The Holy Post

Phil's faith adventure continues as viewers write in with questions, and atheists respond. PLUS - ever wonder what the difference is between Christian radio in the US and the UK? It's significant! (And it doesn't make us Yanks look good...)

Phil describes his recent adventure in "Atheist-land!" A pastor decides to try atheism for a year, and is surprised to find hisdenomination doesn't want to keep paying his salary! And one of Christian's best friends stops by for a visit! Faith, fun and friends - all in one podcast!

Phil and the gang are back in the saddle for a new year! Christian had a BIG Christmas adventure, and became a Duck Dynasty stalker! Phil launches an online conversation with atheist author Peter Boghossian! The atheist church has a schism! Phil wonders what the difference is between "religion" and "philosphy?" And why on earth is Bill Nye the Science Guy headed for the Creation Museum? Clearly 2014 is already bringing us closer to the END OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION!

All heck breaks loose on Duck Dynasty! The Pope is Time's Man of the Year! Can Phil, Skye and Christian sort it all out? And then sum it up with a song?!? Tune in to this week's podcast and find out!!

How to make an atheist in five easy steps! (Okay, maybe not quite THAT simple.) Phil and the gang discuss Dr. Peter Boghossian's new book, A Manual for Creating Atheists. What does he get wrong? Even more importantly, what does he get RIGHT? Is faith a "flawed epistemology?" Is it an epistemology at all? The answer may determine the fate of western civilization as we know it!

Is the pope going out at night like Batman?? And then Phil leads Skye and recurring guest Drew Dyck on a wild trip through recent kids movies and how the portrayal of "magic" and the supernatural has shifted from Christian, to modern, to post-modern. And sometimes back again.

Fisticuffs in Wal-Mart and drag queens in the Macy's parade - this is not your grandfather's Thanksgiving! Then Skye and Phil settle in for a return visit with OT scholar Dr. John Walton about Genesis 1 and the "war" between science and the Bible, after which Phil discovers that making up songs is really hard when you're short on sleep!

Does God make atheists sweat?? Plus, guest Drew Dyck talks about his book, Generation Ex-Christian, and the reasons more and more Christian kids are walking away from their faith! Don't miss it! It may or may not have something to do with the end of Western Civilization as we know it!

A new TV show looks for "the meaning of life" in the scientific narrative, and Stephen Colbert points out the lunacy of their pursuit. Also, Phil and Skye dive into all the listener feedback from last week's podcast fun about gender, then even more fun with their ongoing discussion about the definition of the Gospel and the difficulty of sharing the Good News in an increasingly post-Christian West. Whee!!

Phil has an epiphany about western civilization - could Christianity have actually made the hyper-sexualization of women POSSIBLE?!? Skye and Christian are dumbstruck, but Phil presses on with his startling theory. And then Skye elaborates on the definition of "gospel," based on listener feedback from last week. Don't miss it! It's the most shocking podcast yet!

Britain is a nation of religious illiterates! Or so says the BBC. But what's the solution - religious instruction in public schools?? Then, in honor of Halloween, the gang discusses the peculiar evangelical outreach known as the "Hell House," and a pastor in hot water for building himself a 16,000 square foot house! (Wait - that last story isn't Halloween-related. Oh well. It's still a sure sign of ... THE END OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION!)

Religious billboard wars break out in Time Square! The group discusses two upcoming "Christian-ish" movies that have folks (and/or Phil) a bit concerned, and then talks through the moral, economic and spiritual implications of the collapsing interest of Japan's youth in ... um ... "physical contact" with the opposite sex. To put it another way, Japan is having no babies!! Is it Godzilla?!? Robots?!? And what does it mean for the future of (dum, dum, dum!) Western Civilization???

Phil goes to Disneyland while Skye goes to Vegas! Lively discussion ensues about gambling, Christian morality, and the ascendency of Halloween as Disney's new favorite holiday. Our friends at Hobby Lobby get into some hot Jewish water, and will OJ Simpson be America's next great televangelist??? It's surely the end of Western Civilization as we know it!

Phil discusses the "state of the art" of Christian billboards before explaining his new conclusion that life is like a moving sidewalk. THEN the gang launches into a fascinating discussion - based on Phil's great uncle Einer - about the "idolatry of family" within the evangelical church and whether it's EVER appropriate to leave your family to do God's work. Fun, fun, fun!!

Are Christians hypocritical in our approach to politics?? Is atheism the next "gay marriage?" Are atheist "churches" a GOOD thing for Christianity? And WHO doesn't like the new pope?? Anyone?? No one?? Listen to the audio! Or watch the video show! Hurry - before Western Civilization comes to an end!!

Watch your metaphors, Christians! We can be misunderstood! Phil tells the story of his great uncle Iner. If that isn't fun enough, Skye then explains the origins of evangelicalism and fundamentalism in America, and the gang discusses comedian Louis CK's recent musings about the "emptiness" inside all of us. Whee!!

Crazy evangelicals take over America! Book burnings and a civil "holy" war erupt! Yes, Phil actually took the time to read "Christian Nation: The Novel," and he's ready to give a full book report. What are those crazy Christians up to now?!?

Miley Cyrus watch! What's the latest?? Inquiring minds want to know! Then the gang discusses atheist protests of the Ground Zero Cross, a new novel about the "disaster" that would befall America if Christians got their way, and a lively debate about the underrepresentation of Christians in American media and what - if anything - can be done about it. It is clearly the end-of-you-know-what-as-we-know-it!

Phil declares America "officially" post-Christian. Skye uses big words to confuse him. Christian laughs at them both. Then we discuss a piece Skye wrote recently about the overuse of technology in schools that some people just didn't get. Mostly because he wrote it as a satire about smoking. Yeah. All this, and the end of Western Civilization!

Phil interviews Christian film executive Ben Howard (Facing the Giants, Fireproof, October Baby) to find out if there is, in fact, a Christian film business. Plus news about Miley Cyrus, life on Mars, and, of course, the end of Western civilization as we know it.

Moral decline and "hook-up" culture - debunked?? Parenting is hard, God doesn't want us to live in fear, and what on earth happened to the Iowa State Fair butter cow?!? It's the end of western civilization as we know it! This week on the podcast!

Duck Dynasty conquers America while Franklin Graham runs into trouble in Iceland. And then a lively discussion with Doug TenNapel (part 2) about the adventures of an outspoken Christian in a business that isn't at all fond of outspoken Christians. Are hillbillies the only ones allowed to believe in Jesus on TV? Can a famous evangelist's son actually hold to historical Christian teaching? In Iceland? What about a celebrated graphic novelist in Hollywood? All this and more on the podcast this week!

Singer/songwriter Sara Groves and her husband Troy join Phil and Skye on the podcast this week to talk about Sara's career, her thoughts about worship music and Christian radio, the church they just bought, and the one song she wishes she never wrote! Plus, Phil tries to play a really out-of-tune ukulele!

Censored hymns and Muslims writing books about Jesus - followed by part 1 of a 2-part interview with Christian comic artist, animator and creator of the classic video games Earthworm Jim and The Neverhood, Doug TenNapel.

Skye is back in town! We hear about his travels out west, then the group careens wildly through this week's stories about Christian movies, heaven, the end times, evangelistic atheists and, of course, gay rights. Buckle up for the ride!

It's bring your daughter to work day! Well, not really - but Phil does anyway. His 16 year-old daughter Sydney has just released an album of thoughtful, acoustic songs, and she visits the podcast to talk about it and play a few live! (Check out Sydney Vischer on iTunes or SydneyVischerMusic on Facebook to see the whole album.)

Join Phil this week for an indepth interview with a personal hero - groundbreaking Christian singer, songwriter, producer and filmmaker Steve Taylor. From "I Want to Be a Clone" to the Newsboys and Sixpense, to Blue Like Jazz the movie, Steve has pushed the Christian narrative in new and amazing directions for nearly 30 years. Don't miss the conversation!

Phil's brother Rob joins him on vacation for a discussion of Rob's new book on Martin Luther KIng Jr., as well as lively discussion about atheist monuments, DOMA, the Supreme Court and the ever-perplexing concept of religious freedom!

Skye goes on a cruise, Phil has an MRI, the Supreme Court ruffles some feathers and former Senator Rick Santorum - America's newest Christian movie mogul?!? Just another week on the Phil Vischer Podcast ...

By popular demand, Phil's mom Dr. Scottie May returns to the program to talk more about children's ministry and the place of kids in the church. Where has children's ministry been? Where is it headed? Don't ask Phil - ask his mom!

Alien-searching super telescopes? Man of Steel sponsored sermons? And what's a Christian to do when their faith is lumped in with "crazy religion?" Phil and Skye both have colds and Christian is out of town, but thought-provoking conversation still manages to occur. More or less.

Listeners chime in about the Boy Scouts leading to a deeper conversation about homosexuality and the church, Jennifer Lopez's new TV show, plus five supposedly "compelling" reasons marriage wasn't supposed to monogamous. (And we finally find out what became of Skye's runaway car!)

Is the Pope spouting heresy? Should churches boot the Boy Scouts? And special guest anthropologist Brian Howell talks about his new book on the peculiar anthropological phenomenon known as the "short term missions trip." (We aren't kidding.) Check it all out on this week's Phil Vischer Podcast!

Happy Birthday to the podcast! To celebrate the 1st anniversary of the Phil Vischer Podcast, Skye makes some funny voices, Phil gripes about celebrities and their ridiculous houses, and the gang covers the big news from the Boy Scouts as well as a surprisingly deep conversation about living the Christian life. Happy Birthday!

Skye returns from Switzerland with stories of fondue, then the gang jumps into a lively discussion of recent comments by Stephen Hawking and a new book claiming historical reports of Christian persecution in the Roman Empire were largely fabricated. Fun, fun, fun!

Phil has a brain burp in Dallas, Justin Bieber runs amok in Dubai, and special guest Pete Leonard roasts the world's best coffee - as a ministry! Only on the Phil Vischer Podcast!

Is theater a form of religion? What does modern theater (Book of Mormon, et al) say about what we believe, and how can a Christian respond? And as if that isn't fascinating enough, the gang then jumps into a discussion of how some demographers are predicting falling birthrates across the modern world will result in A) economic catastrophe, and B) the decline of secularism! Hoo boy!

Christian takes over the show! Acting on a listener suggestion, she invites Skye's wife Amanda and Phil's wife Lisa to join her and dish on their husbands. Phil's and Skye's ears are burning!

After a lively discussion of The Book of Mormon and the ever-increasing crassness of American culture, Phil and the gang are joined by Christianity Today editor Mark Galli to discuss his feature story on near-death experiences and their recent popularity in publishing! Mark Galli is the editor of Christianity Today. He is the author of Chaos and Grace and God Wins.

Monkeys and puppies and the end of Western Civilization! Phil overreacts yet again to the week's news, followed by a scintillating discussion about Stephen Colbert, great apes, and the war against religious faith.

The gang's all back together! Phil talks about the movies yet again, before a lively discussion about the state of marriage, family life, and the future of western civilization. What fun!

With Christian away on vacation, Phil and Skye talk about THE BIBLE (the TV series) and all forms of changing marriage, both same-sex and... Jedi?

Stuck in Disney World without Skye or Christian (poor Phil!), Phil goes solo with an extended excerpt from his recent comedy show dealing with, appropriately, Disney World and everyone's favorite Easter candy, marshmallow peeps!

A pope! A pope! We've got a new pope! What does it mean to three Protestants with a podcast? We're not sure, but we talk about it anyway. Then Skye takes us through his thoughts on the Gospel - what it is and what it isn't, and how we sometimes get it completely wrong.

An Italian apparel company is granted a trademark to the word "Jesus," Mark Burnett's "The Bible" miniseries takes the History Channel by storm, and an impassioned plea for the death of "Christian music" gets Phil all riled up. All that, plus Skye walks out halfway through Phil's wrap-up song! It's a crazy week on the Phil Vischer Podcast!

Join Phil, Skye and Christian as they discuss the Harlem Shake and the decline of Western Civilization, plus a fascinating journey through gender issues in the Oscars, Sesame Street and beyond!

A theme song sung by Yoda, then... church for atheists? And what do Tim Tebow, the Boy Scouts and Southern Baptists all have in common? Cap it all off with a wrap-up song that goes a little better than last week's!

It's a potluck podcast! Skye talks about his "top secret" meeting in Washington DC and his trip to the Naval Academy before the gang takes a whirlwind tour through Christian rollerskating, fruitcake in the Ozarks, Valentine's Day, Pope news and TV preachers. Phil wraps it up with his worst summary song ever. Seriously.

Phil and Skye talk about Super Bowl commercials and pastors behaving poorly in Applebee's. Then they're joined by author/researcher David Kinnaman for a fascinating discussion about Christians and their views on religious freedom in America. Finally, Phil summarizes with a song. It doesn't go so well. David Kinnaman is the president and majority owner of Barna Group. He is the author of the bestselling books, You Lost Me and unChristian.

This week's podcast discusses a new opera about the last days of, um, Walt Disney, plus the surprising number of Americans who believe God influences the outcomes of sporting events, an atheist mom in Texas asks Christians to keep their religion to themselves, and, what's this - a prominent gay rights activist and Chick-fil-A have become best friends?!? Is it a sign of the apocalypse?!?