The Russell Moore Show

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

"God is never going to betray you—even if the church does.” So says Nancy French, best-selling author and investigative journalist, on this episode of The Russell Moore Show. French, who is known for her groundbreaking reporting on abuse at one of America’s largest Christian camps, joins Moore to discuss her new memoir, Ghosted. French talks about growing up in the Bible Belt, where she was sexually abused as a child by her Vacation Bible School teacher. She and Moore discuss the importance of righteous responses to people who have been harmed, the ways institutions too often cover up abuse, and how all of this shows up in partisan politics. Their conversation highlights the power of love—specifically in the case of Nancy’s marriage to David French—in healing from trauma. Moore and French also talk about French’s experiences ghostwriting for high-profile families such as the Palins and the Romneys. They talk about shifts in political culture, the state of racism in America, and what it’s like to be part of a church family that is primarily made up of people outside of one’s ethnic culture. Their conversation also touches on adoption, online discourse, and the incredible work that God can do through personal relationships. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Nancy French David French Ghosted: An American Story by Nancy French Joan Didion Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J. D. Vance Flannery O’Connor Frederick Buechner “They Aren’t Who You Think They Are” by David French and Nancy French “What it’s like to experience the 2016 election as both a conservative and a sex abuse survivor” by Nancy French Curtis Chang “The Four Horsemen: Contempt” (The Gottman Institute) The After Party 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

Ever since Jonathan Haidt joined us on The Russell Moore Show, listeners have been sending in questions for him. So, on this episode, Russell Moore welcomes Haidt back to the show for a discussion of his new book titled The Anxious Generation, the effects of the digital landscape, and the relationship between mental health and religion. Haidt describes how religious communities are taking the lead in providing some protection from mental health problems. He and Moore discuss the ways that modern life lends itself to overprotecting our children in the real world and under-protecting them online. They talk about what childhood is, how it’s been rewired, and the subsequent impact on young people. They consider the unique traits of Generation Z, the power of religious communities, and why people of faith are statistically happier. Moore and Haidt explore the common quest for meaning and purpose, how to shepherd children in a virtual world, and how to account for differences in boys and girls without resorting to misogyny. Their conversation also covers the damage of pornography, distractions in worship settings, and how to encourage friends and families to communally steward digital devices. Resources mentioned in this episode include: The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure by Jonathan Haidt The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt “Jonathan Haidt’s Way Forward for an Anxious Generation” Jean Twenge Greg Lukianoff Zach Rasuch’s Substack Émile Durkheim “Joe Rogan Experience #2121 – Jonathan Haidt” “Table for Two” by Caedmon’s Call Pascal's Pensées by Blaise Pascal The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life by C.S. Lewis The Digital Fast: 40 Days to Detox Your Mind and Reclaim What Matters Most by Darren Whitehead Andrew Sullivan Richard V. Reeves’ Substack 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 & 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

It’s time for the quarterly books episode of The Russell Moore Show! Tune in as Russell and producer Ashley Hales talk about their recent reads ranging from politics to poetry. The two discuss a variety of topics including Augustine’s argument in City of God , how theological convictions become slogans, and the world of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). Their conversation considers what true joy looks like, why it’s okay not to understand everything we read (even in the Bible), and how books can give us words for our most deeply felt human experiences. Books mentioned in this episode include: God Gave Rock and Roll to You: A History of Contemporary Christian Music by Leah Payne City of God by Augustine God's Rascal: J. Frank Norris and the Beginnings of Southern Fundamentalism (America's Baptists) by Barry Hankins Joy: 100 Poems by Christian Wiman Zero at the Bone by Christian Wiman Four Quartets: A Poem by T.S. Eliot Lutheran Slogans: Use and Abuse by Robert W. Jenson A Shining by Jon Fosse The Inferno by Dante Alighieri The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy The Maytrees: A Novel by Annie Dillard Additional resources mentioned in this episode include: Petra Amy Grant Rich Mullins “Christian Wiman’s Work Against Despair” George M. Marsden Eugene Peterson Music & Meaning with Charlie Peacock Owen Barfield C.S. Lewis J.R.R. Tolkien 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 & 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

It was November 1, 1973, and Marvin Olasky—a then self-proclaimed atheist and communist—was reading an essay by Vladimir Lenin. Suddenly, Olasky began to have thoughts he couldn’t shake. What if this is all wrong? What if there really is a God? Within eight hours, Olasky had decided he was no longer an atheist or a communist. He became a Christian a few years later. Olasky went on to become a leader in Christian higher education and publishing—most notably as the editor in chief of World Magazine. On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, Olasky—author of 29 books, senior fellow at the Discovery Institute, and affiliate scholar at the Acton Institute—joins Moore to discuss religion, politics, and philosophy. They talk about two of Olasky’s latest book releases: Pivot Points and an extensively updated Moral Vision, which includes a new foreword by Moore. Olasky shares thoughts on his conversion, his relationship with George W. Bush during his presidency, and the evangelical embrace of some politicians and rejection of others. He and Moore consider the state of journalism, Christian symbolism in political movements, and the danger of echo chambers. Their conversation covers abortion and the pro-life movement, the Hamas attacks, and American involvement in world politics. Olasky encourages listeners to live a life they’ll be glad to look back on, and offers words of wisdom for doing so. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Discovery Institute Acton Institute Zenger House WORLD Magazine Pivot Points: Adventures on the Road to Christian Contentment by Marvin Olasky Moral Vision: Leadership from George Washington to Joe Biden by Marvin Olasky Jonathan Edwards Cotton Mather John Cotton “Marilynne Robinson on Biblical Beauty, Human Evil and the Idea of Israel” on The Ezra Klein Show “Glenn Beck Comes to Town” by Chris Good March for Life Living Life Backward: How Ecclesiastes Teaches Us to Live in Light of the End by David Gibson 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 & 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

Author Marilynne Robinson has long brought layered characters and powerful plots to the page. It is perhaps no wonder, then, that she is looking to a book of Scripture that abounds with both. On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, Moore welcomes Marilynne for a discussion of her new release, Reading Genesis. They talk about what drew Robinson to Genesis and the Mesopotamian and Babylonian myths that are often compared to it. They consider how various disciplines—from science and physics to philosophy and theology—emerge in the text. They ponder the current cultural interest in multiverse stories, what makes a narrative compelling, and the likability (or lack thereof) of Biblical figures. Tune in for a rich conversation on justice and mercy, secularization, and how God reveals his character both in Scripture and in our lives today. Books by Marilynne Robinson mentioned in this episode include: Reading Genesis Gilead Home Lila Jack Housekeeping Resources mentioned in this episode include: Wendell Berry Walker Percy Frederick Buechner Jonathan Haidt 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. The After Party is a free six-part video curriculum designed for people & 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! Use code RM SHOW for $20 off, just for listeners! Use code RM SHOW for $20 off, just for listeners. 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

Is the term evangelical worth holding on to anymore? Is it imperative that Christians participate in elections? What is the way forward for families that have been fractured by political disagreements? These are some of the listener questions that Russell and producer Ashley Hales address on this episode of The Russell Moore Show. Tune in for a discussion that digs deep into the political dynamics of modern American life while sharing universal truths for living Christianly in a broken world. Questions addressed during this episode include: Does Russell read every book that shows up in his newsletter? What are some tips for reading more regularly? Is it okay for Christians not to participate in voting for president? How can Christians whose families are divided over politics prioritize God and one another What does the evangelical support of Donald Trump do to the term evangelical and its reputation? How can believers deal with Christian nationalism in their relationships? What is Christian nationalism? How might the upcoming election affect local churches? What hope is there for Christians discouraged by American politics? Resources mentioned in this episode include: Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches by Russell Moore Russell’s newsletter “Should Christians Vote for the Lesser of Two Evils?” by Russell Moore “Incurvatus in Se” “C. S. Lewis on Chronological Snobbery” 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 & 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

If Russell Moore’s inbox is any indication, listeners of this podcast want to talk about emotions. If you’re among them, this episode with Bible teacher, bestselling author, and founder of IF: Gathering Jennie Allen is for you. Moore and Allen discuss what she learned while writing her new book, Untangle Your Emotions: Naming Your Emotions and Knowing What to Do about Them. They talk about healthy and unhealthy ways to view emotions, how the COVID-19 pandemic affected emotional well-being, and how our brains try to protect us in traumatic situations. They talk about how God meets us in grief and suffering, how emotions show up in the body, and how honesty about emotions can lead to deeper relationships and family connections. Their conversation covers the power of memories, what the Bible has to say about emotions, and what it looks like to honor our emotions without letting them lead our lives. Resources mentioned in this episode include: IF: Gathering Untangle Your Emotions: Naming Your Emotions and Knowing What to Do about Them by Jennie Allen Asbury Revival Auburn baptisms 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

Welcome to a special bonus episode of The Russell Moore Show! Peter Wehner returns for a conversation about the television drama The Chosen, which began its fourth season on February 1, 2024. Wehner expounds on his recent article in The Atlantic, sharing how the series pleasantly surprised him as someone who historically avoided on-screen depictions of Jesus. He describes the ways that Jesus (played by Jonathan Roumie) in The Chosen has a fully-formed personality, displays emotion, and shows how intimately Jesus understood human nature—all elements that have led Wehner to love the show. Moore and Wehner discuss how The Chosen sheds light on Jewish life under Roman occupation and the role of the Pharisees. They talk about another Christian media phenomenon—the He Gets Us campaign—and consider the wide range of responses to it. Their discussion covers political division, the relationship between the intellect and the heart in belief, and what it means for Christians to be called to faithfulness rather than success. Resources mentioned in this episode include: The Chosen “Jesus on the Small Screen” by Peter Wehner Peter Wehner The Trinity Forum Navigating Friendship and Loss with Peter Wehner The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien Jesus of Nazareth He Gets Us campaign E.Y. Mullins Further Up and Further In Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis The Jesus Way by Eugene H. 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

After all of the arguments and severed relationships that resulted from the elections of 2016 and 2020, here we are, doing it all over again. For all who are weary of the modern political climate, today’s episode with Michael Wear is for you. Wear is the founder, president, and CEO of the Center for Christianity and Public Life, a nonpartisan, nonprofit institution based in the nation’s capital. A former White House and presidential campaign staffer, Wear has intimate knowledge of the political process and how Christians might engage it with hope. On this episode, Wear and Moore discuss Wear’s new book, The Spirit of Our Politics: Spiritual Formation and the Renovation of Public Life. They consider what a positive, spiritually formed vision for political engagement might be. Their conversation includes how to understand why Christians land on opposing sides of political issues. They explore what the Bible has to say about the government and talk about the role of pastors in politics. And they consider how the truth of the gospel can shape political participation in a broken world. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Michael Wear The Center for Christianity and Public Life The Spirit of Our Politics: Spiritual Formation and the Renovation of Public Life by Michael Wear Reclaiming Hope: Lessons Learned in the Obama White House About the Future of Faith in America by Michael Wear “College-Educated Voters Are Ruining American Politics” by Eitan Harsh Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers by Christian Smith “Spiritual Formation: What It Is, and How It Is Done” by Dallas Willard The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life In God by Dallas Willard Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Christian Community by Dietrich Bonhoeffer Awaiting the King: Reforming Public Theology by James K. A. Smith Craft and Character:"The Spirit of Politics With Michael Wear" with Steve Carter 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

As Seth Kaplan has worked in 35 countries around the world, one thing has made itself clear: healthy relationships are the key to community stability. “When I go to any place, whether it’s a neighborhood or country,” says Kaplan on this episode of The Russell Moore Show, “the thing I’m most interested in finding out is how well people are treating each other on so many levels.” In conversation with Moore, Kaplan—author of Fragile Neighborhoods, lecturer, and consultant—explains the reasons Americans feel vulnerable, alienated, and angry. He describes the opportunities people have to do something about those negative feelings and experiences by engaging in local activities that bond them to their neighbors. Moore and Kaplan discuss the necessity of institutions, identify organizations that are strengthening relationships, and consider the importance of marriage. Their conversation covers how children are being socialized, the effects of social media and digital play, and how to build a local ecosystem. Kaplan also describes his family’s practice of Shabbat and encourages his Christian friends to prioritize Sabbath rest. Tune in for an episode that gives concrete, creative advice for cultivating flourishing neighborhoods that resist the division of our times. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Institute for Integrated Transitions Fragile Neighborhoods: Repairing American Society One Zip Code at A Time by Seth D. Kaplan American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us by Robert D. Putnam and David E. Campbell Communio Jonathan Haidt 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

I love the Lord and he loves me. I will not forget, and neither will he. That was the poem that a seven-year-old Christian Wiman handed his pastor—during the altar call, no less. The young Wiman didn’t wait for a response or say a word, he just ran back to his pew. Soon after, the pastor published Wiman’s poem in the Southern Baptist Convention’s newsletter. “I gave him a poem,” Wiman says on this episode of The Russell Moore Show. “That was my gesture of salvation.” In the decades since, Wiman has wrestled with his faith, suffered from cancer, and continued to find meaning in writing poetry. On this episode, he and Moore discuss the poetry in Scripture, how Jesus engaged with suffering, and how poetry can help pastors in their preaching. They talk about why poetry can be intimidating, entry points for engaging it, and how poetry can reveal the joy in our lives. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Zero at the Bone: Fifty Entries Against Despair by Christian Wiman My Bright Abyss: Meditation of a Modern Believer by Christian Wiman Joy: 100 Poems edited by Christian Wiman The Tree of Life Frederick Buechner “The Figure a Poem Makes” by Robert Frost Theology and Joy by Jürgen Moltmann “How the Poet Christian Wiman Keeps His Faith” by Casey Cep for The New Yorker W. A. Criswell Abraham Joshua Heschel The Moviegoer by Walker Percy Sara Grant The Sickness unto Death: A Christian Psychological Exposition of Edification & Awakening by Anti-Climacus by Søren Kierkegaard Miroslav Volf “The Ground of Being” Basil Bunting John Milton William Shakespeare William Wordsworth 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

For historian Kate Bowler, grief and suffering are more than just a topic of interest. She’s intimately acquainted with pain herself as someone who was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer, faced a small chance of survival, and lives with chronic pain. As she puts it, “I spent a long time almost dying.” On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, Bowler shares words of wisdom honed from her research and her personal life. She and Moore talk about her new book Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day!: Daily Meditations for the Ups, Downs & In-Betweens and discuss the vulnerability of being human. They explore the anxious tenor of the modern era in a historical context and talk about the ways people discuss (or avoid discussing) hard things. They consider what it looks like to keep the faith in times of trial and how powerful acts of kindness and tenderness can be in seasons of suffering. Their conversation covers theology, Christian history, and the specific ways that the prosperity gospel has shaped evangelicalism. Tune in for an episode that is as rich and resourceful as it is enjoyable and encouraging. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Kate Bowler Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day!: Daily Meditations for the Ups, Downs & In-Betweens by Kate Bowler No Cure for Being Human (And Other Truths I Need To Hear) by Kate Bowler Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved by Kate Bowler Dorothy Day Reinhold Niebuhr Beth Moore Timothy Keller Richard Hayes The Moviegoer by Walker Percy Reynolds Price “How Do People Actually Change?” by Simeon Zahl “Tears” by Frederick Buchner 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

While answers to the question “How often do you think about the Roman Empire?” range from “daily” to “just about never,” Ancient Rome has a considerable impact on the lives of people in the West. On this episode, Russell Moore welcomes Tom Holland—award-winning biographer, historian, and author of Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World. Holland's new book Pax: War and Peace in Rome’s Golden Age sheds light on the Roman Empire’s lasting impact. During their discussion, Moore and Holland consider the Roman influence on many American facets of life ranging from government to philosophy to gender. They consider what Ancient Rome can teach listeners about navigating dissension, the role of violence, and the role of virtue in maintaining a civilization. Their conversation covers the relationship of Ancient Rome to Christianity, how the Bible depicts Rome, and how to read Revelation with the Roman context in mind. Moore and Holland talk about radicalization, the October 7th Hamas attack, and the influence of social media. Tune in for a powerful discussion that sheds light on specific ways our histories inform our present lives. Resources mentioned in this episode include: “Citizens” by John Guerra Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World by Tom Holland Pax: War and Peace in Rome’s Golden Age by Tom Holland Mary Beard Man in Full by Tom Wolfe Song of Ice and Fire Series by George R.R. Martin Edward Gibbon Spartacus 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 This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can parents guard against viewing their children’s behavior as solely a statement about their success or failure in parenting? What does it look like for churches to embrace people with cognitive differences? Why is it important to support adopted children in grieving the loss of their biological families? Russell and producer Ashley Hales address complex questions like these on this episode of The Russell Moore Show. They discuss issues of sexuality, trauma, and mental health in response to listener questions. Tune in as they provide compassionate Christian perspectives on tough topics. Questions addressed during this episode include: How can parents wisely navigate relationships with their adult children who have differing views on theological and social issues? What does it look like for the church to help adoptees heal from the trauma of losing their birth families and communities? Why did Russell and his wife, Maria, choose to homeschool their sons? How can parents trust God’s goodness when a child tries to take their own life? Will an unwed pregnant mother go to hell if she doesn’t marry the child’s father? How can families find welcoming churches for children with neurodivergence, such as those on the autism spectrum? Resources mentioned in this episode include: The University of Chicago Institute of Politics 23andMe Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson 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 say about the state of the evangelical church that 83 percent of women’s ministry leaders are not compensated? That’s the question that Russell Moore and Jen Wilkin, an author and Bible teacher, pose at the beginning of their conversation on this episode. Wilkin, who spent most of her years leading women’s ministry in a volunteer capacity, talks about how the fifth commandment to honor our parents prompted her to grow more curious about how the church treats its mothers. Wilkin and Moore discuss how churches can better value women as leaders, staff members, and congregants. They consider the challenge of being one of the only women on a church leadership team as well as the pros and cons of single-gender ministries. Wilkin and Moore explore the importance of encouraging biblical literacy and teaching theology within the local church. And they consider what it means that, as Wilkin says, “all theology is autobiography.” Resources mentioned in this episode include: You Are a Theologian, An Invitation to Know and Love God Well by Jen Wilkin and J.T. English “Honor Thy Church Mothers—with Wages” by Jen Wilkin Lifeway Women Academy To Be a Woman: The Confusion Over Female Identity and How Christians Can Respond by Katie J. McCoy PhD 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

“People are dying to tell you their life story. They just need to be asked.” So says author, columnist at The New York Times, and writer at The Atlantic David Brooks on a new episode of The Russell Moore Show. Moore and Brooks’ conversation explores the themes in Brooks’ new book, How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen. They talk about what it means to view people according to the inherent value and dignity of their souls, how love shapes us, and the cultural vocabulary around trauma. Moore and Brooks discuss marriage and the power of compassion. Their conversation covers the Hamas attacks, political volatility, and how to get through 2024 without increasing division. Tune in for an episode that cuts straight to the heart of what it means to be human and to honor the humanity in others. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America by Russell Moore How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks Weave: the Social Fabric Project Telling Secrets: A Memoir by Frederick Buechner Michael Gerson’s sermon at Washington National Cathedral Man's Search for Meaning by Victor E. Frankl The Angel That Troubled the Waters by Thornton Wilder Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High by Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler, and Emily Gregory 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

The year is coming to an end, which means it’s time to reflect on our favorite reads! On this episode, Russell Moore and producer Ashley Hales discuss the books that have stuck with them this year. Their conversation touches on the winners of Christianity Today’s 2023 Book Awards and the back catalogs of authors whose new releases are making a splash. Their conversation spans biographies, memoirs, fiction, and more. Moore and Hales discover themes across genres and consider how their 2023 reading might inform their 2024 thinking. For more insight into what Russell is reading throughout the year, subscribe to his newsletter here. Russell’s Top Ten Books of 2023: How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism by Tim Alberta Watership Down: The Graphic Novel by Richard Adams, adapted and Illustrated by James Sturm and Joe Sutphin All My Knotted-Up Life: A Memoir by Beth Moore C.S. Lewis in America: Readings and Receptions, 1935-1947 by Mark A. Noll Godless Crusade: Religion, Populism, and Right-Wing Identity Politics by Tobias Cremer King: A Life by Jonathan Eig How Far to the Promised Land: One Black Family's Story of Hope and Survival in the American South by Esau McCaulley Self-Made: Creating Our Identities from DaVinci to the Kardashians by Tara Isabella Burton Lights a Lovely Mile: Collected Sermons of the Church Year by Eugene H. Peterson Additional books mentioned in this episode include: Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible's Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture by Christopher Watkin (CT Book of the Year Award) The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis Surprised by Joy by C. S. Lewis The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing by Andy Crouch Bobos In Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There by David Brooks Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World by Tara Isabella Burton Remaking the World: How 1776 Created the Post-Christian West by Andrew Wilson The Adams-Jefferson Letters: The Complete Correspondence Between Thomas Jefferson and Abigail and John Adams by Lester J. Capon The Three-Body Problem Series by Cixin Liu Episodes of The Russell Moore Show featuring authors discussed in this episode include: “Tim Alberta on the White Evangelical Crisis” “Christianity’s Being Co-opted with Tobias Cremer” “Developing a Biblical Framework with Christopher Watkin” “Esau McCaulley Makes Grace Plausible” “Losing Our Religion: David Brooks on the Allure of Tribalism” “Andy Crouch’s Cure for a Tech-Obsessed World” “Beth Moore Didn’t Expect Us to Be Us” “Beth Moore and Russell Moore in Conversation” & “Listener Questions for Russell Moore and Beth Moore” Ashley Hales is the producer of The Russell Moore Show, founder of Willowbrae Institute, and an author. Find out more at aahales.com. 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’ve heard of the nones: the agnostic or atheist-adjacent young people who profess no religious faith. But what about the ums: those who, when asked, “Do you go to church?” are likely to respond with “um” or “not really” or “I kind of drifted during the pandemic.” What can be done to invite them back into connection and community? On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, Moore welcomes author Kara Powell, Chief of Leadership Formation and Executive Director of the Fuller Youth Institute at Fuller Theological Seminary. Powell and Moore talk about research on Gen Z’s relationship to faith and church. They explore the reasons that young people are skeptical of Christianity and highlight opportunities for church leaders and older Christians to come alongside young people on their journeys. Moore and Powell discuss TENx10, a collaboration that endeavors to help faith matter more to 10 million young people over the next 10 years and offers faith communities the resources they need to prioritize youth discipleship. And they offer hope for rebuilding trust with members of Gen Z through, as Powell puts it, “everyday acts of listening and empathizing.” Tune in for a dynamic conversation that will help parents, church leaders, and all who love Gen Z to answer the questions they’re asking about life and faith. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Faith Beyond Youth Group: Five Ways to Form Character and Cultivate Lifelong Discipleship by Kara Powell, Jen Bradbury, and Brad M. Griffin Fuller Youth Institute The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt Skye Jethani TENx10 “New Findings on Young Americans Two Years Into The Covid-19 Pandemic” from Springtide Research Institute Orange 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

When journalist Tim Alberta attended his father’s funeral, he expected people to speak words of comfort. What he didn’t expect was a confrontation. And yet, just a short walk away from the casket, someone approached a grieving Alberta to critique his writing on Trumpism. On a new episode of The Russell Moore Show, Moore welcomes Alberta, a writer for The Atlantic and the author of The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism to discuss how American culture has reached the point where people feel compelled to argue politics at all times. Alberta and Moore talk about the ways that politics have invaded the church in recent years. He and Moore talk about what fear has done to the state of evangelicalism, the rise of secularism, and the differences in conversations between white and multiethnic congregations. They consider ways that demographics affect political and religious perspectives, how pastors have engaged QAnon, and the variances in generational perspectives on American politics. Tune in for a conversation that sheds light on America’s history and ponders what its future could be. Resources mentioned in this episode include: The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism by Tim Alberta Blinded by Might: Can the Religious Right Save America? by Cal Thomas“ The Religious Right and the Abortion Myth” by Randall Balmer “Russell Moore Wants Us To Be Strange (But Not Crazy)” on the Good Faith podcast The “Against Trump” issue of National Review High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out by Amanda Ripley 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

Many evangelicals are taught to share the gospel according to “The Romans Road,” which charts a path through the book to explain the path to salvation. But English theologian and prolific author N.T. Wright says that while anything that highlights how God’s love reaches out to humanity is good news, the book of Romans itself paints a far more beautiful picture of salvation than The Romans Road can encapsulate. On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, Wright and Moore discuss Wright’s new book on Romans 8, Into the Heart of Romans: A Deep Dive into Paul's Greatest Letter. Their conversation includes the storyline of Scripture, what it means that there is “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8), and what keeps people from realizing that God is love. They talk about atonement theories, fear of judgment, and embracing the fact that Christians do not need to fear, for God is with them (Psalm 23). Moore and Wright consider the meaning of covenant faithfulness, covenant justice, and the groaning of creation. They discuss the ecological impact of eschatology, how Romans can be a comfort to the hurting, and the meaning of the term “predestination.” Their conversation covers prayer, women in ministry, and how Wright knows for sure that Christianity is true. Tune in for an episode that is both theologically rich and characterized by humility, kindness, and joy. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Into the Heart of Romans: A Deep Dive into Paul's Greatest Letter by N.T. Wright In Christ Alone by Keith and Kristyn Getty Endpoint and Other Poems by John Updike Romans Disarmed: Resisting Empire, Demanding Justice by Sylvia C. Keesmaat and Brian J. Walsh Conformed to the Image of His Son: Reconsidering Paul's Theology of Glory in Romans by Haley Goranson Jacob After You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters by N.T. Wright The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis 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

Are modern Christians focusing too much on identity or not enough? How should Christians think about injecting their beliefs into civic leadership? What are some words of wisdom for church leaders who are asked questions about public policy? These are some of the timely listener questions that Russell and producer Ashley Hales discuss on this episode of The Russell Moore Show. They talk about how Jesus navigated a cultural context that hypervalued political alignment. And they consider what it looks like to prosper in confusing times. Questions addressed during this episode include: Where does Russell get his news? How can Christians focus on their identity in Christ? What is the relationship between Christians and culture? How can church leaders exercise wisdom as they engage questions of politics and public policy? What should Christians do when the churches in their community preach dogma over doctrine? What do love and justice look like in practical, concrete terms (like yard signs)? Why aren’t people tired of perpetual panic? What does it look like to maintain hope? Resources mentioned in this episode include: “Sphere Sovereignty” Joseph Loconte The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Ashley Hales is the producer of The Russell Moore Show, the founder of The Willowbrae Institute, and an author. Find out more at aahales.com. 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

When it comes to building communities that nurture the next generation, it's hard to identify a universal standard for success. But as social psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt looks at the trends among today’s children, he sees both common concerns and shared opportunities to address them. On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, Haidt and Moore discuss the alarming rates of anxiety and depression among children and adolescents, which Haidt explores at length in his new book The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness. Haidt and Moore consider the factors that lead to childhood mental health crises, including access to iPhones and social media. They talk about the ways that the Covid-19 pandemic affected (and didn’t affect) young people. And they look back on the last several decades of American history, during which parents have increasingly treated raising children like a school project or professional endeavor. While much of their discussion outlines the challenges young people face today, Haidt and Moore’s conversation hinges on hope. They propose meaningful opportunities for cultivating good mental health, confidence, and a sense of purpose in children and adolescents. And they encourage all who are investing in the next generation with practical advice for healthy homes and communities. Resources mentioned in this episode include: 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 The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom by Jonathan Haidt iGen: Why Today's Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy--and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood--and What That Means for the Rest of Us by Jean Twenge High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out by Amanda Ripley The Gardener and the Carpenter: What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship Between Parents and Children by Alison Gopnik Wayfinding: The Science and Mystery of How Humans Navigate the World by M. R. O’Connor “What Is Attachment Theory?” American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us by Robert D. Putnam 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

Does baptism with the Holy Spirit happen to everyone when they believe the gospel or does it occur later? Has the gift of prophecy ended in the modern era? What does speaking in tongues really mean? On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, Christine Caine speaks to these questions and more. As an author, speaker, and co-founder of anti-slavery nonprofit A21, Caine has a global perspective on the supernatural. She and Moore talk about various beliefs regarding spiritual gifts, why Christians have differing opinions about them, and what the implications are for believing (or not believing) that miraculous gifts still operate today. They talk about the importance of Scripture, possible misuses of prophetic words, and the ultimate purpose of gifts like prophecy or healing—pointing people to Jesus. Their conversation plays by the “Tell Me Where I’m Wrong” rules: Moore is only allowed to ask questions to better understand the guest’s point of view. If he starts to argue, the guest is supposed to stop him. Episodes in the “Tell Me Where I’m Wrong” series include: Rainn Wilson Tells Me Where I’m Wrong on Spirituality Ross Douthat on American Religion and Where Martin Luther was Right and Wrong Bill McKibben Tells Me Where I’m Wrong About Cultural Christianity Shane Claiborne Tells Me Where I’m Wrong on the Death Penalty Ligon Duncan Tells Me Where I’m Wrong on Infant Baptism Resources mentioned in this episode include: A21 Sam Storms Michael Cromartie 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

When Russell Moore saw footage of a “Jesus saves” sign during the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the United States Capitol, he wasn’t just angered by the assault on democracy. He was horrified by what he saw as a blasphemous misrepresentation of the gospel. How could American culture have gotten to such a place? And what can be done about it? Those are the types of questions that today’s guest, Dr. Tobias Cremer, explores in his new book The Godless Crusade, Religion, Populism, and Right Wing Identity Politics in the West. Cremer, a junior research fellow at Pembroke College, and an associate member of the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Oxford, studies the relationship between religion, secularization, and the rise of right-wing identity politics. And when he looks at right-wing populism, he sees far more secularism than true religion. On this episode, Moore and Cremer discuss the rise of national populist movements in America and other Western countries. They discuss how faith and socioeconomic status influence political leanings, why religious symbols are used in political movements, and what people really mean when they say they are Christian in a political context. Moore and Cremer talk about the growing number of de-churched Protestants in the Bible Belt and how the populist right confuses religion for identity. And they consider the changes that people and institutions can make to address polarization, resentment, and radicalization. Tune in for an episode that provides a nuanced view of political and religious history in the West and sheds light on our culture today. Resources mentioned in this episode include: The Godless Crusade, Religion, Populism, and Right Wing Identity Politics in the West by Tobias Cremer “White Southern Evangelicals Are Leaving the Church” by Daniel K. Williams The 1934 Barmen Declaration Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right by Arlie Russell Hochschild Christianity and History by Herbert Butterfield Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America by Russell Moore 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

“Our church lived through the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections divided. Our church lived through Black Lives Matter protests divided. Our church lived through COVID divided. How are we going to get through 2024?” That’s one of the questions that Russell Moore is asked on a regular basis, and it’s not an easy one to answer. Enter Amanda Ripley, author of High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out. An investigative journalist and the co-founder of Good Conflict, Ripley has spent years exploring how humans engage in disagreements that threaten to tear people apart. On this episode, Moore and Ripley discuss the differences between regular conflict and high conflict. They consider examples of good and bad engagement with conflict, how polarization occurs in politics and religion, and the line between accountability and humiliation. They consider the role of media, institutions, and and family relationships in navigating divisions. And they consider how conflict can be harnessed to serve as a public good. Tune in for a rich discussion of the things that seek to tear us apart but can be redeemed to bring us together. Resources mentioned in this episode include: High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out by Amanda Ripley The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way by Amanda Ripley The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes —and Why by Amanda Ripley Good Conflict Practical Tools from Good Conflict King Rat by China Miélville Chicago CRED Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America by Russell Moore Well-Intentioned Dragons: Ministering to Problem People in the Church by Marshall Shelley B’nai Jeshurun 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 Azurae Phelps 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

“She’s in a better place.” Statements like this tend to pop up at funerals and in Facebook comment threads memorializing a lost loved one. But do people really mean what they’re saying? Is cultural commentary on life after death merely an attempt at comforting the bereaved or a statement of belief? Enter Skye Jethani, co-host of The Holy Post Podcast and author whose newest title asks the question What If Jesus Was Serious about Heaven? During his conversation with Russell Moore, Jethani talks about views on heaven, including whether it's a real place or a mere platitude. He and Moore discuss the human desire for judgments and rewards, theories on near-death experiences, and when eternal life actually begins. They consider biblical passages on life and death, miracles, and setting our minds on heavenly things. And they ask one another what it looks like to commune with God and when they feel closest to heaven. Tune in for a thoughtful conversation on how earthly lives interact with heavenly futures and what it looks like to live according to the reality of eternity. Resources mentioned in this episode include: What If Jesus Was Serious about Heaven?: A Visual Guide to Experiencing God's Kingdom Among Us by Skye Jethani The Holy Post Podcast “Training for Reigning” series by Dallas Willard A Testament of Devotion by Thomas R. Kelly “Morning Prayer” from The Book of Common Prayer Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World by Tom Holland Four Quartets by T. S. Eliot 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 Azurae Phelps 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

“Part of the beauty of America is that we all have roots in all kinds of parts of the world, and we bring that cultural richness—and the aspect of cultural diversity—with us to this country.” So says Yascha Mounk on this episode of The Russell Moore Show. And yet, of course, differences can also bring about conflict that has a significant negative impact on individuals and society alike. Mounk, an expert on issues in liberal democracy, and Moore discuss these parallel truths through the lens of Mounk’s new book, The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time. Mounk and Moore talk about the “spiral of radicalization” the United States finds itself in today. They consider the role of political parties, institutions, and perspectives on race in shaping our cultural moment. Their conversation dives into sexual orientation, gender identity, and marriage as well as pedagogy, theology, and social psychology. Tune in for a thoughtful dialogue that spans issues of discrimination, justice, and the power of influence in our daily lives. Resources mentioned in this episode include: Yascha Mounk at The Atlantic Council on Foreign Relations Persuasion Journal The Good Fight podcast The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time by Yascha Mounk Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story by Ruby Bridges Chloé Valdary 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 Azurae Phelps 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

Welcome back to the quarterly books episode of The Russell Moore Show! Listen in as Russell and producer Ashley Hales talk about the bookstores, newsletters, and reviews that help them find great reads. The two discuss everything from classic stories to new titles and Christian imagery to transhumanist fantasies. Their conversation also covers family, political history, and engaging the Scriptures imaginatively. Books mentioned in this episode include: How Far to the Promised Land: One Black Family's Story of Hope and Survival in the American South by Esau McCaulley Escape into Meaning: Essays on Superman, Public Benches, and Other Obsessions by Evan Puschak The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis The Singularities by John Banville Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires by Douglas Rushkoff God with Us: Lived Theology and the Freedom Struggle in Americus, Georgia, 1942–1976 by Ansley L. Quiros The Inconvenient Gospel: A Southern Prophet Tackles War, Wealth, Race, and Religion by Clarence Jordan Clarence Jordan: A Radical Pilgrimage in Scorn of the Consequences by Frederick L. Downing It All Turns on Affection: The Jefferson Lecture and Other Essays by Wendell Berry Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America by Russell Moore Resources mentioned in this episode include: Carmichael’s Bookstore The New York Review of Books Englewood Review of Books The Nerdwriter Writing for the Heart Workshop with Ashley Hales and Mike Cosper Russell’s newsletter Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Ashley Hales is the producer of The Russell Moore Show, founder of Willowbrae Institute, and an author. Find out more at aahales.com. 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 Azurae Phelps 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

Hosted by Dr. Kutter Callaway, Be Afraid is an exploration of fear, faith, and stories that scare the hell out of us. You’ll hear from filmmakers, film critics, psychological scientists, and even an exorcist or two, each of whom shares their unique insights on the horror genre and its growing popularity. Listen to the trailer and subscribe today. The full series launches on October 6th, 2023. From the studio that brought you "The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill" and "The Bulletin," “Be Afraid” is a production of Christianity Today, Fuller Seminary, and Uncommon Voices Collective More from Kutter Callaway on theology and culture: https://www.kuttercallaway.com/ More from Uncommon Voices Collective: https://www.uncommonvoices.faith/ More from Fuller Seminary: http://fuller.edu/beafraid Join the conversation at our Fearmakers Conference: https://www.fearmakerscon.com/ Executive Produced by Erik Petrik Produced, Written, and Edited by Kutter Callaway Produced and Edited by Stephen Scheilder Associate Produced by TJ Hester Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices