Weekly Roundup: January 6th Goes Primetime
Brad is joined by guest co-host Dr. Leah Payne. They begin by discussing the first primetime hearing of the J6 Select Committee. Brad observes that they seemed to have two goals – first to show that Trump and Trump’s team knew that there was no legal basis for contesting the election, whether via voting machines, […]
It’s In the Code, Ep. 7: Being Saved
What does it mean when someone asks you if you’re “saved”? If you’re active in the life of a Christian church or tradition (of whatever kind), and someone says, “that’s fine, but are you saved,” what’s going on? In this first of paired episodes, Dan explores this question, decoding the different ideas of “salvation” and […]
Pentecostalism is Taking Over the World
From Azusa Street to Bethel Redding to Guatemala, Toronto, and Back Again
Weekly Roundup: Schools, Grocery Stores, Hospitals, Funerals, Churches
Brad and Dan begin by discussing the mass shootings that took place this week at a funeral, a hospital, and more. They ask what can be done about gun violence in a country where one party has chosen to worship handheld killing machines (and the money it brings their leaders). Should laws be passed that […]
It’s In the Code, Ep. 6: Open and Affirming
What does it mean when a church declares itself to be “open and affirming?” How does this relate to churches that claim that “no matter where you are on your spiritual journey, you’re welcome here”? In this episode, Dan decodes these phrases to highlight their very different meanings, and suggests that they represent a significant […]
The Illusion of Religious Equality in the USA
Brad speaks with Dr. Khyati Joshi, author of White Christian Privilege: The Illusion of Religious Equality in America (NYU 2020). https://nyupress.org/9781479840236/white-christian-privilege/ The United States is recognized as the most religiously diverse country in the world, and yet its laws and customs, which many have come to see as normal features of American life, actually keep […]
Weekly Roundup: Guns Over People (GOP)
On an emotional weekly roundup, Brad and Dan discuss the timeline, law enforcement failures, and nihilism of the Uvalde Massacre. From the handcuffing of parents trying to rescue their kids, to the myth of the good guy with a gun, to the hypocritical theologies of Christian nationalists . . . Brad points out that this […]
Special Episode: The Southern Baptist Convention’s Apocalypse with Robert Downen
This past week a 400-page report outlining the culture of coverup and the widespread abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention was released. The SBC is the country’s largest Protestant denomination with roughly 14 million members. Together Its 45k churches bring in roughly 11 billion dollars annually. The bombshell report provides details of an abuse and […]
It’s In the Code, Ep. 5: Wherever You Are on Your Spiritual Journey
“No matter where you are on your spiritual journey, you’re welcome here.” This is a slogan we might read on church flyers, websites, or signs. We might here it in the welcome given by the pastor of a church. But what does it mean? In this episode Dan decodes this phrase to find out if […]
A Sex Educator and Abortion Care Provider on Organizing and Fighting Back
Brad speaks with sex educator Erica Smith about her experiences working in abortion care and what the overturning of Roe looks like on the ground for ordinary Americans. They discuss how and why abortion is healthcare and the health risks involved for pregnant people if abortions are not accessible. They also discuss how the misguided […]