Episodes

Some just want to watch the world burn. But for others, the end of the world is an opportunity to rebuild it in their image. On this penultimate episode, Brad explores how global kleptocrats, Donald Trump, and Christian Reconstructionists all view the end of the world as a chance for power and control. It is the simplest and scariest explanation of why the Religious Right continues to support the 45th president--they both want to destroy the world. This episode contains an interview with Prof. Julie Ingersoll, author of Building God's Kingdom: Inside the World of Christian Reconstruction. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/message Support this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>

Dan laments the end of our favorite segment, Falwell's Follies. Then he and Brad discuss the interfaith and mixed-race background of Kamal Harris, Birtherism 2.0, the attempt to steal the election at the post office, Kanye West working for the Trump campaign, the illegal appointment of the DHS head, Latinx voters turning Republican, and the unraveling of American democracy.--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/messageSupport this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>

Brad talks to Dr. Diana Butler Bass, distinguished scholar of American Christianity, about Jerry Falwell Jr's. demise. Last week, racy pictures posted by Falwell on social media led to him being put on indefinite leave from the university. Dr. Bass provides insight into why this particular scandal led to his downfall, the gendered dynamics of the situation, and the well marked path for Falwell's redemption. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/message Support this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>

Brad speaks with Marc-André Argentino, a PhD candidate and public scholar at Concordia University in Quebec, and an Associate Fellow with the Global Network on Extremism and Technology (GNET) at King's College London. They discuss the origins of QAnon, its deep connections with evangelical Christianity, the new Q-Church, and the ways QAnon's conspiracies are worsening the public health crisis by spreading disinformation. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/message Support this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>

Brad tells a story about a mishap during a colonoscopy. He and Dan then cover the myriad of stories from a crazy news week: -Eric Metaxas thinks Jesus is White -Tom Cotton: slavery was a necessary evil -Herman Cain dies from COVID after Trump rally -Remembering John Lewis -Trump's favorite doctor and her theology of demon insemination -Jared Kushner's failed COVID response -Trump's abysmal poll numbers on COVID, race, and the suburbs -John Ortberg resigns --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/message Support this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>

If you want to take the country back for God, if you want to have dominion over every level of society, if you want to ensure a white Christian patriarchy rules over the land--you have to start with the children. Christian school movements are part of the fabric of the Religious Right. On this episode, Brad examines why the Christian schooling movement--including homeschooling--took off in the 60s, how it has shed government oversight, and what effects its having on our public education system and our public square. This episode features interviews with Dr. Chrissy Stroop and Scott Okamoto. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/message Support this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>

Dan talks about his house, or at least television, being struck by lightning. He and Brad then discuss Trump's messaging failures, Biden's candidacy as an appetizing saltine cracker, the scary situation in Portland, a baseball player who can't kneel for Black lives "because he's a Christian," the dangerous push to open schools no matter what, and AOC's absolute fire on the House floor. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/message Support this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>

You might be surprised to learn that the history of sex ed in the USA is a religious history. Christians were not always the enemies of science-based sex education programs. But during the 1960s, the Religious Right began a war against comprehensive sex education. Since then, it has been able to implement abstinence-only sex ed programs through tens of millions of dollars in federal funding. Where did this war start? Who are its major players? And why are evangelicals so afraid of condoms? This ...

Brad tells a story of scowling at a Supreme Court justice at the super market. Dan reveals he worked in Yellowstone National Park with Bill Clinton. They then discuss Trump's abysmal poll numbers and their causes: the anti-science approach to schools re-opening and the CDC; the anti-teacher approach to education; the deployment of secret police in Portland; the white nationalism of Tucker Carlson. All of this is discussed in the context of Christian nationalism.--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/messageSupport this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>

Dan tell us why he hates the beach. Brad finishes his weeping on election night story. Then, they discuss Trump's Christian nationalist Confederate strategy (5:03), the Ministerial Exception expanded by SCOTUS (20:46), Religious Institutions receiving COVID relief money (29:24), Betsy Devos' attempt to weaken public schools, Dominionism, and the Religious Right's claim that abortion = slavery.--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/messageSupport this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>

Since the mid-twentieth century, evangelicals and others on the Religious Right have looked to Hollywood, rather than the Bible, to construct their visions of "cowboy masculinity." It started with John Wayne and Ronald Reagan, then moved to Mel Gibson and others. On the political side, tough guys like Barry Goldwater and Donald Trump were favored over more reflective leaders like Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama. Conservative women, such as Phyllis Schlafly and Maribel Morgan, provided the tools to construct a corresponding submissive femininity. The militant masculinity of the Religious Right is a key component to their love for strongmen leaders, willingness to engage authoritarianism over democracy, and desire to return the country to a white Christian patriarchy. This episode features an interview with Dr. Kristin Kobes du Mez, the author of the new book: Jesus and John Wayne: How Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation." --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.f…

Use JESUS20 for 20% off at Swanson.com! Dan and Brad hosted a live meeting with SWAJ listeners. We had a great discussion of important questions. They are listed below: Questions for SWAJ Q+A, June 30, 2020: Randall Balmer’s three point definition of evangelical does not directly mention a belief in Hell or an afterlife. The evacuation plan seems to be such a focus in many churches and I believe this is foundational to many conversions, ie, the fear of spending eternity in a firey Hell or the promise of spending eternity in a heavenly mansion. Has there been any research as to how many people are converted out of fear, especially children? Would you consider the Great Commission a form of colonialism for Christian Nationalists? How did you choose your show music? 2. What does faith mean to you? 3. What kinds of research from other PhDs in your field do you hope to see coming out of the movement for Black lives? 4. The conservative takeover of the Southern Baptist conve…

Brad and Dan discuss the expanded recognition of Juneteenth and its significance for American history, the surprising new from SCOTUS on discrimination against LGBTQ people in the workplace and DACA, Louie Giglio's "White blessings," and the growing perception that white people are discriminated against as much as Black people and other minorities. Bonus: explainer on the distinction between taking down Confederate monuments and other historical memorials. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/message Support this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>

In the wake of the 1964 Goldwater campaign, three young men decided to start the Council for National Policy in order to take back the country for God--and themselves. They joined forces with an army of clergy, big donors, and media moguls in order to take back America. This "shadow network," as the journalist Anne Nelson calls it is the secretive, but pervasive force that has overtaken the GOP and infiltrated every level and every corner of this country's politics. Interview: Anne Nelson, author of Shadow Network, and faculty at Columbia University. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/message Support this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>

Brad and Dan discuss Trump's decision to hold a rally in Tulsa on June 19. They dig into the historical significance of the 1921 Tulsa Massacre and Juneteenth. They also discuss the difference between history and collective memory in the Confederate flag/statue debate. Finally, they touch on Trump's conspiracy theories about protesters, the first QAnon congressperson, and the ways protests have worked so far. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/message Support this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>

In the early 1960s, Orange County became the hub for both white evangelical Christianity and libertarian politics. It was the epicenter of the John Birch Society and the Goldwater campaign. This history is crucial for understanding the rise of the Religious Right throughout the 80s and beyond. It was from this soil that Reagan and his evangelical coalition took over the GOP. The racism, conspiracies, and extremism of 1960s libertarian evangelicals in Southern California has remained part of the GOP and the Religious Right from Goldwater to Reagan to the Tea Party and the presidency of Donald Trump. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/message Support this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>

This episode begins with the conveyance of wisdom from two African American women who are scholars of religion. First, Dr. Anthea Butler on how and why protest works. Then, Dr.Shannen Dee Williams on the history of racism in the Catholic church and the need to listen to black activists. Brad and Dan then discuss the awry symbolism of Trump's photo op, the hypocrisy of invoking Romans 13, comparisons to 1968, Trump's polling numbers. They finish by discussing the 3rd Amendment, We the People Populism, and the difference between police and military.--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/messageSupport this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>

On this emergency episode, Brad asks religion scholars to weigh in on Trump’s violent Bible photo op. He speaks with first with Dr. Richard Newton, Assistant Professor of Religon at the University of Alabama. They discuss how Christianity often offers a validation to racism and what he means by the term negrophobia. Christian nationalism is a prominent theme on Straight White American Jesus. Brad discusses how it played into Trump’s photo op with Samuel Perry and Andrew Whitehead, authors of "Taking America Back for God," a new and important text on Christian nationalism in contemporary USA. Using Christian nationalism as a lens helps clarify why Trump’s base is also populated by a good number of white Catholics. Brad discusses this with Matthew J. Cressler, Asst. Professor of Religion at the College of Charleston. They discuss his work on white Catholicism as a vehicle for segregation in the USA, and the work of black catholics who are working to dismantle the structures of ra…

On this installment of the Orange Wave: A History of the Religious Right Since 1960, Brad traces two intertwined histories. First, the Sun Belt Migration, which led to a massive westward population shift in the 1950s and 1960s. The Sunbelt Migration turned Orange County into the nation's hub of defense production. This led in turn into an evangelical wave in Southern California. He interviews Professor Gerardo Marti of Davidson College about this story. Second, Brad examines the decline of the Mainline Protestant denominations during the same time period. The breaking of their cultural and political authority opened a space for the Religious Right to rise. Brad discusses this with Dr. John Compton of Chapman University. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/message Support this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>

The Religious Right has not always existed. White evangelicals have not always been the guardians of far-right immigration policies and patriarchal models of the family. In the 19th century, they were often progressive activists fighting for labor rights, abolition, and women's suffrage. How did they transform into the scions of Christian nationalism? Brad digs in to the history with Professor Randall Balmer of Dartmouth College on the initial episode of The Orange Wave: A History of the Religious Right Since 1960. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/message Support this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>

Brad and Dan discuss recent data that shows White Evangelicals are the only group who believes Trump's response to the pandemic has been appropriate. They connect this to recent studies that show how Trump supporters get their news/information directly from the president through the Trump App. This leads to a discussion of the proliferation of conspiracy theories and the problem of living in a post-truth world. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/message Support this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>

Brad tells a story of an encounter with a French philosopher and . . . marshmallows. Then Dan and Brad discuss the DOJ decision to drop the case against Michael Flynn (4:00), William Barr's dominionist win-at-all-costs politics (12:40), the "Call me a grandma killer" tweet and what is says about the "culture of life" movement (20:00), Trump's unwillingness to wear a mask, and more. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/message Support this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>

Brad speaks with Marc-André Argentino, a PhD candidate and public scholar at Concordia University in Quebec, and an Associate Fellow with the Global Network on Extremism and Technology (GNET) at King's College London. They discuss the origins of QAnon, its deep connections with evangelical Christianity, the new Q-Church, and the ways QAnon's conspiracies are worsening the public health crisis by spreading disinformation. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/message Support this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>

Brad and Dan discuss the COVID culture wars: the armed "protest" at the Michigan capitol, the masculinity of face masks, in-person church meetings, the stunning decline in Trump's approval ratings, the Bill Gates conspiracy, and Justin Amash's third-party presidential bid. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/message Support this podcast: <a href="https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support" rel="payment">https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support</a>