G.R.A.C.E.: “God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense.” B.I.B.L.E.: “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.” Acronyms like these are a common feature within the preaching and practice of a certain kind of popular American Christia…
Brad speaks with writer, director, and comedian Holly Laurent, creator of the hit podcast MEGA about a satirical megachurch. They talk about her childhood in Haiti as a missionary, her path of deconstruction, and the winding…
Almost all of us are likely familiar with calls on the political and religious right to oppose “wokeness” or to be “anti-woke.” We all have a sense that this is a dog whistle. But what, exactly, does it represent? Where has …
Brad and Dan begin with first reactions to the late breaking news that Donald Trump will be indicted next week. They discuss the details of the case, the reactions from the GOP, and what the future might hold. They then turn…
What do Christians mean when they refer to “the Word of God,” or even just “the word”? What do they mean when they someone has offered a “good word”? This way of speaking is incredibly common within particular Christian comm…
On a day when the USA suffers another mass shooting at a school, Brad talks about the symbolism of the AR 15, the sickness of wanting to provide absolute access to handheld killing machines, and the ways America's children a…
On the Weekly Roundup Brad and Dan begin by going through the litany of Trump's attempts to thwart NY DA Alvin Bragg's case against him and his call for supporters to protest if/when he is arrested. This, in their mind, port…
“I have a word on my heart for you,” or “the Lord has laid a word on my heart for you,” is a phrase that is common within conservative American Christian circles. Many people who are familiar with this phrase find that it ge…
Brad and Dan begin by discussing Mike Pence's homophobic joke about Pete Buttigieg and his openly blaming of Donald Trump for the J6 insurrection. They then break down the GOP's reversal on mail-in voting and debate what eff…
What does it mean when a Christian warns us against being “unequally yoked” with someone else? Where does this language come from? And how has been used to marginalize and exclude others? What are the dangers of this languag…
On this re-released episode from 2019 Brad shares his former apocalypse extremism. Dan draws on his expertise in apocalyptic literature to unpack how evangelicals envision the end of the world and what it means for their rel…
People in our lives often tell us they are “praying for” us, that they are “keeping us in their prayers,” etc. Sometimes these assurances on the part of others bring us comfort, but other times they stir up complex emotions …
Brad and Dan begin by discussing an excerpt from Joshua Butler's new book, which appeared at the Gospel Coalition this week. The excerpt lays out a theology of sex that imagines Christ as the male partner in a heterosexual e…
Building on the previous episode, Dan dives deeper into the code of not being a “stumbling block” in this episode. How do admonitions not to be a stumbling block depart from the actual context of that phrase in the Christian…
In a joint episode with the New Evangelicals, Brad hosts a roundtable with Tim Whitaker (New Evangelicals), Dr. Leah Payne, and Dr. Matthew Taylor. The four of them discuss what the revival looked like in person when Tim vis…
Brad and Dan begin by discussing the polar opposite speeches given by Biden and Putin on the eve of the one year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Brad analyzes Putin's culture war rhetoric, showing how and why it…
One of the most central metaphors for living a life of Christian faith is that of one’s “spiritual walk.” And within this framework, the metaphor of the “stumbling block,” of something that would cause us to “stumble” in tha…
Brad and Dan begin by talking about Nikki Haley's announcement that she is running for president. While she mentioned being a candidate for a new generation, it seems she is ready to carry on the work of her former boss - Do…
