Episodes
It's In the Code, Ep 23: Christian Health and Safety
Oct. 5, 2022
Theologically and culturally conservative American Christians actively mock “liberal” or “progressive” or “secular” appeals to “safety” in society. And yet, the rhetoric of safety, and the related idea of “health,” have pene…
Everything You Need to Know About SWAJ
Sept. 30, 2022
Brad and Dan are in the same room! Recording SWAJ in person! It's the first time since 2019 and so they take the opportunity to do a primer on all things SWAJ: the origin story of the show, the rundown of all the series they…
It's In the Code, Ep. 22: God's Ways Are Not Our Ways
Sept. 28, 2022
Many have heard Christians claim that “God’s ways are not our ways,” or that “God moves in mysterious ways.” While these words might have been offered as comfort in a trying time, they have had a negative impact on many. In …
Andrew Seidel on How SCTOUS is Weaponizing Religious Liberty
Sept. 26, 2022
Brad speaks with constitutional lawyer Andrew Seidel about the crusade to weaponize religious freedom for the minority - and against the majority. The Bible speaks of people beating swords into plowshares, but some conservat…
Weekly Roundup: A Special Master
Sept. 24, 2022
ANNOUNCING THE FIRST SWAJ LIVE EVENT! https://www.bradonishi.com/nationalism/ Brad and Dan begin by going through the details of Trump's awful no good week of legal woes and lawsuits. Dan piles up the hits against him and sh…
It's In the Code, Ep. 21: In the World But Not of the World
Sept. 21, 2022
ANNOUNCING THE FIRST SWAJ LIVE EVENT! https://www.bradonishi.com/nationalism/ You may hear Christians say they are called to be “in the world, but not of the world”? What does that mean? When someone talks in this way, what …
Weekly Roundup: Mermaid Replacement Theory
Sept. 16, 2022
+ Uncle Ron DeSantis and His Migration Stunt
It's In the Code, Ep. 20: Freedom in Christ
Sept. 14, 2022
“Freedom in Christ” What do Christians mean when they appeal to “freedom in Christ”? Where does this phrase come from? How is it understood differently by different kinds of Christians? And why does it seem confusing or hypo…
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg On Repentance - And Why Forgiveness Is Overrated
Sept. 12, 2022
American culture focuses on letting go of grudges and redemption narratives instead of the perpetrator’s obligations or recompense for harmed parties. As survivor communities have pointed out, these emphases have too often o…
Special Episode: Christian Nationalists Denigrate 9/11 to Celebrate Trump
Sept. 11, 2022
Christian musician and political activist Sean Feucht wants people to join him on Sept. 11 for a time of worship at the U.S. Capitol Reflecting Pool. It’s not unusual for people to gather for prayer, reflection, and even mus…
Weekly Roundup: Racism from Middle America to Middle Earth
Sept. 9, 2022
Brad and Dan begin by discussing the recent "controversy" over the casting of BIPOC actors in a new Lord of the Rings series. Dan lays out the reactions from American conservatives who claim that casting a diverse cast is no…
It's In the Code, Ep. 19: God's Will
Sept. 7, 2022
“God’s Will” What does it mean when religious people appeal to “God’s will”? What kind of work does this do? Does it always provide the guidance and comfort for life it seems to promise? And what are the dangers of understan…
Weekly Roundup: Biden Uses the F Word
Sept. 2, 2022
Brad and Dan begin by discussing the growing case against Trump, whose seems to have clearly obstructed the retrieval of classified documents from his home. This leads to a discussion of how and when GOP elites will pivot aw…
It's in the Code, Ep. 18: Pronouns
Aug. 31, 2022
“Pronouns” What’s up with Christian nationalists and religious communities that are so angry when people talk about their pronouns? How does pronoun use relate to and express gender identity? Why do cisgender people also mar…
Jemar Tisby on Paternalism, Prejudice, and Power
Aug. 29, 2022
Brad is joined by the one and only Dr. Jemar Tisby. They discuss a range of issues related to paternalism, prejudice, and power. One of the first things Dr. Tisby points out is that compromise has often been the site of the …
Weekly Roundup: Jesus Died to Forgive Your Loans
Aug. 26, 2022
Brad and Dan begin the episode by discussing the student loan forgiveness announcement the Biden administration made this week. They ask whether it went far enough and then track the responses from the GOP, who uniformly den…
It's In the Code, Ep. 17: Spiritual Warfare 2.0
Aug. 24, 2022
“Spiritual Warfare 2.0” How do appeals to “spiritual warfare” relate to the social and political struggles of the flesh-and-blood world? How do different kinds of Christian communities and traditions understand the relation …
Evangelicals, Trump, and Civil War (Re-release)
Aug. 22, 2022
From the archives, an episode from 2019 centered on how fundamentalist religions are prone to violence. This episode has renewed relevance given the recent discussions of civil war in the wake of the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago…
Weekly Roundup: Rad Trad Catholics, SBC Investigations, and the Party of Trump
Aug. 19, 2022
Brad and. Dan begin by discussing the week's GOP primary results, nothing that the GOP remains the Party of Trump. They juxtapose these results with the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago, the Trump Org tax case in NY, and the other o…
It's In the Code, Ep. 16: Spiritual Warfare
Aug. 17, 2022
“Spiritual Warfare 1.0” What is “spiritual warfare”? Why do some Christians understand their faith and practice in terms of spiritual warfare? And what are some of the concrete effects of understanding Christianity in terms …
Talking to Red State Christians
Aug. 15, 2022
Brad speaks with journalist and pastor Angela Denker about the updated version of her book, Red State Christians. Denker spent a year traveling across the United States, interviewing the Evangelical Christian voters who supp…