Straight White American Jesus

Ché Ahn may be C. Peter Wagner's most dedicated student- and his most successful heir. He leads a network of 25,000 churches and an international superstar known to many simply as Pape Ché. A Korean immigrant raised in Maryland, he has operated from Pasadena, Ca for the last three decades. But he's much more than a pastor. He is an apostle. Or so he says.

The story of Ché Ahn is, in many ways, emblematic of the whole Independent Charismatic sphere and what has emerged from it in the past 40 years. If we can come to understand who Ché Ahn is – his long and deep relationship to C. Peter Wagner, his theology, how he got to that stage on January 5th, and how he was thinking about himself in that moment – we’ll be a lot closer to understanding what the “New Apostolic Reformation” is all about.

The views expressed by Matthew D. Taylor are his own and do not represent the Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies.

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CORRECTION: We said on this episode that TH Warren is Episcopalian. She is not. She is part of the Anglican Church of North America. The former is a progressive LGTB+ denomination. The latter is not. We apologize for this mistake - it was made in the heat of the moment. We will do better in the future.

Brad and Dan begin by discussing the results in Georgia and what they mean going forward. Their conversation is tinged by the announcement that Senator Sinema has left the Democratic party and is now an independent. Dan highlights the ways that the small majority (assuming Sinem'as cooperation) gives Dems majorities on Senate committees and will help them get judges through to the bench. Brad notices how close the run-off was and warns that it's a sign of a persistent threat.

In the second segment they discuss the recent article by Tish Warren Harrison at the New York Times on the supposed class between the civil rights of gay people and religious freedom. Brad and Dan put on their theological caps to dismantle the argument on biblical, historical, and civic grounds.

In the final segment they discuss the SCOTUS case on independent state legislature theory - a case that could spell the end of democracy in the USA as we know it. They also comment on the release of Brittney Griner.

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Christian nationalism is a kind of con game. And of all the authors examined in this podcast, the one most likely to appreciate that con would be Richard Marsh, author of the 1897 horror novel The Beetle. A one time con artist himself, Marsh treats the gender fluidity of his shapeshifting monster as a con game, a scam that defrauds God himself. Today, we're going to talk about how The Beetle's view of transgenderism illuminates the complex of hate, fear, and fascination with which Christian nationalists tell some of their most vicious lies: the ones about LGBT+ people.

Written, narrated, and produced by Lucas Kwong

Theme song "Lair" by The Brother K Melee (www.brotherkmusic.com)

Closing song "Expire/Exhale" by Lucas Kwong

Voice actors: Christian Young-Valdovinos, Naomi Kwong

Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/

Order Brad's new book: https://www.amazon.com/Preparing-War-Extremist-Christian-Nationalism/dp/1506482163

Further Reading: 

Victoria Margree, British Women's Short Supernatural Fiction, 1860-1930: Our Own Ghostliness 

Daniel Orrells Minna Vuohelianen, and Victoria Margree, eds., Richard Marsh, Popular Fiction, and Literary Culture, 1890-1915

Joe Vallese, ed. It Came From The Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror.

Cynthia Miller, ed. The Silence Of The Lambs: Critical Reflections On A Cannibal

If you're enjoying the podcast, please consider making a donation at ko-fi.com/lucaskwong or leaving a review at our Apple Podcasts page: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/monster-in-the-mirror/id1654399705

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This is the first episode in our new series - Charismatic Revival Fury: The New Apostolic Reformation, written and created by Dr. Matthew Taylor.

In this episode, Matthew traces the beginning of the NAR to C. Peter Wagner, a former missionary and seminary professor who spent the last part of his life cultivating what he believed to be a new apostolic age in the life of the church. Wagner wanted to go beyond denominations to a new Reformation - one in which modern day apostles and prophets used their spiritual gifts to guide their congregations. Wagner developed a network of charismatic young leaders who he believed would lead the church into its next era. And twenty years later, these apostles and prophets did just that - by forming the background of Christian Trumpism and leading the charge on J6.

Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/

The views expressed by Matthew D. Taylor are his own and do not represent the Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies.

Pre-Order Brad's new book: https://www.amazon.com/Preparing-War-Extremist-Christian-Nationalism/dp/1506482163

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Brad and Dan begin by discussing the Senate's passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, which provides federal protections for same-sex marriage. Both hosts see the bill as a net win, but are concerned about the concessions it gives to churches and conservative lawmakers.

They then discuss the seditious conspiracy conviction for Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes. Again, it's a net win, but it won't prevent right-wing extremism or put out the fire of the Big Lie. For that, we need the conviction of someone else. . .

In the final segment they breakdown the refusal of several counties in Arizona to certify the election. Brad traces this back to the Big Lie and notes why it is more than a footnote in the 2022 midterms.

Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/

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“Count it all Joy”

Why do Christians sometimes tell people they should feel “joy” when they experience difficult times? What can that possibly mean? Is it intended as a form of encouragement? As a fatalistic acceptance of everything that happens to us? And what are the implications of this? What are the implications of this idea for mental health, for high-control religious environments, or for the range of feelings, emotions, and experiences that are considered legitimate within the faith community? In this episode, Dan tackles these questions.

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We are kicking off a new series on the history of the New Apostolic Reformation with Dr. Matthew Taylor. "Charismatic Revival Fury: The New Apostolic Reformation" will run from the first Monday in December all the way to the January 6th anniversary. The series will explore the history of the NAR through its key figures - starting with C. Peter Wagner, then moving to Ché Ahn, Lance Wallnau, Cindy Jacobs, and Dutch Sheets. Along the way we will see how people like Sean Feucht, Gen. Michael Flynn, Doug Mastriano, and others fit into the NAR matrix.

The NAR is the most influential Christian phenomenon that you either haven't heard of, or don't understand. It is much discussed, but rarely explored in depth with a scholar's insight and patience. This series will break down myths and clearly present the origins of the fastest growing component of Christianity in the USA - and maybe the world.

The views expressed by Matthew D. Taylor are his own and do not represent the Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies.

Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/

Order Brad's new book: https://www.amazon.com/Preparing-War-Extremist-Christian-Nationalism/dp/1506482163

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On a solo Weekly Roundup Brad discusses the significance of anti-Semitic Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes having dinner at Mar A Lago with former president Trump and Ye (formerly Kanye West). Beyond the frightening implications of a former president - who remains the figurehead of his party - inviting two anti-Semitic celebrities to dine with him, the event demonstrates once and for all that despite the better than expected outcome of the 2022 midterms, fascist threats to American democracy are looming all around us.

He then transitions to discuss a new book, Moralist International: Russia in the Global Culture Wars, that shows the profound influence that James Dobson and Allan Carlson (founder of the World Congress of Families) had on Russian culture and politics in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s. Brad traces a lineage from American eugenicists to Putin's Holy War rhetoric, showing how a fear of White replacement lies at the heart of the culture wars.

Moralist International: https://www.fordhampress.com/9781531502157/the-moralist-international/

Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/

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In the second episode from their 2019 series, Brad and Dan continue their discussion of the history of the Christian Religious Left. They try to figure out how Mainline Protestantism won massive cultural victories in the 20th century, only to decline rapidly in terms of membership and political visibility.

Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/

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This is the first episode in a 2019 series on the Religious Left . Brad and Dan begin by giving a brief history of the Christian Left over the last century. They highlight four main differences with evangelicalism: approaches to the Bible, the relationship between science and religion, the end of the world, and the Social Gospel vs. Individual Piety.

Subscribe for $5.99 a month to get bonus episodes, ad-free listening, access to the entire 500-episode archive, Discord access, and more: https://axismundi.supercast.com/

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