Brad and Dan return with a packed Weekly Roundup that cuts through the noise of culture war headlines to get at what is really happening in American politics and religion this week. They start with the bizarre story dominatin...
Josh Hawley builds his account on masculinity and manhood on the idea that men are created in God’s image and, as such, are his representatives on earth. But what is Hawley’s God like? What kind of God does Hawley worship? Wh...
Brad takes a hard look at the American right’s response to the recent shooting of two National Guardsmen in Washington, DC, and shows how the rhetoric around the tragedy signals a shift from overt Christian nationalism to som...
This week Dan talks about the popular praise and worship song, “Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart.” What is the message of this song? Written as a song of solace and hope, how does it also express an attitude that denies the ...
Brad and Dan are back from the American Academy of Religion conference in Boston and kick off this episode with some love for the folks they met there before diving into a wild week in American politics and religion. They sta...
Brad Onishi sits down with Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Starr to dig into his new book, American Contradiction , and the idea that the United States is less a shining city on a hill and more a city built on a fault line. Starr ...
In this episode of 'Straight White American, Jesus,' Brad Oishi discusses the Trump administration's paradoxical treatment of Christianity. Highlighting the arrest of Christian clergy during a protest at the Broadview immigra...
[CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains references to, and discussion of, death by suicide]. In this episode, Dan begins exploring what Josh Hawley calls “a man’s battle.” Hawley argues that what defines men, what gives them ...
Brad takes listeners through two heartbreaking stories that reveal how religion, immigration policy, and selective notions of freedom collide in today’s political climate. He first looks at the attempted deportation of a Hol...
MAGAworld Splinters: Epstein Revelations, Civilizational Populism, and the Future of the GOP In this episode of Straight White American Jesus, hosts Brad O’Ri and Dan Miller discuss the tumultuous week surrounding U.S. politi...
Dan is off this week. So we are pleased to bring you a feature from our new limited series American Unexceptionalism: Global Lessons on Fighting Religious Nationalism with Dr. Matthew Taylor and Rev. Susan Hayward. South Kore...
One of the things small town librarian Amanda Jones values most about books is how they can affirm a young person's sense of self. So in 2022, when she caught wind of a local public hearing that would discuss “book content,” ...
Brad and Dan unpack the historic election of Zohran Mamdani as Mayor of New York City and the predictable right-wing meltdown that followed, complete with claims that he’s somehow both too weak to lead and an existential thre...
Josh Hawley argues that American “liberals” (anyone who isn’t a conservative Christian) don’t have a story to tell about men’s purpose in the world. But it turns out things are a lot more complicated than he lets on. It turns...
Brad Onishi is joined by Dr. Laura Field, author of Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right , for a fascinating look into the intellectual roots of the MAGA movement and its rising political stars, including JD Vance....
Dan’s “demon” costume sets the stage for a serious warning: Americans may not be able to vote freely in 2026. Brad argues that authoritarian tactics and election interference are accelerating, pointing to SNAP benefit cuts, A...
Josh Hawley devotes the second chapter of his book to outlining what he sees as “man’s purpose.” He promises to answer the question of why men are here, and what they are supposed to do. What does he see as this purpose? And ...
Brad welcomes Liz Theoharis and Charon Hribar, editors of We Pray Freedom: Liturgies and Rituals from The Freedom Church of the Poor . Both guests are key leaders in the faith-based anti-poverty movement and longtime organize...
Brad and Dan unpack the symbolism and substance behind the demolition of the East Wing of the White House to make way for a privately funded ballroom. They reflect on what presidential construction projects reveal about power...
This episode delves into the recent controversies surrounding Opus Dei, a secretive and influential organization within the Catholic Church. According to a report from Infovaticana, Opus Dei faces a significant internal ruptu...
This episode continues the exploration of how masculinity and the category of "man" function within the contemporary right, using Senator Josh Hawley’s book "Manhood" as a guide. Dan reads and reflects on Hawley’s arguments, ...
Dr. Brad Onishi dives into the ideological roots of one of Peter Thiel's most significant ventures, Palantir. Drawing from Thiel’s reflections on Leo Strauss's philosophy and the aftermath of 9/11, Onishi explores how Palanti...
In this episode, Brad Onishi sits down with Rev. Alba Onofrio—executive director of Soulforce and host of Teología Sin Vergüenza —for a powerful exploration of faith, queerness, and resistance. Together, they unpack how white...
Brad and Dan unpack a disturbing leaked group chat among young Republican leaders that reveals casual racism, homophobia, and even Nazi sympathies. They analyze how JD Vance publicly defended the individuals involved by dismi...
