We're sharing a SKYEpod episode that was previously exclusively for Holy Post Plus subscribers—this one's a "SkyeDive," meaning it's just Skye digging deep into a topic. If you like this episode, consider becoming a Holy Post Plus subcriber to get weekly SKYEpod episodes, merchandise, bonus interviews, and more!

Skye talks about how our certainty often conflicts with humility—with disastrous results, like declining churchgoing rates, alien doomsday cults, and dead bellringers.

Holy Post Plus:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/skyepod-skyedive-101705148

Other resources:

Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/

Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus

Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost

Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop

The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Following the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, some are saying that God saved his life for a divine purpose. Phil, Kaitlyn, and Skye discuss the selective use of Christian rhetoric surrounding the former President. Then, multiple speakers at the Republican convention used anti-immigrant language associated with the “heritage Americans” movement. We examine the movement and its link to the isolationist and racist policies of the 1920s. And Skye welcome Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac, the pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, to talk about the Palestinian Christian community in the Holy Land and the impact of the war in Gaza on the church.

0:00 - Go to https://biologos.org/integrate and use code SUMMER50 to get 50% off your order. This code expires August 31st, so head there now!

0:36 - Intro

1:52 - Show Starts

3:14 - Theme Song

3:38 - Sponsor - Hiya Health - Go to https://www.hiyahealth.com/HOLYPOST to receive 50% off your first order

4:42 - Sponsor - The Fresh Pressed Olive Oil Club - To get a Full-Size artisanal olive oil for just $1 shipping, go to https://www.GetFreshHOLYPOST.com

5:54 - Update on Lisa Vischer

6:55 - RNC, Biden Dropout—The Apple Cart is Upset!

9:52 - Messianic Interpretations of the Trump Assassination Attempt

18:26 - What Events Do We Assume Are Divine Intervention?

25:50 - Why is Trump Still Winning?

31:45 - The Politically Unengaged, Patriotic, and Exhausted

37:00 - Heritage Americans

45:38 - Reputational Challenges Facing Harris

50:42 - Sponsor - Better Help - Get 10% off your first month at https://www.betterhelp.com/holypost

51:50 - Interview

53:16 - The Christian Palestinian Community

1:04:47 - Palestinian Christian Reactions to October 7th

1:10:20 - The American Church’s Effect on the War

1:16:52 - The Positive Impact of Palestinian Christians

1:22:47 - End Credits

Links Mentioned in the News Segment:

Kaitlyn’s Appearance on NPR:

https://www.npr.org/2024/07/15/nx-s1-5040606/trumps-assassination-shooting-god-religion

Skye Jethani’s Racism and Immigration Video:

https://youtu.be/cgfp5ngxqBI

Other resources:

The Other Side of the Wall: A Palestinian Christian Narrative of Lament and Hope: https://a.co/d/aFLu0I9

Christ at the Checkpoint

https://christatthecheckpoint.bethbc.edu/munthers-blog/

Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/

Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus

Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost

Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop

The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

On Saturday, Donald Trump narrowly survived an assassin’s bullet. Will this begin to turn down the dehumanizing and apocalyptic rhetoric in our politics, or will it only add fuel for conspiracy theories and extremists? Rich Villodas is back to talk about his new book on the Sermon on the Mount—“The Narrow Path.” He says obeying the sermon “is not how we achieve salvation; it's how we demonstrate it.” And the fact that so few Christians seem to take Jesus’ commands seriously calls their salvation into question. Also this week, Phil reports from “Med City” and Kaitlyn introduces us to Persian ice cream.

Holy Post Plus

Bonus Interview

https://www.patreon.com/posts/108262421/

0:00 - Go to https://biologos.org/integrate and use code SUMMER50 to get 50% off your order. This code expires August 31st, so head there now!

0:35 - Intro

1:49 - Show Starts

3:26 - Theme Song

3:47 - Sponsor -  Sundays Dog Food - Get 35% off your first order of Sundays. Go to https://www.SundaysForDogs.com/HOLYPOST or use code HOLYPOST at checkout.

5:00 - Sponsor - Blueland - Get up to 25% off your first order by going to https://www.BlueBlueland.com/HOLYPOST

6:10 - Phil’s Adventure in Med City

10:40 - Club 33

15:33 - Where the Holy Post Crew Was When They Heard About Trump’s Assassination Attempt

19:11 - The Aftermath of the Shooting

34:15 - Catastrophizing, Social Media, and Violence

53:15 - Sponsor - Faithful Counseling - Get 10% off your first month at www.faithfulcounseling.com/HOLYPOST

54:23 - Interview

58:55 - The Sermon on the Mount and Building House on Rock

53:57 - Why did Campbell write about Christian Nationalism?

1:04:06 - Moralism, Successism, and Individualism

1:08:03 - Does the American Church Lack Salvation?

1:16:53 - Prayer is the Secret to Walking the Narrow Path

1:28:05 - End Credits

Other resources:

The Narrow Path: How the Subversive Way of Jesus Satisfies Our Souls by Rich Villodas: https://a.co/d/6jhamVm

Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/

Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus

Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost

Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop

The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

It’s one thing to fight against a heresy, but what about the people caught in its grasp? Caleb Campbell’s new book, “Disarming Leviathan,” argues Christian Nationalism is an idolatrous, anti-Christian movement, but that we ought to take a gentle, loving, and missional posture toward our friends and neighbors following it. Also this week, Ronald Reagan often said America was a shining “city upon a hill.” Derwin Gray joins Skye and Kaitlyn to discuss the phrase, its original context in the Sermon on the Mount, and how Puritan colonists used it very differently than modern politicians. Plus, what’s behind all of the hot A.I. images of Jesus?

Holy Post Plus

Discussion of Project 2025

https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-news-2025-107830107

0:00 - Intro

1:18 - Show Starts

3:18 - Theme Song

3:40 - Sponsor - Hiya Health - Go to www.hiyahealth.com/HOLYPOST to receive 50% off your first order

4:44  - Sponsor - Faithful Counseling - Get 10% off your first month at www.faithfulcounseling.com/HOLYPOST

5:52 - Responding to Feedback on Debate Coverage

12:26 - Shining City on a Hill

19:42 - Guiding People Away from Idolatry

30:36 - Perfect Love Casts Out Fear

34:41 - Hot A.I. Jesus

49:30 - Sponsor - Go to https://www.songfinch.com/HOLYPOST and start your song – after you purchase, you’ll be prompted to add Spotify Streaming for your original song for FREE - a $50 value! 

50:49 - Sponsor - Wheaton Graduate School - Learn in a rich, rigorous Christian environment - www.wheaton.edu/holypost

51:49 - Interview

53:57 - Why did Campbell write about Christian Nationalism?

1:15:15 - Practical Advice

1:23:53 - What About Flipping Tables?

1:33:14 - End Credits

Links Mentioned in the News Segment:

Is America a City on a Hill or a Nation on the Precipice?

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/02/opinion/american-exceptionalism-reagan-biden-trump.html

Hot AI Jesus is Huge on Facebook

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/06/hot-jesus-ai/678814/

Other resources:

Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor by Caleb Campbell: https://www.ivpress.com/disarming-leviathan

Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/

Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus

Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost

Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop

The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

In this special episode, Kaitlyn and Skye are joined by the co-hosts of the Church Politics podcast, Justin Giboney and Chris Butler, to discuss the fallout from last week’s presidential debate. Will President Biden drop out? What does the Supreme Court’s ruling about presidential immunity mean for a possible second Trump term? And why have both political parties nominated candidates who are demonstrably incapable of fulfilling the presidential oath of office? It’s a wide-ranging conversation about the broken state of American politics and where Christians can find hope.

0.00 - Sponsor - Faithful Counseling - “This episode is sponsored by Faithful Counseling. Give online therapy a try at faithfulcounseling.com/HOLYPOST and get 10% off

1:08 - Intro

2:26 - Theme Song

2:47 - Show starts

4:35 - Recapping the Presidential Debate

10:00 - Fallout from Biden’s Debate Performance

22:00 - Our Broken Political System

40:10 - Sponsor -  AG1 - Heavily researched, thoroughly purity-tested, and filled with stuff you need. Go to https://www.athleticgreens.com/HOLYPOST

41:35 - Sponsor -  Sundays Dog Food - Get 35% off your first order of Sundays. Go to www.SundaysForDogs.com/HOLYPOST or use code HOLYPOST at checkout.

42:41 - Predictions for the rest of the election season

1:05:10 - Trump Immunity Case Ruling

1:19:00 - End Credits

Links Mentioned in the News Segment:

Register for the Holy Post Hangout in Wheaton, IL - https://plan.getpie.app/plans/1a338f00-330e-11ef-aca7-1b680c8b5376?inviter=1a6a0850-330e-11ef-aca7-1b680c8b5376

Check out The Church Politics Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-church-politics-podcast/id1289898626

Other resources:

Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/

Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus

Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost

Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop

The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

As the Supreme Court releases a slate of new rulings the justices appear to be sending a message: "Congress, do your job!" David French explains to Skye Jethani why congressional leaders are increasingly reluctant to take votes or pass laws, how this is making the presidency dangerously powerful, and why the courts are saying it's unconstitutional and harmful to democracy. Then, David tells why his former denomination canceled him—with some members even calling him a "heretic"—despite his full agreement with all of their doctrine and positions. Why are so many churches being driven by fear and non-essential beliefs?

0:00 - Theme Song

0:17 - Episode Starts

1:17 - Garland V. Cargill

5:34 - Trump Changing Statutes

9:20 - Obama Changing Statutes

13:50 - Congress Refusing to Pass Laws

20:33 - Why Congress Doesn’t Want to Pass Laws

29:51 - How Low-Information Voters Feed Into This Ecosystem

32:06 - The Right Thing to Do vs Appeasing the Mobs

42:05 - When Every Issue is Considered a Fundamental

49:16 - When Every Issue is a Foreground Decision

58:16 - What a Partisan Fears

1:01:20 - Capitulation is Not Peace, the Center Does Not Hold

1:07:23 - End Credits

Other resources:

Advisory Opinions on Recent Supreme Court Decisions: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/living-anachronism/id1490993194?i=1000659362706

Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/

Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus

Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost

Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop

The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Louisiana has passed a law requiring the Ten Commandments be posted in every public school classroom. Supporters say it’s about respecting history, law, and the country’s religious heritage. Critics argue it’s completely unconstitutional. What’s really behind the new law? John Dickson says secularism in Australia is ten years ahead of the U.S., and there are valuable lessons the American church can learn from his country about how to thrive in a post-Christian society. Also this week—after two more megachurch pastor scandals we have to ask what’s wrong with our ministry culture. And whales display a dirty new defense against predators.

0.00- Intro

1:41- Show Starts

2:34 - Theme Song

2:56 - Sponsor - Hiya Health - Go to www.hiyahealth.com/HOLYPOST to receive 50% off your first order

4:02 - Sponsor - World Relief - Visit https://worldrelief.org/holypost/ to download your family refugee guide and learn more about the Path Community

5:08 - News of the Butt

10:30 - Tony Evans and Robert Morris Step Down from Senior Pastor Roles

25:25 - 10 Commandments Must Be Displayed in Louisiana Classrooms

46:50 - Lisa Vischer Update

51:50 - Sponsor - Faithful Counseling - This episode is sponsored by Faithful Counseling. Give online therapy a try at faithfulcounseling.com/HOLYPOST and get on your way to being your best self.

52:58 - Sponsor - Go to https://www.withgoddaily.com/ to sign up for Skye Jethani’s devotional, With God Daily

54:35 - Interview

1:31:23 - End Credits

Links Mentioned in the News Segment:

Sperm Whale Poop Cloud

https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/marine-animals/sperm-whales-defensive-defecation-on-orcas

Louisiana’s Ten Commandments Mandate

https://religionnews.com/2024/06/21/louisiana-mandates-the-ten-commandments/?utm_medium=social

David French on the Ten Commandments

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/18/opinion/ten-commandments-classroom-louisiana.html

Other resources:

The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism by Tim Alberta: https://a.co/d/0cE3A6CW

Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/

Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus

Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost

Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop

The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Remember when churches were seeker-sensitive? The goal was to grow by welcoming newcomers, skeptics, and non-believers. But now it seems some evangelical churches and denominations are more worried about ideological purity than outreach. Sociologist, political scientists, and pastor Ryan Burge is back to talk about the self-defeating trend toward subtraction rather than addition in the church. Also this week, the Southern Baptists decide not to ban all women pastors…yet. Megan Basham claims evangelical leaders aren’t selling out to conservative constituents, but to gain the approval of liberal elites. Death cafes open in L.A., and the Swiss are making tiny computers from brain cells. What could possibly go wrong?

0:00 - Intro

1:18 - Show Starts

3:14 - Theme Song

3:35 - Sponsor -  Sundays Dog Food - Get 35% off your first order of Sundays. Go to www.SundaysForDogs.com/HOLYPOST or use code HOLYPOST at checkout.

4:47 - Sponsor - Blueland - Get 15% off your first order by going to https://www.blueland.com/HOLYPOST

5:58 - Democracy Betrays News of the Butt

6:38 - What Could Possibly Go Wrong with Swiss Brain-Computers

13:02 - SBC Law Amendment Denied Ratification

20:33 - Baptist Church Conservative Resurgence

25:03 - Being a Cultural War Symbol Rather Than a Person

30:20 - Shepherds for Sale and How Everyone Has Economic Benefit

36:37 - The Temptation to Look Down on Others

41:55 - Modern Death Cafes in Los Angeles 

44:28 - Sleeping in a Room with a Casket

51:40 - Sponsor - Better Help - “This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/HOLYPOST and get on your way to being your best self.” www.betterhelp.com/holypost

52:40 - Interview

59:56 - American Behavior Changing Faster Than Their Beliefs

1:05:43 - The Disappearance of The Christian Left

1:09:22 - Strict Churches vs Moderate Churches

1:22:10 - The Nicene Creed, Doctrine, and Dogma

1:31:53 - End Credits

Links Mentioned in the News Segment:

Swiss Startup Connects 16 Human Mini-Brains to Create Low Energy ‘Biocomputer’:

https://www.sciencealert.com/swiss-startup-connects-16-human-mini-brains-to-create-low-energy-biocomputer

SBC Law Amendment Vote:

https://www.newyorker.com/news/on-religion/an-unexpected-turn-in-the-evangelical-culture-wars

Modern Death Cafes in LA:

https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2024-06-12/death-cafes-los-angeles-grieving-discussion-group

Other resources:

Cafeteria Catholicism: https://www.graphsaboutreligion.com/p/cafeteria-catholicism

Americans Dropping Out of Everything:

https://www.graphsaboutreligion.com/p/dropping-out-of-everything

Most Americans are Still Christians:

https://www.graphsaboutreligion.com/p/most-americans-are-still-christians

Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/

Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus

Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost

Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop

The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

After working for the Department of Homeland Security, and more than twenty years as a counterterrorism expert, Elizabeth Neumann says the greatest threat to the U.S. is no longer international Islamic terrorism but domestic Christian extremists. She discusses her new book, “Kingdom of Rage,” with Skye and how conspiracy theories and violent political ideologies have infiltrated American evangelicalism. Also this week, the Southern Baptists debate which is the greater threat to the faith—the Nicene Creed or female pastors. And new data says drinking and smoking has plummeted among teenagers. Should we thank churches or smartphones?

Holy Post Plus:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/106023283/

0:00 - Intro

1:22 - Show Starts

4:15 - Theme Song

4:37 - Sponsor - Hiya Health - Go to www.hiyahealth.com/HOLYPOST to receive 50% off your first order

5:42 - Sponsor - World Relief - Visit https://worldrelief.org/holypost/ to find out how to get two FREE e-learning courses and celebrate World Refugee Day with World Relief!

6:49 - Why Phil Was Expelled from Bible School (It’s Less Scandalous Than You Think!)

9:42 - The Annual SBC Meeting and Women Preaching, the Law Amendment

13:48 - Conservative SBC and Why Churches Split 

19:26 - Motivations Behind Doctrine Changes matter

31:38 - Drinking, Smoking, and Chewing Tobacco Uncommon Amongst Gen Z

37:18 - Drinking’s Down, Depression’s Up

42:07 - The Church Community Stands Out in an Age of Loneliness

47:13 - Sponsor -  Go to https://www.withgoddaily.com/ to sign up for Skye Jethani’s devotional, With God Daily

48:51 - Interview

54:04 - From Focusing on International Threats to Domestic Threats

58:13 - The Mainstreaming of Replacement Theory

1:04:54 - How Neumann Avoided Radicalization

1:09:40 - The Needs That Make People Susceptible to Radicalization

1:18:18 - The Scale That Makes Domestic Radicalization a Huge Threat

1:25:04 - End Credits

Links Mentioned in the News Segment:

The SBC’s Proposed Law Amendment

https://religionnews.com/2024/06/07/southern-baptists-mull-second-vote-to-amend-constitution-to-exclude-women-pastors/

Does Going to Church Keep High Schoolers from Drinking and Smoking?

https://www.graphsaboutreligion.com/p/does-going-to-church-keep-high-schools?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1561197&post_id=144063583&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=false&r=6smb2&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

Other resources:

Kingdom of Rage: The Rise of Christian Extremism and the Path Back to Peace: https://a.co/d/64NM0N6

Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/

Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus

Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost

Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop

The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Lord Acton famously said, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Was he right? Mike Erre is back to discuss the way Christians think about power, and why he believes our pursuit of power over the world is not the way of Jesus. Then, author Elizabeth Oldfield talks with Kaitlyn about her new book, “Fully Alive,” which uses the Seven Deadly Sins as a bridge for introducing secular people to the wisdom of Christianity. Also this week—the verdict in the Trump trail, a very unique fossil museum opens in Arizona, and Phil creates a fun new game for Christians called “Is It Persecution?”

0:00 - Intro

2:09 - Show Starts

4:15 - Theme Song

4:37 - Sponsor -  AG1 - Heavily researched, thoroughly purity-tested, and filled with stuff you need. Go to https://www.athleticgreens.com/HOLYPOST

5:56 - Sponsor -  Sundays Dog Food - Get 35% off your first order of Sundays. Go to www.SundaysForDogs.com/HOLYPOST or use code HOLYPOST at checkout.

7:09 - Wearing Cicadas

9:13 - News of the Pooseum

13:11 - New Game: Am I Being Persecuted?

18:55 - Donald Trump Martyr Complex

29:15 - Mike on Politically-Driven Spiritual-Malformation

34:13 - Fitch and The Ontologically-Rooted Corruption of Power

52:37 - Sponsor - Go to https://www.songfinch.com/HOLYPOST and start your original song!

53:55 - Sponsor - Better Help - Get 10% off your first month at www.betterhelp.com/holypost

54:55- Interview

56:26 - Elizabeth Oldfield’s Faith Background

1:00:39 - Writing with a Secular Audience in Mind

1:03:48 - What Radicalized the Republican Voter Base?

1:12:13 - PLM Syndrome

1:18:53 - Attention vs. The Deadly Sin of Sloth

1:24:17 - Why Save God for the End of the Book?

1:29:39 - End Credits

Links Mentioned in the News Segment:

Pooseum: https://pooseum.com.au/

Reckoning with Power: Why the Church Fails When It’s on the Wrong Side of Power by David Fitch: https://a.co/d/e1NdqoZ

Other resources:

Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times by Elizabeth Oldfield: https://a.co/d/iYZICBv

Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/

Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus

Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost

Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop

The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

The verdict is in and Donald Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts in the hush money trial. Skye Jethani and David French discuss the political implications of the guilty verdict. While neither believe the verdict will have any impact on Trump’s base, David thinks it could erode support among supporters on the bubble, but Skye remains unconvinced. Then, they discuss how we should address the legacies of historical heroes who left behind complex and sometimes troubling legacies. Is it appropriate to honor and celebrate certain aspects of these figures, or should their significant flaws compel us to dismiss them entirely? Plus, Skye and David talk about their new favorite tv show, Shogun.

0:00 - Theme Song

0:18 - Episode Starts

0:47 - Trump Verdict

7:27 - Who’s Actually Energizing Their Base?

16:22 - Justice Alito and the Flag

23:08 - The Politics of Officials Flying Flags

29:47 - The Complexity of American Historical Figures

41:40 - Facing the Sins of the Fathers Through Maturity

47:06 - Shogun and Cultural Divide

1:01:10 - End Credits

Other resources:

Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/

Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus

Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost

Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop

The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.