In the 1980s, Frank Peretti's best-selling novels about the spiritual war between angels and demons captivated evangelicals, but they also fostered a belief that anything out of step with conservative white Christianity was downright satanic. The podcast crew discuss their own experiences with Peretti's books and how they've shaped today's culture war—including a congresswoman's recent statement that Catholics helping immigrants is proof the church is run by Satan. Then, Beth Allison Barr is back one year after the release of her provocative book "The Making of Biblical Womanhood," to discuss what she's learned from her critics as well as from her fans. And she offers pastoral advice for those struggling in patriarchal Christian communities. Plus, a family finds a tasty time capsule in their bathroom wall, and the underappreciated charms of Dubuque, Iowa.

Patreon Bonus: https://www.patreon.com/posts/65967806/

News Segment 0:00 - Intro 2:24 - Dubuque travelogues 8:10 - Tasty time capsule https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/illinois-family-finds-bag-preserved-mcdonalds-food-half-century-ago-ho-rcna26252

16:49 - Fantasy novels and satanic conspiracies https://religionnews.com/2022/04/28/marjorie-taylor-greene-feuds-with-conservatives-catholics-over-satan-remarks-border-bishops-satan/https://www.vox.com/culture/23033782/frank-peretti-this-present-darkness-piercing-the-darkness-cultural-influence-moral-panic

46:56 - Patreon bonus plug https://www.patreon.com/posts/65967806/

Interview with Beth Allison Barr

"The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth" book - https://amzn.to/3KNm8s0Postscript to book - http://cdn.bakerpublishinggroup.com/processed/book-resources/files/The_Making_of_Biblical_Womanhood_-_Postscript_Chapter.pdf?1650389860

47:53 - Intro 48:31 - Journey with book 55:39 - History and theology 58:58 - Untangling cultural elements in scripture 1:03:29 - Hindsight and reflection on critiques 1:12:46 - Role of social media 1:15:59 - Three FAQs https://www.patheos.com/blogs/anxiousbench/2022/03/ideas-about-women-matter-a-resource-list-for-women-in-church-history/ 1:22:17 - Hope?

1:25:09 - Credits

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.

The Supreme Court is hearing arguments in a case about a public high school football coach who prays on the field. Is he violating the First Amendment because he's a state-funded employee engaging in religious activity on the job? Or, is his religious expression protected by the First Amendment? David French explains the court's history on public school teachers and free speech, why he thinks the coach is likely to win, and why religious liberty protections have never been stronger. Then, French talks about his first encounter with Critical Race Theory as a law student at Harvard 30 years ago. Skye asks, if CRT has been around for so long, why is it only now being seen as a threat to both America and Christianity? French explains how the definition of CRT has changed, how it's been leveraged by media voices on the political right since 2020, and why the issue of race may be leading to a new schism in the American church.

00:00 - Intro

00:45 - Football Prayer "Why We Fight About Football Prayers" - https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/april-web-only/scouts-football-prayers-kennedy-bremerton-first-amendment.html

31:07 - CRT hysteria "How the Fight Over Critical Race Theory Became a Religious War" - https://frenchpress.thedispatch.com/p/how-the-fight-over-critical-race?s=r

"Racial Compromise and Complicity at Grove City College" - https://jemartisby.substack.com/p/racial-compromise-and-complicity?r=dfab0&s=w&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

1:04:05 - Credits

The battle between Governor DeSantis and Disney is heating up in Florida. The culture war may be good for politicians, but why is it bad for Christians? Then, a former White House spokesperson says if Christians want to win the culture war they need to have more babies. Kaitlyn and Skye explain why that strategy contradicts the New Testament. Phil looks at Grove City College's anti-CRT statement and why the school's attack on Jemar Tisby amounts to revisionist history. Then, Kaitlyn talks with Rachel Anderson from the Center for Public Justice about her advocacy for paid family leave, why the policy is proven to reduce abortions, and how it fits with Christian theology and ethics. Plus, Phil is building a big beautiful wall.

News Segment0:00 - Intro 6:15 - DeSantis vs. Disney 25:36 - Christian babies and culture wars https://www.salon.com/2022/03/30/kayleigh-mcenany-wants-more-christian-babies-its-an-overt-call-out-to-paranoia/

38:07 - Grove City College and Jemar Tisby https://jemartisby.substack.com/p/racial-compromise-and-complicity?utm_medium=ios&s=r

Sponsor 47:57 - Faithful Counseling faithfulcounseling.com/holypost

Interview with Rachel Anderson Center for Public Justice: https://www.cpjustice.org Families Valued Policy Resources: https://www.familiesvalued.org/resources-policy 49:08 - Interview intro 53:28 - Paid family leave policies overview 1:01:51 - Theological framework for paid family leave 1:04:25 - Defining family and its purpose 1:07:43 - Difficulties in implementing paid family leave policy in US 1:11:12 - Citizenship as a collective activity 1:16:22 - Resources

In a lengthy article in The Atlantic, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt explains how social media has made our entire society more stupid in the last decade, and compares the disunity it's causing to the Tower of Babel. Phil, Skye, and Christian discuss the article and what can be done to reverse the trends. Then, pastor Albert Tate talks about his new book, "How We Love Matters: A Call to Practice Relentless Racial Reconciliation." By sharing personal stories, Tate says we must learn to live with being offended, commit to community, and love anyway. Plus, teenage gorillas are getting too much screen time.

News Segment 0:00 - Intro and updates 3:03 - Fasting from whiteness https://religionnews.com/2022/04/08/chicago-area-pastor-says-his-church-is-fasting-from-whiteness-and-getting-pushback-during-lent/

6:16 - Gorillas, teens, and screen time 13:35 - Stupid social media "Why the Past 10 Years of American Live Have Been Uniquely Stupid" by Jonathan Haidt - https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/05/social-media-democracy-trust-babel/629369/

Holy Post episode 495 with Robert Tracy McKenzie- https://www.holypost.com/post/episode-495-the-false-gospel-of-democracy-with-robert-tracy-mckenzie

Unbelievable? The Conference - https://www.unbelievable.live

Interview with Albert Tate Albert Tate - https://alberttate.com "How We Love Matters: A Call to Practice Relentless Racial Reconciliation" - https://amzn.to/36s6e86

47:51 - Interview intro 49:42 - Committing to community 53:48 - Loving while offended 1:00:07 - When to stay and when to leave 1:04:29 - Generational trauma/injustice and generational privilege 1:18:09 - Hope for the American church 1:24:48 - Credits

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.

Conservative political rallies and protests are increasingly using Christian worship music. How is this different than the role of faith in the Civil Rights movement, and why should Christians on all sides be cautious about attaching God's name to their activism? Then, new data says Trump's presidency dramatically altered attitudes about race and prejudice in America. And Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn respond to listener questions about last week's episode on Disney and LGBTQ representation. Then, author and editor Drew Dyck is back for another round of media recommendations. This installment of "Dyck's Picks" includes a book on deconstruction, some Easter-themed poetry, and a TV drama with something to say to the church about ethics and the culture war. Plus, beware of un-Lucky Charms.

News Segment: 0:00 - Intro With God Daily: http://withgoddaily.com

5:22 - News of the Butt https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-investigates-lucky-charms-stomach-illness-reports-rcna23483

8:10 - Listener responses to last week's episode https://www.holypost.com/post/episode-503-woke-disney-teens-in-crisis-racial-reconciliation-with-derwin-gray

20:25 - Political worship rallies https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/06/us/christian-right-wing-politics.html

37:43 - Trump's racial topography

Sponsor: 48:05 - Faithful Counseling faithfulcounseling.com/holypost

Dyck's Picks with Drew Dyck: 49:16 - Interview intro 51:31 - Pick 1: "Fractured Faith" by Lina AbuJamra https://amzn.to/3xndQDN

1:1:15 - Pick 2: Yellowstone (TV series) 1:13:20 - Pick 3: "Bower Lodge" by Paul J. Pastor https://amzn.to/3JNmyOB

1:19:23 - Final story: "With" by Skye Jethani https://amzn.to/3uAFdZB

1:24:14 - Credits

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.

The feud between Florida's governor and Disney is getting hotter with new leaked footage of a Disney executive speaking about the company's goals for LGBTQ representation. What are both the Right and Left getting wrong in the debate, and why should we see sexual orientation and gender identity as different from race? Also, new studies show an alarming rise in mental health disorders among teens, but there's some good news for those involved in religious communities. Plus, Derwin Gray is back to talk about his new book, "How to Heal our Racial Divide." He shares how his church is taking the call for racial reconciliation "from the seats to the streets," and why so many church leaders remain afraid to talk about race.

News Segment

0:00 - Intro and updates

3:30 - Disney controversy update

26:43 - Teen mental health https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/03/31/student-mental-health-decline-cdc/

31:34 - Religion, college, and mental health https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/15/opinion/religion-school-success.html

https://neurosciencenews.com/religious-accountability-wellbeing-20126/

Interview with Derwin Gray "How to Heal Our Racial Divide" - https://amzn.to/3JaWnkn

Derwin Gray - derwinlgray.com

45:44 - Intro

47:18 - Book overview

49:01 - Multiethnic churches and resistance from leaders

1:01:13 - Christian responsibility in fixing unjust systems

1:09:09 - Police

1:17:11 - Importance of mourning

1:26:24 - Credits

Other resources mentioned: Holy Post episode 458: "The Gospel Demands Multiethnic Churches" - https://www.holypost.com/post/episode-458-the-gospel-demands-multiethnic-churches

Derwin Gray's IG live with former CMPD Chief, Kerr Putney: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CAxrK4hJzLj/

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

The conservative (and maybe Christian?) satire site Babylon Bee has had their Twitter account suspended for giving a trans woman their "Man of the Year" award. Babylon Bee says they're being punished for speaking the truth, but are they just being mean? And an essay in the Washington Post by Christine Emba says our sexual ethic of consent alone isn't working. Has she uncovered evidence that our secular culture is more receptive to Christian sexual ethics than we thought? Then Kaitlyn Schiess talks with author, poet, and English profess Daniel Bowman Jr. about his book, "On the Spectrum: Autism, Faith, & the Gifts of Neurodiversity." Bowman, who is on the spectrum himself, dispels myths about autism and offers helpful ideas about how we can love those in our families and communities who are neurodiverse. Plus, an update from the Animal News desk.

Holy Post Patreon (now with book club!) - https://www.patreon.com/holypost

News Segment

0:00 - Intro 2:54 - Animal News https://relevantmagazine.com/culture/no-more-monkey-business-publix-will-stop-selling-coconut-milk-collected-from-enslaved-monkeys/

10:41 - Babylon Bee 19:39 - Sexual ethics https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/03/17/sex-ethics-rethinking-consent-culture/

Sponsor 49:24 - Faithful Counseling faithfulcounseling.com/holypost

Interview with Daniel Bowman Jr.

https://www.danielbowmanjr.com

"On the Spectrum: Autism, Faith, & the Gifts of Neurodiversity" - https://amzn.to/3qJnpZC

50:33 - Interview intro and book overview 54:38 - Loving neighbor 58:32 - Neurodiversity and Own Voices 1:02:56 - Culture making "Culture Making" by Andy Crouch - https://amzn.to/3JXvQII 1:07:33 - Autism and the church 1:14:55 - Bad Christian stories 1:19:10 - Loving people across space 1:22:29 - End

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.

Before recently winning the NCAA women's 500-yard freestyle swimming championship, Lia Thomas competed in the sport as a man. Should that matter? David French talks with Skye Jethani about the complexities of transgender rights, and why we need a more nuanced understanding of what "equal protection" means in the law. Then, French says the real divisions in our culture and politics aren't primarily between Republicans and Democrats, or between conservatives and progressives, but between a traditional understanding of liberalism and the dangers of illiberalism.

0:00 - Intro 0:48 - Trans athletes "What Do We Do When People Are Equal, But Not Alike?" (David French article) - https://frenchpress.thedispatch.com/p/what-do-we-do-when-people-are-equal?s=r

34:28 - Liberalism and illiberalism 1:02:45 - EndHoly Post Patreon (now with book club!) - patreon.com/holypost

Florida is the latest front in the culture war with a controversial bill to prevent teachers from speaking to children about the existence of same-sex couples or transgender people. But is the bill so vague that it could also prevent schools from acknowledging opposite-sex married couples too? The crew breaks down the intent, and the possible side effects, of Florida's "Don't Say Gay" law. And, what does Disney's response to the controversy tell us about where the wider culture is heading?

Then, pastor and president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition (NALEC), Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero, joins Skye for a conversation about the growing influence of Latinos within evangelicalism. He says the diverse perspectives of Latino Christians offers the white church a "view from below," and promises to bring renewal to the American church, but we shouldn't romanticize the movement either. Plus, an example of Christian Nationalism in the wild, and goats go to church.

News Segment

0:00 - Intro 5:21 - Animal News https://www.al.com/news/2022/03/baaaaaaad-goats-break-into-alabama-church-shatter-glass-door.html

7:52 - An example of Christian nationalism https://www.christianpost.com/voices/is-this-our-last-chance.html

19:49 - Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill 30:13 - Disney's response

Sponsor 41:03 - Abide abide.co/holypost

Interview with Gabriel Salguero

National Latino Evangelical Coalition: https://nalec.org Gabriel Salguero: https://twitter.com/PastorsSalguero

42:14 - Interview start 45:36 - Latino evangelical experience in America 50:32 - Shared challenges 53:47 - Future of the church and evangelicalism 1:03:51 - Navigating recent tumultuous times 1:17:27 - Hope for the future

Other resources mentioned: "The Dissenters Trying to Save Evangelicalism From Itself" (David Brooks article) - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/04/opinion/evangelicalism-division-renewal.html

The gang's all here! Phil, Skye, Christian, & Kaitlyn are all in the studio for the first time ever to record this very special episode of the Holy Post. They retell the show's origin story dating all the way to Phil's talkshow dreams in the 1980s, how that accidentally gave rise to VeggieTales, why Skye got roped into the scheme, how Christian went from TV producer to podcast co-host, and how Kaitlyn is leveraging her new Holy Post notoriety. The crew then countdown the Top 10 stories of the last 10 years, and speculate about what the future holds for faith in America. Featuring original songs by Phil, voice messages from the audience, and a mythological Inuit knife, this is an episode for the ages!

Holy Post Quiz Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgIOoK0BpkY

Holy Post Patreon (now with book club!): patreon.com/holypost

Episode 500 merch: holypost.com/shop

Special thanks to: Waylon Klix, creator of brick characters included on episode 500 art card and in the video; Ellie Kleinsasser, creator of episode 500 merch design; and all our Patreon supporters who submitted voice messages! (For time's sake, we couldn't include all the voice messages we received, but we loved listening to every one that came in.)

0:00 - Intro song 00:42 - Voice messages: Shelby, Jared, Edgar 02:31 - Holy Post origin story 23:33 - News of the Butt https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352409X19305371

28:26 - Voice messages: JT, Jere 29:50 - Sponsor - Abide http://abide.co/holypost 31:01 - Announcements 32:47 - Voice messages: Quinn, David 34:23 - 10 stories from 10 years, part 1 "Facts Are Our Friends: Why Sharing Fake News Makes Us Look Stupid and Harms Our Witness" (Ed Stetzer) - https://churchleaders.com/outreach-missions/outreach-missions-articles/299041-facts-friends-sharing-fake-news-makes-us-look-stupid-harms-witness.html

52:20 - Voice messages: Michael, Catherine, Sarah, Ethan 55:21 - Sponsor - Faithful Counseling faithfulcounseling.com/holypost 56:31 - 10 stories from 10 years, part 2 "Justice" video (Bible Project) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A14THPoc4-

"Struggling with Evangelicalism" book (Dan Stringer) - https://amzn.to/3MTixL5

1:15:20 - "Crazy" song 1:17:20 - Looking ahead 1:27:59 - Voice messages: Raphael, Rick, Laura, Denise 1:31:01 - End

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.