Just in time for the holidays, the Holy Post crew is answering another round of voicemails from our Patreon supporters. On this episode, Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn respond to listener questions about how much confidence to put in archeological evidence for the Bible, how did Christians interpret Revelation before the recent invention of "Left Behind" theology, when does satire and social media become sinful, what abortion policies could most Americans agree on, and how do you practice the Sabbath with a demanding job and young kids? Plus, they offer practical advice for avoiding arguments with your family about politics and religion during holiday gatherings.

Patreon Bonus: Getting Schooled by Kaitlyn Schiess: Creeds 101 - https://www.patreon.com/posts/74991905/ New Holy Post merch - https://www.holypost.com/shop 00:00 - Sponsor: InterVarsity Press Get 30% off “The Thrill of Orthodoxy” by Trevin Wax with code: THRILL30 at: https://ivpress.com/the-thrill-of-orthodoxy 00:44 - Intro 6:08 - Ben: Holiday family conversations 11:55 - Brad and Carrie: Dispensationalism 22:58 - Millie: Mocking 25:51 - Sponsor: Faithful Counseling Get 10% off your first month at faithfulcounseling.com/holypost 27:05 - Cody: Healthy social media use 32:02 - Mark: Sabbath 36:08 - Ali: Archeology and the Bible 46:08 - Peter: How nations treat foreigners 52:03 - Trudie: Political thinking around helping the poor 1:02:31 - Yong: Policies around abortion 1:09:57 - Credits

Past episodes and other resources mentioned: Holy Post Episode 244: Cultural Lies, Human Longings & the Gospel with Trevin Wax - https://www.holypost.com/holy-post-podcast/episode/1c5a47cf/episode-244-cultural-lies-human-longings-and-the-gospel-withtrevin-wax

Holy Post Episode 410: White Privilege, Cancel Culture, & Reading Revelation with Juan Hernandez - https://www.holypost.com/post/episode-410-white-privilege-cancel-culture-reading-revelation-with-juan-hernandez

Holy Post Episode 506: The Pro-Life Case for Paid Family Leave with Rachel Anderson - https://www.holypost.com/post/episode-506-the-pro-life-case-for-paid-family-leave-with-rachel-anderson

“The Millennial Maze” by Stanley J. Grenz - https://amzn.to/3tTUljk

“The Liturgy of Politics” by Kaitlyn Schiess - https://amzn.to/3GzrGI1

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The U.S. midterm elections were full of surprises. The Holy Post crew asks if the political side of the pro-life movement has hit a wall, and if the Republican Party is really moving on from Donald Trump. Then, new data shows a sharp rise among evangelicals who didn’t attend college and who don’t attend church identifying as Republicans. What does it mean? And a new book chronicles the rise of Charlie Kirk, Candace Owens, and the rage-fueled conservative youth culture. Then, Skye talks to Christianity Today’s Morgan Lee about what global Christian leaders think about guns and self-defense. Her reporting on the issue reveals a wide spectrum of beliefs, how our perspective may be more cultural than biblical, and why dysfunctional governments elevate the appeal of guns. Plus, no one accidentally licks a toad.

New Holy Post merch - https://www.holypost.com/shop Latest Patreon content:

Christian Asks... Salvation and the Sinner’s Prayer - https://www.patreon.com/posts/74702525/ Getting Schooled by Kaitlyn Schiess: The Church Calendar 101 - https://www.patreon.com/posts/getting-schooled-74529955

News Segment 0:00 - Intro 4:26 - Psychedelic toads 9:24 - Midterm election debrief 22:33 - Conservative youth culture 34:01 - New data on evangelical Republicans

42:44 - Sponsor: Faithful Counseling

Get 10% off your first month at faithfulcounseling.com/holypost

Interview with Morgan Lee “Should Christians Own Guns for Self-Defense? A Global Snapshot” (Christianity Today) - https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/october-web-only/guns-christians-self-defense-mass-shootings-protection.html

Morgan Lee: https://twitter.com/Mepaynl

43:58 - Interview intro 47:42 - Article overview 51:38 - “God-given right to self-defense” 59:18 - Biblical basis for arguments 1:10:34 - Safe societies and effectiveness of government 1:14:42 - Credits

Links from news segment: Christian’s film, “The Girl Who Wore Freedom” - https://geni.us/TheGirlWhoWoreFreedom

“Please stop licking psychedelic toads, National Park Service warns” (Washington Post) - https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/11/08/national-park-toad-sonoran-desert-hallucinogenic/

“How America’s conservative youth youth movement grew a powerhouse on the cult of rage” (Religion News Service) - https://religionnews.com/2022/10/31/how-americas-conservative-youth-movement-grew-a-powerhouse-on-the-cult-of-rage/

Data from Ryan Burge on evangelical Republicans -https://twitter.com/ryanburge/status/1588292184914432000

Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/

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With the midterm elections happening in the U.S., we’ve seen a rise in both hyperbolic political rhetoric and political violence. There’s evidence that fewer Christians are willing to denounce the use of armed conflict to achieve political goals, with some even arguing America was founded on it. Are they right? Is there a Christian case for political violence? Then, Skye interviews Joe Leininger, a Christian business leader about his journey from believing God only cared about ministry to a much wider vision of his work in the world. Leininger’s new book, “Dirt Clods and Donkeys: An experiment in mentoring that changed lives,” explores how he has helped other Christians in the marketplace develop a more integrated faith. Also this week—Indiana police pursue Pikachu, don’t kiss camels in Qatar, and Kaitlyn explains why she’s a nerd but not a geek.

Holy Post merch! - https://www.holypost.com/shop News Segment 00:00 - Intro 5:27 - Police pursue Pikachu 11:27 - Camels in Qatar 18:35 - Political violence 42:25 - Sponsor: Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology Visit www.biola.edu/talbot for more information and to apply today. Interview with Joe Leininger “Dirt Clods and Donkeys” - https://amzn.to/3G22UQE Joe Leininger - https://joeleininger.com 43:36 - Interview intro 46:09 - Formation in faith and business 51:28 - Christian assumptions about business 55:50 - A wider vision of God’s work in the world 1:01:45 - Capitalism 1:05:44 - Risk and allocation of resources 1:09:31 - Mentoring 1:14:10 - Credits Links from news segment: “Indiana man dressed as Pikachu ran from police on lawn mower, cops say” - https://fox59.com/indiana-news/indiana-man-dressed-as-pikachu-ran-from-police-on-lawn-mower-cops-say/ “World Cup fans told ‘steer clear of camels’ in Qatar due to bug ‘deadlier than Covid’ - https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-camels-covid-bug-28373022 “Some American Protestants Aren’t Letting Go of Revolution” - https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/november/protestants-political-violence-protest-pelosi.html Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/ Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Elon Musk announced his takeover of Twitter by carrying a porcelain sink into the headquarters. Will his plan to loosen restrictions on social media help or hurt the country? Archeologist have discovered a new way to verify events in the Old Testament, but Phil wonders if anyone really cares. And is it ever loving for Christians to mock their opponents? The gang examines six rules for Christian mockery from the 17th century and why they may not apply today. Then, spiritual director Ruth Haley Barton explains how she came to see sabbath as a gift rather than an obligation. Her new book, “Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest,” looks at why we struggle to practice sabbath rest, the challenge of technology, and how to make sabbath a lifestyle and not just a weekly discipline. Plus, the saving power of worm spit.

Patreon Bonus: Christian Asks...How do we build unity around the cross? - https://www.patreon.com/posts/74098797/

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News Segment 0:00 - Intro 5:08 - Worm spit 9:12 - Elon Musk and Twitter 18:57 - Geomagnetic fields and Biblical narratives 29:46 - Rules for Christian mockery

45:21 - Sponsor: Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology Visit www.biola.edu/talbot for more information and to apply today.

Interview with Ruth Haley Barton “Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest: From Sabbath to Sabbatical and Back Again” - https://amzn.to/3FSkMgP Ruth Haley Barton - https://www.ruthhaleybarton.com 46:33 - Interview intro 49:09 - Spiritual formation 52:59 - Value of sabbath 56:34 - Guilt around sabbath 1:00:47 - More than a day of rest 1:04:46 - Sabbath as delight 1:07:00 - Challenges of technology 1:17:55 - A communal practice 1:24:24 - Credits Links from news segment:

“Worm spit could be a secret cure to the world’s plastic problem” (Inverse) - https://www.inverse.com/innovation/worm-saliva-plastic-pollution “TAU, HU Scientific Breakthrough: Geomagnetic Fields Reveal Truth of Biblical Narratives” (Jewish Press) - https://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/tau-hu-scientific-breakthrough-geomagnetic-fields-reveal-truth-of-biblical-narratives/2022/10/25/ “Can you laugh at your enemies and love them? Rules for Christian mockery” (The Christian Post) - https://www.christianpost.com/voices/can-you-laugh-at-your-enemies-and-love-them.html Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/ Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

With the Dobbs decision earlier this year, the Supreme Court sent the issue of abortion back to the states, and divisions are opening up within the pro-life movement about what comes next. A very vocal faction calling themselves "abortion abolitionists" are arguing for a complete ban on abortion in all cases, including where the life of the mother is at risk, and the criminal prosecution of women who have them. David French and Skye Jethani examine the abolitionists' arguments, explore why they are gaining popularity among Christians, and why they will actually fail to create the culture of life we want. Plus, French and Jethani engage in unrestrained nerdery as they discuss season one of "The Rings of Power."

00:00 - Intro 00:24 - Abortion abolitionists 56:02 - Nerd corner Resources mentioned: “Defending Life: A Moral and Legal Case Against Abortion Choice” by Francis J. Beckwith - https://amzn.to/3WbiYF6

“How Americans Understand Abortion: A Comprehensive Interview Study of Abortion Attitudes in the U.S.” by Tricia C. Bruce - https://news.nd.edu/news/national-abortion-study-finds-out-of-touch-labels-knowledge-gaps-appetite-for-moral-discussion/

David French: https://twitter.com/DavidAFrench

Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/

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The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliatecommissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Research finds many Americans are opposed to the gospel because they view Christians as hypocrites, but a new $100 million ad campaign hopes to reintroduce Jesus to the country. But does Jesus really have a PR problem, or does the church have a discipleship problem? Then, culture war issues are fracturing evangelical colleges into 5 distinct groups. What does it mean for the future of the church?

Phil talks to pastor and podcaster Mike Erre about how to think biblically about the culture wars. Does the New Testament call the church to have power over the culture, how did Jesus influence others, and what about the presence of real evil in the world? Mike shares his 3 principles for Christians and the culture war. Plus, the Dutch are giving guns to robots. What could possibly go wrong?

Patreon Bonus: Getting Schooled by Kaitlyn Schiess: Halloween History 101 - https://www.patreon.com/posts/73778907/

News Segment 0:00 - Intro 1:52 - Robots with guns 8:22 - Ad campaign for Jesus 27:56 - Evangelical colleges and culture war issues50:04 - Sponsor: Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology Visit www.biola.edu/talbot for more information and to apply today.

Interview with Mike Erre Voxology podcast: https://voxologypodcast.com

51:20 - Guest intro 55:22 - Culture warring intro 56:53 - The role of the church in the world 1:09:36 - Providing a counter narrative 1:26:00 - Culture warring vs. the way of Jesus in culture

1:28:06 - Credits

Links from news segment:“The Netherlands Has Deployed NATO’s First Killer Robot Ground Vehicles” (Vice) - https://www.vice.com/en/article/jgpax3/the-netherlands-has-deployed-natos-first-killer-robot-ground-vehicles“

Oakland Cops Hope to Arm Robots with Lethal Shotguns” (The Intercept) - https://theintercept.com/2022/10/17/police-robot-gun-oakland/“

A $100 million ad campaign wants to fix Jesus’ image. His followers remain a problem.” (Religion News Service) - https://religionnews.com/2022/10/10/a-100-million-ad-campaign-wants-to-fix-jesuss-image-his-followers-remain-a-problem/

“The Five Emerging Factions in Evangelical Higher Education” (Patheos) - https://www.patheos.com/blogs/anxiousbench/2022/04/the-five-emerging-factions-in-evangelical-higher-education/

Links from interview:"American Evangelicals: Embattled and Thriving" by Christian Smith

Crazy: 10 years of podcasts, 1 song (by Phil Vischer) - https://youtu.be/Tkgong0GcO0

Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/ Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost

The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Everyone is suddenly talking about Christian nationalism. Some on the political right are embracing the label, while others on the political left are condemning it. Bart Barber, the new president of the Southern Baptist Convention, was interviewed on 60 Minutes this week to explain why Christian nationalism is fundamentally anti-Baptist. But Al Mohler, another influential SBC leader, is less eager to condemn Christian nationalism and takes a more nuanced view. Mohler also says any Christian who doesn’t vote for the Republican Party is being “unfaithful to God.” The Holy Post crew unpacks his argument. 

Then, Skye interviews Georgetown professor, Paul D. Miller, about his new book, “The Religion of American Greatness: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism.” Miller defines Christian nationalism historically, and explains why it is both anti-American and anti-Christian. Plus—When you give a pig a beer...

Bonus Patreon Interview with Paul D. Miller: Ukraine & Nuclear Armageddon - https://www.patreon.com/posts/73474701/

0:00 - Sponsor: The Veritas Forum podcast

Listen to The Veritas Forum podcast to engage your heart and mind around the ideas that shape your life. Find it at https://apple.co/3T82prk

News Segment

00:44 - Intro

2:39 - Phil’s animation adventures

7:53 - Animal News

12:09 - SBC leaders on Christian nationalism

42:07 - Sponsor: Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology

Visit www.biola.edu/talbot for more information and to apply today.

Interview with Paul D. Miller

“The Religion of American Greatness: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism” - https://amzn.to/3gi48we

43:24 - Interview intro

44:57 - Paul’s background

47:59 - What is Christian nationalism?

49:42 - Critique of Christian nationalism

54:18 - Christian nationalism then and now

1:03:11 - Race and Christian nationalism

1:11:05 - Nationalism vs nationality

1:12:57 - Advice for spiritual leaders

1:17:29 - Credits

Links from news segment:

“Feral pig pinches multiple six-packs of beer and runs riot at Pilbara camp sites” - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-09/beer-swilling-swine/4946072

Southern Baptist Convention President Bart Barber on Trump, abortion, sex abuse in the church and more (CBS) - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/southern-baptist-convention-president-bart-barber-60-minutes-2022-10-09/

“The Guardrails” (The Run-Up podcast) - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/29/podcasts/run-up-trump-evangelical-republican.html

Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/

Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost

The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Research now shows that people who constantly consume the news are three times more likely to hold incorrect perspectives than those who only consume news occasionally. How did the news business shift from reporting to distorting? Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn discuss a new article that blames comedian Jon Stewart and The Daily Show for unintentionally transforming the media into a “subscription-based narrative production” business.

Then, Skye talks to journalist Bonnie Kristian about her book, “Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community.” She explains the economic and cultural forces that have warped journalism, and strategies that can help us avoid being misinformed. Also this week, Focus on the Family defends Christopher Columbus, and Phil reports on his latest Twitter skirmishes involving abortion and trans vegetables.

Bonus Patreon Interview with Bonnie Kristian: Three steps against conspiracism - https://www.patreon.com/posts/73183372/

News Segment 0:00 - Intro 4:11 - Phil's Twitter skirmishes 21:39 - Columbus Day 32:52 - Narratives in media

Sponsor 51:45 - Sponsor: Biola University's Talbot School of Theology Visit www.biola.edu/talbot for more information and to apply today.

Interview with Bonnie Kristian "Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community" - https://amzn.to/3MpJ2bc

55:03 - Journalism over the past decade 57:23 - Knowledge crisis on the right and the left 1:00:13 - The perception gap 1:03:44 - Profit-driven news 1:09:18 - Social media and news 1:14:53 - Cancel culture 1:22:15 - Navigating media engagement 1:29:07 - Episode credits

Articles from news segment:

"Go Ahead and Celebrate Christopher Columbus, Who Sought to Tell the New World About Jesus Christ" by Paul Batura (Focus on the Family's Daily Citizen) - https://dailycitizen.focusonthefamily.com/go-ahead-and-celebrate-christopher-columbus-who-sought-to-tell-the-new-world-about-jesus-christ/

"How Stewart Made Tucker" by Jon Askonas (The New Atlantis) - https://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/how-stewart-made-tucker

Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/ Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost

The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Were you an evangelical kid in the 1970s, 80s, or 90s? Then you may be suffering from the lingering affects of “rapture anxiety.” Why did rapture theology feature so prominently in the American church, where did it come from, and why does it seem so bizarre to Christians today? Then, Russell Moore has a new article on the heresy of Christian Nationalism accusing it of doing to conservatives what the Social Gospel did to progressives a century ago.

Skye then talks to Silicon Valley pastor, Jay Y. Kim, about his book “Analog Christian: Cultivating Contentment, Resilience, and Wisdom in the Digital Age.” Kim says social media is designed to produce the opposite of the Fruit of the Spirit in us, and argues we need to “linger longer” in non-digital, incarnate spaces and relationships to combat its affects. Plus, don’t take a raccoon into a bar, and one tough Turkish toddler.

Bonus Patreon Interview with Jay Y. Kim - https://www.patreon.com/posts/72887200

News Segment 00:00 - Intro 2:08- Animal news 9:39 - Rapture anxiety 25:08 - Russell Moore on Christian nationalism Interview with Jay Y. Kim “Analog Christian: Cultivating Contentment, Resilience, and Wisdom in the Digital Age” - https://amzn.to/3e3vaXk 39:51 - Interview intro 43:04 - Technology and cigarette analogy 46:41 - Spiritual formation in Silicon Valley 51:18 - Are mediums really neutral? 56:20 - Love vs. self-centric despair 1:06:04 - Lingering longer Links from news segment: “Woman who brought raccoon to North Dakota bar is charged” (ABC News) - https://abcnews.go.com/Weird/wireStory/woman-brought-raccoon-north-dakota-bar-charged-90326390 “Toddler Bites Snake to Death after It Sunk Its Fangs into Her Lip” (Newsweek) - https://www.newsweek.com/toddler-snake-bite-kills-snake-1733553 “For some Christians, ‘rapture anxiety’ can take a lifetime to heal” (CNN) - https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/27/us/rapture-anxiety-evangelical-exvangelical-christianity-cec/index.html “Christian Nationalism Cannot Save the World” by Russell Moore (Moore to the Point newsletter) - https://christianitytoday.activehosted.com/index.php?action=social&chash=0224cd598e48c5041c7947fd5cb20d53.10884&s=c0745eb8366dc94946b6b980d936ad22 Resources from interview: “Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid” by Jonathan Haidt (The Atlantic) - https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/05/social-media-democracy-trust-babel/629369/ “When Church Became Theatre: The Transformation of Evangelical Architecture and Worship in Nineteenth-Century America” by Jeanne Halgren Kilde - https://amzn.to/3Rzr9Yn “Analog Church: Why We Need Real People, Places, and Things in the Digital Age” by Jay Y. Kim - https://amzn.to/3SAqHu9 Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/ Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

David French is in studio with Skye Jethani and Phil Vischer for a special edition of French Friday. First, they discuss new survey results showing most evangelicals hold shockingly heretical beliefs about the nature of Jesus, but they are absolutely clear about sexual ethics. What does it mean for evangelicalism to make doctrine optional and sexual purity essential?

Then, comments from leading conservative voices appear to contradict core conservative values. Can conservatism still be defined, or has it deteriorated into a reactionary movement to “own the libs” and nothing more? Plus, David and Skye nerd-out about the new Amazon series, “The Rings of Power.”

0:00 - Intro

1:55 - Is evangelicalism about Jesus or sexual ethics?

26:24 - Can conservatism be defined?

57:57 - Nerd corner

Links and resources mentioned: The Dispatch - https://thedispatch.com

“Evangelicals Decenter Jesus” by David French (The Atlantic Newsletter) - https://newsletters.theatlantic.com/the-third-rail/632df352c5c055002255fa9f/us-evangelical-christian-republican/

“The American right’s future involves waging a ‘religious battle’ against the left, leaders say at a conservative conference” (NBC) - https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2022-election/american-rights-future-involves-waging-religious-battle-left-leaders-s-rcna48961

Fuller Youth Institute - https://fulleryouthinstitute.org/stickyfaith

“The Evangelical Question in the History of American Religion” by Kirsten Sanders (The Hedgehog Review) - https://hedgehogreview.com/issues/the-use-and-abuse-of-history/articles/the-evangelical-question-in-the-history-of-american-religion

Holy Post episode 526 (includes discussion of above article) - https://www.holypost.com/post/episode-526-was-the-constitution-divinely-inspired-with-kaitlyn-schiess

National Conservatism: A Statement of Principles - https://nationalconservatism.org/national-conservatism-a-statement-of-principles/

“How Do Christians Fit Into the Two-Party System? They Don’t” by Tim Keller, 2018 (NYT) - https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/29/opinion/sunday/christians-politics-belief.html

Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/

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