Exvangelical

Latest Episodes:

Katy Scoggin, director of Flood Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

We're back with an interview featuring Katy Scoggin, director of the documentary Flood. The documentary is available on the PBS YouTube channel until 10/13/26 at this link: https://youtu.be/Zm8AhHLTbuI?is=qoqQSvDA_KJ2zAgx Learn more at floodmovie.com or by visiting the linktree: https://linktr.ee/floodmovie Support my work directly at blakechastain.com. Buy Exvangelical & Beyond: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780593717073 Buy books from other authors who have appeared on the show: https://bookshop.org/shop/brchastain 00:00 Meet Katy Scoggin 00:56 Growing Up Cru 02:30 Church Hopping Teens 03:33 Creationism In School 04:49 Media Rules At Home 08:31 Family Videos And Photos 09:50 Private Faith And Doubt 12:56 Art As An Outlet 14:50 Human Evolution Breakthrough 20:53 Why Make Flood 23:07 Calling Dad On Tape 27:15 Filming Choices And Distance 31:44 Adult Child Dynamics 33:22 Filming Dad in the Car 35:42 The Hike 40:50 Truth and Rigid Belief 47:59 Dad as Family Nexus 54:43 No Contact and Boundaries 58:06 Next Projects and Change 01:01:59 Where to Watch Flood

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Becoming Neighbors with Amar D. Peterman Apr 17, 2026

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In this episode, I speak with Amar D. Peterman, author of the new book Becoming Neighbors: The Common Good Made Local. Follow Amar online: https://amardpeterman.substack.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@amarpeterman https://www.instagram.com/amarpeterman/ Affiliate links, which support the show: Buy the book: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780802884121 Buy Exvangelical & Beyond by Blake Chastain: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780593717073 Amar's book rec: I Believe in the Resurrection of the Body by Rubem Alves (poetry): https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9781592443314 Support this channel directly by subscribing at blakechastain.com. Follow Blake on social: https://www.tiktok.com/@brchastain_ https://www.instagram.com/brchastain_/ https://bsky.app/profile/brchastain.social 00:00 Meet Amar Peterman 01:05 Growing Up Between Traditions 02:22 Megachurch Formation And Tensions 04:36 Moody Bible Institute Culture Shock 07:35 Finding A Mentor At Moody 11:19 Princeton Seminary New Frameworks 18:17 Evangelical History And PhD Questions 22:54 Stumbling Into Interfaith Work 32:58 Turning To Becoming Neighbors 34:29 The Table And Local Common Good 36:46 Take a Seat at the Table 37:42 Desire and Non-Utilitarian Love 39:08 Pluralism Without Debate 40:10 Common Good Beyond Majority Rule 40:35 From Politics to Knowing Neighbors 43:14 Serve and Decenter Yourself 46:05 Practices for Long Haul Love 48:31 Learning From Deconstruction 49:44 Prophetic Voices Outside Church 54:23 Navigating Evangelical Pushback 57:49 Pronouns and Staying Open 01:01:13 Lightning Round for Authors 01:08:34 Wrap Up and Where to Follow

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The Good Books: BK O'Connor, author of Eve: A Novel Apr 10, 2026

Show notes

This week I'm talking to B.K. O'Connor, author of Eve: A Novel. Buy Eve: A Novel on bookshop.org to support the show: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9781592116690 Follow BK O'Connor on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bkivoconnor/ She and I appeared together on a panel in Brooklyn last month, which you can read about here: https://www.blakechastain.com/at-the-urbane-arts-club/ 00:00 Housekeeping Updates 01:00 Show Expansion Plans 02:19 Meet BK O'Connor 03:09 Growing Up Multi Faith 04:58 Losing Faith Through Milton 06:00 Eve Across Traditions 09:44 Quest for Truth 10:42 Why Write Eve 15:04 Eve as Divine Feminine 20:00 Chalice Versus Blade 24:46 Gods Beyond Eden 28:37 Rewriting Sacred Stories 34:02 Reclaiming Sacred Texts 36:02 Mary Magdalene and Asherah 39:24 Eve Against Patriarchy 41:27 Motherhood and Monogamy 43:43 Rip Up the Script 47:06 Lilith Versus Eve 51:37 Next Myth Retellings 55:25 Lightning Round Books 59:55 Teaching Lifelong Reading 01:02:17 Final Plugs and Farewell

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Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg Returns Mar 20, 2026

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I’ve got a wide-ranging interview with Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg to share with you today. It’s been a few years since I spoke with her, and the geopolitical landscape has changed considerably in that time. In the first half of the conversation, we talk about the ongoing war and genocide in Gaza, and broadly about how Jewish communities in the US have responded. We also talk touch on Iran, as well as how the revelations of the Epstein Files and how to ensure that antisemitism doesn’t creep into our reactions to these stories coming to light. We also talk about how certain terms and language may no longer be adequate and the challenges of speaking on these hot-button issues at all, online or elsewhere. In the second half, we talk about Rabbi Danya’s work at her online publication, Life is a Sacred Text, the concept of moral injury, and how she works with people of differing beliefs through her work. Rabbi Danya speaks with compassion, care, nuance, and solidarity and I hope that this conversation is received in that spirit. Note: I made a newbie mistake and my audio recorded from the wrong mic - I did the best I could to clean it up! As always, you can support this show by subscribing across social media & YouTube, and most directly by purchasing my book or a paid subscription at blakechastain.com. I donate 25% of net revenue annually. Buy my book, Exvangelical & Beyond: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780593717073 Sign up for all my content at blakechastain.com Visit Life is a Sacred Text: https://www.lifeisasacredtext.com/ "The Antisemitism Post" at Life is a Sacred Text: https://www.lifeisasacredtext.com/the-antisemitism-post/ "Moral Injury" at Life is a Sacred Text: https://www.lifeisasacredtext.com/moral-injury/ Recommended Reading List on Palestine & Israel: https://bookshop.org/lists/palestine-and-israel

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What's Still Happening in Minneapolis-St. Paul Right Now with Jenny Booth Potter Feb 27, 2026

Show notes

Today I'm chatting with Jenny Booth Potter, a return guest and resident of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.Jenny had a video go viral back on 2/9/26, and I wanted to hear from her about how things are still going. That video is here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUjp59AjLlb/?hl=enThis interview was recorded & published on 2/27/26, and lightly edited in Descript. MN Mutual Aid: https://linktr.ee/mplsmutualaidBuy Jenny's book [bookshop.org affiliate link]: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9781514000007 00:00 Intro and Guest Return 01:06 Setting the Minneapolis Context 02:23 Living on Edge in Twin Cities 04:44 Community Watch and Solidarity 09:53 2020 Uprising to Today 12:40 Why the Footage Disappeared 16:37 Covert Tactics and Deception 19:49 Ongoing Trauma and Material Needs 25:20 What Viewers Can Do 38:22 Proactive Care Over Reaction 42:12 Wrap Up and Resources 44:04 Final Reflections and Hope

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Money, Lies, and God with Katherine Stewart Feb 13, 2026

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This week I'm joined by Katherine Stewart, journalist and author of Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy. Her book was published in February 2025 and offers incredible insights into the various networks of influence and power that laid the groundwork for a second Trump victory. We discuss how those same networks are still at work in the US today and try to connect it to more recent developments, including the Epstein Files. Katherine had a brief window of availability, so this interview is a bit shorter. Buy Money, Lies, and God here at my bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9781635578546 Laura K. Field's book, mentioned by Katherine Stewart is called Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right, and can be bought here: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780691255262 See books from other authors on The Good Books: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9781635578546 And check out books from other authors who have appeared on my other shows: https://bookshop.org/shop/brchastain Buy my book: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780593717073 If you want to keep up to date with my work, please be sure to subscribe on YouTube and your favorite podcast app, and head over to blakechastain.com to see more of what I’m up to. 00:00 Teaser: The Power of Fear and Control 01:11 Guest Introduction: Katherine Stewart 02:09 The Five Groups in Anti-Democratic Movements 02:53 The Role of Funders and Foot Soldiers 05:27 Sergeants, Power Players, and Thinkers 06:46 Changes Since Trump's Election 08:35 Mindsets and Dispositions in Christian Nationalism 11:12 The Persecution Complex and Authoritarian Leadership 13:18 The Role of Elites and Information Bubbles 28:41 Recent Developments and the Epstein Files 31:45 Conclusion: Forward-Looking Strategies for Democracy 36:08 Outro and Call to Action

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On Fire for God with Josiah Hesse Feb 06, 2026

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This week I'm happy to share my interview with Josiah Hesse, author of the new book On Fire for God: Fear, Shame, Poverty, and the Making of the Christian Right.

Josiah was a guest on Exvangelical back in 2018, and we met up in Chicago last week to discuss his new book.

I'm also going to be appearing alongside Josiah in just over a month in Brooklyn for an event at Urbane Arts Club. That event, called From Pews to Prose, will also feature Mattie Jo Cowsert & B.K. O'Connor and is happening on Sunday March 8th.

Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter, The Post-Evangelical Post, at blakechastain.com to keep up with all my work. 25% of net proceeds from direct support are donated each year.

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Podcast Spotlight: Reign of Error with Sarah Posner Jan 30, 2026

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This week I’m happy to share with you the pilot episode of the new show, Reign of Error with Sarah Posner (Apple Podcasts link), produced by our friends over at Axis Mundi Media. Longtime listeners will know Sara Posner from her 2020 appearance in my series, Powers & Principalities, where she discussed her book Unholy: How White Christian Nationalists Powered the Trump Presidency, and the Devastating Legacy They Left Behind.

The state of play in the United States is in constant flux. This conversation between Sarah and Brad Onishi covers a lot of what happened in the fall and winter in places like Chicago, prior to all that is now unfolding as ICE attempts to occupy Minneapolis.

Sarah is a longtime observer and journalist and I’m glad that she is now producing a weekly show to provide context and commentary for what is happening in America. I hope you enjoy this conversation and be sure to subscribe wherever you get podcasts

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Podcast Spotlight: Reign of Error with Sarah Posner Jan 30, 2026

Show notes

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The Good Books: After Purity with Sara Moslener Jan 23, 2026

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In the first interview of 2026, I talk to Sara Moslener about her latest book, After Purity: Race, Sex, and Religion in White Christian America. (Buy the book from bookshop.org here & support the show) Learn more about Sara's work at https://saramoslener.com/ Support this channel at https://www.blakechastain.com; 25% of net proceeds from direct support are donated. 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 01:00 Sarah's Religious Upbringing 04:53 The Influence of Pro-Life Movement 07:16 College and Theater: A Path to Self-Discovery 16:25 Pursuing Academia and Feminist Theology 21:10 The Concept of Purity and Its Implications 26:24 Racial Dynamics in Purity Culture 35:50 Connecting Sexual Purity to Racial Identity 37:28 The Importance of Historical Context 38:17 Teaching Religion, Race, and Discrimination 39:53 How to Support the Show 41:18 The Process of Academic Research 45:09 Challenges and Ethics in Purity Culture Research 49:39 The Intersection of Academia and Therapy 54:44 Lightning Round: Author's Preferences and Insights 01:04:54 The Value of Education and Final Thoughts

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