Send us Fan Mail

What happens when you take a position at a university because you believe it will honor your faith—only to discover that the institution you trusted is not what you imagined? 

That’s the story of my guest, Julia E. Inglis, Ph.D., MPH, RD. Julia is a nutrition scientist, researcher, clinician, writer, and educator who spent nearly four years as an associate professor at Liberty University, teaching nutrition, chronic disease, research methods, and sports nutrition.

She came to Liberty University with high hopes. Here was a university that openly affirmed her Christian faith. She expected an institution where faith and rigorous scholarship could coexist - and perhaps even strengthen one another.

Instead, Julia encountered an academic culture that, in her experience, too often placed ideology ahead of scholarship. She describes low academic standards, grade inflation, unqualified faculty, closed doors when she raised questions, and a campus culture increasingly shaped by ultra-conservative politics and Christian nationalism. She also became deeply troubled by how allegations of sexual abuse were handled.

Eventually, Julia resigned.

But she didn’t simply walk away. She decided that her experience needed to be told - not as an attack on Christianity, but as a warning about what can happen when a university becomes more committed to protecting its institution, its politics, and its power than to pursuing truth.

Today, Julia tells that story—and what she learned from it.

Support the show

Become a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you!

Ken’s Substack Page

The Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com

Send us Fan Mail

Today, we begin by looking ahead to Betsey Newenhuyse's upcoming three-week adventure in Costa Rica, where she'll explore the rainforest and indulge her family’s passion for birding. I also share highlights from four memorable days in Park City, Utah, with my three brothers - a rare gathering of just the four of us. Between hot air ballooning, river rafting, and long conversations filled with memories, laughter, and hopes for the future, it became a time I'll treasure for years.

Then we shift to the unsettling congressional hearing targeting Dr. Anthony Fauci. It brought back memories of those frightening early days of the pandemic and how quickly a public health crisis became a political battleground. We discuss Fauci's remarkable career under Dr. Francis Collins, the honors he received from both George W. Bush and Donald Trump. Figures like Rand Paul and Adam Kinzinger have become part of a much larger story about truth, politics, and public trust.

From there, we talk about the rapidly approaching midterm elections. We review Pete Buttigieg's growing national presence - and the disturbing rise of political intimidation. 

Finally, we end with a discussion of that remarkable Concert for Peace featuring Pope Leo, Andrea Bocelli, inspiring young voices from war-torn countries around the world, and a moving rendition of "Amazing Grace" that left both of us reflecting on what reconciliation might actually look like.

Ken’s Substack: The Concert of Peace - Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound

Support the show

Become a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you!

Ken’s Substack Page

The Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome back to Two Kens with my good friend, Ken Fong.

Every so often we record a conversation that challenges us as much as it challenges our listeners. This is one of those episodes.

We begin with a hilarious - but surprisingly insightful - clip from Leslie Jones that opens the door to an honest conversation about race, the myth of colorblindness, code-switching, white fragility, and the stories America tells itself.

Then we turn to Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, where Odysseus is portrayed not as an untouchable hero but as a man scarred by war. It raises powerful questions about trauma, empathy, and whether compassion still has a place in a culture that rewards certainty.

Finally, we welcome musician Joseph Tseng, whose remarkable album Shanghai: An American Story explores immigration, identity, family, and belonging.

Ken and I aren't trying to win arguments. We're trying to ask better questions, believing that curiosity, empathy, and honest conversation still have the power to change us.

Robin D’Angelo - White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism

Leslie Jones on Colorblind White Guys

Support the show

Become a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you!

Ken’s Substack Page

The Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com

Send us Fan Mail

Every once in a while I read a book that stays with me long after I've turned the final page. That's exactly what happened when I discovered Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. In fact, I was so moved that I immediately read it a second time - something I almost never do. The novel inspired two essays for my Substack, and in this episode I bring those reflections together. More than a book review, this is an invitation to consider the quiet power of kindness, empathy, hospitality, and grace - and why those virtues may be exactly what our divided world needs today.

Substack #1 - Theo of Golden: A Paradigm Shift in an Era of Culture War

Substack #2 - The Gospel According to Theo: Allen Levi is my kind of Christian

Support the show

Become a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you!

Ken’s Substack Page

The Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com

Send us Fan Mail

This week, I’m reaching back into the archive to reprise the most popular episode in the history of my podcast.

The Rev. Ben Cremer has built a significant and growing social media presence—one that caught my attention when I stumbled across a lengthy essay he titled “Myths We Believe.” In it, Ben details the things he was taught to embrace but has since had to unlearn. As I read it, I was struck by how closely his journey tracked my own.

Ben was homeschooled from kindergarten through twelfth grade in what he describes as “a deeply conservative environment in rural Idaho—as far right politically and theologically as you can imagine.” He would eventually serve as a pastor in a small, traditional, conservative church that mirrored Idaho’s deep-red culture, and later as campus pastor at Cathedral of the Rockies, a progressive, affirming United Methodist congregation in Boise. He no longer serves as pastor at either church.

When we recorded this conversation, Ben had recently appeared on Boise’s local ABC affiliate, Channel 7, in a feature exploring politics and religion. The journalist interviewed two pastors at opposite ends of the spectrum: Blaine Conzatti, a conservative pastor affiliated with the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches and president of the Idaho Family Policy Center, and Ben.

In our conversation, Ben and I unpack his remarkable journey, beginning with those early homeschool years and a curriculum rooted in the “Christian Identity” movement—a worldview that denied the Holocaust, argued that slavery was good because it introduced Africans to Christianity, and taught that the separation of races was part of God’s design.

From there, Ben moved through college and graduate school, where he learned to read widely, ask questions, and pursue his curiosity. His passion for ministry took him through seminary and into pastoral ministry. But lonely, underpaid, and increasingly burdened by questions, Ben slipped into a dark spiritual depression.

In this vulnerable and deeply open conversation, Ben tells his story of recovery, redemption, and transformation—and of finding a faith that is open, fresh, and alive.

It remains the most listened-to episode in my podcast history. If you missed it the first time—or if you’re ready to hear it again—I think you’ll understand why.

SHOW NOTES

Sign up for Ben's Newsletter INTO THE GRAY

Support the show

Become a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you!

Ken’s Substack Page

The Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com

Send us Fan Mail

NEW EPISODE: This is where our conversation takes an even deeper turn.

Caleb shares the story of his personal confrontation with Christian nationalism—how an invitation to participate with Turning Point USA forced him to take a much closer look at the movement and the version of Christianity it was promoting. That investigation eventually led him to write his remarkable book, Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor.

We also explore the rich biblical imagery behind the title. In Scripture, Leviathan represents the mysterious forces of chaos that only God can ultimately tame. Caleb uses that ancient symbol as a powerful metaphor for Christian nationalism itself—a force fueled by fear, political idolatry, and cultural anxiety over demographic change, political marginalization, and the perceived loss of traditional values.

But this isn't simply a critique. It's an invitation to faithful engagement. Caleb challenges us to respond not with condemnation but with empathy, courageous conversations, genuine listening, and radical hospitality.

For anyone struggling to relate to friends or family who have been drawn into the MAGA movement or Christian nationalism, Caleb offers thoughtful, practical wisdom that I believe you'll find both hopeful and deeply challenging. 

Listen to Part 1 - From Neo-Nazi to Lead  Pastor: Caleb Campbell's Extraordinary Journey

SHOW NOTES - including links to Caleb’s book and the When the Wolves Came Podcast

Support the show

Become a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you!

Ken’s Substack Page

The Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com

Send us Fan Mail

In this new episode of the Two Kens, Ken Fong and I explore a growing movement that claims white Americans have become an "unprotected class" in modern America. Sparked by the ideas of author and Claremont Institute fellow Jeremy Carl, whose book The Unprotected Class argues that anti-white discrimination is widespread, we examine the resurgence of white identity politics at a moment when DEI initiatives and anti-racism efforts are facing significant backlash.

We discuss the concept of racism as a perceived zero-sum game—the belief that gains for minorities necessarily mean losses for the dominant culture—and how that narrative is shaping today's political landscape. Along the way, we ask a surprisingly complicated question: What does it mean to be "white" in America? We contrast the emerging politics of white grievance with Martin Luther King Jr.'s vision of a color-blind society and consider whether America's future lies in competing racial identities or in a renewed commitment to common dignity, solidarity, and the common good.

SHOW NOTES

Support the show

Become a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you!

Ken’s Substack Page

The Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com

Send us Fan Mail

NEW EPISODE: Today I have the privilege of talking with an author, a pastor, and an influencer whose journey is as compelling as it is timely. Dr. Caleb Campbell is the lead pastor of Desert Springs Bible Church in Phoenix, Arizona, the author of Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor, and one of the featured voices in the podcast series When the Wolves Came: Evangelicals Resisting Extremism.

What makes Caleb's story so remarkable is that his understanding of extremism isn't merely academic. As a teenager, he was drawn into the world of neo-Nazi skinheads before eventually finding his way to Christian faith. Years later, after becoming a lead pastor, he began recognizing disturbing echoes of that same ideology emerging inside American evangelicalism—especially after the 2016 election, through the pandemic, and in the aftermath of January 6.

In this conversation, we explore what Christian nationalism really is, why it has become so attractive to many believers, and why Caleb believes condemnation isn't the answer. Instead, he calls us to courageous conversations, deep listening, and radical hospitality. If you've struggled to understand friends or family caught up in today's political and religious polarization, I think you'll find this conversation honest, challenging, deeply compassionate—and filled with hope.

I can also make this version a little more personal and conversational, in the style you've been using for your recent Beached White Male introductions.

SHOW NOTES - including links to Caleb’s book and the When the Wolves Came Podcast

Support the show

Become a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you!

Ken’s Substack Page

The Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com

Send us Fan Mail

What We Love, What We Fear, What Comes Next

As America approaches its 250th birthday, Betsey Newenhuyse and I take some time on Beach Talk to reflect on what we love most about this remarkable and complicated nation. We talk about the ideals that have inspired generations of Americans—democracy, freedom of conscience, a free press, equal rights, and the ongoing work of building "a more perfect union." Along the way, we share personal memories, from patriotic songs and high school choir performances to family stories and reflections on the values that continue to shape our lives.

But this conversation isn't just nostalgic. We also explore some of the deeper challenges facing our country today. Why have so many evangelicals embraced Donald Trump so enthusiastically? What does that reveal about the relationship between faith, power, and leadership in America? Drawing on the insights of writers and thinkers such as Pete Wehner, Kristin Kobes Du Mez, David Gushee, and others, we examine the rise of Christian nationalism and the choices facing American Christians in this cultural moment.

We also discuss the importance of strong institutions, higher education, religious liberty, and the freedom to worship according to one's conscience. Add a few personal updates—including my upcoming trip to Costa Rica—and you have another thoughtful, candid, and engaging conversation with friends on the beach.

More about Betsey Newenhuyse

Support the show

Become a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you!

Ken’s Substack Page

The Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com

Send us Fan Mail

NEW! I’m delighted to welcome back a familiar guest and friend of the podcast, Dalaina May. This is Dalaina’s third appearance with us, and every conversation leaves me challenged, inspired, and more aware of realities that most of us rarely see.

Dalaina is the founder and executive director of Dark Bali, an organization serving people on the front lines of the fight against human trafficking throughout Indonesia and beyond. Her journey has taken her across continents, through academia, deep personal questioning, and into some of the most difficult places imaginable. Along the way, she discovered not only her calling but also the courage to pursue it despite obstacles, setbacks, and institutions that often underestimated her.

Today, we'll discuss the changing realities of human trafficking in 2025, the global impact of geopolitical shifts and the loss of USAID funding, the power of collaboration, and how Dark Bali continues to equip and strengthen anti-trafficking leaders across Asia. SHOW NOTES

RESOURCES: 

WEBSITE: darkbali.org

ANNUAL REPORT

THE GLOBAL LEARNING COMMUNITY

SCAM COMPOUNDS

Support the show

Become a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you!

Ken’s Substack Page

The Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com