Conspiracy theories, political idolatry, church divisions, and pastoral burnout. How do we explain what’s happened to the evangelical movement in America? Tim Alberta is a political journalist and staff writer for The Atlantic. His new book, “The Power, the Glory, and the Kingdom,” looks at how evangelicalism lost its way. As an evangelical himself, Alberta says fear and greed created the conditions for extremism to take over the movement. Also this week, surprising data after the Dobbs decision shows birthrates are up in states that banned abortion, but overall abortion rates nationwide are also higher. And should we use ChatGPT to interpret the Bible? Kaitlyn’s new article says probably not.
Holy Post Plus Extended Tim Alberta Interview
0:00 - Intro
1:25 - Show starts
2:13 - Theme Song
2:35 - Sponsor - Faithful Counseling - Get 10% off your first month at www.FaithfulCounseling.com/HOLYPOST
3:45 - Are abortion rates increasing or decreasing
26:25 - Should AI interpret Scripture
48:13 - Sponsor - Sundays Dog Food - Get 35% off your first order of Sundays. Go to www.SundaysForDogs.com/HOLYPOST or use code HOLYPOST at checkout.
49:25 - Sponsor - Blueland - Get 30% off your first order by going to www.blueland.com/HOLYPOST
50:38 - Interview Intro
55:20 - What made evangelicals feel under siege
1:06:00 - Pervasive greed
1:13:00 - How Trumpism is impacting the local church
1:30:06 - End Credits
Links mentioned in news segment:
Our abortion video from 2020 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvWD7ykNjCc
The Daily: Ending Roe Was Supposed to Reduce Abortions. It Didn’t. on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-daily/id1200361736?i=1000636899810
Why Do We Want AI to Interpret Scripture?
Other resources:
The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism by Tim Alberta - https://amzn.to/418LPNb
Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/
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I'm a little late to the party, but I just wanted to send a pic from my collection:
Len Sweet and Frank Viola diagnosed the problem several years back: "Jesus Deficit Disorder".
Effectively, we have thousands of religious-themed community organizations around the country where millions of people engage in one way or another each week, but only a tiny subset of those people are actively following Jesus in their day-to-day lives.
The question becomes, if people aren't here for Jesus, why are they engaging with these religious-themed community organizations? Is it okay to accept donations from people who aren't devoted to Jesus?
And at last, I hear someone else say, almost word for word, what Skye has said several times (uncredited) in the past about the congregations being discipled by right-wing radio and not the pastors. Given that neither Tim nor Skye footnote each other, it's hard to know which of them originated it. Is this a similar case to the Chester-Belloc of former years? I'd be encouraged about transparency of sources and stuff if Skye had at least batted an eye and said, "Hey, you know. I've been saying exactly the same thing..." and straighten out where they got the line. Actually, I suspect it originates with Tim and Skye has been quoting it unacknowledged but it's hard to say.
Loved this interview with Tim. Also, saw this on a SNL sketch last night. Funny, yes? Sad? Maybe how ridiculous Christian nationalist or even ChristIans and evangelicals look to the secular world.
I'm not sure I can listen to the podcast anymore. This used to be a place where I found peace in knowing that Christians were having real and nuanced conversations about issues and not all Christians were fanatical fundamentalists. However, your lack of discussion about women and the genuine consequences (physical pain, damage, permanent health issues, and mental anguish) due to the strict abortion bans is beyond disheartening. When you discuss abortion you never discuss women and what they are facing and how these bans have serious consequences for their lives.
You have never discussed the morality of forcing a rape victim to give birth to her rapist's baby. Nor have to mention that the head of Right to Life,…