AIDS, Nuclear Weapons, and the City on a Hill
How Reagan’s Evangelical Vision Saved His Presidency – And Destroyed So Much Else
Weekly Roundup: The City Banning Gay People and Trump’s Vermin Comments
Brad begins by discussing the history of Murfreesboro, TN, where a city ordinance banned homosexuality in public. As Brad recounts, this isn’t the first time the city has been in the news. A decade ago, citizens tried to prevent the construction of a mosque on the grounds that Islam isn’t a religion. Brad draws on […]
It’s In the Code Ep. 74: “Be Grateful”
We’ve all had the experience of sitting around a Thanksgiving table sharing what we’re grateful or thankful for. But why do some people seem to demand that we feel grateful? Why do they demand that we express gratitude? And what role to these demands play in high-control religious contexts? What is harbored within these demands […]
The Women Who Melted the Lee Statue
The massive bronze sculpture of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, in uniform, astride his horse Traveller, stood in a downtown Charlottesville park for nearly a century. It was at the center of a deadly white nationalist rally in 2017, when Neo-Nazis and white supremacists tried to stop the city’s plans to remove the statue. It came down to […]
Weekly Roundup: Covenant Eyes Johnson
Brad and Dan begin by discussing the porn-accountability app that Speaker Mike Johnson uses with his son. They explain how apps like these are a feature in evangelical circles and how they are a part of the purity culture landscape. Dan then zooms out to explain why he doesn’t buy the idea that contemporary Christian […]
It’s In the Code Ep. 73: “Lot of Great People in That Church”
“Evangelicalism isn’t just Christian nationalism. There are also a lot of great individuals who are evangelicals but not Christian nationalists.” We hear that a lot. But is it as plausible a concern as it sounds? And why do people say this? Are they really just concerned about “great individuals” who are portrayed badly? What is […]
A History of Fascism in America
Has fascism arrived in America? In this pioneering book, Gavriel D. Rosenfeld and Janet Ward have gathered experts to survey the history of fascism in the United States. Although the US established a staunch anti-fascist reputation by defeating the Axis powers in World War II, the unsettling truth is that fascist ideas have long been […]
Weekly Roundup: Melting Monuments and Myths
Dan and Brad begin by recounting the melting of the Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville – and the right-wing reactions to it. This leads to a lengthy discussion of the efforts to keep Trump off the ballot in CO and MN via the 14th amendment. In the conclusion, the hosts discuss how the Lost […]
Surviving IHOP-KC
Brad speaks to two survivors of IHOP-KC about the abuse they endured there, the dynamics of the community, and healing with others. This week allegations emerged about Mike Bickle, founder of IHOP-KC, a central hub in charismatic Christianity located in Kansas City. Bob Smietana at RNS describes Bickle this way: “Bickle is one of the […]
It’s In the Code Ep. 72: “Rebellion is the Sin of Witchcraft”
“Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.” So reads the King James Bible. What does this verse mean? And why does this translation of the verse still circulate within Christian culture, despite being an archaic translation? And most importantly, what are some of the social effects of this verse? Dan explores these topics in this […]