What if the person you elected president to save the country from a global cabal of child sex-traffickers actually was a part of the cabal? At first glance, this question sounds strange. However, when you consider that a 2022 poll by PRRI revealed that 1 in 5 people and 1 in 4 Republicans believe the QAnon conspiracy theory that the government, media, and financial sector are controlled by a group of Satan-worshipping pedophiles who run a global child sex-trafficking operation, then things begin to make a bit more sense. In this episode, we explore why the Epstein files matter to conservative Christians, how they connect with evangelical purity culture, and how the rapture-like theology of QAnon laid the groundwork for the outrage that we are witnessing. 

Please note that we recorded this episode on Wednesday, July 23rd, before it was confirmed that Trump is named in the files in multiple places. We assumed as much, though, to be honest.

The Progressive Christians Podcast is a ministry of The Loft, a worship community of Westwood United Methodist Church. If you have an idea for the show or want to connect with us, please email us at [email protected].

Show Notes:

1. Understanding MAGA’s response to the Epstein Files: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8ge16d2y3o 
2. Emily Joy Allison on Tiktok https://www.tiktok.com/@emilyjoyallison/video/7529523875621784845 
3. Assault Allegations Toward Trump: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/assault-allegations-donald-trump-recapped 
4. Southern Baptist Sexual Offenders List: https://www.npr.org/2022/05/27/1101734793/southern-baptist-sexual-abuse-list-released 
5. Colbert Vs. Trump https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/jul/22/stephen-colbert-trump-cbs-bribe 
6. Colbert on Catholic Podcast: The Spiritual Life with Fr. James Martin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p9Hx43P5yE 
7. How the QAnon movement entered mainstream politics – and why the silence on Epstein files matters https://theconversation.com/how-the-qanon-movement-entered-mainstream-politics-and-why-the-silence-on-epstein-files-matters-261316