Faithful Politics

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.comIn this deeply human and revealing episode of Faithful Politics, hosts Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram sit down with Noelle Cook, ethnographer, filmmaker, and author of The Conspiracists: Women, Extremism and the Lure of Belonging. Cook’s award-winning documentary and forthcoming book explore how ordinary women become entangled in conspiracy movements—from QAnon to spiritualized extremism—while searching for meaning, identity, and community.Cook recounts how the January 6th insurrection inspired her to study women drawn into these spaces and what she discovered: that many were mothers, caregivers, and former churchgoers who turned to online conspiracies to fill the void of belonging. Through intimate storytelling, she shares her road trip with two women convicted for their roles in January 6th, revealing how trauma, faith, and hope intertwine in the psychology of belief.Together, the hosts and Cook unpack questions of empathy, extremism, and how conspiratorial thinking becomes a kind of spiritual coping mechanism in a fractured America. The conversation explores what churches, communities, and even families can learn from these stories about the human desire for connection—and the danger of mistaking belonging for truth.Learn more: https://www.noellecook.com/aboutGuest Bio:Noelle Cook is an ethnographer and filmmaker whose work examines the intersections of gender, conspiracy, and extremism. She is the author of the forthcoming book The Conspiracists: Women, Extremism and the Lure of Belonging and associate producer of the award-winning documentary The Conspiracists, which won Best Feature Documentary at the Miami Women’s Film Festival and an Exceptional Merit Award at Documentaries Without Borders. Her research focuses on how digital spaces, spirituality, and trauma intersect to shape modern extremist movements. Support the show🎧 Want to learn more about Faithful Politics, get in touch with the hosts, or suggest a future guest?👉 Visit our website: faithfulpoliticspodcast.com 📚 Check out our Bookstore – Featuring titles from our amazing guests:faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/bookstore ❤️ Support the show – Help us keep the conversation going:donorbox.org/faithful-politics-podcast 📩 Reach out to us: Faithful Host, Josh Burtram: Josh@faithfulpolitics.com Political Host, Will Wright: Will@faithfulpolitics.com 📱 Follow & connect with us: Twitter/X: @FaithfulPolitik Instagram: faithful_politics Facebook: FaithfulPoliticsPodcast LinkedIn: faithfulpolitics 📰 Subscribe to our Substack for behind-the-scenes content:faithfulpolitics.substack.com 📅 RSVP for upcoming live events:Chec...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.comIn this episode of Faithful Politics, hosts Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram welcome back Kiera Butler, a senior correspondent for Mother Jones, to unpack her recent 5,000-word investigative feature on Christian Zionism—a movement where American evangelical theology intersects with foreign policy and billion-dollar influence in Israel.Butler explains how deeply-funded evangelical groups like the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) and Christians United for Israel (CUFI) funnel hundreds of millions of dollars into Israel, often with motivations tied to end-times theology. The conversation covers the movement’s theological roots in dispensationalism, the controversial Red Heifer Project, and the rising political influence of Christian Zionists under figures such as Mike Huckabee, Pete Hegseth, and Speaker Mike Johnson.The hosts and Butler also discuss the humanitarian and ethical implications of groups like the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the complex partnership between the Israeli government and American evangelicals, and how religious beliefs are increasingly shaping U.S. foreign policy. It’s a rich and candid conversation that reveals how theology, politics, and money converge in ways that most Americans—and even many Christians—rarely see.Guest BioKiera Butler is a Senior Correspondent at Mother Jones, where she reports on religion, culture, and politics. Known for her deeply researched investigative features, her recent work explores how American evangelical movements are shaping international policy—most notably through her long-form piece on Christian Zionism. Butler’s reporting often examines the intersections of faith, identity, and power, from rural prayer rallies to the global implications of theology-driven policy.Read the article: God’s “Blank Check”: Christian Zionists Are Pouring Billions of Dollars Into Israeli Extremism - https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/09/christian-zionism-evangelicals-israel-trump-foreign-policy/ Support the show🎧 Want to learn more about Faithful Politics, get in touch with the hosts, or suggest a future guest?👉 Visit our website: faithfulpoliticspodcast.com 📚 Check out our Bookstore – Featuring titles from our amazing guests:faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/bookstore ❤️ Support the show – Help us keep the conversation going:donorbox.org/faithful-politics-podcast 📩 Reach out to us: Faithful Host, Josh Burtram: Josh@faithfulpolitics.com Political Host, Will Wright: Will@faithfulpolitics.com 📱 Follow & connect with us: Twitter/X: @FaithfulPolitik Instagram: faithful_politics Facebook: FaithfulPoliticsPodcast LinkedIn: faithfulpolitics 📰 Subscribe to our Substack for behind-the-scenes content:faithfulpolitics.substack.com 📅 RSVP for upcoming live events:Chec...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.comIn this episode of Faithful Politics, Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram sit down with Dr. Nathanael Blake to discuss his new book, Victims of the Revolution: How Sexual Liberation Hurts Us All. Blake argues that the sexual revolution—once heralded as a movement for personal freedom and fulfillment—has in fact left a legacy of loneliness, dissatisfaction, and moral confusion. He traces how the rejection of traditional Christian sexual ethics in favor of “liberation” has reshaped our social fabric, from family life and marriage to identity and faith.The conversation moves through the promises and failures of the sexual revolution, the meaning of Christian “prudishness,” and the ways modern society’s views on sex and identity have altered relationships, institutions, and even the church. Blake discusses purity culture, the rise of the “sex recession,” and how pornography, delayed marriage, and technology have changed intimacy. The hosts challenge him on issues such as women’s rights, LGBTQ inclusion, and the role of government in defining marriage—leading to a candid and thought-provoking exchange about what it truly means to be human, embodied, and free.Victims of the Revolution: How Sexual Liberation Hurts Us All: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9781621647706Guest BioDr. Nathanael Blake is a postdoctoral fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) and a Senior Contributor to The Federalist. His research and writing focus on culture, politics, and faith, with a particular emphasis on the moral costs of modern liberalism and the legacy of the sexual revolution. In his new book, Victims of the Revolution: How Sexual Liberation Hurts Us All (Ignatius Press, 2025), Blake argues that the pursuit of personal freedom in matters of sex and identity has eroded community, family stability, and true fulfillment. He holds a Ph.D. in political theory and has written widely on Christian ethics, social policy, and cultural renewal. Support the show🎧 Want to learn more about Faithful Politics, get in touch with the hosts, or suggest a future guest?👉 Visit our website: faithfulpoliticspodcast.com 📚 Check out our Bookstore – Featuring titles from our amazing guests:faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/bookstore ❤️ Support the show – Help us keep the conversation going:donorbox.org/faithful-politics-podcast 📩 Reach out to us: Faithful Host, Josh Burtram: Josh@faithfulpolitics.com Political Host, Will Wright: Will@faithfulpolitics.com 📱 Follow & connect with us: Twitter/X: @FaithfulPolitik Instagram: faithful_politics Facebook: FaithfulPoliticsPodcast LinkedIn: faithfulpolitics 📰 Subscribe to our Substack for behind-the-scenes content:faithfulpolitics.substack.com 📅 RSVP for upcoming live events:Chec...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.comWhat happens when the Bible gets treated like a political toolkit instead of a sacred text meant to form our lives? In this conversation, Pastor Josh and Will sit down with Brian Kaylor—editor in chief of Word&Way, Baptist minister, and author of The Bible According to Christian Nationalists—to unpack seven common ways scripture gets twisted to serve power. We talk about why Christian nationalism functions as a theological heresy, not just a political ideology, and how to separate healthy patriotism from a fusion of church and state that distorts the gospel.Brian walks us through how numerology frames like “Ephesians 6:11 at 6:11” go viral after violent events and why chapter and verse numbers were never meant to carry hidden messages. We dig into the difference between loving your neighbors and trying to rule them, the history behind public Ten Commandments displays and classroom mandates, and how commodifying the Bible turns faith into a brand. We also get practical about reading in community, broadening the voices that shape our interpretations, and cultivating the humility to say I might be wrong. If you care about faith, civic life, and the integrity of scripture, this episode offers language and tools to navigate a polarized moment without surrendering your soul.Book: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9780827203501Guest BioBrian Kaylor is the editor in chief of Word&Way, a Baptist minister, and a scholar of political communication whose work sits at the intersection of faith, civic life, and media. He is the author of The Bible According to Christian Nationalists, a field guide to recognizing and resisting seven common misuses of scripture in public life, and the coauthor of Baptizing America, which traces how mainline Protestants helped cultivate the soil for Christian nationalism to grow.  Support the show🎧 Want to learn more about Faithful Politics, get in touch with the hosts, or suggest a future guest?👉 Visit our website: faithfulpoliticspodcast.com 📚 Check out our Bookstore – Featuring titles from our amazing guests:faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/bookstore ❤️ Support the show – Help us keep the conversation going:donorbox.org/faithful-politics-podcast 📩 Reach out to us: Faithful Host, Josh Burtram: Josh@faithfulpolitics.com Political Host, Will Wright: Will@faithfulpolitics.com 📱 Follow & connect with us: Twitter/X: @FaithfulPolitik Instagram: faithful_politics Facebook: FaithfulPoliticsPodcast LinkedIn: faithfulpolitics 📰 Subscribe to our Substack for behind-the-scenes content:faithfulpolitics.substack.com 📅 RSVP for upcoming live events:Chec...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.comWhat happens when telling the truth collides with the full force of the state, and who gets to be called a patriot when the dust settles? In this episode, Josh and I sit down with Reality Winner, former Air Force linguist, NSA contractor, and author of I Am Not Your Enemy, to talk candidly about the choice that changed her life and the system that tried to define her. Reality walks us through why she leaked a top secret document in 2017, what the Espionage Act does and doesn’t allow a jury to hear, and how her time in federal prison during COVID reshaped her understanding of justice, race, and power in America. We talk about sentencing disparities, the economics of incarceration, and the quiet ways local policy shapes people’s lives far more than a single president ever will. We also explore how her new memoir lands in a moment when government secrecy and document mishandling keep making headlines, and why her story resists neat political boxes while still pushing us to ask better questions about transparency and accountability. Along the way, you’ll hear about her family’s grit, her work rescuing dogs in Texas, and why she’s betting on local change over national theatrics. If you care about truth telling, faith in public life, and the human cost of our systems, this one will stay with you. For context on the new book’s release and coverage, see the publisher page and recent features that situate her story in today’s debates. Whistleblower Aid: https://whistlebloweraid.orgFind the book on Bookshop to support local stores: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9781954118843Guest Bio: Reality Winner is a former U.S. Air Force linguist and NSA contractor who, in 2017, leaked a classified report on Russian interference in U.S. elections. She served more than four years in federal prison, the longest sentence ever imposed in the United States for leaking to the press. Since her release, Reality has become a voice for prison reform, government transparency, and mental health awareness. Her memoir, I Am Not Your Enemy, offers an unvarnished account of her choices, the legal Support the show🎧 Want to learn more about Faithful Politics, get in touch with the hosts, or suggest a future guest?👉 Visit our website: faithfulpoliticspodcast.com 📚 Check out our Bookstore – Featuring titles from our amazing guests:faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/bookstore ❤️ Support the show – Help us keep the conversation going:donorbox.org/faithful-politics-podcast 📩 Reach out to us: Faithful Host, Josh Burtram: Josh@faithfulpolitics.com Political Host, Will Wright: Will@faithfulpolitics.com 📱 Follow & connect with us: Twitter/X: @FaithfulPolitik Instagram: faithful_politics Facebook: FaithfulPoliticsPodcast LinkedIn: faithfulpolitics 📰 Subscribe to our Substack for behind-the-scenes content:faithfulpolitics.substack.com 📅 RSVP for upcoming live events:Chec...

Brian Recker, a public theologian and former evangelical pastor, challenges the traditional views of hell in this engaging conversation. He reflects on his journey from fundamentalist roots and military service to embracing a love-centered Christianity. Brian critiques fear-driven religion, emphasizing how it distorts faith and hinders restorative justice. He also discusses the impact of evangelical politics, the metaphorical interpretation of hell, and the transformative power of Jesus' love ethic for individuals and society alike.

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.comWhat happens when the language of faith is weaponized for politics? In this episode of Faithful Politics, Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram speak with Karrie Gaspard Hogewood, a licensed social worker and PhD candidate at Tulane University, whose research explores the growing influence of Christian nationalism and spiritual warfare rhetoric in American politics.Karrie explains how spiritual warfare, once a personal practice of prayer and discipleship, has evolved into a collective political strategy rooted in the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) and neo-charismatic movements. She walks us through the shift from evangelism to domination, the rise of the Seven Mountain Mandate, and how imagery of good versus evil fuels political engagement—from “Jericho marches” to Stop the Steal rallies. We also discuss the connection between these movements and broader themes of dominion theology, Christian Reconstructionism, and charismatic expressions of faith.Listeners will learn how this rhetoric not only mobilizes believers to vote, protest, and organize, but also raises concerns about political violence and democratic stability. Drawing from her dissertation research, Karrie offers insight into how narratives about “principalities and powers,” demon mapping, and America’s supposed covenant with God shape today’s most polarizing debates.Guest BioKarrie Gaspard Hogewood is a licensed social worker and PhD candidate in sociology at Tulane University. Her research explores the ways religion, politics, and social movements intertwine, with a particular focus on spiritual warfare rhetoric and its role in shaping political engagement. Raised in Louisiana’s Southern Baptist tradition, Karrie brings both personal experience and scholarly expertise to her work. Her dissertation examines how Christian nationalist groups construct “the enemy” and use spiritual warfare language to mobilize political action, from school board campaigns to national rallies. She has been featured in academic and public conversations about Christian nationalism, the rise of the New Apostolic Reformation, and the growing influence of Support the show🎧 Want to learn more about Faithful Politics, get in touch with the hosts, or suggest a future guest?👉 Visit our website: faithfulpoliticspodcast.com 📚 Check out our Bookstore – Featuring titles from our amazing guests:faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/bookstore ❤️ Support the show – Help us keep the conversation going:donorbox.org/faithful-politics-podcast 📩 Reach out to us: Faithful Host, Josh Burtram: Josh@faithfulpolitics.com Political Host, Will Wright: Will@faithfulpolitics.com 📱 Follow & connect with us: Twitter/X: @FaithfulPolitik Instagram: faithful_politics Facebook: FaithfulPoliticsPodcast LinkedIn: faithfulpolitics 📰 Subscribe to our Substack for behind-the-scenes content:faithfulpolitics.substack.com 📅 RSVP for upcoming live events:Chec...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.comWhat does it really mean to follow Jesus when it comes to justice? In this episode, we sit down with Rev. Joash P. Thomas to talk about his new book The Justice of Jesus. Joash doesn’t shy away from hard truths—he argues that much of Western Christianity inherited what he calls a “colonizer’s gospel,” one that separated salvation from justice and made it easier to ignore the pain of marginalized people.Joash shares his own story of going from Republican political consultant to international human rights leader and now pastor, and how that journey reshaped the way he sees both the church and the world. We get into what restorative justice really looks like, why “cheap justice” leaves us empty, and how the Gospel must be good news for both body and soul. We also wrestle with the tension of unity in the church when it comes to issues like LGBTQ inclusion, authority, and truth.If you’ve ever wondered how faith can speak with clarity into our divided politics and hurting communities, this conversation will stretch your imagination and maybe even your theology. Subscribe, share, and keep the conversation going.Buy the book: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9781587436666Guest Bio:Rev. Joash P. Thomas is a public theologian, international speaker, and ordained minister in the Diocese of St. Anthony (Communion of the Evangelical Episcopal Churches). Born and raised in India, he previously ran a political consulting and lobbying firm in the U.S. before leading international human-rights advocacy. He lives in a multiethnic community in Hamilton, Ontario, and is the author of The Justice of Jesus Support the show🎧 Want to learn more about Faithful Politics, get in touch with the hosts, or suggest a future guest?👉 Visit our website: faithfulpoliticspodcast.com 📚 Check out our Bookstore – Featuring titles from our amazing guests:faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/bookstore ❤️ Support the show – Help us keep the conversation going:donorbox.org/faithful-politics-podcast 📩 Reach out to us: Faithful Host, Josh Burtram: Josh@faithfulpolitics.com Political Host, Will Wright: Will@faithfulpolitics.com 📱 Follow & connect with us: Twitter/X: @FaithfulPolitik Instagram: faithful_politics Facebook: FaithfulPoliticsPodcast LinkedIn: faithfulpolitics 📰 Subscribe to our Substack for behind-the-scenes content:faithfulpolitics.substack.com 📅 RSVP for upcoming live events:Chec...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.comWhy are nearly half of Gen Z unaffiliated with organized religion—and what does that mean for campuses wrestling with conscience and rights? Kevin Bolling, Executive Director of the Secular Student Alliance, joins Will and Josh to unpack the lived reality behind the headlines: church–state separation, “10 Commandments in classrooms,” chaplains replacing counselors, school vouchers, and the legal fights around drag shows and student speech. From Texas organizing to LGBTQ student protections, Kevin shares how secular and religious students often work together to protect religious liberty for all, even as white Christian nationalism reshapes public policy. We also explore the family side of belief change—how parents and students can navigate identity, community, and care without coercion. Learn more: https://secularstudents.orgGuest BioKevin Bolling is Executive Director of the Secular Student Alliance (SSA), serving since 2017. He’s a veteran nonprofit leader with two decades of experience in student organizing, higher-ed programs, and civil society advocacy, focused on church–state separation, LGBTQ inclusion, and student leadership. Under his leadership, SSA supports chapters nationwide across high schools, colleges, and virtual communities. Support the show🎧 Want to learn more about Faithful Politics, get in touch with the hosts, or suggest a future guest?👉 Visit our website: faithfulpoliticspodcast.com 📚 Check out our Bookstore – Featuring titles from our amazing guests:faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/bookstore ❤️ Support the show – Help us keep the conversation going:donorbox.org/faithful-politics-podcast 📩 Reach out to us: Faithful Host, Josh Burtram: Josh@faithfulpolitics.com Political Host, Will Wright: Will@faithfulpolitics.com 📱 Follow & connect with us: Twitter/X: @FaithfulPolitik Instagram: faithful_politics Facebook: FaithfulPoliticsPodcast LinkedIn: faithfulpolitics 📰 Subscribe to our Substack for behind-the-scenes content:faithfulpolitics.substack.com 📅 RSVP for upcoming live events:Chec...

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.comWhat explains the persistence and appeal of Christian patriarchy in contemporary America? In this episode, journalist and author Sarah Stankorb (Disobedient Women) examines the theological and institutional architecture surrounding **Doug Wilson, Christ Church, Canon Press, and the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC)*. Drawing on years of investigative reporting, Stankorb situates Moscow, Idaho, as both a local case study and a national model for the diffusion of patriarchal theology through publishing, education, and digital media.The conversation explores how discourses of submission and hierarchy provide not only a template for family and congregational life but also a framework for civic and political engagement. We analyze the implications of head-of-household voting, institutional cover-ups of abuse, and the theological rationales that normalize gendered power disparities. Stankorb highlights survivor narratives as essential sources of data, underscoring how authority structures can perpetuate cycles of harm under the guise of religious fidelity.By situating Wilson’s project within broader debates over Christian nationalism, religious liberty, and political theology, this episode raises critical questions about the entanglement of faith and authoritarianism in the American public square.Disobedient Women:How a Small Group of Faithful Women Exposed Abuse, Brought Down Powerful Pastors, and Ignited an Evangelical Reckoninghttps://bookshop.org/a/112456/9781546003816Articles by Sarah:https://www.vice.com/en/article/inside-the-church-that-preaches-wives-need-to-be-led-with-a-firm-hand/https://www.elle.com/life-love/opinions-features/a64637668/tradwives-escaping-patriarchy-social-media-interview-2025/ Support the show🎧 Want to learn more about Faithful Politics, get in touch with the hosts, or suggest a future guest?👉 Visit our website: faithfulpoliticspodcast.com 📚 Check out our Bookstore – Featuring titles from our amazing guests:faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/bookstore ❤️ Support the show – Help us keep the conversation going:donorbox.org/faithful-politics-podcast 📩 Reach out to us: Faithful Host, Josh Burtram: Josh@faithfulpolitics.com Political Host, Will Wright: Will@faithfulpolitics.com 📱 Follow & connect with us: Twitter/X: @FaithfulPolitik Instagram: faithful_politics Facebook: FaithfulPoliticsPodcast LinkedIn: faithfulpolitics 📰 Subscribe to our Substack for behind-the-scenes content:faithfulpolitics.substack.com 📅 RSVP for upcoming live events:Chec...