Dangerous Dogma

In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor considers Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's use of the English Standard Version of the Bible, patriarchy in the faith communities Hegseth has been a part of, and his Christian Nationalism. It also reveals that Hegseth's ESV Bible includes two Crusader symbols stamped onto the cover (and that match tattoos on his body): a Jerusalem Cross and the phrase "Deus Vult."

This is the second episode of "A Trick of State," a special occasional series from Dangerous Dogma. In this series, Kaylor investigates underexplored issues at the intersection of church and state that expose the false promises of Christian Nationalism. This episode includes interviews with sociologist Samuel Perry (author of Religion for Realists and coauthor of Taking America Back for God and The Flag and the Cross) and journalist Sarah Stankorb (author of Disobedient Women and the forthcoming Damned If She Does).

ABOVE: The Jerusalem Cross (left) and "Deus Vult" (right) on Pete Hegseth's Bible. (Instagram account of Rock Wall Bibles)

Here are a few pieces related to the episode:

• Study by Samuel Perry on "The Bible as a Product of Cultural Power: The Case of Gender Ideology in the English Standard Version"
• Study by Samuel Perry on "Whitewashing Evangelical Scripture: Intransitivity, Engaged Orthodoxy, and the Case of Slavery and Antisemitism in the English Standard Version"
• Coverage by Brian Kaylor on the Pentagon worship services
• Piece by Brian Kaylor on the fake story of George Washington's prayer at Valley Forge
• Article by Brian Kaylor on Hegseth's remarks at the 2026 National Prayer Breakfast

Note: Don't forget to subscribe to our award-winning e-newsletter A Public Witness that helps you make sense of faith, culture, and politics. And order the new book by Brian Kaylor, The Bible According to Christian Nationalists: Exploiting Scripture for Political Power.

Previous episode of "A Trick of State": Rewriting the Ten Commandments

This episode of Dangerous Dogma features a conversation between Word&Way Editor Brian Kaylor, Lutheran minister and journalist Angela Denker, and Disciples pastor and author Beau Underwood. The conversation includes discussion about the Iran war, Christian opposition to the war, and viral claims of military leaders claiming this will bring "Armageddon." It also includes consideration of faith being invoked in politics by James Talarico in Texas and Adam Hamilton in Kansas. You can watch a video version of the conversation here.

Here are a few pieces related to the episode:

• Brian wrote at A Public Witness about Christian opposition to the Iran war.
• Hemant Mehta wrote at Friendly Atheist about why he's skeptical about the claims of military leaders invoking "Armageddon."
• Brian reported at A Public Witness on Doug Wilson preaching at the Pentagon.
• The bills on the "Ten Commandments" in public schools actually use a highly edited version.
• The bills on spiritual "chaplains" in public schools usually don't require individuals to actually be chaplains.
• Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons wrote for MS NOW about the faith appeals of James Talarico.
• First Things attacked the faith of James Talarico.
• Adam Hamilton is considering a Senate run.
• Matthew Taylor previously appeared on Dangerous Dogma to talk about his book The Violent Take it By Force.

Also, check out the most recent books by the three panelists:

• Brian Kaylor, The Bible According to Christian Nationalists: Exploiting Scripture for Political Power
• Angela Denker, Disciples of White Jesus: The Radicalization of American Boyhood
• Beau Underwood (with Brian Kaylor), Baptizing America How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism

In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor looks at legislation across the country that purports to want the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. But the version mandated by lawmakers cannot be found in any Bible. Kaylor unpacks where the edited language came from, why such legislation is an attack on religious liberty, and the legal battles over these laws.

This is the first episode of "A Trick of State," a special occasional series from Dangerous Dogma. In this series, Kaylor will investigate underexplored issues at the intersection of church and state that expose the false promises of Christian Nationalism. This episode includes interviews with Mark Chancey (a religious studies professor at Southern Methodist University and an expert in how the Bible is taught in public schools) and Rachel Laser (president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, one of the groups suing to stop these laws).

To get a better sense of the gerrymandered version of the Ten Commandments mandated by lawmakers in Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas, here are two images that show the edits. As the image below on the left shows. The parts in yellow are kept on the posters, the parts in red must be deleted, and the parts in green are added into the required text. Or, if you would rather think about it in terms of redacting like with the Epstein files, the image below on the right shows what the bills do to Exodus 20 by removing nearly two-thirds of the text.

Note: Don't forget to subscribe to our award-winning e-newsletter A Public Witness that helps you make sense of faith, culture, and politics. And order the new book by Brian Kaylor, The Bible According to Christian Nationalists: Exploiting Scripture for Political Power.

This episode of Dangerous Dogma features a conversation between Word&Way Editor Brian Kaylor, Lutheran minister and journalist Angela Denker, and Disciples pastor and author Beau Underwood. The conversation includes discussion about ICE actions in Minneapolis, how many clergy are leading protests against ICE while others are supporting ICE, and new research worried about the loss of "purple" churches. You can watch a video version of the conversation here.

Here are a few pieces related to the episode:

• Brian wrote about two American Baptist congregations ministering in Minneapolis.
• Angela mentioned a statement from the chaplain of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
• Brian wrote about a pastor who gave a pro-ICE prayer.
• Brian wrote about the protest at Cities Church in St. Paul.
• Angela wrote at MS NOW about the church protest.
• Angela mentioned a Substack piece by Stacey Patton about how a civil rights law is being twisted.
• Brian and Beau wrote about how ICE is targeting churches.
• Sarah Stankorb wrote at The New Republic about polarization in mainline Protestant churches.

Also, check out the most recent books by the three panelists:

• Brian Kaylor, The Bible According to Christian Nationalists: Exploiting Scripture for Political Power
• Angela Denker, Disciples of White Jesus: The Radicalization of American Boyhood
• Beau Underwood (with Brian Kaylor), Baptizing America How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism

In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with American Baptist ministers Anna Piela and Michael Woolf on Islamophobia, immigration, and how Christians can better engage with interfaith efforts. Anna and Michael are coauthors of the new book, Confronting Islamophobia in the Church: Liturgical Tools for Justice. Watch a video version of this conversation here.

Here are a few pieces related to the episode:

• Brian wrote about Michael's advocacy outside an ICE facility in Illinois
• Michael wrote for Unsettling Advent about Advent in a time of soldiers in the streets
• Brian recently testified against anti-Sharia law legislation in Missouri
• Brian wrote about Franklin Graham preaching at the Pentagon

Note: Don't forget to subscribe to our award-winning e-newsletter A Public Witness that helps you make sense of faith, culture, and politics. And order the new book by Brian Kaylor, The Bible According to Christian Nationalists: Exploiting Scripture for Political Power.

In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with Martha Bardwell, pastor of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on how faith communities are responding to ICE violence in the Twin Cities and the ICE killing of Renee Good. Watch a video version of this latest conversation here.

The episode includes a discussion on the misuse of Bible verses by the Department of Homeland Security. As this was being recorded, DHS released another propaganda video co-opting a Bible verse. Bardwell is among the faith leaders calling for an economic blackout on Jan. 23.

Note: Don't forget to subscribe to our award-winning e-newsletter A Public Witness that helps you make sense of faith, culture, and politics. And order the new book by Brian Kaylor, The Bible According to Christian Nationalists: Exploiting Scripture for Political Power.

This episode of Dangerous Dogma features a conversation between Word&Way Editor Brian Kaylor, Lutheran minister and journalist Angela Denker, and Disciples pastor and author Beau Underwood. The conversation includes consideration of the U.S. attack on Venezuela and how Christians are responding, Pete Hegseth's pledge to change the military chaplaincy program, and how people are now betting on the return of Jesus and pretty much everything else in life. You can watch a video version of the conversation here.

Here are a few pieces related to the episode:

• Brian wrote at A Public Witness about Christian responses to the U.S. attack on Venezuela.
• The Bulwark unpacked problems with Hegseth's criticism of the military chaplaincy program.
• Brian documented Hegseth's Christian prayer services at the Pentagon.
• People have been betting on the return of Jesus.

Also, check out the most recent books by the three panelists:

• Brian Kaylor, The Bible According to Christian Nationalists: Exploiting Scripture for Political Power
• Angela Denker, Disciples of White Jesus: The Radicalization of American Boyhood
• Beau Underwood (with Brian Kaylor), Baptizing America How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism

This episode of Dangerous Dogma features a conversation between Word&Way Editor Brian Kaylor, Lutheran minister and journalist Angela Denker, and Disciples pastor and author Beau Underwood. The conversation includes consideration of U.S. strikes against Venezuelan boats, Pete Hegseth's Christian prayer services at the Pentagon, the use of AI in churches, and alarms about AI Christian music and books. You can watch a video version of the conversation here.

Here are a few pieces mentioned in the episode:

• Brian wrote a piece for A Public Witness about the prayer services at the Pentagon.
• Ross Douthat of the New York Times wrote about Hegseth and Christian Nationalism.
• People can now text with AI Jesus.
• Christianity Today wrote about a hit AI Christian artist.
• Brian created a video review of a Noah's ark children's book voiced by an AI Donald Trump.

Also, check out the most recent books by the three panelists:

• Brian Kaylor, The Bible According to Christian Nationalists: Exploiting Scripture for Political Power
• Angela Denker, Disciples of White Jesus: The Radicalization of American Boyhood
• Beau Underwood (with Brian Kaylor), Baptizing America How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism

This episode of Dangerous Dogma features a conversation between Word&Way Editor Brian Kaylor, Lutheran minister and journalist Angela Denker, and Disciples pastor and author Beau Underwood. The conversation includes consideration of religious attacks in elections this week, impacts of the ongoing government shutdown on churches, and clergy protesting against ICE. Watch a video version of this latest conversation here.

Here are a few articles related to some of what was discussed:

• Angela interviewed two Minneapolis mayoral candidates: DeWayne Davis and Jazz Hampton.
• Brian wrote about the New York City mayoral race
• Brian reported on pastors assaulted while peacefully protesting ICE
• Brian wrote about the Department of Homeland Security co-opting Bible verses

Also, check out the most recent books by the three panelists:

• Brian Kaylor, The Bible According to Christian Nationalists: Exploiting Scripture for Political Power
• Angela Denker, Disciples of White Jesus: The Radicalization of American Boyhood
• Beau Underwood (with Brian Kaylor), Baptizing America How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism

In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with Hannah Kardon, a United Methodist minister in the Chicago area. Kardon was violently arrested during a protest outside an ICE facility on Oct. 17. Video of the incident can be viewed here. Other issues discussed in this episode include ICE actions at churches, the legal pushback against the Trump administration by various denominations, and the misuse of Bible verses by the Department of Homeland Security. Watch a video version of this latest conversation here.

Note: Don't forget to subscribe to our award-winning e-newsletter A Public Witness that helps you make sense of faith, culture, and politics. And order the new book by Brian Kaylor, The Bible According to Christian Nationalists: Exploiting Scripture for Political Power.