Laura Polk returns to the show to discuss the Jan 6th insurrection and the Religious Right. In particular, we discuss three pivotal events in 1980, and how they set the stage for much of what's followed. This interview was recorded on 2/7/2021. Laura Polk is an independent educator and researcher.…
Chris Stedman is a Minneapolis-based writer, speaker, and community organizer. In this conversation, we discuss his book IRL: Finding Realness, Meaning, and Belonging in Our Digital Lives (https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9781506463513) , how people form and express their identities online, spirituality "fads," and much more! (This conversation was recorded on January 4th, 2021,…
It's 2021. Ossoff & Warnock won the Senate, and the next day Trump supporters stormed the Capitol Building after being incited by the President himself and encouraged by Senators Cruz and Hawley. 5 people died. White evangelicalism bears much of the burden for this by creating an environment--over decades!--that encouraged…
My guests for this episode are The Dirty Rotten Church Kids, aka Josh Link & Adrian Gibbs. The DRCK has taken exvangelical Instagram by storm over the past year, and their podcast has created its own community that is in their words, equal parts HEAVY and LIGHT. In this conversation…
In this extended excerpt from Episode 0, Diana Butler Bass discusses the shift that occurred in white American fundamentalism following the Scopes Monkey Trial. This is the point in which our conversation pivots into unexpected territory - I thought we would be discussing a broad survey of the history of…
In the season 1 finale of Powers & Principalities, I speak with Reza Aslan about what we've learned about the United States in the past four years. In particular, we discuss what it means that 70 million Americans voted for Trump to be re-elected, the cult-like characteristics of Trumpism, the…
In this episode, I speak with Jeff Sharlet, author of The Family (https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780060560058) (which was turned into a Netflix documentary series (https://g.co/kgs/itF8AF) of the same name). We discuss the actions of President Trump and the GOP to undermine the results of the election, the role of QAnon, "police nationalism," and…
Prof. Bradley Onishi from Straight White American Jesus returns to the show to discuss Election Week. We discuss the historical significance of the election of Vice President Kamala Harris, the decisive victory of Joe Biden & the GOP's refusal to concede, and what comes next. Follow Brad on Twitter @BradleyOnishi…
Some initial thoughts on the 2020 Election. Acknowledging what was accomplished, and the work that still needs to be done. Follow Blake on Twitter (https://twitter.com/brchastain) and subscribe to The Post-Evangelical Post (https://postevangelicalpost.substack.com) , where you will find a corresponding transcript, along with some additional links. --- Send in a voice…
We're one day out until the November 3rd election. In this brief episode, Blake reviews this season's guests and the threats that remain regardless of the outcome of election day. If you haven't voted early, please make your plan to vote and make your voice heard. Use the Vote Save…
On this week's episode, I am joined by Bradley Onishi of the Straight White American Jesus podcast to answer your questions about white evangelicalism and Christian nationalism. You all had some really wonderful questions, and it was equally wonderful to have an opportunity to answer them alongside Brad. Bradley Onishi…
My guest this week is Dr. Anthea Butler, associate professor of religion and Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania and author of the upcoming book White Evangelical Racism: The Politics of Morality in America. In addition to her upcoming book (to be released in March 2021), we discuss her…
In this episode, I chat with Anne Helen Petersen about her book Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation.
Check out the latest episode of Powers & Principalities! Listen to the full podcast here https://anchor.fm/powers--principalities/episodes/Episode-9-The-Religious-Left-with-Jack-Jenkins-eljghg (video made with @headlinervideo)
My guest this week is Jack Jenkins, national reporter for Religion News Service and author of the book American Prophets: The Religious Roots of Progressive Politics and the Ongoing Fight for the Soul of the Country (Amazon (https://amzn.to/31HYfyd) , Bookshop (https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780062935984) ). We discuss how one defines "the religious left,"…
In this episode, I chat with Anne Helen Petersen about her book Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation (Amazon (https://amzn.to/3kqjuvQ) , Bookshop (https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780358315070) ). We discuss her spiritual & religious background, her viral essay on BuzzFeed that led to this book, how the way we use social media…
My guest this week is Dr. Anthea Butler, associate professor of religion and Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania and author of the upcoming book White Evangelical Racism: The Politics of Morality in America (https://amzn.to/3ob0Udn) . In addition to her upcoming book (to be released in March 2021), we…
My guest this week is Luke Barnett, writer and star of the new film Faith Based, which is available now on demand. Faith Based is a comedy about two friends who want to strike it rich by making a Christian film, and its cast includes Jason Alexander, Margaret Cho, David…
On this week's episode, I am joined by Bradley Onishi of the Straight White American Jesus (https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu?fbclid=IwAR1hdcWlEP2_mQj5jtBwTKFL1EXzqgPMwg_A6jmvxoxXMCTszDB3WaFQeOM) podcast to answer your questions about white evangelicalism and Christian nationalism. You all had some really wonderful questions, and it was equally wonderful to have an opportunity to answer them alongside Brad. Bradley…
My guest this week is Robert Jones, founder and CEO of PRRI (The Public Religion Research Institute), and author of the recent book White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity (Amazon (https://amzn.to/3lexWqF) , Bookshop (https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9781982122867) ). In this discussion, we talk about how his book reveals…
My guest this week is Sarah Posner, author of the book Unholy: Why White Evangelicals Worship at the Altar of Donald Trump (Bookshop (https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9781984820426) , Amazon (https://amzn.to/367tLZw) ). In her book, Sarah details the intellectual and social connections between the New Right, the Religious Right, and alt-right - and the…
We're taking a brief break to allow a little more time for production, but we're ready to take your questions. Brad Onishi (of Straight White American Jesus) & I will be taking your questions and answering them on the air in an upcoming episode. Submit your questions by Monday October…
My guest this week is Julie Ingersoll, professor of religious studies at the University of North Florida and author of the book Building God's Kingdom: Inside the World of Christian Reconstruction (Amazon (https://amzn.to/35yq4eZ) , Bookshop.org (https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780199913787) ). Christian Reconstruction is a movement that can be hard to both explain and…
My guests this week are Sam Perry & Andrew Whitehead, authors of the book Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States (Amazon, (https://amzn.to/3i7eVWb) Bookshop.org (https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780190057886) ). Perry & Whitehead are sociologists, and have published their data about America's relationship to Christian nationalism. They help define a…