For tonight’s episode of "Highest Power: Church + State," I talk about how the Trump administration's attack on the free press and free speech serves the purposes of the Seven Mountain Mandate. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

Why was Turning Point USA considered cool? Because previous stereotypes of conservatives on campus was stuffy blue blazers ala the group lambasted in the Jeremy Piven movie PCU

“I know the biblical definition of an idol. This is not an idol. This is a sculpture.” The two are not mutually exclusive…

Exactly. Hence the title of my book coming out next year. "Weapons of Worship: How the Songs of Evangelicalism Form the Soundtrack of Extremism.”

With the new golden Trump statue standing outside the U.S. Capitol building, why is modern politics getting so bizarre? It's a three article week for me this week. Here's the latest! baptistnews.com/article/this...

How should universities and scholars respond to the growing popularity of Christian nationalist authoritarianism on college campuses, while protecting themselves and their families? Check out my interview with professor and author Matthew Boedy. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

“I think the biggest challenge before every reporter and before every citizen right now is to see what is happening for real in front of us and say its name.” —Terry Moran

Why would so many college students resonate with Charlie Kirk? And how should universities respond? For tonight's episode of "Highest Power: Church + State," I interview professor and author Matthew Boedy, who has been on Kirk's "Professor Watchlist" since 2016.

Tonight, I'll be interviewing professor and author Matthew Boedy about why Charlie Kirk was so popular with college students and how universities should respond. But if you haven't listened to Monday's episode about Kirk yet, here it is. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

You know what's especially frustrating to me? I'm writing for a Christian news organization while interviewing Christian scholars who affirm the apostles creed who are deeply concerned about what other Christians are planning to do to them. 1/2

You know what’s going to be really annoying that I think we’re starting to get a glimpse of? JD Vance is going start playing Trump Cosplay to prove to MAGA that he’s a mean enough of a tough man dude to be the next bully on the block.

If Republicans don't want us to call the Trump administration fascist, then prove we're wrong by letting us speak our minds.

When I was a Republican, we thought Bush, McCain, and Romney were too nice. We wanted someone who would be mean. So we chose Trump, which is when I left. No matter how much the GOP pretends they're the nice ones, I remember who we were and what we wanted. We wanted a mean bully.

"Perry found 73% of conservatives said Jesus was on the right, 70% of moderates said Jesus was a moderate, and 76% of liberals said Jesus was a liberal. Each group projected theology onto Jesus from their social identity." baptistnews.com/article/thes...

"There’s another odd trend that’s beginning to spring up. Rather than reflecting on the words Kirk said during his life, evangelicals are creating AI videos of Kirk talking to evangelicals after his death." baptistnews.com/article/two-...

“We are belongers before we are believers.” —Samuel Perry

I have another article out today. In this piece, I decode white evangelicals putting out videos of AI Charlie Kirk talking to evangelicals about their cause after his death. baptistnews.com/article/two-...

In my latest episode of "Highest Power: Church + State," I dive deep into the Charlie Kirk story. Also, I'd like to thank BNG writer Mara Richards Bim for narrating part of her article about where Kirk grew up and how he rose to prominence on the right. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

The evening before the assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, I attended an event at Clemson University with sociologist Samuel Perry about religion and politics. The wisdom Perry shared that evening is crucial for our nation to heal.

For tonight's episode of "Highest Power: Church + State," I cover the assassination of Charlie Kirk. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

Christian nationalists have to make the case that both Jesus and the founding fathers wanted authoritarianism.

How should we respond now that we can no longer trust the CDC or the NIH thanks to RFK Jr. and the Trump administration? Don't miss my latest interview with Janet Kellogg Ray. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

Whatever our differences, we should be able to agree on this. From now on, if we're ever at a public political event and we see somebody laying down alone on top of a roof, let's report it.

For tonight's episode of "Highest Power: Church + State," I interview Janet Kellogg Ray about vaccines, autism, and the chaos at the CDC. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

One frustrating thing today is we’re being told to give empathy for a man who criticized empathy as a "new age, made up term." Sure, I’ll have empathy because I’m in touch with my humanity. But there are reasons we disagreed with him and thought he was harming our neighbors. 1/3

Trump wants to blame the left for demonizing the right when historians talk about the violence our nation has been marked by for centuries. But being self-aware of our history does not equate to being radically left and violent. We have to face our history in order to heal today.

When you say the U.S. is a Christian country and your gospel defines justice as violent retribution, don't be surprised when your country has a long-standing problem with trying to make things right through violent retribution. We have to re-embody justice as restorative healing.

As awful as Charlie Kirk's ideology is, as a human, I hope he's okay. We need to rid ourselves completely of fighting language. You'll hear me talk very strongly about being liberated and healed from the authoritarian dynamics of the right. But I won't talk about fighting them.

It's interesting how often I hear about how hostile higher education supposedly is to Christianity, when I can attend an event hosted by Clemson University featuring a Christian sociologist talking about why religion matters.

I met sociologist @profsamperry.bsky.social tonight at Clemson University. I thought this slide was interesting. In 2011, 60% of white evangelicals said "an elected official who commits immoral acts in their personal lives can't be ethical in their public duties." In 2018, it went down to just 16%.

Conservative evangelical Calvinists can't try to distance themselves from the abusive theology of R.C. Sproul Jr. when they support the likes of John Piper. baptistnews.com/article/here...

After commenting on Trump and Johnson's words about Epstein, I spend the majority of this episode listening to the Epstein survivors themselves and interviewing Mallory Challis, who shares how she listens to survivors as a woman, a journalist, and a theologian. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

For tonight's episode of "Highest Power: Church + State," I interview Baptist News Global writer Mallory Challis about the Epstein survivors' news conference and listening to survivors of abuse. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

CURRENT HEADLINES CNN: American workers face a sobering economic reality MSNBC: Even Republicans oppose Trump’s latest budget stunt FOXNEWS: Duty Before Ambition: Vance reveals Trump’s late-night calls and why he’s not rushing a 2028 decision

Hey evangelicals, remember last year when I asked in an article, "Will Christian Trump supporters exchange their humanity for ignorance or for violent delights?" It's almost as if I know what I'm talking about. baptistnews.com/article/will...

Sean Feucht is excited about his Federal Government sponsored worship service tonight. But nobody seems to have any questions about the fact that it's his sixth straight year leading worship at the national mall, it's on September 6th, and it's at 6 p.m. Hello! Where are all the number prophecies?!?

"They're simply reflecting in their politics what they believe to be true about the kingdom & nature of God. So, to get them to question their political position would require getting them to question their very understanding of what God is like." - @rickpidcock.bsky.social

Isaiah 5:20 — “Woe unto them that call evil good … that put darkness for light … that put bitter for sweet.” Theobros — “Child rape and murder aren’t tragedies because God causes them for his glory!” 1/2

It's "Let Us Worship" vs. "Pink Pony Club" as Sean Feucht faces off against a group of LGBTQ supporting kazoo players. So grab your shofar or your kazoo and learn more about the worship movement President Trump has officially invited to do spiritual warfare in Washington DC this weekend.

Apparently the conservative evangelical Calvinists don't know this. But it's not emotionalism to appeal to the fruit of the Spirit being present in people’s lives or to the softness of people’s hearts toward their neighbors when advocating for basic human kindness toward others.

"They believe God ordains and brings about child rape and murder for God’s own self-glory." ~ @rickpidcock.bsky.social baptistnews.com/article/here...

If you care about 10 year old girls, there's no reason you should be attending a church that lionizes men like John Piper, John MacArthur, and R.C. Sproul. If you won't hold your pastors accountable for promoting them, then you're complicit in this abuse. There's no room for compromise on this.

This weekend, the federal government is hosting Sean Feucht to do worship warfare on the national mall. But last weekend, Feucht was wielding worship as a weapon against LGBTQ supporters who were armed with kazoos and playing, “Pink Pony Club.”

Major TW on my piece today. R.C. Sproul Jr. argued this week that the rape and murder of a 10 year old girl isn't a tragedy. So I demonstrate how mainstream conservative evangelical Calvinists like John Piper and his pals believe God causes this violence against children for self-glory.

On tonight's episode of "Highest Power: Church + State," I share audio from Paul Washer sermons & Trump administration officials to demonstrate how the violent authoritarianism in white evangelical politics are coming from their unhealed trauma & theology of God. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...

Since launching "Highest Power: Church + State" six months ago, our downloads have increased every month, especially the last two months. So thank you to all who have listened, subscribed, and rated the show! Also, the episode that would've normally come out last night will be released tonight!

What's the point of learning a scientific discipline in a country where the government doesn't care about expertise and consensus?

Just because you have the right to be mean doesn't mean it's right to be mean.

To claim to be pro-life and then vote for Trump and RFK Jr’s GOP today is to turn your concern for the unborn into a total charade.

My desire in covering the Sons of Patriarchy this month has been to amplify the voices of the women on the ground. But the story became complicated when patriarchy began to appear w/ them too. So I spoke with their owner Sarah Bader about it all. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/h...