. Can you even have one without the other? Get the full episode by signing up for Holy Post Plus:
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Since WWII, the United States has been actively engaged in foreign aid as part of its strategic foreign policy, and Christians of all theological and political views have broadly supported this effort. In the first month of the Trump administration, however, Christians on the far right have suddenly turned against international aid. What’s behind this change and are there parallels on the religious left? And what does it mean when MAGA Catholics are arguing directly with Pope Francis about immigrants, refugees, and the poor? Author and journalist, Katherine Stewart, has investigated the...
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The White House is defunding USAID, one of the largest distributors of foreign aid, and blaming it on wasteful spending—like a D.E.I musical in Ireland. But as Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn unpack, the real losers are Christian relief organizations like World Relief and Catholic Charities, which now face devastating budget cuts. Then, it’s been over 20 years since the release of Blue Like Jazz, the bestselling book that made faith feel cool. Did it offer a helpful critique of evangelicalism, or was this the beginning of the rise of vibes-based Christianity? Also, New York Times columnist Ross...
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During a recent Fox News interview, Vice President J.D. Vance cited “an old school and very Christian concept” to justify rejecting refugees and ending international aid. Bishops from his own church disagreed. The Holy Post crew explores the concept Vance was citing, how he misunderstands it, and why his interpretation undermines the entire New Testament. Kaitlyn interviews Skye about his new book, “What If Jesus Was Serious About Justice?” They talk about the link between justice and worship, what it means to have a heart “far from God,” and why the doctrine of penal...
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David French brings us his thoughts on why the GOP is no longer the party of the Constitution. Have political party allegiances broken the system? What Constitutional guard rails can operate when people are worried about falling out of the President’s favor? Then, he talks about Carl Schmitt, a German political thinker who may have the key to understanding the difference between the politics we’re used to—and the emerging politics of the New Right. David French’s article on Schmittian politics: 0:00 - Theme Song 0:17 - Show Begins 2:11 - Tiktok—banned or...
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The first week of the second Trump administration has seen refugees cut off and January 6th criminals cut loose. Franklin Graham declared in his inauguration prayer that God himself had chosen the President. The MAGA faithful applauded this mix of Christian faith and politics, but when Bishop Budde asked the President to “show mercy” to frightened people during her homily at the National Cathedral, she was accused of everything from political activism to witchcraft. Phil has a theory about what these two religious leaders at the inauguration reveal about the state of American Christianity....
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According to New York Times columnist, David Brooks, our society has given up on moral formation to focus instead on individual success and happiness. Can we recover a culture of shared virtue? Surprising new data shows that overall college enrollment is down, but Christian colleges and universities are growing. What’s the explanation? Then Robert P. Jones, from PRRI, is back to unpack the numbers from the presidential election. Why did more Latinos support Trump, and are Democrats learning the wrong lessons from their loss? Also this week—animals hold grudges. List of Ways to...
info_outlineAfter an exhausting year of politics and the re-election of Donald Trump, what is a faithful way for Christians to navigate the next four years? Should we continue to immerse ourselves in political news, or is it better to disconnect from the media? And should Christians join the political fights online, or unplug to better serve our local communities? The Holy Post crew responds to articles by a number of Christians leaders addressing these questions. Then, New Testament scholar, N.T. Wright, is back to discuss the book of Acts. Wright says an understanding of ancient temples is the key to the message of Acts. Also this week—the origin of F-words.
Holy Post Plus Bonus Interview with N. T. Wright: https://www.patreon.com/posts/116319034/
0:00 - Intro
0:38 - Show Starts
1:30 - Theme Song
1:51 - Sponsor - Sundays Dog Food - Get 40% off your first order of Sundays. Go to https://www.SundaysForDogs.com/HOLYPOST or use code HOLYPOST at checkout.
2:55 - Sponsor - AG1 - Heavily researched, thoroughly purity-tested, and filled with stuff you need. Go to https://www.drinkag1.com/HOLYPOST
6:15 - Trump Cabinet Picks and Praying for Leaders
15:33 - Russell Moore on Getting Through the Trump Years
27:20 - Is the Church a Turtle?
33:39 - The Wisdom Literature
41:20 - Sponsor - Faithful Counseling - This episode is sponsored by Faithful Counseling. Give online therapy a try at https://www.faithfulcounseling.com/HOLYPOST and get 10% off
42:25 - Sponsor - Blueland - Get the special Christmas deal of up to 30% off your first order by going to https://www.Blueland.com/HOLYPOST
43:30 - Interview
47:18 - The Holy Spirit Before Pentecost?
52:09 - Ananias and Sapphira
56:17 - Why Did Early Christians Still Go to the Temple?
1:04:55 - The Church, Division, and Revelation
1:16:55 - End Credits
Links Mentioned in the News Segment:
Thanks to the Litfin Divinity School at Wheaton College for sponsoring our in person events. Learn more at www.wheaton.edu/holypost
Farming Gave Us “F” and “V”
How to Get Through the Next Four Years: https://www.christianitytoday.com/2024/11/next-four-years-donald-trump-russell-moore-election-2024/?utm_medium=widgetsocial
Go Slow and Repair Things:
https://www.christianitytoday.com/2024/11/go-slow-and-repair-things-evangelicals-diverse-democracy/
All Sides News Source
https://www.allsides.com/unbiased-balanced-news
Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell: A Heartwarming Compassionate Portrait of Injured Turtles, Perfect for Nature Lovers by Sy Montgomery and Matt Patterson: https://a.co/d/fTEnlVg
Other resources:
The Challenge of Acts: Rediscovering What the Church Was and Is by N. T. Wright: https://a.co/d/exFbNRH
Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/
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