Branding, Politics, and Human Flourishing

The White House is facing backlash for posting an AI image of Donald Trump as the Pope. Was it a careless joke or a calculated distraction? The most extensive study of its kind finds that the world’s largest Muslim country far outranks the United States in human flourishing, and also explains why secular elites are discovering a new respect for religion. But is there more than a practical purpose behind faith? Historian Beth Allison Barr is back to discuss her latest book, “Becoming the Pastor’s Wife.” She says expectations for ministry spouses aren’t rooted in Scripture but in a reaction to feminism in the late 20th century, and Barr explains how marriage replaced ordination as the way for women to serve the church. Also this week—listener questions, and a whole new look for Holy Post Media.

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Bonus Interview with Beth Allison Barr:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/127935443/

0:00 - Show Starts

2:40 - Theme Song

3:00 - Sponsor - AG1 - Heavily researched, thoroughly purity-tested, and filled with stuff you need. Go to https://www.drinkag1.com/HOLYPOST

4:10 - Sponsor - Our Place - Go to https://www.fromourplace.com and use code HOLYPOST to get 10% off site wide on beautiful cookware!

15:10 - Comparing two recent interviews: Gillibrand and Kasich

28:10 - Pope Donald?

34:24 - Human Flourishing Study in Indonesia!

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56:50 - Interview

1:02:24 - Danver’s Statement

1:09:09 - Rooted in America, not Scripture

1:19:19 - Honoring Responsibility

1:32:55 - End Credits

Links from News Segment:

Religion and Happiness in Indonesia:

https://providencemag.com/2025/05/largest-longitudinal-study-of-human-flourishing-ever-shows-religions-importance/

Young People and Unhappiness:

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/05/young-people-global-unhappiness/682632/

Tiktok Trend “Jesus Glow:”

https://www.salon.com/2025/05/05/tiktoks-jesus-glow-trend-exposes-the-emptiness-of-social-media-religion/

Other Resources:

Becoming the Pastor’s Wife: How Marriage Replaced Ordination as a Woman’s Path to Ministry by Beth Allison Barr: https://a.co/d/7kDNo1I

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