Dobbs; January 6 hearings; war in Ukraine; mass shootings. We are being overwhelmed on a weekly basis by a relentlessly heavy news cycle. In this week’s episode David and Curtis give us a break from all this to talk with us about anxiety, despair and weariness. Wait . . . what?! Yes that’s right, this is the Good Faith version of “lighter” fare! It’s actually a very uplifting conversation and you may even walk away with some helpful ways to navigate the overwhelming feelings all of us are experiencing these days.   Show Notes: -Future Tense: Why Anxiety Is Good for You (Even Though It Feels Bad) by Tracy Dennis-Tiwary -Anxiety as Opportunity for Spiritual Growth (online course by Curtis Chang) -Al Pacino “Inches” speech from Any Given Sunday -Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter -Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

In part one of this two part podcast, Curtis and David respond to the breaking news that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade. Rather than dive into the legal or political dimensions of the ruling, they take a look at the social and spiritual dimensions, asking questions like: What does this actually mean for abortion in America? What are the opportunities and fears now in play? How should a pro-life Christian respond to pro-choice friends and family members? How should a pro-choice Christian respond to this decision? What is the most important move to make now for Christians on both sides? In part two they welcome guest Rachel Ferguson to discuss her new book “Black Liberation Through the Marketplace,” a classical liberal response to racial injustice in America.   Show Notes: -Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization -Black Liberation Through the Marketplace: Hope, Heartbreak, and the Promise of America by Rachel S. Ferguson and Marcus M. Witcher -Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter -Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

Some folks are fascinated by the unfolding narrative of the January 6 hearings, but many are simply tuning out, feeling it is just more politics. This week David and Curtis help us think through why we should be paying attention to these hearings. They explore some of the underlying stories around the key players involved and how those stories not only impact how we think of these people, but perhaps even how we think of ourselves.   Show Notes: -Megan N. Fontenot - Exploring the People of Middle-earth: Boromir the Brave -Brooke Singman (Fox News) - Barr says parents taught him 'not to care what other people think' growing up, calls faith 'indispensable' -Rivka Maizlish - Alasdair MacIntyre on Narrative, History, and the Unity of a Life -Hannah Natanson and Moriah Balingit (Washington Post) - Caught in the culture wars, teachers are being forced from their jobs -Ryan Grim (The Intercept) - Meltdowns Have Brought Progressive Advocacy Groups to a Standstill at a Critical Moment in World History -Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter -Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

Joining David and Curtis this week is Russell Moore, the director of Christianity Today’s Public Theology Project. With the Southern Baptist Convention taking place next week in the immediate aftermath of a 3rd party report on sexual abuse and institutional coverup, Russell helps us unpack some of what went wrong in his former denomination. He also offers helpful guidance on how church leaders and all followers of Christ should be responding to such situations (hint: it’s not to ignore it or cover it up). He also discusses the issue of “crazy as a church growth strategy,” suggesting that while we are not called to crazy, we are called to the strangeness (in the world’s eyes) of biblical fidelity, mixed with a healthy dose of rational thought.   Show Notes: -Russell Moore (Christianity Today) - This Is the Southern Baptist Apocalypse -David French (The Atlantic) - The Southern Baptist Horror -‎Curtis Chang - The Southern Baptist Convention Sacrifices Congregants on the Altar of Power -The Russell Moore Show: David Brooks Wants to Save Evangelicalism on Apple Podcasts -Russell Moore’s newsletter -Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter -Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

This week David and Curtis tackle the tough subject of gun violence. They look at the various tensions between gun rights and gun control and the hyper-polarized responses we are apt to have on one side or the other. They also help us take a step back to think through the “how” of approaching such a complex issue versus just the “what” of our preferred policy outcome.   Show Notes: -Rand Corporation - Gun Policy in America -Rand Corporation - How Gun Policies Affect Mass Shootings -Malcolm Gladwell (New Yorker) - Thresholds of Violence: How school shootings catch on -French Press - Pass and Enforce Red Flag Laws. Now. -David French (The Atlantic) - What Critics Don’t Understand About Gun Culture -Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter -Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

Joining David and Curtis this week is special guest Nancy French. In a departure from her normal work as a best selling author, Nancy has spent the last 2 years investigating cases of sexual abuse and institutional coverup at one of the nations largest Christian summer camps, Kanakuk Kamps in Branson, Missouri. Going beyond mere reporting on what happened, our hosts help frame the sad situation at Kanakuk in the broader context of the calling we all have to first tell the truth about the institutions we engage with, but also to work toward their repentance and repair.   Show Notes: -Frederick Buechner - Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy and Fairy Tale -Nancy French (USA Today) - Survivors, ex-employees say Kanakuk Christian camp 'ministered' to its sexual predators -Curtis Chang - The Southern Baptist Convention Sacrifices Congregants on the Altar of Power -Check out Nancy French’s investigative work at NancyFrench.com -Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter -Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

In this special episode of the Good Faith podcast we pause to reflect on the tragic shooting in Buffalo and explore its underlying racial motivations, so-called “white replacement theory.” Joining David and Curtis (and producer Kris) is our special guest Chuck Mingo, pastor and founder of Living Undivided. Chuck helps us unpack some of the history behind this insidious “theory” and why its scarcity mindset is in direct contradiction to the abundance of God revealed in the Bible. The discussion also explores the connection of this current tragedy and its motivations to broader understandings of immigration, as well as to the nation’s past history of racially motivated violence like the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.   Show Notes: -Cathy Young (The Bulwark) - The Replacement Theory -- And Terrorist Practice -Jesse Curtis (Washington Post) - The mass shooting in Buffalo reflects deeply rooted American ideas -Michael Gerson (Washington Post) - GOP leaders ought to banish officials who embrace ‘replacement theory’ -David French (The Atlantic) - The Truth About Extremism That America Likes to Forget -The bloody history of anti-Asian violence in the West -Andy Crouch - Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power -Check out Chuck Mingo’s critically important work at Undivided.com -Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter -Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

It is increasingly obvious that teenagers across the country are experiencing a spike in anxiety, often with serious and debilitating consequences. This week David and Curtis speak to one of the foremost experts on the subject, Kara Powell, executive director of the Fuller Youth Institute. Kara’s well-researched and empathetic insights are critical for all of us to help the teens in our lives navigate these challenging times.   Show Notes: -Faith in an Anxious World: A 4-week High School Curriculum -Faith in an Anxious World Parenting Podcast -Matt Richtel (New York Times): “‘It’s Life or Death’: The Mental Health Crisis Among U.S. Teens” -Tosin Thompson (Nature): “Young people’s climate anxiety revealed in landmark survey” -Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter -Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org and specifically check out the course Anxiety as Opportunity for Spiritual Growth

What does the surprise leak of Justice Alito’s opinion in the highly anticipated case Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization reveal about the intellectual integrity of his legal argument? What does it perhaps reveal about the integrity of the institution of the Supreme Court itself? In the midst of all the controversy and preliminary conclusions, David and Curtis try to help us think through this complex cultural moment through the lens of integrity.   Show Notes: -Caitlin Flanagan: “The Dishonesty of the Abortion Debate” -Romney Discusses the State of Family Policy and the Child Tax Credit with AEI -Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter -Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org

In this week’s episode David and Curtis explore the concept of the “partisan mind”; what it is, where it comes from, and why it is in conflict with the “mind of Christ”. They look at the social science behind partisan polarization and offer some practical tips on how we can tell when we are (and how we can avoid) falling into the snare of the partisan mind.   Show Notes: -Nichole Argo Ben Itzhak (Over Zero) - The Science of Polarization and Insights for Bridge-building -Barna: Pastors Share Top Reasons They’ve Considered Quitting Ministry in the Past Year -Over Zero: Core Concepts on Social Identity, Negative Emotions and Group Norms -Check out Biologos -Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter -Follow Curtis’ work at RedeemingBabel.org