What can reality TV tell us about Christian nationalism, purity culture, and the politics of gender? Annika Brockschmidt talks with journalist and podcaster Claire Fallon about the surprisingly deep connections between The Bachelor, evangelical Christianity, and the conservative politics shaping American culture. They discuss how the franchise normalizes heterosexual marriage, traditional gender roles, purity culture, and evangelical assumptions; how conservative Christian contestants have turned reality TV fame into influential media platforms; and how figures like Madison Pruitt have moved from The Bachelor into the world of MAGA Christian influence. They also explore the politics of dating in the Trump era, the rise of Mormon reality TV, and what shows like Love Is Blind and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives reveal about the changing relationship between religion, politics, sex, and popular culture.

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Christian nationalism is not simply a religious movement—it is a political project that challenges the foundations of a pluralist democracy. Brad Onishi and Dan Miller examine the growing Christian nationalist effort to redefine who counts as a “real” American, from arguments about immigration and religious identity to the defense of Derek Chauvin and the rejection of democratic accountability. They also break down the recent Christian nationalism debate featuring Doug Wilson, Joe Rigney, Al Mohler, and Paul Miller, and explain why the movement’s vision of a Christian America is fundamentally at odds with religious freedom and equal citizenship.

🔔 Subscribe for daily analysis on religion, politics, and the Christian right. ⁠⁠https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/⁠⁠ 💙 Support our work: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.irmce.org/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ 📚 Preorder Brad Onishi’s new book, American Caesar: ⁠https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/

#ChristianNationalism #Democracy #ChristianNationalismDebate #ReligiousFreedom #AmericanDemocracy #ChristianityAndPolitics #Trump #MAGA #PoliticalExtremism #RuleOfLaw #DougWilson #JoeRigney #DerekChauvin #GeorgeFloyd #JamesComey

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Theologically conservative Christians believe apparently contradictory things about Judaism and Jewish people. On the one hand, they will often describe Jewish people as being “the people of God.” On the other hand, they typically hold that, as non-Christians, Jewish people are condemned to go to hell when they die. How do these attitudes fit together? Is it possible to hold them together consistently? What do the answers to these questions tell us about conservative Christians’ understandings of Judaism and Jewish identity? And why are questions like these ones we’re not supposed to ask in church? Join Dan for this week’s episode to find out!

Get signed copies of American Caesar at Annie Bloom's: ⁠⁠https://annieblooms.com/⁠⁠ Join us September 16 at Annie Bloom's for the American Caesar book launch! 🔔 Subscribe for daily analysis on religion, politics, and the Christian right. https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/ Go to ⁠⁠groundnews.com/SWAJ⁠⁠ to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world. 💙 Support our work: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.irmce.org/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📚 Preorder Brad Onishi’s new book, American Caesar: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/

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ICE agents infiltrated churches, activist meetings, libraries, and community organizations in Minnesota as part of what has been dubbed Operation Puppet Master. In this episode of Axis Live, Matthew D. Taylor and Rev. Susie Hayward discuss what newly disclosed documents reveal about the government's surveillance of protesters—and what it means for religious freedom, constitutional rights, and the future of democracy. They also examine the growing anti-Muslim campaign targeting Dearborn, Michigan, including a planned "Crusader March" backed by MAGA activists, and explore how Christian nationalism is fueling new forms of religious exclusion. Finally, Taylor and Hayward discuss the dismantling of the U.S. Institute of Peace, the loss of religious expertise within American foreign policy, and what the current crisis tells us about the health of American democracy—and where hope for a democratic revival might come from. 🔔 Subscribe for daily analysis on religion, politics, and the Christian right. ⁠https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/⁠ 💙 Support our work: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.irmce.org/donate⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ 📚 Preorder Brad Onishi’s new book, American Caesar: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/

#ICE #OperationPuppetMaster #ChristianNationalism #ReligiousFreedom #Trump #MAGA #Immigration #Minnesota #Dearborn #Islamophobia #AmericanDemocracy #Democracy #USIP #PoliticalExtremism #AxisLive

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In this episode of Straight White American Jesus, Brad Onishi sits down with Congressman Jared Huffman to discuss his new book, No Prophets: The Fight to Save Democracy from Christian Nationalism. Huffman shares his journey from growing up in a devout Mormon community to becoming a humanist and the only openly non-believing member of Congress, and explains how the rise of Trump and Christian nationalism pushed him to speak publicly about the dangers of religious extremism. They discuss the New Apostolic Reformation, January 6, the religious forces surrounding Trump, Mike Johnson, the influence of Christian nationalism in Congress, Christian Zionism, traditionalist Catholicism, and why the separation of church and state is increasingly under threat. Huffman also explains why he believes saving democracy will require religious and nonreligious Americans to work together—and why, even in a deeply troubling political moment, he refuses to give up.

🔔 Subscribe for daily analysis on religion, politics, and the Christian right. https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/ 💙 Support our work: ⁠⁠https://www.irmce.org/donate⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎧 Listen to the Axis Daily Brief:Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4M...

No Prophets: https://bookshop.org/p/books/no-prophets-the-fight-to-save-democracy-from-christian-nationalism-jared-huffman/b28b36a73cf41cdd Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 📚 Preorder Brad Onishi’s new book, American Caesar: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/

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Steven Crowder recently released a video titled “We Need Fascism,” making an explicit argument for fascism rather than merely flirting with the idea. In this episode of Straight White American Jesus, Brad Onishi and Dan Miller break down Crowder’s argument and ask what it reveals about the direction of the American right. The conversation connects Crowder’s rhetoric about communism, violence, and “disinfecting” the country to a broader political movement increasingly portraying opponents of MAGA and Christian nationalism as enemies of America. Brad argues that this reflects a deeper shift: if the Christian nationalist right no longer believes it represents a majority of Americans, democracy itself can begin to look like an obstacle rather than a solution. 🔔 Subscribe for daily analysis on religion, politics, and the Christian right. https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/ 💙 Support our work: ⁠⁠https://www.irmce.org/donate⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎧 Listen to the Axis Daily Brief:Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4M... Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 📚 Preorder Brad Onishi’s new book, American Caesar: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/

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With Dan on vacation, we bring you one of the most popular episodes of It's In the Code: "Strong Handshakes"

In this episode, Dan continues decoding a card from a church bulletin that outlines the features of a particular church. The focus this time is the promise of “strong handshakes.” There’s a lot to decode with this idea: What does it express about gender? About sexuality? About the family? About this church’s view of proper social order? Check it out to find the answers to these (and other!) questions.

Church Bulletin Photo ⁠HERE

Get signed copies of American Caesar at Annie Bloom's: ⁠⁠⁠https://annieblooms.com/⁠⁠⁠ Join us September 16 at Annie Bloom's for the American Caesar book launch! 🔔 Subscribe for daily analysis on religion, politics, and the Christian right. ⁠https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/⁠ Go to ⁠⁠groundnews.com/SWAJ⁠⁠ to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world. 💙 Support our work: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.irmce.org/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📚 Preorder Brad Onishi’s new book, American Caesar: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://static.macmillan.com/static/e...⁠

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In this week's Axis Live Brad Onishi begins by breaking down a video posted by the US Department of State that showcases Marco Rubio's Christian nationalism and Western civilizationalism. Brad digs below the surface to decode the ways Rubio outlines a common good conservatism that seeks to impose order and virtue through family, church, and state. Brad then welcomes Rev. Adam Hamilton to the show. Hamilton is the Democratic nominee for Senate in Kansas who is attempting to end a 90-year drought of Democratic Senators from Kansas. Rev. Hamilton talks about how he will be a public servant for all Kansans not despite his faith, but because the Jesus he serves is a public servant for all people. Get signed copies of American Caesar at Annie Bloom's: ⁠⁠https://annieblooms.com/⁠⁠ Join us September 16 at Annie Bloom's for the American Caesar book launch! 🔔 Subscribe for daily analysis on religion, politics, and the Christian right. https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/ Go to ⁠⁠groundnews.com/SWAJ⁠⁠ to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world. 💙 Support our work: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.irmce.org/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📚 Preorder Brad Onishi’s new book, American Caesar: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://static.macmillan.com/static/e...

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What does the emerging religious left look like—and is it becoming a force in Democratic politics? In this Sunday interview, Leah Payne speaks with Associated Press religion and culture reporter Kyrsta Fauria about her reporting on progressive candidates and activists drawing on religious traditions to confront economic inequality, defend workers’ rights, and advocate for policies like universal health care. They discuss Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, the interfaith coalition supporting his campaign, and the ways his Muslim faith has been both weaponized against him and intentionally foregrounded in his political identity.

Get signed copies of American Caesar at Annie Bloom's: ⁠https://annieblooms.com/⁠ Join us September 16 at Annie Bloom's for the American Caesar book launch! 🔔 Subscribe for daily analysis on religion, politics, and the Christian right. 💬 Join the conversation on Substack and Discord — links below. Go to ⁠groundnews.com/SWAJ⁠ to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world. 💙 Support our work: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.irmce.org/donate⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎧 Listen to the Axis Daily Brief:Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4M..⁠. Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast..⁠. 📚 Preorder Brad Onishi’s new book, American Caesar: ⁠⁠⁠https://us.macmillan.com/books/978125..⁠. ⁠#AbdulElSayed⁠ ⁠#MichiganSenate⁠ ⁠#MichiganPolitics⁠ ⁠#DemocraticPrimary⁠ ⁠#ProgressivePolitics⁠ ⁠#ChristianNationalism⁠ ⁠#Trump⁠ ⁠#MAGA⁠ ⁠#TedCruz⁠ ⁠#MikeJohnson⁠ ⁠#Democrats⁠ ⁠#GOP⁠ ⁠#AmericanPolitics⁠ ⁠#IsraelPalestine⁠ ⁠#MedicareForAll⁠ ⁠#CitizensUnited⁠ ⁠#ProjectEsther⁠ ⁠#PoliticalDissent⁠ ⁠#2026Election⁠ ⁠#christiannationalism⁠ ⁠#religion⁠ ⁠#christianity⁠ ⁠#USA

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In the Weekly Roundup, Brad Onishi examines how the American Right and MAGA are reacting to Abdul El-Sayed's victory in Michigan by calling him anti-American, communist, socialist, and more. As Brad explains, these rhetorical choices are strategies that correspond to a larger effort by the Trump administration to criminalize dissent. Brad traces the code words used by the American Right against Sayed, Mamdani, and others to NSPM7 and Project Esther. This is about more than one Senate race in Michigan. It’s about who gets to define what counts as “American,” what kinds of political disagreement are considered legitimate, and what happens when the language of political opposition becomes the language of political persecution. Get signed copies of American Caesar at Annie Bloom's: https://annieblooms.com/ Join us September 16 at Annie Bloom's for the American Caesar book launch! 🔔 Subscribe for daily analysis on religion, politics, and the Christian right. 💬 Join the conversation on Substack and Discord — links below. Go to groundnews.com/SWAJ to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world. 💙 Support our work: ⁠⁠https://www.irmce.org/donate⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎧 Listen to the Axis Daily Brief:Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4M... Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 📚 Preorder Brad Onishi’s new book, American Caesar: ⁠⁠https://us.macmillan.com/books/978125... #AbdulElSayed #MichiganSenate #MichiganPolitics #DemocraticPrimary #ProgressivePolitics #ChristianNationalism #Trump #MAGA #TedCruz #MikeJohnson #Democrats #GOP #AmericanPolitics #IsraelPalestine #MedicareForAll #CitizensUnited #ProjectEsther #PoliticalDissent #2026Election #christiannationalism #religion #christianity #USA

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In this episode of It’s In the Code, Dan Miller tackles a question from a Jewish listener that cuts to the heart of Christian theology: if Jesus established a new covenant that fulfilled the Old Testament law, why do so many conservative Christians continue to rely on Old Testament verses to make moral arguments? Dan explores the New Testament's teaching on grace, the Apostle Paul’s insistence that Christians are no longer bound by the Jewish law, and the complicated relationship Christians have with the Hebrew Bible. Along the way, he explains why many conservative Christians selectively appeal to Old Testament commandments—especially on issues like sexuality—while disregarding countless other laws they believe no longer apply.

⁠https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/⁠ 💙 Support our work: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.irmce.org/donate⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎧 Listen to the Axis Daily Brief:Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠

Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast..⁠.

📚 Preorder Brad Onishi’s new book, American Caesar: ⁠https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/⁠ ⁠

Go to ⁠groundnews.com/SWAJ⁠ to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on the stories shaping our world.

The Axis Mundi Network A growing independent media institution that combines the expertise of public scholarship with the rapid-response daily drops and live video podcasts. By Brad Onishi

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