Leprosy and the Gift of Pain

In a recent article, Russell Moore lamented the captivity of evangelicals to conspiracy theories and political radicalization, but he argued “the problem is not in the pulpit” and “the problem isn’t primarily in the pews either.” Instead, he believes the radicalization is happening outside the church. David French and Skye Jethani agree that radicalization is happing outside the church, but say there is also a real problem in the pews. What role do churches and pastors have in de-radicalizing evangelicals, and what’s preventing them from speaking up and doing more? Then, French shares about a pro-life atheist who positively influenced his own values. That leads to a wider discussion about the importance of forming relationships with and engaging the ideas of those we disagree with. Rather than seeking the safety of never being challenged, welcoming the discomfort of divergent voices will provoke us toward growth and maturity.

0:00 - Intro

00:50 - De-radicalizing the church

38:11 - Learning from atheists

1:05:14 - Credits

"Christian Political Ethics are Upside-Down" by David French (The Dispatch) - https://frenchpress.thedispatch.com/p/christian-political-ethics-are-upside

"When the South Loosens Its Bible Belt" by Russell Moore (Christianity Today) - https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/august-web-only/russell-moore-white-evangelicals-bible-belt-south-church.html

"There Is a Secular Case for Life" by David French (The Dispatch) - https://frenchpress.thedispatch.com/p/there-is-a-secular-case-for-life

"The Gift of Pain" by Paul Brand and Philip Yancey - https://amzn.to/3ArfV1w

"What in the World?" Holy Post miniseries - https://www.holypost.com/articles/categories/what-in-the-world

Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/

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David French - https://twitter.com/DavidAFrench

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