Depolarize! Podcast

Trump, Evangelicals & Faith in Politics (Peter Wehner) Sep 11, 2019

Today’s guest is Peter Wehner — Vice President and Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, contributing opinion writer for the New York Times, and a contributing editor for The Atlantic magazine. He served in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush Administrations prior to becoming deputy director of speechwriting for President George W. … Continue reading Trump, Evangelicals & Faith in Politics (Peter Wehner) →

Evangelicalism’s Racial Blindspot, Explained Mar 25, 2019

This one is a doozy! And it’s both here and in the You Have Permission Podcast feed because it’s just that good. Sociologist Michael O. Emerson breaks down his and Christian Smith’s argument as to why White Evangelical Christians have such a bad track record on racial issues, summarized in their co-authored “Divided by Faith.” … Continue reading Evangelicalism’s Racial Blindspot, Explained →

How to Resist the Mob (on the Left and Right) Mar 04, 2019

(This episode is appearing on both the You Have Permission and Depolarize! Podcast feeds.) How do we know that we aren’t caught up in a “mob mentality” on social, political, or theological issues? Can universities be places where we teach young people to think critically? Can an openly gay woman and her conservative “marriage-is-between-one-man-and-one-woman” sister … Continue reading How to Resist the Mob (on the Left and Right) →

Dan’s New Podcast / Season 3 Update Jan 14, 2019

You Have Permission, Dan’s new faith-focused podcast, is out now, with 4 full length episodes launching from the get-go. Search for it on your favorite podcast app, or head to youhavepermissionpod.com to listen now, or listen to the trailer/intro episode right here. Also, we will be back in February, or early March at the latest, … Continue reading Dan’s New Podcast / Season 3 Update →

Breaking Mid-Season for Holidays / New Show Coming! Dec 18, 2018

We are taking the holiday season off, and will return with the remainder of Season 3 after New Year’s. Dan’s new show You Have Permission will be launching Jan 14th! Sign up for occasional updates at dankochwords.com

“Majority World” Christians & How They Help Us Nov 19, 2018

Dr. Allen Yeh (Biola University) joins Dan and Ellen to talk about 1) the fact that most Christians in the world do not live in the West (Europe, North America), and 2) the difference between Orthodoxy (right thinking) and Orthopraxy (right action). Allen’s Books: https://www.amazon.com/Allen-Yeh/e/B002Z8UFLY – – – – Depolarize! is produced by Dan Koch … Continue reading “Majority World” Christians & How They Help Us →

While You Were Evangelizing: Science (with Keith Ward) Nov 15, 2018

Another installment of “While You Were Evangelizing,” where Dan and Ellen consider what was going on in less separatist, non-Evangelical Christian contexts over the previous 70 years or so. Were other types of Christians raised to be suspicious of science? Dr. Keith Ward (Cambridge) helps us answer that question, and argues that a robust understanding … Continue reading While You Were Evangelizing: Science (with Keith Ward) →

Tribalism: Power, Bias, Performance Nov 05, 2018

The first of two episodes (non-consecutive) focusing directly on the phenomenon of tribalism. Dan and Ellen hear from and respond to Donna Freitas (2:00), Michael Blake (15:00), and Christena Cleveland (37:00). Donna: https://www.donnafreitas.com/ Michael: https://phil.washington.edu/people/michael-blake Christena: http://www.christenacleveland.com/ – – – – Depolarize! is produced by Dan Koch & mixed by Chris Keene & Scott Cangemi … Continue reading Tribalism: Power, Bias, Performance →

The Beauty of a Good Argument with Walter Sinnott-Armstrong Oct 29, 2018

We are fortunate to have philosopher Walter Sinnott-Armstrong (Duke University) on the podcast today, talking about arguments — not the kind you have when you’re angry, but the kind you construct in favor of a position or policy. Arguments respect people by treating them as real agents capable of reason; they have myriad other benefits, … Continue reading The Beauty of a Good Argument with Walter Sinnott-Armstrong →

#ChurchToo & More with Karen Swallow Prior Oct 22, 2018

Karen Swallow Prior is an author and literature professor at Liberty University — yes, THAT Liberty University. Her contribution to the InterVarsity Press essay collection “Still Evangelical?” explores why she is sticking with Evangelicalism, but not for the reasons you might assume. She is also at the center of the #ChurchToo movement in the Southern … Continue reading #ChurchToo & More with Karen Swallow Prior →

Should You Stay (Evangelical) Or Should You Go? Oct 15, 2018

As we discussed last episode, it is indeed a crazy moment to be an Evangelical Christian. Then again, so what? Does that mean Evangelicals should leave their churches or their tradition to search for greener pastures? As we hear from authors Danielle (D.L.) Mayfield (3:30), Katelyn Beaty (33:00), and Jemar Tisby (47:30), the answer is: … Continue reading Should You Stay (Evangelical) Or Should You Go? →

It’s a Crazy Moment for Evangelicalism Oct 08, 2018

What a time to be an Evangelical in America, or to have been raised as one: there’s all the politics, racial tension, “parallel institutions,” and culture wars that continue to rage, but there is also evidence of serious benefits for churchgoers. This week, Dan and Ellen are greatly helped in their understandings of Evangelicalism — … Continue reading It’s a Crazy Moment for Evangelicalism →

While You Were Evangelizing: Hell (with Dale B. Martin) Oct 01, 2018

Welcome to a new season of Depolarize! Dan and Ellen are excited to be back in the saddle, and this week we are debuting a new episode style: While You Were Evangelizing. What was going on in the more liberal-leaning Mainline Protestant church over the last 70 years? Dale B. Martin helps us compare and … Continue reading While You Were Evangelizing: Hell (with Dale B. Martin) →

A Catholic, a Mennonite & an Orthodox Priest Walk Into a Podcast, Part 2 Jun 25, 2018

Part 2 of our episode featuring Mary, Jennifer and Father Tom, and also our last of Season 2! Thank you for your continued support, and we are already looking forward to Season 3. Depolarize! is produced by Dan Koch, edited by Scott Cangemi & Chris Keene, mixed by Chris Keene Support the show financially & … Continue reading A Catholic, a Mennonite & an Orthodox Priest Walk Into a Podcast, Part 2 →

A Catholic, a Mennonite & an Orthodox Priest Walk Into a Podcast, Part 1 Jun 18, 2018

The first of a two-part episode wherein Dan Koch and Ellen Mauro consider the worldviews and stories of Mary (Roman Catholic), Tom (Greek Orthodox), and Jennifer (Mennonite). This is part of our series on Christian voters who do not consider themselves “Evangelical.” Part 2 airs next week, and will be the final episode of Season … Continue reading A Catholic, a Mennonite & an Orthodox Priest Walk Into a Podcast, Part 1 →

An Alternative to Evangelicalism? (Liberal Mainline Pt 2) Jun 04, 2018

Dan & Ellen continue their deep dive into Liberal Mainline Protestantism, hearing from voters Jack & Debbie Holloway, as well as experts Dr. Tripp Fuller (Homebrewed Christianity Podcast) and Dr. James Wellman (University of Washington). Tripp’s book and podcast: https://homebrewedchristianity.com/ http://fortresspress.com/product/homebrewed-christianity-guide-jesus-lord-liar-lunatic-or-awesome Jim’s book: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/evangelical-vs-liberal-9780195300123 Homebrewed Culture Cast: http://www.christianpiatt.com/culturecast “A New Kind of Christianity”: https://www.amazon.com/New-Kind-Christianity-Questions-Transforming/dp/0061853992 “The … Continue reading An Alternative to Evangelicalism? (Liberal Mainline Pt 2) →

What is a Liberal Mainline Protestant? May 28, 2018

This week and next, Dan walks Ellen (and the rest of us) through the world of Liberal Mainline Protestants: Methodists, Episcopalians, some Lutherans, some Presbyterians, United Church of Christ, and others. This is Part 1, which includes a lot of Dan and Ellen talking through and clarifying various ideas. 3:00 – What does “Liberal Mainline … Continue reading What is a Liberal Mainline Protestant? →

Who Really Thinks Trump is a Christian? May 21, 2018

Dan and Ellen confront the worry that has been nagging at Dan more than any other, since Trump’s nomination and election: did all those Christian voters *actually believe* that Trump was a Christian? 2:55- Are Trump supporters gullible, or simply following the status quo? 5:33- “True crime legend: James Dobson”: Trump’s status as a “Baby … Continue reading Who Really Thinks Trump is a Christian? →

Candice Clem Hijacked Her Interview And It Was Great May 14, 2018

Candice was originally interviewed as one of our five Christians of Color, but our conversation went far enough afield, and was interesting and entertaining enough that we decided to give Candice her own episode. She breaks down her experience growing up in the Korean American Church, her take on Donald Trump, and much more, all … Continue reading Candice Clem Hijacked Her Interview And It Was Great →

Going Deeper with Christians of Color May 07, 2018

On our previous episode, Dan & Ellen took a backseat to the stories of five Christians of color, told in their own words. This episode is a more standard Depolarize approach: dissecting and responding to these voters’ answers to Dan’s questions, and comparing them to what we heard from White Evangelicals (on either side of … Continue reading Going Deeper with Christians of Color →

*Simply Listening* to Christians of Color Apr 30, 2018

We're back to our voters this week, introducing five new voices. But this episode is also different: no reaction commentary from Dan & Ellen, and only minimal narration from Dan for context. Rather, we are going to practice the discipline of *simply listening* to the stories of these Christians, who happen to have been born to parents who are not both of Caucasian descent.
Timeline:
4:01- Meet our voters
4:58- "...Like a shirt that is ill-fitting": Their stories
21:03- "The ROOT and the FRUIT": The history of the Municipal Police Departments
31:23- How does Jesus speak into all of this?
36:32- "How many African Americans listen to Hillsong?": The overlap of racial tension and church life
46:02- Do you consider yourself Evangelical?
53:55- "Dumb white-boy question"
Justin Giboney's Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-church-politics-podcast/id1289898626?mt=2
The & Campaign: http://theandcampaign.com/
Jemar's Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pass-the-mic/id766830494?mt=2
The Witness: https://thewitnessbcc.com/
Depolarize! is produced by Dan Koch & mixed by Chris Keene
Support the show financially & receive bonus content: patreon.com/depolarize
depolarizepodcast.com
depolarizepodcast (at) gmail

Get Off Social Media? Apr 23, 2018

Zombies? The Rapture? A country song *about* the Rapture? Check, check, and check. This week, Dan & Ellen take a break from voter-based episodes to discuss some more personal matters: anxiety and social media use, both of which are related to various forms of polarization in our current cultural landscape. Along with some of Dan's story/struggle with both of these, they hear from Dr. Donna Freitas and Jason Brooks about 1) what is going on our brains as we use social media, and 2) how college students use and think about social media.
Timeline:
2:25- "It's your podcast; I'm just here for the wine": Dan's anxiety-timeline
5:00- "A contentious relationship with thunder"
6:30- Zombies?
10:00- "96 problems, but the end times ain't one": Existential dread in Dan's 6th-grade mind
17:56- "The Mark of the Beach": How Florida and the Antichrist became Dan's anziety triggers
22:42- "The worst version of me. The best of everyone else." Anxiety and social media
35:37- "Basically: Drugs": Dopamine, isolation, social media, and the loss of a "third space"
52:58- Getting back to the real world
1:02:10- Recap/ We'll see you next time "...in the rapture"
Anxiety and social media:
http://www.health.com/depression/multiple-social-media-sites-depression-anxiety
http://www.health.com/depression/could-lots-of-time-spent-on-social-media-be-tied-to-depression
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/why-we-worry/201612/social-media-loneliness-and-anxiety-in-young-people
Andrew Sullivan:
http://nymag.com/selectall/2016/09/andrew-sullivan-my-distraction-sickness-and-yours.html
Dr. Freitas:
https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Effect-Driving-Generation-Perfect/dp/0190239859
Support the show financially & receive bonus content: patreon.com/depolarize
depolarizepodcast.com
depolarizepodcast (at) gmail

White Evangelical Trump Supporters, Pt 2 Apr 16, 2018

Dan & Ellen continue their interviews of White Evangelical Trump voters. This episode is best listened to after Part 1. Timeline: 3:16- How political is your church environment? 5:05- “Information super MYway”: News sources and accepted bias 12:10- Is Donald Trump a Christian? 19:05- “Grab ’em by the statute of limitations”: The Access Hollywood tapes … Continue reading White Evangelical Trump Supporters, Pt 2 →

White Evangelical Trump Supporters, Pt 1 Apr 09, 2018

The first of two episodes centered on interviews with 10 White Evangelical Trump voters. Timeline: 0:00- Intro/”Family Therapist Soapbox Time” 10:00- Why did you vote for Donald Trump? 13:40- How central was abortion to your vote for Trump? 15:00- “Ellen Mauro: Abortion Maniac”: Polling data and the importance of abortion in the 2016 election. 24:07- … Continue reading White Evangelical Trump Supporters, Pt 1 →

Is That “81%” Statistic Reliable? A Closer Look at Evangelicals Apr 02, 2018

Ellen and Dan speak with journalists & polling experts — Roxanne Stone of BARNA Group, Jon Ward of Yahoo! News and Robert P. Jones of Public Religion Research Institute — to wrap their heads around that infamous statistic (81% of white Evangelicals voting for Trump), understand what it means, and to dig deeper both into … Continue reading Is That “81%” Statistic Reliable? A Closer Look at Evangelicals →

White Evangelicals Who Don’t Support Trump, Pt 2 Mar 26, 2018

Dan & Ellen continue their interviews of White Evangelicals who did not vote for Donald Trump in the 2016 election. This episode is best listened to after Part 1. Timeline: 0:00- Intro/Recap 2:42- Why did you NOT vote for Trump? 8:02- Did you ever consider voting for Trump? 8:40- Did you even give him a … Continue reading White Evangelicals Who Don’t Support Trump, Pt 2 →

White Evangelicals Who Don’t Support Trump, Pt 1 Mar 18, 2018

In the Season 2 premiere, Dan Koch and Ellen Mauro interview 6 White Evangelical Christians, none of whom voted for nor actively support Donald Trump. These voters are a partial sample of the other side of White Evangelicals, who infamously voted for Trump at an 81% rate in 2016; these, you might say, are the other 19%. Episode timeline:
0:00 - Intro & Season 2 Preview
05:42 - Meet our Voters
08:40 - Pro Life? Whole Life?
16:15 - Are they really Christians?
18:45 - Are their churches overtly political?
22:30 - Do they understand Jesus and politics differently?
31:15 - Dan feels "convicted"
34:30 - What do they love about America?
43:15 - How it feels to be in the minority
48:00 - What they wish Trump-supporting Christians understood about them.
depolarizepodcast.com
patreon.com/depolarize
dankochwords.com

Introducing Ellen Mauro (My New Co-Host!) Mar 11, 2018

Ellen will be joining Depolarize for Season 2, which begins next week. We hear about her background, political and psychological areas of interest, and we laugh a lot, because Ellen is very funny.

42: LIVE! White Evangelicalism Today with Jonathan Merritt Feb 18, 2018

The final episode before Depolarize enters Season 2! Dan chats live at the BadChristian Conference in Nashville, TN, with author and journalist Jonathan Merritt (The Atlantic, WaPo, Religion News Service, The Week) about the state of White Evangelicalism in America today.

Dan on “Break It Down” — Charlottesville, Why People Leave the Church Aug 17, 2017

Dan stopped by the studio for "Break It Down with Matt Carter" to talk about taking a break from social media/Depolarize, recent events in Virginia, and what he has been thinking about and working on this past summer.

Bonus: Dan on Seattle’s KIRO FM Aug 03, 2017

Greg Tomlin, filling in for Dori Monson, interviews Dan on Seattle's KIRO FM about this podcast and what he's learned about political polarization over the past year.

What I’ve Learned, Season Break & What’s Next Jun 28, 2017

Dan discusses what he's learned making 41 episodes of Depolarize!, the principles he still finds valuable, why it is difficult sometimes to follow his own advice, as well as what is next for the show and for him, including breaking for the Summer.

41: Q&A with Dan Jun 20, 2017

Get to know your host a little more! Due to some emergency travel, this week's scheduled interview had to be postponed, so Dan took questions from listeners for his first Q&A episode.

40: Learning from Non-U.S. Peacemakers with Jer Swigart Jun 13, 2017

Jer Swigart stops by to talk about what they're doing over at The Global Immersion Project where he is the Co-Founding Director. He shares some wonderful insight into the complicated conflict in the Middle East.

39: Science, Soil & Farmer’s Profits with David Montgomery Jun 06, 2017

David R. Montgomery, a Professor of Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Washington invites Dan over to discuss soil, carbon dating, and how farmers are restoring profitability and reducing environmental impact.

38: Depolarizing and Reconstructing with John Raines May 30, 2017

Dan talks with John Raines, his co-host for their new Reconstruct podcast, about polarization in the world of theology, why they started the podcast, and how the two shows aren't quite as different as they might at first seem.

37: Actual Solutions! (to Group Polarization) with Dr. Ravi Iyer May 23, 2017

Dr. Ravi Iyer is doing the real social science work of depolarization as Executive Director of CivilPolitics.org and brings some surprisingly simple solutions to the most complex polarizing issues we face today.

Bonus: Depolarizing Evangelicalism, a Mutual Interview with Mike Erre May 18, 2017

Former megachurch pastor Mike Erre and I interview each other about topics ranging from my two podcasts, a communion/eucharist-based church service, and how their church's experiment of holding neither a gay-affirming nor non-gay-affirming stance is going.

36: Balance Your News Diet with USA TODAY’s Josh Hafner May 16, 2017

Josh Hafner is a former campaign reporter and now a resident journalist at USA TODAY. In this episode he and Dan discuss media identity and how to choose legitimate news sources.

35: Everyone Knows They’re Being Judged with David Lapp May 09, 2017

This week David Lapp stops by to talk about depolarization in action as seen through his experiences with the organization he is with, Better Angels, which facilitates candid conversations between voters from the left and the right.

34: How Political Should a Christian Be? with Greg Boyd May 01, 2017

Dan chats with one of his favorite American theologians and pastors, Dr. Greg Boyd, for a particularly Christian-themed episode. Dr. Boyd lost about a quarter of his church’s congregants back in 2004 when the church came out as explicitly anti-war, focused on the call of God’s Kingdom to the exclusion of any call to the Kingdom of Americanism. He tells this story, and the two discuss what, exactly, a Christian might be called to in the realm of politics.

33: The Media with Conservative Reporter Becket Adams Apr 24, 2017

Media reporter Becket Adams gets candid with Dan this week to share his views on our relationship with partisan media and how we should be navigating all the noise.

32: Artistry & Compassion in the Trump Era with David Bazan Apr 17, 2017

touring brings him especially close to a slice of modern America. David is a ruthlessly honest, compassionate and concise man, a deep thinker and a great conversationalist. Their chat touches on songwriting and artistry in this new era, how to have compassion for a new set of marginalized people, and much more.

31: Empathy & Immersion with VICE’s Thomas Morton Apr 10, 2017

VICE journalist Thomas Morton reveals the intent behind his unique approach to complete immersion with various subcultures in his docuseries Balls Deep.

30: In Defense of Moderation with Aurelian Craiutu Apr 03, 2017

This week professor and author Aurelian Craiutu illustrates the political and ideological moderate and the value of partisanship.

29: Despair and Invitation with David Dark Mar 27, 2017

Author, professor, and cultural critic David Dark joins Dan to talk about the despair that got Donald Trump elected, and how to invite those we disagree with into conversation and into a fuller communal life. David's latest book is called "Life's Too Short to Pretend You're Not Religious," but he mentions in this interview that he could have just as well titled it, "Life's Too Short to Pretend You're Not Political."

28: What Undecided Voters Teach Us About Depolarizing with Diane Hessan Mar 20, 2017

Diane Hessan is known for her entrepreneurial agency work, but in 2016 was tapped by the Hillary Clinton campaign to do some nonstandard polling of undecided voters, keeping in touch with them over long periods of time and building relationships. What she learned surprised her, but not only that, she is doing it all again with independent voters as Trump’s presidency continues to roll out.

27: Apes, Humans, and American Christianity with Adrian Wyard Mar 13, 2017

This week Adrian Wyard, Executive Director of Counterbalance, stops by to share some thinking points from his many years of research of common ancestry and theology.

26: Nonviolence and the New Pro-Life Movement with Aimee Murphy Mar 06, 2017

Aimee Murphy is the Executive Director of Life Matters Journal, a pro-life consistent life ethic publication. A victim of sexual assault, Aimee explains what it is to be truly pro-life and to oppose all forms of aggressive violence against human beings.

25: Our Vast, Tangled Mortgage Web & More with David Dayen Feb 27, 2017

David Dayen, author of Chain of Title: How Three Ordinary Americans Uncovered Wall Street's Great Foreclosure Fraud answers the question, "Was Obama good for America on finances?".

24: Faith, Victories, and Failures in the Obama White House with Michael Wear Feb 20, 2017

Michael Wear, author of the new book Reclaiming Hope, gives us a behind-the-scenes look into what was going on in the Obama administration in regards to faith and politics.

23: Humiliation, Trump, and America’s Shadow Communities with Chris Arnade Feb 13, 2017

Chris Arnade is a PhD and former Wall Street trader who ended his career to capture addiction and poverty in America as a photographer and friend. He talks to Dan this week about his experience with the Americans he came to know.

22b: Islam 101 with Judd King, Part 2 Feb 09, 2017

Dan is joined by Islamic Studies professor Judd King (American University) to give us something almost all of us could use: a basic primer on Islam. Shariah Law, the Five Pillars, whether or not there are non-practicing Muslims — all the hits! This is Part 2 of a 2-part series, mostly because Dan doesn’t really know anything, and therefore had a lot of questions.

22: Islam 101 with Judd King, Part 1 Feb 06, 2017

Dan is joined by Islamic Studies professor Judd King (American University) to give us something almost all of us could use: a basic primer on Islam. Shariah Law, the Five Pillars, whether or not there are non-practicing Muslims — all the hits! This is Part 1 of a 2-part series, mostly because Dan doesn’t really know anything, and therefore had a lot of questions.

21: Women’s March on Washington with Jessica Hecox, Christian & Amy Piatt Jan 30, 2017

Jessica Hecox joins Dan this week on a special double episode featuring Christian & Amy Piatt of Homebrewed CultureCast to discuss what she experienced at the Portland's Women's March and the conflicting feelings she walked away with.

20: Getting Schooled by Dr. Eddie S. Glaude: Race, Values, University Culture, False Equivalence Jan 23, 2017

This week Dr. Eddie Glaude, Professor of Religion and African American Studies at Princeton University, poses some interesting challenges to Dan about systematic inequality and what it's going to take to change it.

19: Trump, Obama, and Big Companies with Matt Stoller Jan 16, 2017

Author and policymaker Matt Stoller joins Dan, and Dan picks Matt's brain, a delightful garden full of non-partisan insights into economics, anti-trust laws, and the populist soul (or lack thereof) of both Trump and Obama.

18: Why Do We Categorize People? with Christena Cleveland Jan 09, 2017

Christena Cleveland, social psychologist at Duke Divinity, shares her expertise on how and why we categorize people. It’s an interesting explanation of our built-in biases: socioeconomic, gender, religious and cultural.

17: Does America’s History of Racism Matter Today? with Drew G.I. Hart Jan 02, 2017

Drew G.I. Hart (author of “Trouble I’ve Seen”) breaks down the racial empathy gap and explains why America continues to function as a systematically racist culture, usually unrelated to individual racist feelings. He brings great clarity to some truly thorny questions.

16: Does Matt Carter Understand Trump Voters? Dec 19, 2016

Matt Carter, host of Break It Down podcast, sheds some light on the reasons he believes so many Americans voted for Trump.

15: Lesbian Christian Julie Rodgers Dec 12, 2016

Writer and speaker Julie Rodgers tells her story of growing up and coming out in the conservative world around her. She gives practical insight into what it really looks like to be a gay Christian and the ways conservatives have failed and succeeded to love LGBT people.

14: White Christian America with Robert P. Jones Dec 05, 2016

Robert P. Jones, Ph.D., CEO of PRRI (Public Religion Research Institute)joins us to take a closer look at polling results of white evangelicals and the statistics that show a shift in the Christian culture in America.

13: Immigration Expert Dr. Charles Hirschman Nov 28, 2016

On this week's episode, we hear from Dr. Charles Hirschman (University of Washington), a social demographer who takes us through several complex and surprising aspects of immigration in the United States.

12: Reacting to the Election Pt. 3 with D.L. Mayfield, O. Alan Noble, and Billie Anne Davis Nov 21, 2016

We hear our final set of reactions to the election of Donald Trump from previous guests D. L. Mayfield and O. Alan Noble, as well as future guest Billie Anne Davis.

11: Reacting to the Election Pt. 2 with Trump Voter Ian Smith Nov 17, 2016

Dan speaks with Ian Smith, a southern Trump voter who opens up about his views on media bias and how he believes it made an impact on the election.

10: Reactions to the Election Pt. 1 with Julie Rodgers, Chris Hoke & More Nov 14, 2016

We hear reactions to the election of Donald Trump from previous guests Chris Hoke (joined by Neaners Garcia), Neil DeGraide and Trisha Ananiades, as well as future guest Julie Rodgers. Dan also briefly discusses Trump's decision to select Reince Priebus and Steve Bannon for White House cabinet posts.

9: Reacting to the Election with “Science Mike” McHargue Nov 10, 2016

Well, there’s no way around it. We were all pretty surprised by Donald Trump winning the election. Where do we go from here? How do we reconcile while still working toward a just society? I share some thoughts, and we hear from author and podcaster Mike McHargue (The Liturgists, Ask Science Mike, “Finding God in the Waves”) on his reaction. What are we scared for, and what, if any, is the potential silver lining?

8: Living Amongst Refugees with D. L. Mayfield Nov 07, 2016

Writer D. L. Mayfield (McSweeney’s, Christianity Today, “Assimilate or Go Home”) joins Dan to talk about what she has learned over 10 years of living amongst refugees in Minneapolis and Portland.

7: Third Parties! Evan McMullin Quick Take and Libertarian Neil DeGraide Nov 03, 2016

Is there any other option? O. Alan Noble pops in briefly to talk about the recent rise of Independent candidate Evan McMullin, and Dan has a lengthy cordial debate with Libertarian Neil DeGraide.

6: Institutional Racism with Lawyer Trisha Ananiades Oct 31, 2016

Trisha Ananiades is an African-American lawyer who graduated from Harvard Law, and here she makes her case for the presence of serious institutional racism in the United States. Dan and Trisha discuss the constitutionality of "Stop & Frisk", Trisha's own life experiences of racism, and a host of other related questions.

5: Pro-Life, Anti-Trump with Matthew Lee Anderson Oct 27, 2016

Dan sits down with Christian ethicist, writer and pro-life advocate Matthew Lee Anderson (Vox, Mere Orthodoxy) to hear his argument that there is no pro-life case to be made for voting for Donald Trump. This is a truly unique and fascinating conversation.

4: Sharing Your Vote? with Brett Shears Oct 24, 2016

Does every immigrant family automatically want Hillary as their president? Will they be happy with her? Actually, no. Dan is joined by Brett Shears of VoteAllies.org, and the two discuss eligible voters who voluntarily share their votes with non-eligible voters. This leads to fascinating territory, where civic engagement and empathy bleed together.

Bonus: Rigged Elections, WikiLeaks, Electoral College. Lightning Round with Robbie Evans Oct 19, 2016

Dan is joined by his old friend and amateur political expert Robbie Evans for a quick-fire bonus episode. It's a "lightning round" of questions raised by recent electoral news: what is the Electoral College, and can our votes be "stolen" by it? What have learned about WikiLeaks and through its email dumps? Are there really ever any rigged elections?

3: Illegal Immigrants with Chris Hoke Oct 17, 2016

Dan is joined by Chris Hoke, prison chaplain and author of "Wanted: A Spiritual Pursuit Through Jail, Among Outlaws," out now on HarperOne. Hoke lives and works among illegal immigrants, convicts, and ex-cons in Skagit Valley, Washington. He shares with us both heart-rending stories and mind-opening statistics surrounding the issue of illegal immigration.

2: Conservative Supreme Court with Joe Rose Oct 08, 2016

Joe Rose (University of Chicago, Berkeley Law) joins host Dan Koch to both make his argument for conservative Supreme Court justices *and* his argument for why this motivation is insufficient to justify voting for Donald Trump. Topics: Intro to Supreme Court (3:30), the polarized fallout of Scalia's death (7:30), Affirmative Action (13:00), why conservative judicial stances and conservative politics don't always line up (24:00), Citizens United(28:00), why Trump will not select conservative justives after all (35:00), and a lightning round of 9 arguments from the Left for progressive justices (53:00).

1: Trump Rallies with Jared Yeates Sexton Oct 08, 2016

On the first episode of Depolarize!, Dan chats with Jared Yeates Sexton, contributor to New Republic and The New York Times, about covering Trump rallies (2:15), the political divide in America (7:30), changing attitudes toward masculinity (31:30), generational differences (35:00), which rhetoric from Trump has no place in any discussion (42:00), narratives from the Left that fail (53:00), how to start to bridge the gap between Left and Right (1:03:00) and more.

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