JUST FYI POD: Conversations about Culture, Ideas, and Life

The main task of JUST FYI POD: CULTURE’s third season is to discuss “The Future of American Christianity: A Conversation in Ten Questions.” However, on today’s “breakout pod,” Amy Welborn, Clark Elliston, and I discuss one of the most shocking political events in recent memory—the public killing of Republican activist, author, and media personality Charlie Kirk, who was shot in front of thousands of people last week at Utah Valley University. While the criminal investigation into this case has proceeded at a brisk pace, Amy, Clark, and I take a wider view of this event, debating how American politics got to this point and what it means going forward. Topics include: social media and the phenomenon of online polarization, Kirk’s status as a kind of Christian “martyr,” and the role of churches amid this political firestorm. We end by wrestling with the question: will this crime spur a renewal of American public life—or accelerate its disintegration?Please visit JUST FYI (cbarnett.substack.com) for more details and much more content. Subscribe for free today, and, as ever, consider following, liking, rating, and sharing our work. Your generosity and support are much appreciated!

The title of JUST FYI POD: CULTURE's third season is "The Future of American Christianity: A Conversation in Ten Questions." On today's inaugural episode, my cohost Amy Welborn and I preview the upcoming season, both in terms of form and content. Yet, we also take time to catch up after a busy summer. Topics include Italy, road trips, baseball, writing projects, and our favorite Summer 2025 movie releases. With regard to the latter, we pay special to attention to the new mystery-horror film Weapons (Zach Cregger, 2025) and, in turn, to the so-called "elevated horror" movement. What does it mean that America's new generation of auteurs (Cregger, Ari Aster, Jordan Peele, etc.) are largely telling stories about witches, demons, aliens, and vampires?Please visit JUST FYI (cbarnett.substack.com) for more details and much more content. Subscribe for free today, and, as ever, consider following, liking, rating, and sharing our work. Your generosity and support are much appreciated!

The main task of JUST FYI POD: IDEAS' second season is to discuss "Our Ten Favorite Works of Philosophy." On today's episode—and at long last!—my cohost Clark Elliston and I wrap up our countdown and explore two very different philosophical works—one that is a classic (and seemingly prescient) analysis of the modern sociopolitical order, and another that exemplifies the so-called “theological turn” in postmodern phenomenology.First up is Søren Kierkegaard’s 1846 treatise A Literary Review (En literair Anmeldelse), which, as I will explain, provides an early and prophetic account of the media, public opinion, and bourgeois conformity in contemporary Western society. Next, Clark will turn to Emmanuel Falque’s The Metamorphosis of Finitude: An Essay on Birth and Resurrection(Métamorphose de la finitude. Essai philosophique sur la naissance et la résurrection), which uses Christian theology to probe a fundamental human reality—that our very existence hinges on the simple, but profound, fact that we have been born at all. Life, in other words, is more about birth than death.As always, additional content and links can be found at JUST FYI (cbarnett.substack.com). Please subscribe for free today, and, as always, consider following, liking, rating, and sharing our work. Your generosity and support are much appreciated!

The main task of JUST FYI POD: IDEAS' second season is to discuss "Our Ten Favorite Works of Philosophy." On today's episode, my cohost Clark Elliston and I explore two massively influential texts from the twentieth century. Yet, before doing so, we spend some time discussing the recent flash floods in Central Texas, which devastated Clark's hometown of Kerrville. In this opening segment, Clark gives a firsthand account of what life is now like in the Texas Hill Country. Next, and not unrelatedly, we pivot to my analysis of Martin Heidegger's famous work The Question Concerning Technology (Die Frage nach der Technik), which was first published in 1954. Finally, Clark offers an assessment of Emmanuel Levinas' 1974 treatise Otherwise than Being, or Beyond Essence (Autrement qu'être ou au-delà de l'essence).As always, additional content and links can be found at JUST FYI (cbarnett.substack.com). Please subscribe for free today, and, as always, consider following, liking, rating, and sharing our work. Your generosity and support are much appreciated!

The main task of JUST FYI POD: CULTURE's second season is to discuss "Ten Novels That Changed Our Lives." On today's episode, my cohost Amy Welborn and I resume our countdown, this time focusing -- at long last! -- on the #1 novel on our respective lists. I begin by examining Fyodor Dostoevsky's last and greatest novel THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV (Братья Карамазовы, 1880). Next, Amy delves into THE POWER AND THE GLORY (1940), arguably the magnum opus of British author Graham Greene. Both novels are considered classics of world literature. However, as Amy and I discuss, they are also theologically insightful and, in a unique way, spiritually transformative.Please visit JUST FYI (cbarnett.substack.com) for more details and much more content. Subscribe for free today, and, as ever, consider following, liking, rating, and sharing our work. Your generosity and support are much appreciated!

The hosts dive into the transformative power of two monumental novels. They discuss 'Don Quixote,' highlighting Cervantes' life and its mix of humor and idealism. Listeners are taken on a journey through its societal injustices and enduring relevance. The conversation also explores 'Brideshead Revisited,' navigating themes of faith, class struggles, and complex family relationships. The dynamics between characters reveal deep personal and spiritual journeys, making these literary classics resonate with today's world.

Dive into a playful discussion on the success of a tilapia farm and sports news. Explore the evolution of philosophy, focusing on Alasdair MacIntyre's influence on virtue ethics and Stephen Mulhall's take on key thinkers. Reflect on travel regrets and the allure of Scotland's distilleries, where plans for live podcast sessions are teased. Delve into the challenges of moral discourse in a fragmented world, plus insightful haikus and encounters at prestigious academies, all peppered with humor and cultural observations.

A spontaneous trip to Rome sets the tone for a thrilling announcement as Robert Francis Prevost is elected Pope Leo XIV, becoming the first American pope. The hosts dive into the emotional atmosphere at St. Peter's Square, sharing the joy and reverence of the crowd. Discussion shifts to Leo XIV’s cultural roots, financial challenges facing the Vatican, and the hope for a transformative leadership. They also explore the implications for the Church's role in politics and the anticipation surrounding his inaugural homily.

The main task of JUST FYI POD: CULTURE'S second season is to discuss "Ten Novels That Changed Our Lives." On today's episode, my cohost Amy Welborn and I resume our countdown, this time focusing on the #3 novel on our respective lists. Amy begins by examining Flannery O'Connor's darkly comic debut WISE BLOOD (1952). Next, I explore Cormac McCarthy's fêted late masterpiece THE ROAD (2006). These two works are very different in tone, and yet both ponder the possibility of a godless world -- and why only the eternal can sustain human beings amid their existential suffering. Please visit JUST FYI (cbarnett.substack.com) for more details and much (much!) more content. Subscribe for free today, and, as ever, consider following, liking, rating, and sharing our work. Your generosity and support are much appreciated!

The main task of Just FYI Pod: Ideas’ second season is to discuss "Our Ten Favorite Works of Philosophy." On today's episode, my cohost Clark Elliston and I explore two key works from the transformative years of the mid 20th Century. First, I dive into Simone Weil's posthumously published classic The Need for Roots: Prelude Towards a Declaration of Duties Towards Mankind (L'Enracinement, prélude à une déclaration des devoirs envers l'être humain). Next, Clark turns to Iris Murdoch's 1970 exploration of moral philosophy entitled The Sovereignty of Good. Two great texts by two of the previous century's most creative and incisive intellects!As always, additional content and links can be found at JUST FYI (cbarnett.substack.com). Please subscribe for free today, and, as always, consider following, liking, rating, and sharing our work. Your generosity and support are much appreciated!