The Russell Moore Show

Walter Strickland didn’t read a book from cover to cover until he was 18 years old. Books—from that first read, The Screwtape Letters, to Strickland’s latest work, Swing Low—have shaped his life. So, too, has the Black church. Strickland, an author, educator, and pastor, joins Moore to talk about the titles that have formed their experiences as Christians and academics. They consider how slaveholders used biblical texts to defend their actions and weaponized faith against enslaved people. Strickland and Moore observe the ways that God remains faithful to his Word amid oppression and explore the phenomenon of Black worshipers leaving predominantly white churches. They discuss African American theologians, the witness of the Black church, and the five anchors that Black Christianity has contributed to the body of Christ. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Walter Strickland Swing Low, Volume 1: A History of Black Christianity in the United States by Walter Strickland Swing Low, Volume 2: An Anthology of Black Christianity in the United States by Walter Strickland The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis The Decline of African American Theology: From Biblical Faith to Cultural Captivity by Thabiti M. Anyabwile “The Black Church Has Five Theological Anchors” “A Quiet Exodus: Why Black Worshipers Are Leaving White Evangelical Churches” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jesus’ refugee status ought to inform his followers about how to treat imperiled refugees right now. The Russell Moore Show is bringing Russell's weekly newsletter to all streaming platforms. Listen to his most recent newsletter every Monday! Subscribe to Russell's weekly newsletter here! Do you have questions for Russell Moore? Send them to [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In December of 2023, journalist and author Tim Alberta joined Russell Moore to discuss the ways that politics have invaded the white evangelical church in recent years. He returns to talk about the election and inauguration of President Donald Trump that have happened since—and to consider what those events mean about the state of American culture. Alberta and Moore talk about numbness, hopelessness, and the lack of persuadability in many Americans. They discuss the effect of social media on righteous indignation and judgmentalism as well as the political exhaustion among wide swaths of Americans. They talk about President Trump’s executive orders, cabinet members, and the possibility of mass deportations. Moore and Alberta describe their reasons for hope and consider what it may look like to build godly community in a time of division. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Tim Alberta “Tim Alberta on the White Evangelical Crisis” The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism by Tim Alberta “The Most Revealing Moment of a Trump Rally” “Why Democrats Are Losing Hispanic Voters” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cynicism makes sense right now -- and it could cost us our souls. The Russell Moore Show is bringing Russell's weekly newsletter to all streaming platforms. Listen to his most recent newsletter every Monday! Subscribe to Russell's weekly newsletter here! Do you have questions for Russell Moore? Send them to [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why has everyone gone insane? It’s a question that makes Russell Moore and Ian Morgan Cron—bestselling author, psychotherapist, Enneagram teacher, and Episcopal priest—laugh, and also one that they approach with wisdom and insight. Moore and Cron talk about the confluence of pressures and stressors in the modern world, the relationship of control to certainty, and varying perspectives on anxiety and depression. They discuss practical actions to take when feeling overwhelmed and dive into the Twelve Steps, which Cron’s new book illuminates as helpful not just for alcoholics but for everyone. Cron and Moore talk about what it means to be addicted, the human desire for relief from pain, and the power of community in the recovery process. Cron sheds light on amends conversations, which book of the Bible each Enneagram type should take to a desert island, and his profound love for God, Scripture, and humankind. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Ian Morgan Cron The Fix: How the Twelve Steps Offer a Surprising Path of Transformation for the Well-Adjusted, the Down-and-Out, and Everyone in Between by Ian Morgan Cron The Enneagram Andrew Peterson “Barth Challenges Bonhoeffer to Return to Germany” Serenity Prayer “In the Blood” The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis Karl Rahner Addiction & Grace: Love and Spirituality in the Healing of Addictions by Gerald G. May Curt Thompson Bill Wilson Alcoholics Anonymous David’s Crown: Sounding the Psalms by Malcolm Guite Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"The secret of all this is that it’s not really a book club; the books are the excuse we give ourselves to make sure we’re all there." Russell says as he shares about the weekly rhythm that changed his life. The Russell Moore Show is bringing Russell's weekly newsletter to all streaming platforms. Listen to his most recent newsletter every Monday! Subscribe to Russell's weekly newsletter here! Do you have questions for Russell Moore? Send them to [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former vice president Mike Pence has long said that he is a Christian first and conservative second. As he and Russell Moore discuss politics, presidencies, and partisanship, they dig deep into what that prioritization has meant for Pence throughout his career. Moore and Pence discuss former president Carter’s funeral, Pence’s relationship with Donald Trump, and how the 48th vice president came to faith in Christ. They talk about Pence’s experiences during the riot at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, and the attacks on September 11, 2001. They consider the upcoming return of President Trump to the Oval Office. Pence shares his perspective on major political issues such as abortion, religious liberty, and international relations. They talk about Pence’s organization, Advancing American Freedom; his hopes for the Republican party; and how Christians can pray for their government leaders. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: So Help Me God by Mike Pence Advancing American Freedom “The State Funeral of Former President Jimmy Carter | Special Report” Basic Christianity by John Stott C. S. Lewis Samaritan’s Purse The Reagan Doctrine Never Alone by Amy Grant Click here for a trial subscription at Christianity Today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why former president Jimmy Carter’s eternal state ought to be a warning to the American church (but not in the way some think) The Russell Moore Show is bringing Russell's weekly newsletter to all streaming platforms. Listen to his most recent newsletter every Monday! Subscribe to Russell's weekly newsletter here! Do you have questions for Russell Moore? Send them to [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Content warning: This episode discusses sexual, spiritual, and domestic abuse. Should discussions of the church harming people be kept in-house so the world doesn’t hear about it? No, says Diane Langberg, and there’s a simple reason why: “That would be quite unlike Jesus Christ.” Listen in as Langberg, an international speaker, psychologist, and author on trauma care, joins Moore to discuss her new book, When the Church Harms God’s People. Their conversation covers abuse in institutions and considers why it is different when those institutions are churches. They talk about the importance of churches and homes as havens from harm and how it affects people when they become places of hurt. Moore and Langberg consider power dynamics, the importance of language that properly names the abuses people have suffered, and a Christian view of women. They provide reason for hope and opportunities for church leaders to love and care for the hurting. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Diane Langberg When the Church Harms God’s People: Becoming Faith Communities That Resist Abuse, Pursue Truth, and Care for the Wounded by Diane Langberg Abuse of Faith Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Being able to be here and to tell this story—to weep about it occasionally—that is uplifting because what the story says is: ‘I'm still here. I have survived it. I have joy in my life because I have known such depths of despair.’ That is uplifting.” So says Natasha Trethewey, a Pulitzer Prize winner who has authored several books and served two terms as the Poet Laureate of the United States. Trethewey and Moore discuss their respective familial connections to the state of Mississippi, Hurricane Katrina, and the Gulf Coast. They talk about Trethewey’s lifelong desire to write, her experience as a mixed-race person, and her thoughts on belonging, grief, and faith. Their conversation welcomes all who long for community, creativity, and clarity. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Natasha Trethewey Memorial Drive: A Daughter’s Memoir by Natasha Trethewey Beyond Katrina: A Meditation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast by Natasha Trethewey Native Guard: Poems by Natasha Trethewey Providence by Natasha Trethewey “Pulitzer Prize Winner Trethewey Discusses Poetry Collection” Elizabeth Sewell Often I Am Permitted to Return to a Meadow by Robert Duncan “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” by Julia Ward Howe The House of Being (Why I Write) by Natasha Trethewey A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis Michiko Dead by Jack Gilbert Theories of Time and Space by Natasha Trethewey Cosmic Connections: Poetry in the Age of Disenchantment by Charles Taylor Seamus Heaney Toni Morrison The Sea by John Banville Click here for a trial subscription at Christianity Today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How might Christians respond to family members who don’t believe mental illness is real? Does standing with Israel mean endorsing all of its government’s actions? Is the Enneagram a slippery slope toward engaging with the dark spiritual forces? Listen in as Russell and CT’s editorial director for print, Ashley Hales, respond to these listener questions and more. Their conversation considers the role of Christians in religiously diverse nations and explores what it looks like to live faithfully in a complex world. Questions addressed during this episode include: How should Christians respond to family members who believe a relative’s mental illness is instead demon possession? What can believers do to model care and connection amid political polarization? Is the Enneagram dangerous? What do we know about heaven—and what is just cultural opinion? If Christians are free from bondage to sin, why do we still struggle so greatly with temptation? What does it really mean to stand with Israel? How should the Capitol Hill testimonies affirming the existence of extraterrestrial life impact the Christian worldview? Do Christians have the right or responsibility to impose Christian values through laws or governmental power? Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: The Enneagram “Decoding the Enneagram” The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien Harry Potter Wishful Thinking: A Seeker’s ABC by Frederick Buechner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why your anxiety needs an apocalypse this Christmas. The Russell Moore Show is bringing Russell's weekly newsletter to all streaming platforms. Listen to his most recent newsletter every Monday! Subscribe to Russell's weekly newsletter here! Do you have questions for Russell Moore? Send them to [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As a pastor, author, and speaker, Rich Villodas has spent a lot of time studying the Scriptures. Over the years, he’s realized what he treasures about them: “ I love that the Bible is not this collection of sanitized, holy people,” he said. “It’s a collection of broken, frail people who are made righteous by a goodness outside of themselves.” Villodas and Moore discuss that righteousness and goodness through the lens of the Sermon on the Mount. They talk about the type of life Jesus calls his people to live and consider what it looks like to engage with the emotions of our loved ones. The two converse about the prescriptive power of the Psalms, consider the role of forgiveness, and explore the nature of resentment as they cover Jesus’ statements about anger and lust. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Rich Villodas The Narrow Path: How the Subversive Way of Jesus Satisfies Our Souls by Rich Villodas Good and Beautiful and Kind: Becoming Whole in a Fractured World by Rich Villodas The Deeply Formed Life: Five Transformative Values to Root Us in the Way of Jesus by Rich Villodas “Christianity Today’s 2021 Book Awards” Matthew: A Commentary. Volume 1: The Christbook, Matthew 1–12 by Frederick Dale Bruner “Bitter-sweet” by George Herbert Don’t Forgive Too Soon: Extending the Two Hands That Heal by Dennis Linn, Sheila Fabricant Linn, and Matthew Linn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Russell Moore Show is bringing Russell's weekly newsletter to all streaming platforms. Listen to his most recent newsletter every Monday! Subscribe to Russell's weekly newsletter here! Do you have questions for Russell Moore? Send them to [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the annual best-of-books episode of The Russell Moore Show! Former show producer and current editorial director of print Ashley Hales joins Moore to talk about his favorite reads of the year. Hales identifies three themes in Moore’s book list—the importance of outsiders in communities, ways forward in our historical moment, and the pursuit of the beautiful as a humanizing mechanism. **Special Event: Join Russell Moore, Ashley Hales, Bonnie Kristian, and Matt Reynolds on YouTube for the CT Book Awards Live Event on December 12, 2024, at 8:00 p.m. EST. Book of the Year winner Gavin Ortlund and Award of Merit winner Brad East will share the inspiration behind their books and the big ideas that animate them as they answer questions from CT staff and subscribers.** Russell’s top ten books (in alphabetical order by author): Another Day: Sabbath Poems, 2013–2023 by Wendell Berry I Cheerfully Refuse: A Novel by Leif Enger Willie, Waylon, and the Boys: How Nashville Outsiders Changed Country Music Forever by Brian Fairbanks Ghosted: An American Story by Nancy French The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt The Crisis of Narration by Byung-Chul Han, translated by Daniel Steuer The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C. S. Lewis & J. R. R. Tolkien by John Hendrix Van Gogh Has a Broken Heart: What Art Teaches Us About the Wonder and Struggle of Being Alive by Russ Ramsey Cosmic Connections: Poetry in the Age of Disenchantment by Charles Taylor Mere Christian Hermeneutics: Transfiguring What It Means to Read the Bible Theologically by Kevin J. Vanhoozer Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: CT Book Awards Live Event “The Beautiful Orthodoxy Book of the Year” “Christianity Today’s 2019 Book of the Year” The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt Moby-Dick by Herman Melville Owen Barfield A Secular Age by Charles Taylor Advent: The Once and Future Coming of Jesus Christ by Fleming Rutledge Poiéma by Michael Card Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose by Flannery O’Connor The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler by John Hendrix Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander by Thomas Merton James by Percival Everett Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“You have to read in order to develop your mind and develop your ability to think,” Peggy Noonan said. “It’s no good to say, ‘Oh, I can’t help that I was born in 1990 and everybody has a phone.’ Too bad. Put it down.” For decades, Noonan has been a Wall Street Journal columnist and author, known for her Pulitzer Prize–winning commentary on politics and culture. She and Moore reflect on Noonan’s career both in journalism and as a speech writer in the Reagan Administration. They talk about Noonan’s faith, her love for Christian history, and her long-standing relationship to Roman Catholicism. The two discuss sexual scandals in both church and government, the power of the written word, and the way artists see the world. They consider the concerning potential of artificial intelligence, the value of reading in a world overrun by technology, and the importance of critical thinking in our modern political culture. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Peggy Noonan A Certain Idea of America: Selected Writings by Peggy Noonan Walker Percy The Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton We Don’t Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Modern Ireland by Fintan O’Toole Pascal’s Pensées “How to Find Grace After Disgrace” Abbey of Gethsemani Friends Divided: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson by Gordon S. Wood The Shadow War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy “The godfather of AI: why I left Google” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“ Two of the devil's biggest lies are ‘You’re the only one who struggles with this kind of stuff’ and ‘You can’t tell anyone.’ Sin thrives in that kind of dark secrecy.” So says author and apologist Sam Allberry during this conversation with Russell Moore. The two discuss Allberry’s new book, One with My Lord, and consider various ways people interpret the Bible’s perspective on sexuality. They talk about gender identity, marriage, and what it means when God says it is not good for humans to be alone. Allberry and Moore consider the importance of friendship, the value of community, and the impact of social media on mental health. They also discuss Allberry’s experience with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM), the Billy Graham rule, and fostering organizational cultures of transparency. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Is God Anti-Gay? And Other Questions About Jesus, the Bible, and Same-Sex Sexuality by Sam Allberry What God Has to Say about Our Bodies: How the Gospel Is Good News for Our Physical Selves by Sam Allberry Why Does God Care Who I Sleep With? by Sam Allberry 7 Myths about Singleness by Sam Allberry One with My Lord: The Life-Changing Reality of Being in Christ by Sam Allberry The Moral Vision of the New Testament: A Contemporary Introduction to New Testament Ethics by Richard B. Hays The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ by Fleming Rutledge “Interview with Sam Allberry || What Can We Learn from the Ravi Zacharias Scandals?” “Dallas pastor removed indefinitely due to 'inappropriate relationship' with woman, church says” “Sex Scandals and the Evangelical Mind” The Whole Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, & Gospel Assurance―Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters by Sinclair B. Ferguson “Me and Bobby McGee” by Kris Kristofferson The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert A. Caro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How gallows humor is what we need right now to overcome cynicism. The Russell Moore Show is bringing Russell's weekly newsletter to all streaming platforms. Listen to his most recent newsletter every Monday! Subscribe to Russell's weekly newsletter here! Do you have questions for Russell Moore? Send them to [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nancy Guthrie has taught the Scriptures, written about them, and searched them for answers when tragedy struck her family. “ The Bible is the one thing in the world that the closer scrutiny you give to it,” she said, “the more it holds up.” Guthrie and Moore discuss Guthrie’s new book, Saved: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Acts; maintaining attention while studying Scripture; and interacting with the biblical text. They talk about praying with the Bible in hand, avoiding the stereotypes often projected onto female authors, and engaging with difficult passages. They consider what it looks like for modern Christians to follow God’s command not to call common what God has called clean and what it means that suffering is not the end of our stories—glory is. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Saved: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Acts by Nancy Guthrie The One Year Book of Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament by Nancy Guthrie “It All Turns on Affection” Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament with Nancy Guthrie Nancy Guthrie “Preaching Christ in a Postmodern World” “Help Me Teach the Bible” The Gospel Coalition Women’s Conference Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Note: This episode was recorded before the presidential election. “We don’t live in a world of ideals right now.” So says Jeffrey Goldberg, editor in chief of The Atlantic. He and Moore, who recorded this episode on the anniversary of the October 7th Hamas attacks on Israel, discuss the fraught state of both domestic and global politics. They consider cultural climates on college campuses and social media, civil disobedience, and leadership. They also talk about military service in light of Goldberg’s new book, On Heroism, and talk about perspectives on masculinity in light of American culture and politics. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Jeffrey Goldberg The Atlantic Washington Week with The Atlantic Prisoners: A Story of Friendship and Terror by Jeffrey Goldberg On Heroism: McCain, Milley, Mattis, and the Cowardice of Donald Trump by Jeffrey Goldberg “The Unreality of Columbia’s ‘Liberated Zone’” “Stoicism in the South” Seven Days in May The Overton Window Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Civility is not the whole story in life,” Richard Mouw said. “But we often take incivility much too far.” Online, in face-to-face relationships, and even at church, this statement has proven true time and again in recent years. Mouw—author, theologian, and former president of Fuller Seminary—says that in a world of ridicule, Christians can still be people who honor the humanity of others. Mouw and Moore discuss political division, patriotism in worship services, and the powerful draw of specific candidates to certain demographics. They talk about the rise in female leadership, the sense of lostness many men feel amid cultural shifts, and the idea that bitterness and anger are often forms of grief. Mouw and Moore talk about what Calvinism can bring to the church today, whether they believe they’ll be surprised by the faces they see in eternity, and how to live in light of the kingdom. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Richard J. Mouw Uncommon Decency: Christian Civility in an Uncivilized World by Richard J. Mouw Divine Generosity: The Scope of Salvation in Reformed Theology by Richard J. Mouw Wendell Berry on the providence of God Nicholas Wolterstorff “Sphere Sovereignty” by Abraham Kuyper James E. Bradley “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When will all the craziness be over? It’s the question that seems to be on every American’s mind, and one that many have asked both Russell Moore and George Packer, author and staff writer at The Atlantic. Moore and Packer discuss the exhaustion and rage that have become common in our politics. They discuss partisanship, profitability, and pessimism. They talk about the historical events that have led to our current realities, the effects of secularization on culture, and what it might take for Packer to believe there is a God—and why Packer still, despite all of the chaos, can’t forgo his hope for humanity. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: George Packer "What Will Become of American Civilization? Conspiracism and Hyper-Partisanship in the Nation’s Fastest-Growing City” by George Packer at The Atlantic The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America by George Packer The Assassins’ Gate: America in Iraq by George Packer Blood of the Liberals by George Packer Facing Unpleasant Facts: Narrative Essays by George Orwell, compiled and with an introduction by George Packer Our Man: Richard Holbrooke and the End of the American Century by George Packer David French Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt Montaigne’s Tower Click here for a trial subscription at Christianity Today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Carlos Whittaker is an author, podcaster, and global speaker who is backed by, as he puts it, “the power of a massive Instafamilia.” Perhaps it’s no wonder, then, that when he decided to spend 23 hours a day in silence at a Benedictine monastery, he experienced physical detoxification symptoms—including heart palpitations. Whittaker and Moore talk about their experiences of spending time screen-free and how it has changed them. They discuss the relational focus made possible by time apart from devices and the transformative effects of communal living. They consider how Christians engage with time, why it’s important to savor experiences, and how believers might reclaim the practice of solitude. Ultimately, they speak to the potential for a healthy relationship to technology and discuss what it may look like to pursue it. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Carlos Whittaker Pascal’s Penseés Reconnected: How 7 Screen-Free Weeks with Monks and Amish Farmers Helped Me Recover the Lost Art of Being Human by Carlos Whittaker Saint Andrew’s Abbey Henri Nouwen “London Taxi Drivers and Bus Drivers: A Structural MRI and Neuropsychological Analysis” Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Click here for a trial subscription at Christianity Today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

​​“There’s something special about music. There’s something uniquely powerful about the way music connects with our brains and our memories.” So says singer-songwriter and creative force behind Slugs & Bugs, Randall Goodgame, on this episode of The Russell Moore Show. Moore and Goodgame talk about the importance of music for all ages, the joy of creativity, and Goodgame’s new project, Scripture Hymnal. They discuss the remarkable value of memorizing the Bible through songs and how calling verses to mind can give us hope, wisdom, and peace in challenging moments. Their conversation covers reading the Bible with children, cultivating artistic gifts, and finding joy in the body of Christ. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Slugs & Bugs Slugs & Bugs & Lullabies Andrew Peterson Scripture Hymnal Ellie Holcomb Taylor Leonhardt Ben Shive The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin John-Mark McGaha The Practice: Shipping Creative Work by Seth Godin Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the quarterly books episode of The Russell Moore Show! Tune in for a discussion of what Russell Moore and Ashley Hales, the former producer of the show and now CT’s editorial director for print, have been reading lately. The two discuss the themes that emerge in their reads, from power to technology to deconstruction. Their conversation covers nonfiction, fiction, and poetry—with shout-outs to some television and music as well. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Ashley Hales Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World by Anne Applebaum Enlightenment: A Novel by Sarah Perry The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg Another Day: Sabbath Poems 2013–2023 by Wendell Berry Break, Blow, Burn, & Make: A Writer's Thoughts on Creation by E. Lily Yu The Slow Road North: How I Found Peace in an Improbable Country by Rosie Schaap “Rainn Wilson Tells Me Where I’m Wrong on Spirituality” Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss Willie, Waylon, and the Boys: How Nashville Outsiders Changed Country Music Forever by Brian Fairbanks Confessions by Saint Augustine The Sparrow: A Novel by Mary Doria Russell Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu Aegypt by John Crowley The Midnight Library by Matt Haig Piranesi by Susanna Clarke The Life Impossible: A Novel by Matt Haig The Grey Wolf: A Novel by Louise Penny Charles Taylor J. R. R. Tolkien Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why do we struggle to rest in the love of God? Perhaps, says Steve Cuss, it’s because we’ve never “wrestled to the ground our own preconceived notions.” On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, Moore and Cuss dig into some of those preconceived notions about God and Christianity. They talk about fear and anxiety, persistent sin, and addiction. Their conversation covers the differences between a preventative and a redemptive gospel, the power of community as an antidote to despair, and how to determine when a failure is an inevitable part of life or when it is a sign that something is wrong. Moore and Cuss discuss the five false needs in every human, what it looks like to give our anxiety to God, and the great hope of the thief on the cross. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Abbey of Gethsemani The Silence of God The Expectation Gap: The Tiny, Vast Space between Our Beliefs & Experience of God by Steve Cuss Being Human Holy the Firm by Annie Dillard Herbert McCabe Managing Leadership Anxiety episode “Dr. Andrew Newberg” Frederick Buechner “‘I Wish You Bad Luck.’ Read Supreme Court Justice John Roberts’ Unconventional Speech to His Son’s Graduating Class” “The Man on the Middle Cross Said I Can Come” Philip Yancey Click here for a trial subscription at Christianity Today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Does the world seem crazy because we’re in an unusually tense time? Or is this just … life? Maybe it’s a little bit of both. On this episode, Bible teacher and author Jen Wilkin talks about the modern era in light of Revelation. She and Russell Moore talk about how the apocalyptic book has been misinterpreted and misused, how Christians can recognize when they have lost their first love, and the role of persecution in the life of the church. Their conversation covers the blessings of generations caring for one another, the hope of the new creation, and how the references to prior books of the Bible seen in Revelation might feel a bit like watching Shrek. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Jen Wilkin Revelation: Eternal King, Everlasting Kingdom by Jen Wilkin Shrek Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Content warning: This episode discusses mental affliction, self-harm, and suicide. The United States surgeon general says there should be a tobacco-style warning for social media. Why? Because the mental health crisis among young people is reaching seriously harmful levels. On this episode, associate professor, author, and cofounder and editor in chief of Christ and Pop Culture Alan Noble joins Russell Moore to discuss what such a warning may look like and the modern state of affairs in the public square. Noble and Moore talk about Noble’s latest book, On Getting Out of Bed, and the differences between mental affliction and mental illness. The conversation covers the importance of friendship, embracing life as an act of worship, and how men can embody healthy masculinity. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: “U.S. surgeon general calls for tobacco-style warning labels for social media” Alan’s #NobleWords Memes Christ and Pop Culture And Campaign Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age by Alan Noble You Are Not Your Own: Belonging to God in an Inhuman World by Alan Noble On Getting Out of Bed: The Burden and Gift of Living by Alan Noble Mariner: A Voyage with Samuel Taylor Coleridge by Malcolm Guite Resonance: A Sociology of Our Relationship to the World by Hartmut Rosa Click here for a trial subscription at Christianity Today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Science should be a quest to discover truth. Christian faith means following the one who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. This pair of facts defines the life and work of this episode’s guest, former director of the National Institutes of Health, Francis Collins. He and Moore discuss COVID-19, conspiracies, and the creator God. Their conversation draws upon Collins’ new book, The Road to Wisdom, and highlights Christian hope for perspective amidst polarization. Collins and Moore also talk about Artificial Intelligence, the power of the Sermon on the Mount, and their common friend, the late Tim Keller. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest(s) include: BioLogos Human Genome Project The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust by Francis Collins The Singularity Is Nearer: When We Merge with AI by Ray Kurzweil Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis Democracy and Solidarity: On the Cultural Roots of America's Political Crisis by James Davison Hunter The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate by John H. Walton The Advancement of Learning by Francis Bacon The Resurrection of the Son of God by N.T. Wright Promised Land Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can Christians act with integrity, fortitude, and gospel hope in a volatile political season? That’s the question that David French, Curtis Chang, Ashley Hales, and Russell Moore consider on this special episode. Recorded live at a spring The After Party event in Washington, DC, the first half of the episode features a live panel discussion. In the second half, Moore, Chang, and French consider audience questions on practical engagement for Christians. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest(s) include: The After Party David French Curtis Chang Ashley Hales “Firm Centers and Soft Edges” The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do we believe in redemption? That’s the question Latasha Morrison, author and founder of Be the Bridge, encourages listeners to consider. On this episode, Morrison and Moore discuss the issues of race, culture, and history’s impact on the present. They talk about what it’s like to listen, lament, and act on behalf of the oppressed—surrendering our work to the Lord as we walk the path of justice, righteousness, and reconciliation. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Brown Faces, White Spaces: Confronting Systemic Racism to Bring Healing and Restoration by Latasha Morrison Be the Bridge: Pursuing God's Heart for Racial Reconciliation by Latasha Morrison Be the Bridge Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible by E. Randolph Richards and Richard James Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes: Patronage, Honor, and Shame in the Biblical World by E. Randolph Richards and Richard James Jemar Tisby “Meet 115 Changemakers Working With Facebook To Bring The World Together” Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story by Ruby Bridges Ta-Nehisi Coates Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Could the Constitution provide the antidote to polarization? Yuval Levin thinks so. The director of social, cultural, and constitutional studies at the American Enterprise Institute, Levin is the author of a new book titled American Covenant. In it, and during this episode, Levin identifies the reasons people feel as though America is at a breaking point and meaningful opportunities for reuniting. He and Moore consider why fragmentation is happening, the naiveté of cynicism, and ways the party system has—and hasn’t—worked well for the United States. They discuss partisanship, the potential upsides of ranked-choice voting in primaries, and the importance of seeing one another not primarily as political beings but as human beings. Yuval Levin’s work: American Covenant, How the Constitution Unified Our Nation—and Could Again by Yuval Levin American Enterprise Institute National Affairs The New Atlantis National Review The New York Times Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: The Abolition of Man by C. S. Lewis Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J. D. Vance “My Unsettling Interview with Steve Bannon” by David Brooks The West Wing: “Night Five” The Sword and the Trowel by Charles Spurgeon Click here for a trial subscription at Christianity Today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

American politics have hit a fever pitch. In the wake of events such as the assassination attempt on former president Trump, President Biden’s choice not to run for reelection, and the announcement of the Harris-Walz ticket, we’re revisiting a fan-favorite episode on political polarization. This conversation with Elizabeth Neumann, the former assistant secretary for counterterrorism and threat prevention at the Department of Homeland Security, covers radicalization, online discourse, and where to find hope. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Ben Sasse, Them Alan Noble, You Are Not Your Own Life After Hate Parents for Peace Moonshot's Monthly Bulletin SCREEN Hate: National findings report Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism Center for Strategic and International Studies Report: Pushed to Extremes: Domestic Terrorism amid Polarization and Protest Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Was Richard Nixon a Christian? As America approaches the 50th anniversary of Watergate, Russell Moore welcomes Daniel Silliman, Christianity Today news editor and the author of One Lost Soul: Richard Nixon’s Search for Salvation to the podcast. Silliman and Moore discuss the dissonance between Nixon’s Quaker heritage and legacy as the president who executed the Vietnam War. They also examine the former president’s relationship with CT founder, Billy Graham, and how it influenced his understanding of God and his political rhetoric. Tune in for an episode that reflects on history while speaking pointedly to the present. Resources mentioned in this episode include: One Lost Soul: Richard Nixon’s Search for Salvation by Daniel Silliman Okie from Muskogee by Merle Haggard “Checkers Speech” by Richard Nixon Years of Upheaval by Henry Kissinger Frost/Nixon Click here for a trial subscription at Christianity Today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a frenzy out there. As America draws closer to the presidential election, the cultural sense of division and disquiet only grows. On this episode, Russell Moore and producer Ashley Hales respond to listener questions, exploring how Christians can stay grounded in tumultuous times. Questions addressed in this episode include: What practices or rules ground Russell personally and communally? How can Christians compassionately engage with people who hold a conspiratorial worldview? How might church leaders guard themselves against lust for power? What has Russell reflected upon since his episode with Ryan Burge about the future of the American church?What does it look like to teach people—especially children—to think well? What can the church do to provide young men with a meaningful place and voice? How might a Christian respond to unethical behavior in the workplace? How can Christians be more confident that heaven is real? Resources mentioned in this episode include: Inside Out 2 Daniel Patterson “Predictions About the Future of the Christian Church” How to Think: A Survival Guide for a World at Odds by Alan Jacobs Frederick Buechner“ A Christian Response to Gen Z’s Mental Health Crisis” The Weight of Glory by C. S. Lewis Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

**Special Note: Christianity Today will unveil our new redesign on August 12th! Don’t miss out—click here for a trial subscription.** "We need to do a better job as Christians of talking about the body in ways that valorize creation—not just criticizing people who want to do things we think are morally wrong, but helping them understand what God made right.” So says professor, author, and theologian Michael Horton on this episode of The Russell Moore Show. He and Moore discuss Horton’s new book, Shaman and Sage: The Roots of “Spiritual but Not Religious” in Antiquity. Their conversation explores the growing cultural attraction to Wicca, why people long for a connection to the mystical, and the goodness of our created flesh. They talk about technological advances that attempt to transcend the body, how we arrived in a cultural moment where people are spiritual but not religious, and what it looks like to engage with people who don’t believe there are any answers to the universe. Tune in for an episode that encourages Christians to understand how the goodness of the gospel transforms our entire beings—body and soul alike. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Michael Horton Sola Media White Horse Inn Shaman and Sage: The Roots of Spiritual but Not Religious in Antiquity by Michael Horton The Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsey with Carole C. Carlson The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology by Ray Kurzweil The Singularity Is Nearer: When We Merge with AI by Ray Kurzweil Transcendent ManYuval Noah Harari Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today. “The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper Host: Russell Moore Producer: Ashley Hales Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens Audio engineering by Dan Phelps Video producer: Abby Egan Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode was recorded before the attempted assassination of former President Trump. What is it that binds Americans together as a nation? That’s the question that Russell Moore and his guest, sociologist and professor James Davison Hunter, address on this episode of The Russell Moore Show. With political violence on the rise in America and around the world, Hunter helps us understand the roots of the crisis. They discuss the differences between consensus and solidarity while pondering how humans tend to come alive in times of disaster yet the COVID-19 pandemic produced opposite effects. Their conversation spans history, politics, and religion as Moore and Hunter observe the current state of affairs within Evangelicalism. Hunter and Moore talk about the lineage of culture wars and shifts in Christian presence in higher education. Hunter explains why he talks about culture in terms of weather and climate as the two consider hotly contested social issues such as homosexuality, marijuana, and abortion. Tune in for an episode that asks deep questions, navigates complex answers, and finds reason to hope. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Democracy and Solidarity: On the Cultural Roots of America’s Political Crisis by James Davison Hunter Culture Wars: The Struggle To Control The Family, Art, Education, Law, And Politics In America by James Davison Hunter To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, and Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World by James Davison Hunter Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture “Trump’s Would-Be Assassin and the Twisted Quest for Human Glory” Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today. “The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper Host: Russell Moore Producer: Ashley Hales Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens Audio engineering by Dan Phelps Video producer: Abby Egan Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Probably doomed and perplexingly merry.” That’s how Leif Enger describes one of the characters in his new novel, I Cheerfully Refuse. While the story brings words like dystopian and apocalyptic to mind, it bears witness to a deep sense of hope and even optimism. How and why? That’s the topic of this episode of The Russell Moore Show featuring Enger. Moore and Enger talk about what inspired I Cheerfully Refuse, including classic tales like The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. They talk about how Enger explores despair in fiction and the real world, the nuances of suicidal behavior, and how to combat the unbearable overwhelm caused by a 24-hour news cycle. They discuss Enger’s writing process, how religion emerges in his life and books, and where the two differ in their understanding of evangelism. Tune in for a gracious, rich episode that turns our eyes toward the light that the darkness will not overcome. Resources mentioned in this episode include: I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger Leif Enger The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis “A Weird, Wonderful Conversation with Kim Stanley Robinson” “The Story of Orpheus and Eurydice” Walker Percy Garrison Keillor David Copperfield by Charles Dickens Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair by Christian Wiman “Clergy on the Rocks” The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today. “The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper Host: Russell Moore Producer: Ashley Hales Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens Audio engineering by Dan Phelps Video producer: Abby Egan Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's an unintentional thread that runs through this quarterly books episode: apocalyptic themes. "That probably tells you what my headspace is right now,” says Russell Moore. Later, he adds, “There is a reckoning in these books.” On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, Moore and producer Ashley Hales talk about books, authors, and storytelling. They discuss what draws readers to fateful accounts and trace such tales from the Psalms up to new releases. Their reads span from poetry to prose and sermons to songs. Tune in for an episode that is as honest about the darkness as it is certain of the light. Books and resources mentioned in this episode include: I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger The Faithful Spy, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and the Plot to Kill Hitler by John Hendricks The Crisis of Narration by Byung-Chul Han The Doors of the Sea: Where Was God in the Tsunami? by David Bentley Hart The Message in the Bottle: How Queer Man Is, How Queer Language Is, and What One Has to Do with the Other by Walker Percy Wrestling with God: The Meditations of Richard Marius edited by Nancy Grisham Anderson Praying with the Psalms: A Year of Daily Prayers and Reflections on the Words of David by Eugene Peterson The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky “The Working of the Spirit” “God Is Always Doing 10,000 Things in Your Life” Martin Luther: The Christian between God and Death by Richard Marius Richard Mouw “Dr. Russell Moore on the Power of Prayer” “Eugene Peterson – Answering God” The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms by Timothy Keller Mariner: A Voyage with Samuel Taylor Coleridge by Malcolm Guite The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Other Poems by Samuel Taylor Coleridge Aegypt by John Crowley Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today. “The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper Host: Russell Moore Producer: Ashley Hales Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens Audio engineering by Dan Phelps Video producer: Abby Egan Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“There is so much grace.” That’s what Melissa B. Kruger, Bible teacher, author of several books including Parenting with Hope, and vice president of discipleship programming at The Gospel Coalition wants families with teens to know. Not only that, it's what she hopes all who care about the next generation will bear in mind. On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, Kruger shares insights gained from her years of raising three now-adult children. She talks about the importance of emphasizing relationships with Jesus and one another over a formulaic approach to faith or parenting. Moore and Kruger discuss practical issues in teen life, including mental health concerns, smartphone usage, and how families may be unintentionally raising young people to be “curated…rather than dearly beloved.” Kruger and Moore offer hope for families that are struggling and encourage parents to think about preparing their children to encounter risks in the real world with wisdom and hope. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Melissa B. Kruger The Gospel Coalition Parenting with Hope: Raising Teens for Christ in a Secular Age by Melissa B. Kruger “Jonathan Haidt’s Way Forward for an Anxious Generation” "An Update to The Anxious Generation with Jonathan Haidt" Reformed Theological Seminary The Price of Privilege: How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage Are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids by Madeline Levine, Ph.D. The Gift of Good Land: Further Essays Cultural and Agricultural by Wendell Berry Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today. “The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper Host: Russell Moore Producer: Ashley Hales Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens Audio engineering by Dan Phelps Video producer: Abby Egan Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“That is one nutty hospital.” So says Bill Murray’s character, Jeff Slater, in the 1982 film Tootsie—and, effectively, so say many listeners of The Russell Moore Show when they reach out with questions or comments about the state of society and politics today. America is trying to recover from the physical, emotional, and economic effects of COVID-19 while simultaneously barreling toward an election season that is particularly rife with discord. On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, we’re bringing together clips from four past episodes that provide, as Moore puts it, “some counsel of sanity in really crazy times.” Listeners hear from Jen Wilkin on unfair pay for women in churches and Beth Moore on how abuse has affected her view of God as a father. Yuval Levin speaks to what we can do as the institutions around us crumble and the late Tim Keller reminds us that we can both claim the power of forgiveness and seek justice. Tune in for an episode that offers focus, encouragement, and hope for weathering the days to come. This episode features clips from the following episodes of The Russell Moore Show: “Beth Moore Speaks Out” “Jen Wilkin on Women in the Church” “Yuval Levin on What Christians Can Learn from Religious Minorities” “Tim Keller Says Forgiveness Is Key to Christian Witness” Resources mentioned in this episode include: Tootsie “Honor Thy Church Mother—with Wages” The Westminster Confession of Faith All My Knotted-Up Life: A Memoir by Beth Moore American Covenant: How the Constitution Unified Our Nation―and Could Again by Yuval Levin Exclusion and Embrace, Revised and Updated: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation by Miroslav Volf A Timbered Choir: The Sabbath Poems, 1979-1997 by Wendell Berry The Diary of a Country Priest: A Novel by Georges Bernanos Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today. “The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper Host: Russell Moore Producer: Ashley Hales Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens Audio engineering by Dan Phelps Video producer: Abby Egan Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“In this season of my life, I’m not concerned with ego. I’m just trying to figure out how to serve and how to do the right things.” So says four-time Grammy-award-winning rapper Lecrae on this episode of The Russell Moore Show. This lack of concern with ego hasn’t always been easy. Lecrae, whose two most recent Grammy wins occurred this year, shares that he had to spend a lot of time learning that God is the one who determines who he is. He and Moore discuss imposter syndrome, performance, and comparison. Their conversation covers anxiety, depression, and how God enters into our dark moments. Lecrae and Moore talk about what deconstructing really means. They also consider how Western exceptionalism arises in Christian spaces, including a reckoning with lauded historical theologians who were slaveholders. They also talk about how Lecrae views the music industry, the importance of close friends when fame is part of your life, and what it looks like to live as though death has no power over us. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Lecrae Church Clothes 4 “Your Power” I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger God Gave Rock and Roll to You: A History of Contemporary Christian Music by Leah Payne “W.W. Jay-Z?” “Underneath the Door” Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today. “The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper Host: Russell Moore Producer: Ashley Hales Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens Audio engineering by Dan Phelps Video producer: Abby Egan Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Carolyn Weber didn’t have a dependable earthly father, so she had no intention of trusting a heavenly one. As a hardworking, intellectual agnostic, she decided to read the Bible from front to back so she could show her Christian friends how ridiculous their beliefs were. Instead, she found that the Bible made sense to her. Not only that, but it drew her to the person of Jesus. On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, Weber talks about her personal story of conversion and how it led to her memoir, Surprised by Oxford, and the resulting film. She and Moore talk about the influence of C.S. Lewis on both Weber and modern Christianity, the power of literature, and how fiction can help us develop a moral imagination. They discuss poetry, philosophy, and prayer, considering the many beautiful ways God reveals himself to us. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Carolyn Weber Surprised by Oxford: A Memoir by Carolyn Weber Surprised by Oxford (film) Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien Life Is a Miracle: An Essay Against Modern Superstition by Wendell Berry “Surprised by Joy” by William Wordsworth The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin by Beatrix Potter Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today. “The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper Host: Russell Moore Producer: Ashley Hales Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens Audio engineering by Dan Phelps Video producer: Abby Egan Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every day is full of small decisions, and rarely do we think of them as having great consequences. But if you ask today’s guest, Brian Klaas, they very well might. On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, Moore invites Klass—a political scientist, contributing writer at The Atlantic, and associate professor—to tell him where he is wrong on the nature of the universe. Klaas explains why he is a determinist and how that belief system has both similarities and differences to believing in a personal God. The two discuss the high level of pop culture interest in science fiction and the concept of a multiverse. Their conversation covers politics and power, physics and free will, and what reforming broken systems may look like. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Brian Klaas Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters by Brian Klaas Power Corrupts Peter Kreeft Dark Matter: A Novel by Blake Crouch Dark Matter Frederick Buechner Corruptible: Who Gets Power and How It Changes Us by Brian Klaas Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today. “The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper Host: Russell Moore Producer: Ashley Hales Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens Audio engineering by Dan Phelps Video producer: Abby Egan Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What will the next several decades of American Christianity look like? Are the factors that led to the decline of mainline church attendance the same as those leading to decreased interest in evangelical congregations? Why are Gen Z women leaving religion at higher rates than their male counterparts? These are the questions that Russell Moore and Ryan Burge—author, professor, and writer of Graphs about Religion Substack—address in this episode. They consider shifts in the Southern Baptist Convention, the relationship of politics to religious participation, and whether or not churches are expected to close by the thousands in the years to come. And they remind listeners of what it looks like not only to speak the gospel but to live it as members of a community that welcomes others, volunteers in meaningful ways, and embodies the beauty of what the church can be. Resources mentioned in this episode include: The Nones: Where They Came From, Who They Are, and Where They Are Going by Ryan Burge Graphs about Religion Billy Graham Dobbs v. Jackson Obergefell “Young Women Are Leaving Church in Unprecedented Numbers” “Religion Has Become a Luxury Good” Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert D. Putnam Asbury University Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today. “The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper Host: Russell Moore Producer: Ashley Hales Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens Audio engineering by Dan Phelps Video producer: Abby Egan Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“You have a bunch of callings, and they’re just natural, ordinary things that God uses to accomplish spiritual and natural things. Have fun. Flourish in those. And do good in the world.” So says Grammy-nominated and Dove-winning hip-hop artist Flame on this episode of The Russell Moore Show, which features a conversation about music, theology, and journeying with Jesus. Moore explains that while this isn’t a “tell me where I’m wrong” episode, he hopes it will provide a helpful angle to the “deconstruction” discussion—one that considers whether changing our minds about theological beliefs can be an act of faithfulness. They consider spirituality and stability, connection and community, and tendencies among theological tribes. Flame explains what happens when we reduce Christianity to a “moral improvement program,” highlights the power of forgiveness, and considers the role of confession and absolution in the life of the believer. From thoughts on baptism and Communion to rap albums and biographies, this episode has something for all who want to understand who they are in Christ and what it looks like to worship him. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Flame / Extra Nos Academy Freedom Lessons Forward Our World Redeemed Extra Nos: Discovering Grace Outside Myself by Flame “Scattered Tulips” Commentary on Romans (Luther Classic Commentaries) by Martin Luther Concordia Seminary Song lyrics used with permission of the artist. Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today. “The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper Host: Russell Moore Producer: Ashley Hales Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens Audio engineering by Dan Phelps Video producer: Abby Egan Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does it mean that all life matters to God? That’s the question that Russell Moore and his guests—musician and producer Charlie Peacock and writer Andi Ashworth—consider on this episode of The Russell Moore Show. The couple cofounded Art House America together and approach the conversation as artists and makers, exploring what it looks like to lead with empathy and love of neighbor. They talk about what it looks like to create as though the world is watching, how to model the character of Jesus, and the difference between being a jerk and being bold. Their conversation covers Peacock and Ashworth’s new book, Why Everything That Doesn't Matter, Matters So Much, and why hospitality is essential to Christian life. They talk about art, music, and how Jesus draws us to himself. Tune in for an episode that testifies to God’s faithfulness to weave our stories into the greatest story of all. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Why Everything That Doesn't Matter, Matters So Much: The Way of Love in a World of Hurt by Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth Francis and Edith Schaeffer John Coltrane Flannery O’Connor Douglas McKelvey Calvin University Steve Taylor Covenant Seminary L’Abri Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today. “The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper Host: Russell Moore Producer: Ashley Hales Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens Audio engineering by Dan Phelps Video producer: Abby Egan Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Novelist and short story writer Flannery O’Connor once said her life was too boring for a biographer—all she did was write and feed chickens. And yet, nearly 100 years after she was born, O’Connor’s life and faith are explored in Wildcat, a new film from actor, writer, and director Ethan Hawke of Training Day, First Reformed, and Dead Poets Society fame. On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, Hawke and Moore discuss what compelled Hawke to cowrite Wildcat with Shelby Gaines. They talk about how O’Connor’s work connected Hawke to his mother and, later, to his daughter Maya, who plays O’Connor in the film. Moore and Hawke explore O’Connor’s forcefulness and faith. They discuss the joys and challenges of working with family, how audiences are engaging with the religious elements in Wildcat, and Hawke's attraction to exploring issues of faith in art. And they talk about the meaning of creative work, institutions, and relationships in a fraught era. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Wildcat Ethan Hawke Maya Hawke Shelby Gaines "‘Wildcat’ Is as Unsettling as Flannery O’Connor Would Have Wanted" The Violent Bear It Away by Flannery O’Connor A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor Pierre Teilhard de Chardin First Reformed The Good Lord Bird Flannery O’Connor’s Why Do the Heathen Rage?: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at a Work in Progress by Jessica Hooten Wilson “A South Without Myths” by Alice Walker “Why did Flannery O’Connor detest ‘Gone with the Wind’? ”Richard RohrWatership Down: The Graphic Novel by Richard Adams, adapted and illustrated by James Sturm and Joe Sutphin Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected] here for a trial membership at Christianity Today. “The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper Host: Russell Moore Producer: Ashley Hales Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens Audio engineering by Dan Phelps Video producer: Abby Egan Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does it mean to be a “practicing Christian”? That’s the question that Russell Moore and his guest, author John Mark Comer, consider on this episode of The Russell Moore Show. The two discuss Comer’s new book, Practicing the Way, which welcomes people into spiritual formation through ancient practices. They talk about discerning God’s will for our lives, how Comer decided to step away from his role as lead pastor of a church he planted, and what it looks like to invite people into discipleship. Comer shares how he met Jesus, what it’s like to talk about God on the West Coast, and why so many people no longer resonate with American church services. They explore how churches can cultivate richer discipleship, the power of deep friendships, and the practice of contemplative prayer. Tune in for an episode that is replenishing, full of guidance, and sheds light on why being an apprentice to Jesus is less like learning chemistry and more like learning jujitsu. Resources mentioned in this episode include: John Mark Comer Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus. Become like him. Do as he did. by John Mark Comer The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World by John Mark Comer Billy Graham Crusades Martin Luther John Calvin Where Heaven and Earth Meet: A Jesus-Centered Spirituality for Today by N. T. Wright The Critical Journey: Stages in the Life of Faith, Second Edition by Janet O. Hagberg and Robert A. Guelich Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community (Revised and Updated) by Robert D. Putnam Friends: Understanding the Power of our Most Important Relationships by Robin Dunbar When the Church Was a Family: Recapturing Jesus’ Vision for Authentic Christian Community by Joseph H. Hellerman Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Christian in Community by Dietrich Bonhoeffer Marjorie Thompson Mark Scandrette Eugene Peterson Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today. “The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper Host: Russell Moore Producer: Ashley Hales Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens Audio engineering by Dan Phelps Video producer: Abby Egan Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Confusion and anxiety. Narcissistic tendencies. Spiritual abuses. As the host of The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill, CT’s director of media Mike Cosper explored how these themes can wreak havoc in a church. Now, he’s sharing his own experiences with harm and healing in church life through his latest book, Land of My Sojourn: The Landscape of a Faith Lost and Found. On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, Moore hosts Cosper for a discussion of hurt and hope. They talk about Cosper’s work in church ministry, in his book, and while hosting the podcast The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. Their conversation covers church polity, planting, and pastoring. Moore and Cosper talk about the importance of humility in an era of narcissistic spiritual leaders and discuss the importance of wisdom and suffering in tempering idealism. Cosper and Moore talk about reconciling stories of hospitality and kindness about figures like Mark Driscoll with the damage and trauma they’ve inflicted on others. They respond to the critique that The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill has made pastoring more difficult and encourage listeners to consider the importance of telling the truth even—perhaps especially—when the truth is hard to accept. Tune in for a discussion that is honest about the harm some churches have caused and hopeful about the church as a place of healing. Resources mentioned in this episode include: The Bulletin Land of My Sojourn: The Landscape of a Faith Lost and Found by Mike Cosper The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill William Carey “Jon Hamm on the Evolution of Don Draper on 'Mad Men’” Acts 29 “Land of My Sojourn” by Rich Mullins Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Special offer for listeners: Russell Moore will join friends David French and Curtis Chang in Washington, DC, for The After Party LIVE! on April 19. As a faithful listener to the podcast, we’d love for you to join us and use this $20 off offer just for listeners! The After Party is a free six-part video curriculum designed for people and pastors alike, and offers “a better way” for Christians to engage in politics. Learn more and buy tickets here—we’ve saved a seat for you! Click here for a trial membership at Christianity Today. “The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper Host: Russell Moore Producer: Ashley Hales Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens Audio engineering by Dan Phelps Video producer: Abby Egan Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices