The New Evangelicals Podcast

In this episode, Tim Whitaker brings on historian and author Melissa Dalton-Bradford (How to Save Democracy: The Anti-Authoritarian Playbook) to explain how authoritarian movements co-opt religion, drawing on Nazi Germany and other countries to illuminate democratic erosion in the United States. She discusses Christian nationalism, the role of media bubbles, and how faith communities can resist by defending truth, inclusion, and human dignity.

Chapters

03:13 How to draw historical parallels without claiming equivalence

07:27 How religion was recruited in Nazi Germany

15:14 Religion as oppression, liberation, and political power

30:05 Media bubbles, algorithms, and information saturation

38:24 Reed’s refusal to salute and everyday acts of courage

Resources

How to Save Democracy: The Anti-Authoritarian Playbook

Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem)

Follow Melissa: Substack | Instagram @mdbglobalmom | mdb.online

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TNE Podcast hosts thought-provoking conversations at the intersection of faith, politics, and justice. We’re part of the New Evangelical’s 501c3 nonprofit that rejects Christian Nationalism and builds a better path forward, rooted in Jesus and centered on justice. If you'd like to support our work or get involved, visit our website: www.thenewevangelicals.com

Follow Us On Instagram @thenewevangelicals

Subscribe On YouTube @thenewevangelicals

This show is produced by Josh Gilbert Media | Joshgilbertmedia.com
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In this episode, Tim Whitaker brings on author ⁠Dr. Keri Ladner (American Dominion) to discuss the historical roots of Christian nationalism and the networks linking Dominionism, the New Apostolic Reformation, and the religious right. Ladner traces how these currents developed across decades, explains their political and cultural strategies, and argues that defending public education is a practical response.

Chapters

04:23 From Columbine research to persecution narratives

09:00 From sphere sovereignty to the Seven Mountain Mandate

18:32 Jerry Falwell, school politics, and the Moral Majority

27:25 Political alliances, worship music, and movement influence

34:37 Christendom, neo-Confederacy, and the society envisioned

____________________________________________________

TNE Podcast hosts thought-provoking conversations at the intersection of faith, politics, and justice. We’re part of the New Evangelical’s 501c3 nonprofit that rejects Christian Nationalism and builds a better path forward, rooted in Jesus and centered on justice. If ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you'd like to support our work or get involved, visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thenewevangelicals.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Us On Instagram @thenewevangelicals

Subscribe On YouTube @thenewevangelicals

This show is produced by Josh Gilbert Media | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joshgilbertmedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode was recorded live at Theology Beer Camp 2026 in Kansas City, MO. It features a diverse panel discussing justice, belonging, and the future of Christianity. They explore deconstruction, systemic injustice, and how faith communities can evolve to be more inclusive and healing.

Theology Beer Camp | Join the Email list to get announcements and get access to early cheaper tickets!

Chapters

04:23 Justice in Faith and Systemic Whiteness

09:42 The Fear of Hell and Justice

20:00 Imagining a Non-White, Non-Male God

45:07 Personal Journeys of Abandonment and Wholeness

54:51 Healing, Belonging, and Embodied Faith

01:00:44 The Future of Christianity and Deconstruction

____________________________________________________

TNE Podcast hosts thought-provoking conversations at the intersection of faith, politics, and justice. We’re part of the New Evangelical’s 501c3 nonprofit that rejects Christian Nationalism and builds a better path forward, rooted in Jesus and centered on justice. If ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you'd like to support our work or get involved, visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thenewevangelicals.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Us On Instagram @thenewevangelicals

Subscribe On YouTube @thenewevangelicals

This show is produced by Josh Gilbert Media | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joshgilbertmedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Tim Whitaker brings on Dr. Matthew Taylor to discuss the anti-imperial themes in the Gospel of Mark, the history of Christendom, and how Christian faith can resist modern tyranny and empire. This conversation offers a deep dive into biblical interpretation and the legacy of Christian nationalism.

Chapters

02:01 The origins of Christian nationalism and the January 6th insurrection

05:33 The Jewish and Roman context of Jesus' life

11:38 Paul's radical equality in Christ and early Christian resistance

23:33 The Gospel of Mark as anti-imperial propaganda

40:04 The parable of the wheat and the tares and resisting evil

51:50 The call to self-sacrifice and resistance in the way of Jesus

____________________________________________________

TNE Podcast hosts thought-provoking conversations at the intersection of faith, politics, and justice. We’re part of the New Evangelical’s 501c3 nonprofit that rejects Christian Nationalism and builds a better path forward, rooted in Jesus and centered on justice. If ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you'd like to support our work or get involved, visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thenewevangelicals.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Us On Instagram @thenewevangelicals

Subscribe On YouTube @thenewevangelicals

This show is produced by Josh Gilbert Media | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joshgilbertmedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Tim Whitaker brings on Congressman Jared Huffman discusses the rise of Christian nationalism, its impact on democracy, and the importance of church-state separation. He shares insights from his book 'No Profits' and explores how faith and politics intersect in today's America.

Chapters
01:34 — Why Jared Huffman went into politics
11:52 — Liz Cheney’s veto of references in the January 6th report
16:06 — Why this is a democracy issue, not only a religious one
23:46 — Prophetic Christianity and the dangers of unchecked authority
30:13 — End-times books and evangelical political imagination
35:19 — Tensions between Christian Zionists and other MAGA factions
38:09 — Anti-Semitism and Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission
48:15 — Is anyone in the Republican Party resisting Christian nationalism
50:32 — Mike Johnson and the National Day of Prayer and Repentance

____________________________________________________

TNE Podcast hosts thought-provoking conversations at the intersection of faith, politics, and justice. We’re part of the New Evangelical’s 501c3 nonprofit that rejects Christian Nationalism and builds a better path forward, rooted in Jesus and centered on justice. If ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠you'd like to support our work or get involved, visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.thenewevangelicals.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Us On Instagram @thenewevangelicals

Subscribe On YouTube @thenewevangelicals

This show is produced by Josh Gilbert Media | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Joshgilbertmedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices