Straight White American Jesus
Bradley Onishi + Daniel Miller
An in-depth examination of the culture and politics of Christian Nationalism and Evangelicalism by two ex-evangelical ministers-turned-religion professors. If you have ever wondered what social and historical forces led white evangelicals to usher Donald Trump into the White House this is the show for you. As former insiders and critical scholars of religion, Dan Miller and Bradley Onishi have a unique perspective on the Religious Right. Guests have included Chrissy Stroop, R. Marie Griffith, Janelle Wong, Randall Balmer, Katherine Stewart, and many others.
Episodes
Mentioned books
10 snips
Oct 21, 2026 • 37min
It's In the Code Ep. 210: "Is God Eternal? (Part I)
What does it mean to say God is eternal? This discussion explores classical theism, the tension between a timeless deity and biblical portrayals of divine action, and the difference between everlasting and eternal existence. It also examines how divine foreknowledge connects to determinism and the challenge of human freedom, setting up a deeper look at theological responses.
20 snips
Oct 20, 2026 • 1h 6min
The Viral El-Sayed Clip Was More of a Christian Nationalist Setup Than You Think
Matthew D. Taylor, a religion scholar and historian of charismatic Christianity, investigates the Christian nationalist networks behind a viral Abdul El-Sayed confrontation. He traces Tommy Teepell’s ties to Sean Feucht, Camp Elah, and dark-money politics. The discussion explores religious freedom, constitutional visions, anti-Muslim and anti-Hindu rhetoric, and how spiritual certainty can become political power.
Oct 18, 2026 • 52min
The Sunday Interview: Matthew Taylor on Risking Everything to Confront Christian Supremacy
Matthew D. Taylor, a religion scholar and theologian, discusses his new book and the deep roots of Christian supremacy. He explores how theology fuels MAGA propaganda, reinterprets the biblical antichrist, and confronts Christianity’s history of power and abuse. Taylor also shares the personal cost of challenging authoritarianism and why he refuses to back down.
7 snips
Oct 16, 2026 • 1h 8min
Weekly Roundup: The New Press Secretary Wants Women Executed in Public + The January Surprise is Coming
A new press secretary’s ties to Christian nationalism and a group advocating public executions for women who have abortions spark alarm. The discussion turns to a documented plan to block Democratic lawmakers, targeting Muslims and Marxists while undermining trust in elections. Trump’s Russia diesel deal, Ukraine policy, and Putin’s influence take center stage, followed by court victories and other reasons for hope.
18 snips
Oct 15, 2026 • 31min
It's In the Code Ep. 209: Do All Religions Lead to God?
Do all religions lead to God? This discussion explores why strict religious communities reject the question, and traces answers through philosophers, Hindu and Sikh traditions, mysticism, perennialism, and religious pluralism. It also examines why scholars challenge the idea that all faiths point to one shared truth, including the possibility that inclusivity can erase religions’ real differences.
12 snips
Oct 14, 2026 • 1h 5min
The Ilhan Omar Raid, Russ Vought, and the Plan to Refuse to Seat Democrats (w/ Max from UNFTR)
Matthew D. Taylor, a religion scholar and historian of American Christianity, examines the raid on Ilhan Omar’s home, its election timing, and the forces targeting her. He explores threats to congressional authority, AI-fueled election disinformation, and Russ Vought’s Christian nationalist agenda. Max from UNFTR joins to unpack Project 2025, executive spending power, and proposals to block elected Democrats from taking office.
23 snips
Oct 11, 2026 • 49min
The Sunday Interview: "Women Are a Snare"": Purity Culture and the Scandal at Wheaton
Erika Roland, an organizational leadership scholar; Christy Hemphill, a public school teacher and parent of Wheaton students; and Andrea Sorensen Hamler, a rhetoric scholar, examine Wheaton College’s decades-long abuse controversy. They discuss alleged institutional concealment, leadership accountability, evangelical networks, purity culture, gendered authority, consent education, and the challenge of trusting a campus while sending children there.
9 snips
Oct 10, 2026 • 1h 7min
Weekly Roundup: Hegseth’s Execution Livestream, “Bomb LA,” and "What Would Hitler Do?"
A sharp tour through escalating political rhetoric: bombing American cities, smearing Somalis, and turning executions into livestreamed spectacle. The discussion also tackles Tucker Carlson’s Hitler apologetics, Curtis Yarvin’s social engineering, and efforts to tie public policy to marriage and birth rates. It closes with a Satanic invocation in Iowa and John Ossoff’s debate performance as unexpected bright spots.
16 snips
Oct 8, 2026 • 28min
It's in the Code Ep. 208: What Happens to People Who Have Never Heard the Gospel?
What happens to people who die without hearing the gospel? This discussion explores three major Christian responses: exclusivism, inclusivism, and miraculous revelation. It examines general revelation, the harrowing of hell, Aquinas’s idea of postmortem opportunity, and why Catholic, Protestant, progressive, and universalist traditions answer divine justice differently. The fate of pre-Christian Jews emerges as a separate theological question.
24 snips
Oct 7, 2026 • 1h 8min
Axis Live: The Antichrist is Already Here
Matthew D. Taylor, a religion scholar and author of Defying Tyrants, explores the Antichrist as a present danger within Christianity. He distinguishes Christian supremacy from nationalism and traces authoritarian theology from Constantine and the Crusades to today’s American right. Taylor discusses his firing over the book, democracy, persecution, and why Christians must confront fellow Christians who weaponize faith.
