The Holy Post

Americans are spending more time alone, inviting fewer people into their homes, and struggling to build meaningful friendships. What's behind the decline of hospitality, and what can the church do about it? Live from New York City, Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn are joined by pastor Rich Villodas to discuss the loneliness epidemic, our growing preference for digital entertainment, and why real community requires more than just joining a small group. They also explore the difference between feeling fear and being controlled by it, and why following Jesus means risking vulnerability and even getting hurt. Plus, can Skye and Kaitlyn...

Following last week's episode about the death penalty and a Southern Baptist leader calling for public executions, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the execution by firing squad of the man who killed 13 soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009 would be livestreamed. Skye is back with his take on what the Bible says about the death penalty, and why the brutality of public execution would make America more like ISIS than Jesus. Televangelist Jim Bakker died this week. Phil tells Bakker's messy story, how he exemplified the entrepreneurial spirit within evangelicalism, and even sings a song about Bakker's scandals. John...

Why is Pope Leo drawing massive crowds in one of the most secular countries in Europe? Phil, Kaitlyn, and Mike Erre talk about the Pope's surprising celebrity in France and whether people are becoming more open to Christianity when they see it lived with sincerity and conviction. Then, after a botched execution in Tennessee, some Christian leaders are calling for a return to public hangings and firing squads. Is the death penalty really demanded by Christian theology, or does the gospel call Christians toward a different vision of justice and mercy? Finally, Skye talks with Todd Deatherage about escalating...

Is empathy becoming a liability in American Christianity? Phil, Kaitlyn, and Mike Erre discuss the growing backlash against empathy and why some conservatives argue that too much compassion can lead to bad politics, bad theology, and even the decline of Western civilization. They also look at Russell Moore's warning about the "fear-driven church" and how anxiety about God, outsiders, and our own communities can shape the way Christians think and behave. Then, Kaitlyn talks with psychologist Alison Cook about attachment theory, the limits of human relationships, and why no other person can give us the security we ultimately need...

Podcast hosts, ASSEMBLE! Phil, Skye, Kaitlyn, and Esau come together to debrief the new books by Kristen Kobes Du Mez, Bonnie Kristian, and Charlie Dates, as well as their recent interviews on The Holy Post. They each critique or defend evangelicalism, but who's right? Is evangelicalism worth fixing? Does the current debate unknowingly center only white experiences of evangelicalism? And is evangelicalism even a thing, or just a category pollsters made up? Plus, the team wrestles with their own responsibility and calling in the Christian media marketplace.   Holy Post Plus: Ad-Free Version of t...

Following the 9/11 terrorist attack 25 years ago, Americans began using more "good versus evil" rhetoric, but have we taken it too far? Many of the tech bros developing AI were fans of sci-fi novels and movies in middle school, but completely missed the point of those stories. We may all pay the price. Bonnie Kristian, the deputy editor at Christianity Today, returns to discuss her new book "In Defense of Evangelicalism." While she agrees with many of the recent criticisms of the movement, she says the problems within evangelicalism are bugs rather than features and believes its critics have gone...

Historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of the best-selling "Jesus and John Wayne," is back with another look at the forces that shaped modern American evangelicalism. This time she explores the backstory of evangelical femininity in her new book, "Live Laugh Love: The Secret History of White Christian Women and the World They Made." Also this week: Phil wants to know what links three recent celebrity deaths—Dolly Parton, Gloria Steinem, and Wendell Berry. To the surprise of many, The Christian Post has published an anti-Christian nationalist article. Is it a sign that the evangelical support for MAGA is fi...

Why are the Christians who profess right doctrine about God often the most opposed to social justice in his name? That contradiction is at the heart of Charlie Dates' new book. He talks with Skye about how separating justice and righteousness is damaging both white evangelicalism and young black activists. Also this week: Reflections on the wisdom of Dolly Parton, why religious tolerance isn't enough to heal America's divisions, and the difficulty of being an introvert within evangelicalism.   Holy Post Plus: Ad-Free Version of this Episode: https://holypost.substack.com/p/728d...

Socialism appears to be having a moment with a recent CNN poll finding that one-third of Democratic voters now consider themselves "democratic socialists." But what does socialism believe, and is it compatible with Christianity? Kaitlyn interviews Matthew Loftus about pop psychology and how the spread of therapy culture can distort the Christian life. Also this week: After shutting down U.S.A.I.D., why is the Trump administration now increasing funding to Christian relief agencies? Why do conservatives have more children than liberals? And would you like cake in your shake?   Holy Post Plus:</p...

Dating apps were supposed to make romance easier, but have they actually made men and women worse at dating? Kaitlyn Schiess takes over the host chair with Skye Jethani and Mike Erre to talk about Bumble's decision to let men make the first move and why modern dating culture seems to be leaving everyone frustrated. Then they turn to AI and ask what happens when people start outsourcing friendship, advice, and intimacy to chatbots, and why churchgoing Christians may be especially eager to trust the technology. Later, Kaitlyn talks with musicologist Kelsey McGinnis about the resurgence of contemporary Christian...

Since the 1980s, the Republican Party has increasingly been associated with Christianity, while the Democratic Party has distanced itself from religious rhetoric to be more inclusive. But is that changing? This year, a surprising number of pastors are running for Congress as Democrats, and they are not shy about infusing their campaigns with faith. Republicans eager to protect their brand are fighting back by calling these progressive clergy candidates "PINOs"—Pastors in Name Only. In related news, Ryan Burge reveals surprising data about the political views of mainline ministers. Kaitlyn interviews counterterrorism expert Elizabeth Neumann about the rise of po...

The age of generic, non-denominational Christianity may be coming to an end. Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn discuss why Christians are increasingly drawn to narrower theological identities, and whether the internet is turning legitimate doctrinal differences into purity tests and church fights. Then, the crew opens the mailbag to answer whether prenuptial agreements are compatible with Christian marriage and if praying in public is an authentic expression of faith or an uncomfortable performance. They also consider what Christians should read to better understand the end times and why Jesus supplied wine to an already-drunk wedding party. Also this week, why...

"Big Eva" may be fading, but a new generation of online Christian influencers is taking its place. Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn discuss the rise of "Gig Eva," how digital platforms are reshaping Christian authority, and why accountability to real churches and communities still matters. Then, the number of words people speak each day is dropping as more of everyday life moves online. The crew considers what we lose when convenience replaces even the smallest human interactions. Then, Skye talks with behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley about why conversations with strangers usually go better than we expect. They discuss how small...

Why was there almost no emphasis on "church growth" before the 1970s, and how does the fixation on it for the last 40 years correspond with the American economy? Skye talks with Andrew Root about his new book, "Baal and the Gods of More," about the link between the modern church growth movement and ancient pagan fertility gods. A new report by Ryan Burge says that for decades those who left the church were turned off by partisan politics and the religious right, but that trend might be changing. Also this week, Brazil blames its poor performance in the World...

Some of the Apostle Paul's letters in the Bible can be defensive, sarcastic, and even mean. New Testament scholar Scot McKnight says his nasty tone may stem from deep pain. But Paul's trauma wasn't caused by the persecution of nonbelievers but by fellow Christians. He offers Skye an illuminating look into what the apostle can teach us about church trauma today. Mike Erre joins the podcast crew to discuss the declining support for Israel among American Christians, the weird work of VR missionaries, a theory about aliveness that challenges introverts, and a robot that responds when nature calls. <...

Two members of Congress, one Republican and one Democrat, had a meeting recently where they fundamentally disagreed about the meaning of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25. Their disagreement has now spilled into the media. Why has this chapter of the Bible become the new dividing line between Christians in the public square? Kaityn interviews Tish Harrison Warren about her new book about Christian resilience and what disillusioned believers can learn from the desert mothers and fathers. And fifty years ago, the media declared 1976 the "Year of the Evangelicals." The Holy Post crew discusses one historian's look back...

The United States is turning 250 this week, but the country is divided about the anniversary. Should the country celebrate or lament? Historian Robert Tracy McKenzie joins Skye to talk about the ongoing fight over how to tell America's story, why we reject nuance, and what he saw at the Rededicate 250 event in Washington, D.C. that made him concerned. Kaitlyn offers her take on a New York Times interview with Louise Perry about rethinking the sexual revolution. Perry argues, as a non-believer, for the recovery of sexual ethics that seem very Christian. What does that say about our culture's...

Over the last decade, white evangelicals in the U.S. have lost their moral credibility. In response, Peter Wehner says the church should embrace a form of "Christian humanism." The Holy Post crew discusses his article, what he gets right, and why that label may be a barrier for some. Kaitlyn interviews biblical scholar Michael Rhodes about his book,"Reimagining Biblical Politics: What Scripture Says About Public Life and Why It Matters." Rather than looking to specific verses to define our political positions, Rhodes says we must allow all of Scripture to shape our imaginations and then use discernment...

Last year, the President celebrated his birthday with a military parade. This year, he hosted a UFC cage match on the South Lawn of the White House. It's easy to compare it to the gladiator games honoring the Roman emperor, but Phil asks whether it's a sign that America would rather emulate pre-Christian Roman values than biblical ones. Americans can no longer agree on how to teach American history, so we're not teaching it much at all. Is it possible to recover a shared national story? Nijay Gupta is back to discuss his latest book, "Paul for the World,"...

While secular journalists, scholars, and even the Pope are wrestling with big questions about Artificial Intelligence, the war in the Middle East, and what it means to be truly human, the Southern Baptists have decided the most urgent problem in 2026 is banning women from preaching. Phil asks why evangelicals are still fixated on issues from 50 years ago, while other Christian traditions are leading the culture in tackling modern questions. Zachary Wagner, author of "Men of Virtue," joins Skye and Kaitlyn for a roundup of masculine news. Wagner says the excesses of some expressions of feminism have fueled a subculture...