The Holy Post

668: Pope Donald, Human Flourishing, & the Pastor’s Wife with Beth Allison Barr

May 7, 2025

Beth Allison Barr, a historian and professor at Baylor University, discusses the controversial AI image of Donald Trump as the Pope, examining its impact. She dives into a significant study revealing that Indonesia leads the world in human flourishing and the growing respect for religious practices among secular elites. Barr also unpacks her book, ‘Becoming the Pastor’s Wife,’ challenging the traditional expectations for women in ministry that arose in response to feminism, suggesting they stem from historical rather than scriptural roots.

01:33:30

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Episode guests

Beth Allison Barr

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The controversial AI image of Donald Trump as the Pope highlights the ongoing tensions between politics and religious sentiments, prompting debates on intent and respect.

A comprehensive study shows Indonesia excels in human flourishing, emphasizing the importance of communal values and religious involvement over individualism seen in wealthier nations.

Beth Allison Barr's discussion on unrealistic expectations placed on ministry spouses critiques cultural responses to feminism, advocating for broader definitions of women's roles in the church.

Deep dives

Backlash Against AI Image of Trump as Pope

The White House is criticized for sharing an AI-generated image of Donald Trump dressed as the Pope, raising questions about the intent behind the post. Some view it as a careless joke, while others believe it was a calculated PR move to distract from serious issues. Reactions from various political and religious leaders emphasize the disrespect shown towards Catholics at a time of mourning for Pope Francis. This incident reflects ongoing tensions regarding the intersection of politics and religious sentiments.

Intro

2min

Playful Banter and Quality Solutions for Health and Cooking

5min

Branding, Politics, and Human Flourishing

44min

Faith, Feminism, and the Church

9min

Evolving Roles of Women in Ministry

24min

Evolving Roles: Women in Church History

9min

Exploring Women's Roles in Church Theology

2min

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.

Holy Post Plus:

Ad-Free Version of this Episode:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/128303247/

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!

54:53 - Sponsor - Blueland - Get up to 25% off your first order by going to https://www.Blueland.com/HOLYPOST

56:00 - Sponsor - Glorify - Sign up for the #1 Christian Daily Devotional App to help you stay focused on God. Go to https://glorify-app.com/en/HOLYPOST to download the app today!

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

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

Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus

Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost

Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop

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The Holy Post

668: Pope Donald, Human Flourishing, & the Pastor’s Wife with Beth Allison Barr

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Backlash Against AI Image of Trump as Pope

Study Highlights Human Flourishing in Indonesia

Expectations of Pastors' Wives Explored

Holy Post Media's New Branding and Growth

Listener Feedback on Interview Dynamics

Implications of AI and Humor in Politics

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts