Exvangelical

In this episode, I speak with Amar D. Peterman, author of the new book Becoming Neighbors: The Common Good Made Local. Follow Amar online: https://amardpeterman.substack.com/ https://www.tiktok.com/@amarpeterman https://www.instagram.com/amarpeterman/ Affiliate links, which support the show: Buy the book: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780802884121 Buy Exvangelical & Beyond by Blake Chastain: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780593717073 Amar's book rec: I Believe in the Resurrection of the Body by Rubem Alves (poetry): https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9781592443314 Support this channel directly by subscribing at blakechastain.com. Follow Blake on social: https://www.tiktok.com/@brchastain_ https://www.instagram.com/brchastain_/ https://bsky.app/profile/brchastain.social 00:00 Meet Amar Peterman 01:05 Growing Up Between Traditions 02:22 Megachurch Formation And Tensions 04:36 Moody Bible Institute Culture Shock 07:35 Finding A Mentor At Moody 11:19 Princeton Seminary New Frameworks 18:17 Evangelical History And PhD Questions 22:54 Stumbling Into Interfaith Work 32:58 Turning To Becoming Neighbors 34:29 The Table And Local Common Good 36:46 Take a Seat at the Table 37:42 Desire and Non-Utilitarian Love 39:08 Pluralism Without Debate 40:10 Common Good Beyond Majority Rule 40:35 From Politics to Knowing Neighbors 43:14 Serve and Decenter Yourself 46:05 Practices for Long Haul Love 48:31 Learning From Deconstruction 49:44 Prophetic Voices Outside Church 54:23 Navigating Evangelical Pushback 57:49 Pronouns and Staying Open 01:01:13 Lightning Round for Authors 01:08:34 Wrap Up and Where to Follow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://www.postevangelicalpost.com/about

I’ve got a wide-ranging interview with Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg to share with you today. It’s been a few years since I spoke with her, and the geopolitical landscape has changed considerably in that time. In the first half of the conversation, we talk about the ongoing war and genocide in Gaza, and broadly about how Jewish communities in the US have responded. We also talk touch on Iran, as well as how the revelations of the Epstein Files and how to ensure that antisemitism doesn’t creep into our reactions to these stories coming to light. We also talk about how certain terms and language may no longer be adequate and the challenges of speaking on these hot-button issues at all, online or elsewhere. In the second half, we talk about Rabbi Danya’s work at her online publication, Life is a Sacred Text, the concept of moral injury, and how she works with people of differing beliefs through her work. Rabbi Danya speaks with compassion, care, nuance, and solidarity and I hope that this conversation is received in that spirit. Note: I made a newbie mistake and my audio recorded from the wrong mic - I did the best I could to clean it up! As always, you can support this show by subscribing across social media & YouTube, and most directly by purchasing my book or a paid subscription at blakechastain.com. I donate 25% of net revenue annually. Buy my book, Exvangelical & Beyond: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780593717073 Sign up for all my content at blakechastain.com Visit Life is a Sacred Text: https://www.lifeisasacredtext.com/ "The Antisemitism Post" at Life is a Sacred Text: https://www.lifeisasacredtext.com/the-antisemitism-post/ "Moral Injury" at Life is a Sacred Text: https://www.lifeisasacredtext.com/moral-injury/ Recommended Reading List on Palestine & Israel: https://bookshop.org/lists/palestine-and-israel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://www.postevangelicalpost.com/about

This week I'm joined by Katherine Stewart, journalist and author of Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy. Her book was published in February 2025 and offers incredible insights into the various networks of influence and power that laid the groundwork for a second Trump victory. We discuss how those same networks are still at work in the US today and try to connect it to more recent developments, including the Epstein Files. Katherine had a brief window of availability, so this interview is a bit shorter. Buy Money, Lies, and God here at my bookshop.org page: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9781635578546 Laura K. Field's book, mentioned by Katherine Stewart is called Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right, and can be bought here: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780691255262 See books from other authors on The Good Books: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9781635578546 And check out books from other authors who have appeared on my other shows: https://bookshop.org/shop/brchastain Buy my book: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780593717073 If you want to keep up to date with my work, please be sure to subscribe on YouTube and your favorite podcast app, and head over to blakechastain.com to see more of what I’m up to. 00:00 Teaser: The Power of Fear and Control 01:11 Guest Introduction: Katherine Stewart 02:09 The Five Groups in Anti-Democratic Movements 02:53 The Role of Funders and Foot Soldiers 05:27 Sergeants, Power Players, and Thinkers 06:46 Changes Since Trump's Election 08:35 Mindsets and Dispositions in Christian Nationalism 11:12 The Persecution Complex and Authoritarian Leadership 13:18 The Role of Elites and Information Bubbles 28:41 Recent Developments and the Epstein Files 31:45 Conclusion: Forward-Looking Strategies for Democracy 36:08 Outro and Call to Action Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://www.postevangelicalpost.com/about

This week I’m happy to share with you the pilot episode of the new show, Reign of Error with Sarah Posner (Apple Podcasts link), produced by our friends over at Axis Mundi Media. Longtime listeners will know Sara Posner from her 2020 appearance in my series, Powers & Principalities, where she discussed her book Unholy: How White Christian Nationalists Powered the Trump Presidency, and the Devastating Legacy They Left Behind. The state of play in the United States is in constant flux. This conversation between Sarah and Brad Onishi covers a lot of what happened in the fall and winter in places like Chicago, prior to all that is now unfolding as ICE attempts to occupy Minneapolis. Sarah is a longtime observer and journalist and I’m glad that she is now producing a weekly show to provide context and commentary for what is happening in America. I hope you enjoy this conversation and be sure to subscribe wherever you get podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://www.postevangelicalpost.com/about

This episode was originally released on The Good Books. In this episode, I chat with author Angela Denker about her latest book, ⁠Disciples of White Jesus⁠. Subscribe to Angela's ⁠newsletter⁠. Support the show via my newsletter: ⁠postevangelicalpost.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://www.postevangelicalpost.com/about

Originally published on YouTube on 3/7/2025. I'm between author interviews, and March is traditionally a difficult month for me. Here is a brief minisode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://www.postevangelicalpost.com/about

In this minisode recorded on MLK Day/Inauguration Day 2025, I consider where counterpublics might be able to thrive in today's media landscape. I've written about counterpublics before in my book, and in my newsletter. Programming Note: I have work-related travel over the next two weeks, but will have more interviews and longer episodes to share starting soon. Support my work at $5/month at postevangelicalpost.com; 25% of net proceeds are donated. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://www.postevangelicalpost.com/about

In this quick episode, I talk about the 2024 US Election. Show notes: My latest entry at The Post-Evangelical Post Emily Joy Allison addressing white exvangelicals on Instagram. Kristin Du Mez: Preparing for Tuesday Robert P. Jones: The Survey Findings Keeping Me Up at Night - Buy my book: Exvangelical & Beyond: How American Christianity Went Radical and the Movement That's Fighting Back Subscribe to my newsletter: The Post-Evangelical Post Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://www.postevangelicalpost.com/about

My book, Exvangelical & Beyond: How American Christianity Went Radical and the Movement That's Fighting Back, is out TODAY, wherever books are sold. Buy here or at your local bookstore. In this short episode, I express my gratitude for this opportunity and share my hopes for this book. Read an excerpt today in TeenVogue, and read my newsletter about my first book event at Anderson's Bookshop as well as other recent podcast appearances. Follow me on Instagram & Threads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://www.postevangelicalpost.com/about

Today's guest is the author Tia Levings, writer of the new book A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy. You may also know her from the Amazon docuseries Shiny Happy People and her newsletter The Anti-Fundamentalist. Her memoir is visceral and powerful, and just joined the bestseller list. Buy it here (this link supports the show). Content warning: Tia's story is a survivor story and includes aspects of trauma and abuse. Please note that Descript (my editing software) was over-zealous in removing "filler words" so while I usually remove my "ums" as much as possible, I had to publish this episode with them intact. Pre-order my book, Exvangelical & Beyond, which hits stores on 9/24/2024! Support the show via my newsletter: postevangelicalpost.com Follow me on Instagram/Threads: @brchastain_ Exvangelical is a production of The Post-Evangelical Post, LLC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://www.postevangelicalpost.com/about

In this episode, I talk to Tyler Huckabee from Clusterhuck. We go deep into the X-Men comics, especially the Krakoan Era (the most recent status quo in the X-Men line that ran from 2019-2024. Start with the House of X / Powers of X collected edition.) This is just a fun nerdy time. Subscribe to Tyler's newsletter, Clusterhuck. - Book News: I will be having an event at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, IL on 9/23/24 at 7:00 p.m.! Register here. Support my work via a subscription to The Post-Evangelical Post. 25% of net proceeds are donated annually. Exvangelical is a production of The Post-Evangelical Post, LLC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://www.postevangelicalpost.com/about

Today I'm sharing my recent conversation with Cait West, author of Rift: A Memoir of Breaking Away from Christian Patriarchy. This is a great debut memoir from West and a wonderful addition to this growing genre of books. I was very grateful to be able to talk to her. You can buy the book (and support this show) by using this affiliate link. TarcherPerigee & Goodreads are doing an advanced copy giveaway for my book, Exvangelical & Beyond! Enter to win 1 of 25 advance copies today through 6/21/24. Enter here. Keep up with all my activities via my newsletter, The Post-Evangelical Post. Subscribe for free or upgrade to paid at $5/month or $50/year (25% of net proceeds are donated). Follow Blake on Threads & Instagram @brchastain_ Follow Cait West on Threads & Instagram @caitwestwrites Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://www.postevangelicalpost.com/about