David returns from his recent trip to Kyiv to provide an eyewitness account of the war, including what it is like to survive the terror of a hypersonic missile attack by the Russians. He and Curtis discuss the physical, emotional, and spiritual toll of the war on the Ukrainian people. They explore what lessons we all should take from this ongoing, world changing event.

Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War by Drew Gilpin Faust

Human Rights Watch report on Russian war crimes 

Learn more about how our Christian faith makes sense of life and health in the MedTech world at “The Christian Stake in Bioethics Revisited” - a conference by the Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity. The conference runs from June 22-24 at the Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in suburban Chicago. You can attend via in person, online live, or on-demand recording.

Curtis Chang, the regular host of the Good Faith podcast, takes a turn in the “guest seat” in this special episode in which Nancy French interviews him about his new book, The Anxiety Opportunity: How Worry Is the Doorway to Your Best Self. Curtis, who has suffered from anxiety to the point of losing his job as a senior pastor, offers up hard-earned wisdom that could transform one’s view on parenting, relationships, and even politics. Curtis also talks about the way the church gets anxiety wrong, how Jesus dealt with anxious people, and how grieving is a necessary component of effectively walking through loss.  

It’s the 75th Good Faith episode and we’re celebrating our “diamond” podcast by running back one of our first episodes. First released in November 2021, this episode is a “classic” (in our minds) because we define terms around several key questions that have recurred on Good Faith: “What is an ‘evangelical?’ Is it a set of religious beliefs, a set of cultural beliefs, or a set of political beliefs? How does evangelicalism compare with fundamentalism?” Is “evangelical” a term worth salvaging for Christians?” 

Show Notes:

• The French Press: “Did Donald Trump Make the Church Great Again?”

• Pew Research Center: “More White Americans adopted than shed evangelical label during Trump presidency, especially his supporters”

• National Association of Evangelicals: “What is an Evangelical?” (including the Bebbington Quadrilateral)

• Barna: “Survey Explores Who Qualifies As an Evangelical” (including the 9-point Evangelical)

• Ryan Burge: “For White Evangelical Republicans, Approval of Trump is About Immigration more than Abortion”

• Ryan Burge: “Why ‘Evangelical’ is becoming another word for ‘Republican’”

• The French Press: “The American Crisis of Selective Empathy”

Jon Ward, senior political correspondent for Yahoo News, joins Curtis to talk about his process of deconstructing - and reconstructing - his life as a follower of Jesus. Jon draws on his recently released book, Testimony: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Failed a Generation, to dissect the spiritual, social, political, and emotional dimensions of his years growing up as an insider in the evangelical world. Jon also provides a fascinating account of why his life as a journalist has been so crucial to his faith. Curtis offers the Biblical basis for why deconstruction - properly understood - is necessary for every generation of believers.

Testimony: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Failed a Generation by Jon Ward

Forward Party (a new political party focused on local solutions)

Order Curtis’s new book, The Anxiety Opportunity

“Founding friend” David French returns to tackle the tough question that every Republican of good faith should be asking. They explain why this particular question of “Should I stay or should I go?” is highly relevant for everyone, regardless of political affiliation. The conversation explores the ways that political calculations inescapably are spiritual in nature, and the two have a fun time unpacking this reality via the “pirate ship” metaphor. Listeners will especially be helped by how David and Curtis explain the three main options - Leave, Stand, or Hide - facing anyone who feels caught in a deeply dysfunctional institution.

For those who want to connect with other “Leavers,” share your thoughts with others on the Good Faith “lifeboat” in the comments section for this episode (you only need to become a member by subscribing here - it’s free). 

For those who want to make a “Stand” for the soul of the evangelical church, learn more about The After Party project.

For those interested in the mindset of “Hiders, read Anne Applebaum’s excellent analysis of the psychological rationalization practiced within the GOP  (The Atlantic).

Curtis is joined by the world’s leading expert on generational distinctions, Dr. Jean Twenge. They discuss the five major generations shaping our society, with a special focus on Gen Z. The conversation provides insight and practical help for parents, managers, and anyone else interacting across generational lines. Listen especially for Jean’s top advice for parents on how to keep smartphones from destroying your child’s mental health.

Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents—and What They Mean for America's Future by Jean Twenge

Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation? (The Atlantic)

After Babel (Jonathan Haidt’s Substack that is examining the impact of smartphone on the mental health of Gen Z)

How Low Can America’s Birth Rate Go Before It’s A Problem? (from FiveThirtyEight)

Curtis tackles this epoch defining question with Comment Editor in Chief, Anne Snyder Brooks. Together they explore the distinctive vision Christians have to offer a world beset by dehumanizing forces. This wide ranging exploration includes both the big ideas and stakes involved in this question, as well as practical steps each one of us can take to embody (in the words of Irenaeus) “the glory of God in a human being fully alive.”

Resources mentioned by Anne:

• Comment magazine’s discussion of Christian humanism via an interview between David Brooks and Luke Bretherton (a colleague of Curtis at Duke Divinity School).

• The Revolt Against Humanity: Imagining a Future Without Us by Adam Kirsch

• The Congregation in a Secular Age: Keeping Sacred Time against the Speed of Modern Life by Andrew Root.

See here to consider being a sponsor or donor of Good Faith.

Curtis talks with the “elder statesman” of Christian counseling, Dan Allender, about how therapy has influenced the American church - in much needed and also problematic ways. They explore how therapy has provided an important place for Christians to bring to Jesus the real, hard, and sometimes  traumatic realities of life - often in ways that the church could not. They also examine how “moralistic therapeutic deism” increasingly describes the actual civil religion of Americans.

For examples of great books by Dan and his lifelong friend, Tremper Longman III, consider these two classics: Bold Love and The Cry of the Soul: How Our Emotions Reveal Our Deepest Questions About God.

For the original description of “moralistic therapeutic deism” as the religion of American youth, check out Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers by Christian Smith and Melina Lundquist Denton.

Sponsorship details for Good Faith can be found here. 

Andy Crouch returns to the podcast to question the widespread preoccupation with “making an impact.” Andy and Curtis talk about the limitations, drawbacks, and even potential idolatry involved when institutions and individuals are so focused on this definition of success. They then explore an alternative way to conceive of Christians’ role in the world, one that is rooted in the surprising model of Jesus.

For those interested in sponsoring/supporting Good Faith: https://redeemingbabel.org/sponsorship-tiers-for-the-good-faith-podcast/

In front of a packed house at the National Press Club, Curtis Chang, original Good Faith co-host David French, and editor in chief of Christianity Today Russell Moore introduce the After Party project. The project seeks to heal the currently troubled relationship between Christians and politics. The conversation was hosted by Trinity Forum president Cherie Harder. In this wide ranging discussion, they talk about where we as Christians have gone wrong and how we can reform our political mindset with timeless Biblical truths. 

Show Notes:

The After Party

Curtis and Nancy French explore the power of storytelling in everyday life.   Nancy, a professional storyteller and New York Times best-selling author, urges listeners to “read” the stories of their own lives – in order to see how the ultimate Author of their stories (God) has shaped their destinies.  Curtis and Nancy also encourage people to inhabit other peoples’ stories and to interview family members, such as parents, to more clearly see the context of their “origin stories.”

SHOW NOTES:

Penzu online journal

Subscribe to Redeeming Babel and receive Nancy’s resource, “100 Questions to Ask Your Parents Before They Die”

Curtis and "founding friend" David French explore Christianity and armed conflict. Viewed through the prism of the Ukraine War, they explore Christian just war theory. David, a former Army lawyer, walks through the moral and theological origins of the law of armed conflict. Curtis emphasizes the differences between the institutional purpose of the state and the church when it comes to war. Applying those principles to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, they discuss the necessity of Ukrainian resistance and the importance of American aid. 

A helpful summary from Thinking Faith on the Christian “just war” theological tradition

Curtis and guest Dr. Lydia Dugdale talk about life and death issues (literally) that affect every single human being. How do we face death? How can we die well? What are the cultural and medical forces that are leading so many to die poorly? Why are the practices of physican-assisted suicide and euthanasia gaining momentum and acceptance - and why has the Christian pro-life movement missed the deep connection between those practices and abortion?

Dr. Lydia Dugdale is a professor at the Columbia University Medical School and a national leader in medical ethics. She is the author of The Lost Art of Dying.

SHOW NOTES:

 Free PDF download  of The Lost Art of Dying  study guide.

A pilot project in NYC that provides end-of-life resources for church leaders.

An excellent compilation of Christian writing on euthanasia and related end of life issues.

Coverage about Canada’s euthanasia industry in Plough Magazine and the New Atlantis.

Rev. Justin Giboney and host Curtis Chang discuss how the Black church provides insight on the limitations of the progressive/conservative labels for all of us. Justin and Curtis also share candidly from their own experiences, giving everyone an intimate window into the complexities of racial identity and faith. 

AND Campaign 

How I Got Over

The After Party project

Dr. Charlie Dates

Rev. Eugene Rivers

The William J. Seymour Society (now Seymour Institute) 

Azusa Street Revival

Host Curtis Chang and regular guest David French discuss what young Christians need to be formed for thriving. In this far ranging conversation, they explore negative partisanship, the fruits of the spirit, the revival at Asbury, and how Christians should best interact with the world through politics. Also, Curtis describes how anxiety is a surprising underlying cause of the political acrimony and divisiveness that plagues our culture today. This special Good Faith podcast was recorded in front of a live audience at The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, a higher education association of more than 185 Christian institutions around the world.

SHOW NOTES:

Pre-order Curtis Chang's upcoming book, The Anxiety Opportunity. 

Learn more about the theology of institutions via this online video course from Redeeming Babel

Asbury Professor: We’re Witnessing a ‘Surprising Work of God’ (from Christianity Today) 

More in Common: The Hidden Tribes Project

Jonathan Haidt on the “Rider and the Elephant”

Peter Wehner’s former office was the White House.  He served in the Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush administrations, as Deputy Director of Speechwriting and later Director of the Office of Strategic Initiatives for President George W. Bush. Now, he’s a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times, and a contributing editor for The Atlantic. 

He’s been in the halls of power, and he writes for publications of prominence.  So why has Peter been in exile?  In this powerful episode, Curtis talks to his old friend about what it’s like to have a role in the unfolding drama of American history, to believe your most important moments are in the past, and to walk out one’s faith in complicated times.

Show Notes:

Global Giving - Turkey and Syria Earthquake Relief Fund: Two powerful earthquakes struck Turkey and Syria early Monday morning, killing more than 19,000 people and injuring thousands more. People are trapped and homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure have been destroyed under layers of rubble. Your donation to the Turkey and Syria Earthquake Relief Fund will provide emergency relief and fuel long-term recovery efforts in Turkey and Syria.

Project Hope - Save Lives in Turkey and Communities in Crisis: Devastating earthquakes in Turkey (Türkiye) and Syria have left tens of thousands of families in desperate need of medical help and basic supplies. Our emergency response team is on the ground and working quickly to save as many lives as possible.

Died: Steve Hayner, Former President of InterVarsity and Columbia Seminary, Christianity Today: This is a death notice for Steve Hayner, “one of the baby-boomer generation's most influential evangelical leaders, has died. He was known for his presidency at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and later at Columbia Theological Seminary.”

Remembering Steve Hayner, InterVarsity: This reflection from Intervarsity about their former president states, “Steve became president of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in 1988, near the end of a turbulent decade in which InterVarsity had five presidents. “Steve brought pastoral care, healing and hope to a community that had undergone much trauma,” said Alec Hill, Steve’s successor and InterVarsity’s current president.”

"Painting As a Pastime" by Winston S. Churchill; “The perfect antidote to his 'Black Dog', a depression that blighted his working life, Churchill took to painting with gusto. Picking up a paintbrush for the first time at the age of forty, Winston Churchill found in painting a passion that was to remain his constant companion. This glorious essay exudes his compulsion for a hobby that allowed him peace during his dark days, and richly rewarded a nation with a treasure trove of work.”

“President Donald Trump?  Just Say No,” by Peter Wehner: This 2015 article describes Pete’s unwillingness to embrace the new GOP candidate who would ultimately become President of the United States.

“The GOP and the Birther Trap,” by Peter Wehner: This 2011 Wall Street Journal article describes Wehner’s take on a fringe conspiracy theory that was then front and center in American politics: the claim that President Barack Obama might not be a natural-born American citizen.

“Why I Will Never Vote for Donald Trump,” by Peter Wehner.  This 2016 New York Times explains why Pete did not find Donald J. Trump suitable for the Oval Office.

Creating Beauty in Exile: Mark Labberton: Mark Labberton, president of Fuller Seminary, reflects on the themes of exile in scripture and what it means to live a “faithful exilic life” in a culture shaped by fear and violence.

Exile: A Conversation with N. T. Wright, Edited by James M. Scott, by N. T. Wright; According to N. T. Wright, the controlling narrative that shaped the thinking of Jesus and Paul is this: “Israel had grievously sinned against Yahweh and suffered the judgment of exile from its land. But even though Israel had returned, the majority of Jews of the second temple era regarded themselves in paradoxical exile under Roman rule and still awaiting their full restoration. It was this crisis of exile that reached its climax and resolution in the person and work of Jesus Christ.”

Makoto Fujimura on Faith and Art by Dan Clendenin, Journey with Jesus: “Makoto Fujimura is a leading contemporary artist whose process driven, refractive “slow art” has been described by David Brooks of the New York Times as ‘a small rebellion against the quickening of time.’ Robert Kushner, in the mid 90’s, has written on Fujimura’s art in Art in America this way: ‘The idea of forging a new kind of art, about hope, healing, redemption, refuge, while maintaining visual sophistication and intellectual integrity is a growing movement, one which finds Makoto Fujimura’s work at the vanguard.’”

The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth by Jonathan Rauch: Disinformation. Trolling. Conspiracies. Social media pile-ons. Campus intolerance. On the surface, these recent additions to our daily vocabulary appear to have little in common. But together, they are driving an epistemic crisis: a multi-front challenge to America's ability to distinguish fact from fiction and elevate truth above falsehood.

New technology seems to be revolutionizing our world on a daily basis.  ChatGPT — which has been used by more than a million people — might replace internet search engines and possibly your job.  How should Christians deal with these machines that can communicate facts, create business plans, and do homework at the push of a button?

On this week’s episode of the Good Faith podcast, Curtis sits down with his friend, bestselling author Andy Crouch, to discuss how technology can enhance our lives or possibly deform us. They describe how technology paints as a false vision of human flourishing—and encourage Christians to fight back. 

SHOW NOTES:

ChatGPT: In December 2022, Jeremy Howard, an artificial intelligence researcher, introduced an online chatbot called ChatGPT.

Joe Rogan Interviews Steve Jobs (Artificial Intelligence): Hosted by a fake version of Joe Rogan, this podcast attempts to bring the late Steve Jobs’ voice using artificial intelligence. “The meandering, near-20 minute fake interview was both surreal and occasionally funny,” writes Kyle Barr.

The Life We're Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World by Andy Crouch; The bestselling author Andy Crouch shows how we have been seduced by a false vision of human flourishing—and how each of us can fight back. 

In life, we have moments in which opportunities present the possibility of dramatic change.  Dr. Michael Lindsay, president of Gordon College, calls these instances “hinge moments,” since a hinge can either shut or close a door leading to very different pathways in our lives.  

This episode of the Good Faith podcast is actually one of these “hinge moments” for co-hosts David French and Curtis Chang, as David transitions to his new job at the New York Times.  What will happen to the podcast? (Spoiler alert: it will go on!)

In this powerful episode, Dr. Lindsay joins his old friends David and Curtis to talk about his book, “Hinge Moments: Making the Most of Life's Transitions” and gives practical advice which applies to the podcasters and to all experiencing change that alters the course of our lives. 

SHOW NOTES:

Hinge Moments: Making the Most of Life's Transitions by Dr. Michael Lindsay: In this book, Lindsay shares faith-based stories of success and failure from his 10-year study of 550 PLATINUM leaders. He has charted seven phases of transition, providing both practical and spiritual insights for making the most of each stage. In uncertain and tumultuous times, there is no better advantage than wisdom gained early.

Me, Myself, and Bob: A True Story About Dreams, God, and Talking Vegetables by Phil Vischer: This story by the VeggieTales creator is about dreaming big and working hard, of spectacular success and breathtaking failure, of shouted questions, and, at long last, whispered answers. Sometimes God can use the death of a dream to point us toward true success.

Show Notes:

A New Chapter in Millennial Church Attendance: “Patterns of attendance among younger generations can be especially important—and perplexing—for pastors to understand, in their own church and at large. Barna Group has studied the intersection of faith and culture for nearly four decades, with an emphasis on generational trends. This article explores recent data to help church leaders ground themselves in the present reality of church attendance across generations—especially Millennials—in 2022.”

The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America

by Richard Rothstein: “Richard Rothstein argues with exacting precision and fascinating insight how segregation in America—the incessant kind that continues to dog our major cities and has contributed to so much recent social strife—is the byproduct of explicit government policies at the local, state, and federal levels.”

The Technological Society by Jacques Ellul: “Ellul offers a penetrating analysis of our technological civilization, showing how technology—which began innocuously enough as a servant of humankind—threatens to overthrow humanity itself in its ongoing creation of an environment that meets its own ends.”

Nancy French’s entertainment suggestion tweet thread: “In the French house, David and I love to watch series. Frequently, people ask what good shows we've watched, so I thought I'd start a list (and I'll keep adding to it) of some of the binge-worthy TV we've enjoyed.”

Fasting: The Ancient Practices

 by Scot McKnight: “Christianity has traditionally been at odds with the human body. At times in the history of the church, Christians have viewed the body and physical desires as the enemy. Now, Scot McKnight, best-selling author of The Jesus Creed , reconnects the spiritual and the physical in the ancient discipline of fasting.”

In this podcast, David and Curtis return from trips around the world to give us a philosophical insight on courage. From Churchill to Lord of The Rings, stories of virtue can influence our own actions when tests cross our paths. They talk about the power of narratives and how they can build moral courage and character. Both dig into their past to bring up personal models of strength that have influenced who they are today. They wrap up with a critical look at political institutions under this moral framework.

SHOW NOTES:

-There’s a Question My Confederate Ancestors Taught Me To Ask by David French.  In this April 26, 2020 Dispatch article, David writes about the incredibly powerful pull of tribe over truth.

-After Virtue: A Study in Moral Theory by Alasdair MacIntyre: Alasdair MacIntyre examines the historical and conceptual roots of the idea of virtue, diagnoses the reasons for its absence in personal and public life, and offers a tentative proposal for its recovery. 

-The Literary Churchill: Author, Reader, Actor by Jonathan Rose: Rose examines Churchill’s careers as statesman and author, revealing the profound influence of literature and theater on Churchill’s personal, carefully composed grand story and on the decisions he made throughout his political life. 

-Curtis’s account of Churchill's book "Savrola" is taken from Gideon Haigh’s 2014 Sydney Morning Herald article, “Winston Churchill's literary and theatrical influences” and his account of Nuremberg can be found at Nuremberg as the "City of Nazi Party Rallies."

-A Hidden Life: Written and directed by Terrence Malick, this film depicts the true story of an Austrian farmer facing execution for refusing to fight for the Nazis during World War II.

What does it look like to have Christian hope in this chaotic world?

As believers, we live in the “already but not yet,” which means that we are currently in the kingdom of God, though the kingdom has not reached its full expression. In other words, we are “already” in the kingdom of God, but we do “not yet” experience its full glory.

In this Advent episode, David and Curtis look back at the challenging year and look for signs of the “coming Kingdom” so that listeners can “read the signs of the times”--  in a way that is both Biblical and hopeful – and live in the anticipation of God’s justice, restoration, and glory.

Show Notes:

-YouTube: God Bless You': Residents Welcome Ukrainian Troops As They Advance Toward Kherson

-YouTube: Ukrainian woman plays violin from apartment basement in Kharkiv

-World Health Organization: COVAX delivers its 1 billionth COVID-19 vaccine dose

-Forbes: How A Rock Star, A Physician-Legislator, And An Evangelical Senator Bonded To Help End The Global AIDS Pandemic: A Backstory

-The Perception Gap: Americans tend to have a distorted understanding of people on the other side of the aisle.

Jesse Wiese robbed a bank and spent eight-and-a-half years in prison.

After he served his time, he experienced the challenges of reentering society.  He joined the Prison Fellowship, graduating from law school, and is now the vice president of program design and evaluation at Prison Fellowship.  Now he spends his time attempting to help fellow imprisoned people flourish after serving time in prison.

In this episode, Jesse shares his remarkable journey from bank robber to attorney, while David and Curtis discuss the church’s proper spiritual approach to criminal justice, prison reform, criminal justice reform, and the difference between justice and vengeance. 

Show Notes:

-Visiting Prisoners in Jesus’ Day: Helping detained people was a shocking calling in the first century by David Stubbs in Christianity Today.

-The Sentencing Project: The Sentencing Project advocates for effective and humane responses to crime that minimize imprisonment and criminalization of youth and adults by promoting racial, ethnic, economic, and gender justice.

-Locked Out: Voices from America's Second Prison by Jesse Wiese (Editor): Interviews with former prisoners as they relate the ongoing consequences of incarceration long after their debt to society has been paid.

-Matthew 25:31-40: The Scripture which includes, “I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

-Prison Fellowship: Founded in 1976, Prison Fellowship® exists to serve all those affected by crime and incarceration and to see lives and communities restored in and out of prison.

-After Life: My Journey from Incarceration to Freedom Hardcover by Alice Marie Johnson (author), Kim Kardashian (foreword), and Nancy French (collaborator): The true story of the woman whose life sentence for non-violent drug trafficking was commuted by President Donald Trump thanks to the efforts of Kim Kardashian West.

Hosts: David French and Curtis Chang

Producer: Victoria Holmes

We toss around words like “conservative” and “progressive” without really understanding – or agreeing on – the meaning of these terms.  

This week, David and Curtis discuss how these labels simply don’t work when applied across both theology and politics.

How is the equivocation surrounding these terms misleading and therefore damaging to Christian discourse? Can politics be used as a proxy for faithfulness? If so, when?

Join David and Curtis as they dive deeper into the word “progressive” and “conservative” and attempt to provide clarity on this common, important conversational terminology.

Show Notes:

Check out Curtis’s course on the theology of institutions, called God’s Purpose for Your Organizational Life (free to Good Faith listeners).

Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

This week David and Curtis are joined by Eric Costanzo, a Southern Baptist pastor from Tulsa, Oklahoma who has led his own congregation in the practice of welcoming refugees and immigrants in their community. Eric is also the co-author of the book “Inalienable: How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save the American Church”. Join us for this challenging discussion that, based on the number of times it’s mentioned in scripture (plus Jesus’ own experience as a displaced refugee), is an issue near to God’s own heart.

-The Story Behind DeSantis’s Migrant Flights to Martha’s Vineyard (New York Times)

-Inalienable: How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save the American Church by Eric Costanzo, Daniel Yang, and Matthew Soerens

-“I Was a Stranger…” 40 Days of Scripture and Prayer - Bible App Reading Plan

-Evangelical Immigration Table

-Rising Village refugee initiative

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Produced by Kris Carter

There is no shortage of punditry, analysis and Monday morning quarterbacking about this week’s midterm elections, including David’s own work at the Dispatch. In this podcast, however, David and Curtis try to take a slightly broader (dare we say higher?) view, to ask not only the raw political questions, but also the broader questions about what this election might be signaling for our country, our culture, and our church. What are the signs we should be paying attention to, and how should we as Christians be thinking, praying and responding to them?

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Produced by Kris Carter

Episode 51 - Does Jesus Need an Ad Campaign? with Jason Vanderground

If you watch any sports on television you may have seen one of the edgy, black & white ads from the “He Gets Us” campaign. Designed to introduce Jesus to a culture that is actually quite intrigued by him, this campaign has created both curiosity and questions. We are excited to be joined this week by one of the chief architects of the campaign, Jason Vanderground. Join us for this excellent conversation about the campaign itself, the broader theological questions at play, and even the role of advertising as a tool of evangelism. 

Show Notes:

-He Gets Us campaign

Video Ads:

-The Rebel

-The Birth

-Outrage

-The Influencer

-Dinner Party

-He Gets Us campaign - About Us

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Produced by Kris Carter

This week David and Curtis are joined by David Skeel, one of the world’s leading experts on bankruptcy law and the Chairman of the Financial Oversight & Management Board for Puerto Rico, which was responsible for helping the territory restructure and cut its public debt by 80%. David brings a unique perspective as both a legal scholar and follower of Christ, particularly around how our understanding of debt can and should image Biblical values while not being strictly prescribed by Biblical law. 

-Getting Puerto Rico’s Financial House Back in Order (WSJ) - Natalie Jaresko and David Skeel 

-The Law, The Gospel, and David Skeel (The Pennsylvania Gazette)

-Practicing Poetry, Teaching Law - David Skeel

-Poem | Hurakan Despacito, by David Skeel

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Produced by Kris Carter

So how should Christians be approaching the midterm elections? Apart from the basic question of who to vote for, are there perhaps deeper questions to consider? What about the fact that 60% of Americans will have an election denier on their ballot this year? Is our democracy as unstable as a game of Jenga? Join David and Curtis for this enlightening discussion around the midterms and how we as Christians should be thinking about our role in the process.

-Alexander Solzhenitsyn - Live Not by Lies

-The New York Times - Democrats Aid Far-Right Candidate Against Republican Who Backed Impeachment

-Five Thirty Eight - 60 Percent Of Americans Will Have An Election Denier On The Ballot This Fall

-David French (The Dispatch) - Stacey Abrams Challenges the Pro-Democracy Left

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Produced by Kris Carter

Anxiety is everywhere. It feels as though it is at crisis levels individually, and is also spilling over into our culture at large, particularly in the political arena. This week David and Curtis are joined by a live studio audience in Washington, DC to talk about our personal and cultural anxiety. Fortunately, they also offer some good news. Drawing upon Curtis’ upcoming book “The Anxiety Opportunity”, we learn how Christians can actually view anxiety as an opportunity to grow closer to a Savior who was constantly approached by anxious people, and who experienced very real human anxiety himself. 

Show Notes:

• Anxiety as Opportunity for Spiritual Growth (7-session online series for small groups and individuals

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Produced by Kris Carter

Are Christians called to navigate their finances differently from everyone else? Are the oft-repeated directives to save aggressively and avoid all debt either scriptural or wise? Is it possible that spiritual wisdom and practical wisdom are sometimes one and the same? Join David and Curtis in this excellent discussion with James Choi, Professor of Finance at Yale. As a Christian and a behavioral economist, James brings both spiritual and practical wisdom to the area of personal finance and exposes where some of our most popular financial gurus might be giving us poor advice.

Show Notes:

-Derek Thompson (The Atlantic) - All the Personal-Finance Books Are Wrong

-Greg Rosalsky (Planet Money) - An economist studied popular finance tips. Some might be leading you astray

-Why I am a Christian (James Choi)

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Produced by Kris Carter

Raise yourself up by your own bootstraps. This is a refrain we hear all the time, especially as Americans catechized in the dogma of personal responsibility. But what if some people don’t have bootstraps?  What if some don’t even have boots?

This week David and Curtis welcome educational expert and Rice University sociology professor Ruth López Turley. Raised on the U.S./Mexico border, Ruth’s own educational story is fascinating and lends special weight to her observations about educational equity and how the scriptures (including Mary’s Magnificat) might lead us to some surprising and challenging conclusions.

Show Notes:

-$50M Kinder Foundation grant will expand Kinder Institute’s work to solve challenges facing Houston

-Claire Cain Miller, Josh Katz, Francesca Paris and Aatish Bhatia (The New York Times) - Vast New Study Shows a Key to Reducing Poverty: More Friendships Between Rich and Poor

-Cynthia M. Allen - Want economic mobility? Make friends at church

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Produced by Kris Carter

Evil is certainly a powerful force in our world. We are witnessing it live in the form of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But is evil ultimately as powerful as it is popularly portrayed? Does evil perhaps contain in itself the seeds of its own destruction? Join David and Curtis in this week’s fascinating discussion about the inherent weakness of evil. 

Show Notes:

• Why the Allies Won by Richard Overy
• Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield
• N.T. Wright: “Paul and Caesar: A New Reading of Romans”
• Good Faith Podcast with Tish Harrison Warren: “Praying Through Wars, Real and Imaginary”

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Produced by Kris Carter

In this special re-release, we at the Good Faith podcast want to honor the life of Jonathan Tjarks, who passed away last week. Jonathan was an NBA beat writer and podcaster for The Ringer, but he was so much more! Just 6 months ago we had the pleasure of having Jonathan join us to talk about his cancer diagnosis, the role of his faith community in caring for his family, and even a little NBA talk. Whether you caught this episode or not, we believe his hard-earned wisdom is worth hearing over and over again. Rest in the peace of God Jonathan.

Show Notes:

• Jonathan Tjarks: “Does My Son Know You?”
• Jonathan Tjarks “Blogs About Books (Of The Bible)”
• Melissa Tjarks announcement of Jonathan’s passing

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Produced by Kris Carter

In a previously recorded (but never released) episode, David and Curtis tackle the particularly vexing challenge of justice when crimes are committed. For those who do not engage regularly with the criminal justice system, these questions can feel distant, or even irrelevant. But as we are reminded, God’s repeated calls for justice throughout the scriptures don’t give the Christian such an easy out.

Show Notes:

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

This week David and Curtis dive into the issue of time and how our understanding of time horizons can profoundly impact our perspective on the world, whether it is getting worse or better, and what actions that should lead us to take. As Christians who believe in eternity, we should be good at “playing the long game,” but we often let ourselves get caught up in the issues of the moment, and let our compressed time horizons lead us to fear or despair, rather than hope.

Show Notes:

-Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World--and Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling

-“Imagine That” by Picture This

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

This week David and Curtis are joined by Meghan Sullivan, philosopher, teacher, and creator of the most popular class at the University of Notre Dame, “God and the Good Life.” As many of us send our kids off to college (or head off to college ourselves), Meghan helps us appreciate the role of education–and of philosophy in particular–in helping students take on the big questions of life.

Show Notes:

-The Good Life Method by Meghan Sullivan and Paul Blaschko

-God and the Good Life (Notre Dame course)

-What is Philosophy?: Crash Course Philosophy #1

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

This week David and Curtis are joined by Karen Swallow Prior, writer, thinker, and research professor of English and Christianity and culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Karen talks to us about the current state of affairs in social media, particularly Twitter, and compares its impact on culture and the church to another critical technology, the printing press. She discusses how these modern technologies are impacting our brains, and how we can push back against this through the simple act of reading, especially the (necessarily slow and contemplative) reading of literature.

Show Notes:

-National Endowment of the Arts - “Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America”

-Caleb Crain (The New Yorker) - “Why We Don’t Read, Revisited”

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

It’s been an eventful week, and for many a deeply troubling one. But of course, no matter what end of the political spectrum you come from, weeks like this seem increasingly common. The hits just keep on coming, as do the feelings of loss and fear. So how are we as Christians to navigate such deeply troubled times? This week, David and Curtis dive into this question with some interesting thoughts from Rudyard Kipling, and some even more important (and eternal) wisdom from the Psalms.

Show Notes:

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

This week David’s theological wingman Curtis returns from his July sabbatical. He’s rested and raring to go, but rather than dive into another hot political or cultural issue, Curtis actually has some remarkable insights to share about the nature of sabbath rest and the spiritual discipline of letting go, stepping away from our illusions of ultimate control and placing all our striving in God’s hands. In the second half of this episode Curtis also shares some important thoughts about the nature of remembrance and loss based on his experience at the 9/11 Memorial. If you’re a regular listener who is tempted to skip this episode because it’s not Good Faith’s regular political/cultural fare, then this episode is even more for you.

Show Notes:

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

While Curtis is still on sabbatical, David talks to Justin Giboney, co-founder of the AND Campaign, about racial justice, political tribalism, and the “God gap” in the Democratic Party. They discuss the problems with left and right as they grapple with extremism, and they talk about Justin’s experiences talking about hot-button topics from a politically heterodox (but theologically orthodox) point of view.

Show Notes:

-Good Faith Debates: How Should the Church Address Racial Injustice?

-AND Campaign

-Compassion (&) Conviction by Justin Giboney

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

David talks to Georgetown professor and Bush administration alum Paul Miller about Paul's new book, “The Religion of American Greatness: What's Wrong With Christian Nationalism.” Paul defines Christian nationalism, discusses what's wrong with it theologically, what's wrong with it politically, and how it invariably leads to conflict and illiberalism. They also discuss Christian underrepresentation in the academy and other elite spaces, including its causes and consequences.

Show Notes:

-“The Religion of American Greatness” by Paul D. Miller

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

David talks to Scott Sauls, an author and pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee. They talk about handling the exhaustion of the current moment, whether winsomeness "works," and the challenges facing pastors in the face of relentless criticism. They also address Scott's prescient warnings about the dangers of culture war obsessions--warnings that date well before the present extreme polarization.

Show Notes:

-“Beautiful People Don't Just Happen” by Scott Sauls

-“Jesus Outside the Lines” by Scott Sauls

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

This week Eboo Patel, a Muslim pioneer in interfaith work, joins David and Curtis to discuss his book, We Need to Build. They discuss the need to allow people of different faiths to be able to bring their whole selves, including real and significant religious disagreements, to these conversations. Eboo also helps us understand why it is so important to do more than criticize what we don’t like in the culture, but instead to adopt the more mature approach of actually building what we want to see in society.

Show Notes:

-We Need to Build: Field Notes for Diverse Democracy by Eboo Patel

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

Dobbs; January 6 hearings; war in Ukraine; mass shootings. We are being overwhelmed on a weekly basis by a relentlessly heavy news cycle. In this week’s episode David and Curtis give us a break from all this to talk with us about anxiety, despair and weariness. Wait . . . what?! Yes that’s right, this is the Good Faith version of “lighter” fare! It’s actually a very uplifting conversation and you may even walk away with some helpful ways to navigate the overwhelming feelings all of us are experiencing these days.

Show Notes:

-Future Tense: Why Anxiety Is Good for You (Even Though It Feels Bad) by Tracy Dennis-Tiwary

-Anxiety as Opportunity for Spiritual Growth (online course by Curtis Chang)

-Al Pacino “Inches” speech from Any Given Sunday

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

In part one of this two part podcast, Curtis and David respond to the breaking news that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade. Rather than dive into the legal or political dimensions of the ruling, they take a look at the social and spiritual dimensions, asking questions like:

• What does this actually mean for abortion in America?
• What are the opportunities and fears now in play?
• How should a pro-life Christian respond to pro-choice friends and family members?
• How should a pro-choice Christian respond to this decision?
• What is the most important move to make now for Christians on both sides?

In part two they welcome guest Rachel Ferguson to discuss her new book “Black Liberation Through the Marketplace,” a classical liberal response to racial injustice in America.

Show Notes:

-Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization

-Black Liberation Through the Marketplace: Hope, Heartbreak, and the Promise of America by Rachel S. Ferguson and Marcus M. Witcher

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

Some folks are fascinated by the unfolding narrative of the January 6 hearings, but many are simply tuning out, feeling it is just more politics. This week David and Curtis help us think through why we should be paying attention to these hearings. They explore some of the underlying stories around the key players involved and how those stories not only impact how we think of these people, but perhaps even how we think of ourselves.

Show Notes:

-Megan N. Fontenot - Exploring the People of Middle-earth: Boromir the Brave

-Brooke Singman (Fox News) - Barr says parents taught him 'not to care what other people think' growing up, calls faith 'indispensable'

-Rivka Maizlish - Alasdair MacIntyre on Narrative, History, and the Unity of a Life

-Hannah Natanson and Moriah Balingit (Washington Post) - Caught in the culture wars, teachers are being forced from their jobs

-Ryan Grim (The Intercept) - Meltdowns Have Brought Progressive Advocacy Groups to a Standstill at a Critical Moment in World History

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

Joining David and Curtis this week is Russell Moore, the director of Christianity Today’s Public Theology Project. With the Southern Baptist Convention taking place next week in the immediate aftermath of a 3rd party report on sexual abuse and institutional coverup, Russell helps us unpack some of what went wrong in his former denomination. He also offers helpful guidance on how church leaders and all followers of Christ should be responding to such situations (hint: it’s not to ignore it or cover it up). He also discusses the issue of “crazy as a church growth strategy,” suggesting that while we are not called to crazy, we are called to the strangeness (in the world’s eyes) of biblical fidelity, mixed with a healthy dose of rational thought.

Show Notes:

-Russell Moore (Christianity Today) - This Is the Southern Baptist Apocalypse

-David French (The Atlantic) - The Southern Baptist Horror

-‎Curtis Chang - The Southern Baptist Convention Sacrifices Congregants on the Altar of Power

-The Russell Moore Show: David Brooks Wants to Save Evangelicalism on Apple Podcasts

-Russell Moore’s newsletter

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

This week David and Curtis tackle the tough subject of gun violence. They look at the various tensions between gun rights and gun control and the hyper-polarized responses we are apt to have on one side or the other. They also help us take a step back to think through the “how” of approaching such a complex issue versus just the “what” of our preferred policy outcome.

Show Notes:

-Rand Corporation - Gun Policy in America

-Rand Corporation - How Gun Policies Affect Mass Shootings

-Malcolm Gladwell (New Yorker) - Thresholds of Violence: How school shootings catch on

-French Press - Pass and Enforce Red Flag Laws. Now.

-David French (The Atlantic) - What Critics Don’t Understand About Gun Culture

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

Joining David and Curtis this week is special guest Nancy French. In a departure from her normal work as a best selling author, Nancy has spent the last 2 years investigating cases of sexual abuse and institutional coverup at one of the nations largest Christian summer camps, Kanakuk Kamps in Branson, Missouri. Going beyond mere reporting on what happened, our hosts help frame the sad situation at Kanakuk in the broader context of the calling we all have to first tell the truth about the institutions we engage with, but also to work toward their repentance and repair.

Show Notes:

-Frederick Buechner - Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy and Fairy Tale

-Nancy French (USA Today) - Survivors, ex-employees say Kanakuk Christian camp 'ministered' to its sexual predators

-Curtis Chang - The Southern Baptist Convention Sacrifices Congregants on the Altar of Power

-Check out Nancy French’s investigative work at NancyFrench.com

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

In this special episode of the Good Faith podcast we pause to reflect on the tragic shooting in Buffalo and explore its underlying racial motivations, so-called “white replacement theory.” Joining David and Curtis (and producer Kris) is our special guest Chuck Mingo, pastor and founder of Living Undivided. Chuck helps us unpack some of the history behind this insidious “theory” and why its scarcity mindset is in direct contradiction to the abundance of God revealed in the Bible. The discussion also explores the connection of this current tragedy and its motivations to broader understandings of immigration, as well as to the nation’s past history of racially motivated violence like the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

Show Notes:

-Cathy Young (The Bulwark) - The Replacement Theory -- And Terrorist Practice

-Jesse Curtis (Washington Post) - The mass shooting in Buffalo reflects deeply rooted American ideas

-Michael Gerson (Washington Post) - GOP leaders ought to banish officials who embrace ‘replacement theory’

-David French (The Atlantic) - The Truth About Extremism That America Likes to Forget

-The bloody history of anti-Asian violence in the West

-Andy Crouch - Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power

-Check out Chuck Mingo’s critically important work at Undivided.com

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

It is increasingly obvious that teenagers across the country are experiencing a spike in anxiety, often with serious and debilitating consequences. This week David and Curtis speak to one of the foremost experts on the subject, Kara Powell, executive director of the Fuller Youth Institute. Kara’s well-researched and empathetic insights are critical for all of us to help the teens in our lives navigate these challenging times.

Show Notes:

-Faith in an Anxious World: A 4-week High School Curriculum

-Faith in an Anxious World Parenting Podcast

-Matt Richtel (New York Times): “‘It’s Life or Death’: The Mental Health Crisis Among U.S. Teens”

-Tosin Thompson (Nature): “Young people’s climate anxiety revealed in landmark survey”

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org and specifically check out the course Anxiety as Opportunity for Spiritual Growth

What does the surprise leak of Justice Alito’s opinion in the highly anticipated case Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization reveal about the intellectual integrity of his legal argument? What does it perhaps reveal about the integrity of the institution of the Supreme Court itself? In the midst of all the controversy and preliminary conclusions, David and Curtis try to help us think through this complex cultural moment through the lens of integrity.

Show Notes:

-Caitlin Flanagan: “The Dishonesty of the Abortion Debate”

-Romney Discusses the State of Family Policy and the Child Tax Credit with AEI

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

In this week’s episode David and Curtis explore the concept of the “partisan mind”; what it is, where it comes from, and why it is in conflict with the “mind of Christ”. They look at the social science behind partisan polarization and offer some practical tips on how we can tell when we are (and how we can avoid) falling into the snare of the partisan mind.

Show Notes:

-Nichole Argo Ben Itzhak (Over Zero) - The Science of Polarization and Insights for Bridge-building

-Barna: Pastors Share Top Reasons They’ve Considered Quitting Ministry in the Past Year

-Over Zero: Core Concepts on Social Identity, Negative Emotions and Group Norms

-Check out Biologos

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

How is it possible that the people who have harnessed technological progress to become the wealthiest nation in history are still so remarkably unhappy? Is it possible that we have asked technology to do too much? Is it perhaps impacting our ability to be fully formed humans? Join this fascinating conversation with David, Curtis, and Curtis’ old roommate Andy Crouch, who guides us in thinking about our relationship with technology and how to be more human.

Show Notes:

-Andy Crouch - The Life We’re Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World

-Jonathan Haidt - Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Check out Redeeming Babel’s job opening here

Liberal democracy is under military threat abroad, and intellectual threat in America. And many of these domestic attacks are coming from within Christianity. So should Christians care about defending democracy? What are the connections between our Christian faith and America’s form of self-government? This week David and Curtis dive headlong into this deep and fascinating issue, including some history, some theology, and some critical guidance for why we Christians must indeed care about the state of our democracy and its institutions.

Show Notes:

-French Press: “A Christian Defense of American Classical Liberalism”

-Sarah Repucci & Amy Slipowitz (Freedom House): “Democracy Under Siege”

-From John Adams to Massachusetts Militia, 11 October 1798

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Check out Redeeming Babel’s job opening here

This week David and Curtis offer a follow up discussion on fundamentalism, clarifying some key points from the previous episode and diving deeper into how we can become fundamentalists without even knowing it! Do our increasingly homogenous social groups perhaps push us toward fundamentalism and even radicalization? How might the presence of even a few diverse voices impact these groups? This then leads to a discussion about liberal democracy and how it is under assault, not just globally (as in Russia/Ukraine), but even here in the US. How should our Christian faith inform things like our system of government and our embrace (or rejection) of liberal democracy?

Show Notes:

-Cass Sunstein - The Law of Group Polarization

-Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter

-Check out Curtis’ series Anxiety as Opportunity for Spiritual Growth, available at RedeemingBabel.org. 20% discount for Good Faith listeners, use code: GoodFaith20

In a continuation of our “What the Heck is . . .?” series, David and Curtis help us think about the concept of fundamentalism and how it fits into the current cultural moment. Is fundamentalism just a set of beliefs? Is it a way of approaching belief? Does it perhaps even extend beyond traditional religious belief to certain political beliefs? And where do uncertainty and humility fit into all of this? Join us as we unpack how fundamentalism functions both within the church and in the wider culture.

Show Notes:

-Richard Hofstadter (Harper’s Magazine): “The Paranoid Style in American Politics”

-Please consider taking our Podcast Survey (podsurvey.com/faith) to help us determine what types of advertisers you want to see on the Good Faith podcast

This week David and Curtis start with confession time, each looking closely at the challenges of contrarianism and pride that impact all of us in our modern discourse. They unpack the tricky balance between knowing, certainty, and humility, including the possibility that we might be wrong. 

In the second half, they dive into the spiritual challenge of staying attentive to the war in Ukraine without just watching it as a form of perverse entertainment. In another tricky balance, our hosts offer suggestions for staying connected in ways that are less personally destructive and more spiritually healthy.

Show Notes:

-French Press: “What the Russian Invasion Teaches us About the Right”

-French Press: “Questions and Answers After a Month of War”

-Adam Grant: “Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know”

Joining David and Curtis this week are two of the most influential voices speaking to Christian faith in the public square, David Brooks and Peter Wehner. Both Peter and David recently wrote landmark pieces analyzing the current landscape of American evangelicalism. In this podcast, they discuss the signs of hope and restoration for the troubled movement. Also, in a bit of self-revelation, they share about the books that most influenced their own faith journeys.

Show Notes:

-Peter Wehner: “The Evangelical Church is Breaking Apart”

-David Brooks: “The Dissenters Trying to Save Evangelicalism From Itself”

David Brooks’ Most Influential Books: 

• A Severe Mercy (Sheldon Vanauken)
• The Long Loneliness (Dorothy Day)
• The Confessions (St. Augustine)
• My Bright Abyss (Christian Wiman)

Peter Wehner’s Most Influential Books:

• A Grief Observed (CS Lewis)
• The Resurrection of the Son of God (NT Wright)

David and Curtis are honored this week to share the microphone with Jonathan Tjarks, famed NBA beat writer and podcaster for The Ringer. Jonathan’s recent piece “Does My Son Know You?” was a rare moment of candid sharing and distilled wisdom in light of his recent cancer diagnosis. This is truly a must listen as Jonathan shares a poignant perspective on faith, family and the power of community. Be sure to stay tuned to the end where he also breaks down a potential Grizzlies-Warriors matchup in the NBA playoffs, leaving one of our hosts happy and one sad.

Show Notes:

-Jonathan Tjarks: “Does My Son Know You?”

-Jonathan Tjarks “Blogs About Books (Of The Bible)”

This week David and Curtis help us look at leadership and what it is about certain leaders that seems to resonate so deep in our souls. Why does President Zelensky’s stand in Kyiv inspire us? Is it possible that a man who claims no Christian identity can be bearing the image of God? How do we recognize these images while not falling for the temptation of idolatry and worship of leaders as false images? Join us for this fascinating and timely discussion of the spiritual power of leadership.

Show Notes:

-French Press: “When the Man Meets the Moment”

-Helen Lewis (The Atlantic): “The Twitching Generation”

David and Curtis talk to Tish Harrison Warren, an author, Anglican priest, and writer for The New York Times. Their conversation about prayer gets very real, as they first talk about prayer in wartime. Then they move back to the American cultural struggles, and discuss the disturbing tendency to compare peace to war and the toxic effect on our lives and hearts.

Show Notes:

-Sign up for Tish Harrison Warren’s newsletter

-And David’s French Press

On today’s podcast, David and Curtis tackle Christian nationalism. What is it? Is it an ideology? A theology? An emotional, visceral connection? Or some combination of all three? Then they talk about healthy patriotism and how to love your national home, warts and all.

Show Notes:

-Thomas Kidd: “Christian Nationalism vs. Christian Patriotism”

-Deseret News: “What the latest data tells us about Christian nationalism”

-French Press: “Discerning the Difference Between Christian Nationalism and Christian Patriotism”

-French Press: “The Seeds of Political Violence Are Being Sown in Church”

David and Curtis talk to Dr. Derwin Gray about his career path from college football to the NFL to seminary and, ultimately, to the founder and pastor of Transformation church, a multi-ethnic congregation in South Carolina. Dr. Gray talks about his new book, How to Heal Our Racial Divide and David and Curtis ask him about political and racial tensions in church, critical race theory, and how he proposes reaching a church that's polarized on political and racial grounds.

Show Notes:

-How to Heal Our Racial Divide by Derwin Gray

-Desert News: “Leaning on Jesus to heal America’s racial divide”

-Follow Derwin Gray on Twitter

-RedeemingBabel.org 20% discount for Good Faith listeners: GoodFaith20

How should we react when people say or do things we find offensive in public discourse? What is the role of forgiveness and grace in these contexts? How do we determine if apologies are sincere and the offending party is worthy of an opportunity for repentance and repair? Join David and Curtis as they discuss this timely topic and offer some guidance for how we can make some space for grace in our public discourse.

Show Notes:

-David French (WaPo): “Here’s the difference between Colin Kaepernick and Roseanne Barr”

-The French Press: “Cancel Culture, Conditioning Culture, and America’s Stun-Gun Style of Discourse”

-Greg Lukianoff and Adam Goldstein - “Opinion: Please, Georgetown. Don’t fire an academic over tweets”

-Les Miserable: “Back to God”

-YouTube: Brandt Jean to Amber Guyger: ‘I forgive you’

-Charlestown Shooting Victims’ Families Forgive Accused Gunman

-RedeemingBabel.org 20% discount for Good Faith listeners: GoodFaith20

David and Curtis are excited to welcome the inaugural guest of the Good Faith podcast, Mike Cosper. Mike is the Director of Podcasting for Christianity Today and is most well known as the producer and host of The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. Join David, Curtis and Mike as they discuss some of the lessons Mike took away from the process of diving deep into such a painful story. As you will see, the lessons are sometimes hard (just like the gospel itself), but they are also surprisingly hopeful (just like the gospel itself).

Show Notes:

-The Rise & Fall of Mars Hill

-RedeemingBabel.org 20% discount for Good Faith listeners: GoodFaith20

Why are so many pastors considering leaving the ministry? Is it the pandemic? Is it the political and racial polarization? Is it something else? Join David and Curtis as they delve into the growing crisis of pastoral burnout, including a very personal story from Curtis about his own journey to becoming a “former senior pastor”. 

Show Notes:

-Barna Group - 38% of U.S. Pastors Have Thought About Quitting Full-Time Ministry in the Past Year

-Michelle Boorstein - The first Christmas as a layperson: Burned out by the pandemic, many clergy quit in the past year

-Kate Shellnutt - The Pastors Aren’t All Right: 38% Consider Leaving Ministry

-Barna Group - The Mental & Emotional Health of Pastors and Their Congregants Amid COVID-19

-Wendy Wang and Alysse Elhage - Here’s Who Stopped Going to Church During the Pandemic

-The French Press - The Crisis of Christian Celebrity

-Cass Sunstein - The Law of Group Polarization

Conflict feels like it’s everywhere these days. Church communities, old friendships and even families are being pulled apart by tensions over politics, the pandemic, race and more. When should we stay in a church or relationship? When should we perhaps leave? Is there a biblical model to navigate these decisions and what comes in the aftermath? Join David and Curtis to discuss how we as Christians should approach these perplexing questions.

Show Notes:

-The Russell Moore Show: Beth Moore Didn’t Expect Us to Be Us

What exactly is a Christian nation? Is America becoming post-Christian? Is it easier or harder to be a Christian in America today than it was 30 years ago? What about 70 years ago? Join David French and Curtis Chang to think through these important questions and to consider some perhaps quite surprising answers.

Why would a 53-year-old man decide that this is the year he will finally become an adult? Find out in this special New Year’s episode where David and Curtis discuss the urgent need for all of us to step up and be the grown ups, both in the church and in the broader culture.

In a special Christmas episode, David French and Curtis Chang talk about the ultimate act of empathy (God becoming human) and the somewhat surprising debate going on in certain corners of the evangelical church; the idea that empathy can be a sin. How far should we go to understand another’s pain? Does empathy require moral agreement? Is our empathy sometimes selective, reserved for those we agree with and withheld from those we don’t? 

David and Curtis also dig into some reader mail for a fascinating discussion of the issue of abortion and some surprising realities that may show why pro-life Christians should look beyond the mere legal rules established under Roe v. Wade.

Show Notes:

-Joe Rigney: The Enticing Sin of Empathy

-The French Press: The American Crisis of Selective Empathy

-The French Press: Satanic Pregnancies, Explained

-C.S. Lewis: The Screwtape Letters (Amazon)

-Kate Shellnutt: Bethlehem Baptist Leaders Clash Over ‘Coddling’ and ‘Cancel Culture’

-The French Press: The Pro-Life Movement Must Transcend Politics

This week David French and Curtis Chang take a hard look at the silent killer of loneliness. Why is loneliness on the rise in America? What might hope look like, and how do we access it? Join us for this Advent episode where the reality of God’s incarnation in Jesus takes center stage, and the true story of hope in dark times is revealed.

Show Notes:

-Carol Graham: Premature Mortality and the Long Decline of Hope in America

-Social Capital Project - Opioid Overdoses by Demographic

-The college connection: The education divide in American social and community life

-David Brooks: The Nuclear Family Was a Mistake

-Nancy French: What civility really means

In a follow up to last week’s Deconstructing Faith episode, David French and Curtis Chang dive into the sometimes murky and contradictory political views of Christians. All too frequently, the political stances we think are biblical are actually just cultural. 

Why are most Christians’ political stances so predictable? For example, why do many believers who care about abortion not care as much about systemic racism? Or vice versa? 

Tune into today’s episode as Curtis and David tackle the fascinating interaction between politics, culture, and the Bible… and end with a surprising take on abortion and systemic racism.

Show Notes:

-More in Common - The Hidden Tribes of America

-Paul D. Miller - The Role of Social Science in ‘Deconstructing’ White Evangelicalism

-Kristen du Mez - Jesus and John Wayne

-Jemar Tisby - The Color of Compromise

-George McKenna - On Abortion: A Lincolnian Position (circa 1995, but still relevant)

David French and Curtis Chang discuss the hot topic of “deconstruction,” a term with multiple meanings, from reevaluation of specific faith related issues to a deeper questioning of Christian faith itself. For many the discussion around deconstruction stems from some sense of pain or hurt caused by the church. David and Curtis (and producer Kris) explore the complex and deeply personal dimensions of this process, including practical suggestions for listeners.

Show Notes:

-The French Press: Under Attack from Fundamentalist Pirates, Evangelical Baptists Refused to Give Up the Ship

-Karen Swallow Prior: “With this much rot, there’s no choice but to deconstruct”

-The French Press: John Wayne, Jesus, and the Struggle to Define the Christian Man

-The French Press: America Is in the Grips of a Fundamentalist Revival

David French and his theological wingman Curtis Chang dive into the term “evangelical”, defining it historically and discussing how it fits in the current American context. Is it really a set of religious beliefs, a set of cultural beliefs, or a set of political beliefs? How does evangelicalism compare with fundamentalism? Is evangelical a term worth salvaging for Christians, or has it become too closely tied to a political movement to retain any spiritual relevance?

Show Notes:

-The French Press: “Did Donald Trump Make the Church Great Again?”

-Pew Research Center: “More White Americans adopted than shed evangelical label during Trump presidency, especially his supporters”

-National Association of Evangelicals: “What is an Evangelical?” (including the Bebbington Quadrilateral)

-Barna: “Survey Explores Who Qualifies As an Evangelical” (including the 9-point Evangelical)

-Ryan Burge: “For White Evangelical Republicans, Approval of Trump is About Immigration more than Abortion”

-Ryan Burge: “Why ‘Evangelical’ is becoming another word for ‘Republican’”

-The French Press: “The American Crisis of Selective Empathy”

In the inaugural episode of the Good Faith Podcast, David French and his theological wingman Curtis Chang discuss some of the recent issues at Liberty University and how Christians should think about the concept of institutional sin. Curtis makes the theological case for how human institutions fit into the biblical narrative and that as such, they are both made in the image of God and also capable of sin and brokenness. They also discuss why it is important for Christians to place a high priority on being honest and open about institutional sin in our own ranks, amongst our own institutions.

Show Notes:

-ProPublica, Hannah Dreyfus: “‘The Liberty Way’: How Liberty University Discourages and Dismisses Students’ Reports of Sexual Assaults”

-ProPublica, Hannah Dreyfus: “Senators Call for Federal Investigation Into Liberty University’s Handling of Sexual Assaults. School Promises Independent Probe”

-Sarah Pulliam Bailey and Susan Svrluga: “Liberty University spokesman files lawsuit after his firing”

-The Roys Report: “Liberty U Gives Large Gifts to Ministries of Powerful Trustees, Prompting Questions of Self-Dealing”

-The Roys Report: “Former Liberty University Chairman Hints He Was Demoted For Speaking Out About Trump”

-The Roys Report: “Fired Liberty U Spokesman Tells Inside Story Behind Lawsuit | The Roys Report”

-Rachel Treisman: “Liberty University Sues Ex-President Jerry Falwell, Jr., Seeking Millions In Damages”

-Karen Swallow Prior: “Truth, justice and the torturing of tolerance”

-Colossians 1:15-16

Good Faith is a new podcast from The Dispatch. Join hosts David French and Curtis Chang for a conversation with a focus on faith and politics, faith and culture, and faith and law. Notice the common theme there? Subscribe and watch your feed for our brand new podcast, Good Faith.