The Russell Moore Show - Christianity Today, Russell Moore

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Tim Alberta on the White Evangelical Crisis Dec 06, 2023

Show notes

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 questions@russellmoore.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

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N.T. Wright on the Bible's Most Misunderstood Verse Nov 29, 2023

Show notes

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 Letterby 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 Gloryby C.S. Lewis

Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to questions@russellmoore.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

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Your Questions on Partisan Politics, Panic, and Power Nov 22, 2023

Show notes

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 questions@russellmoore.com.

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

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Jonathan Haidt's Way Forward for an Anxious Generation Nov 15, 2023

Show notes

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 questions@russellmoore.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

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Christine Caine Tells Me Where I'm Wrong on the Holy Spirit Nov 01, 2023

Show notes

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:

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to questions@russellmoore.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

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Christianity's Being Co-opted with Tobias Cremer Oct 25, 2023

Show notes

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 questions@russellmoore.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

Hope for High Conflict with Amanda Ripley Oct 18, 2023

Show notes

“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 questions@russellmoore.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

Skye Jethani Tells Us Where We're Wrong on Heaven Oct 11, 2023

Show notes

“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 Usby 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 questions@russellmoore.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

Yascha Mounk's Answer to the Identity Trap Oct 04, 2023

Show notes

“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 questions@russellmoore.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

Meaning, Money, and Affection: What We're Reading Sep 27, 2023

Show notes

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: