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42 episodes with brad onishi
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2 episodes with brad onishi
2 episodes with brad onishi
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The Supreme Court's narrow birthright citizenship ruling has triggered an extraordinary reaction from influential voices on the American right—and the backlash reveals much more than disagreement over immigration policy. In this episode of Axis Live, Brad Onishi, Annika Brockschmidt, and Matthew D. Taylor examine the response from figures including Kevin Roberts, Stephen Miller, Matt Walsh, and Joel Webbon, unpacking what their rhetoric tells us about the future of the 14th Amendment, Christian nationalism, and competing visions of American identity. The conversation explores why this legal battle is far from over and how the movement to redefine citizenship fits into a broader authoritarian political project. The hosts also analyze Texas' decision to mandate Bible readings in public schools, discussing the implications for religious liberty, public education, and Christian nationalism. Finally, they turn to a series of remarkable public appearances by New Apostolic Reformation-linked politicians, including Indiana Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith's declaration that Christians should "hate" what God hates and his attacks on Islam. Together, these stories reveal how increasingly radical religious and nationalist ideas are moving from the political fringe into mainstream American public life—and why understanding them is more important than ever. https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/ Listen to the Axis Daily Brief: Axis Daily Brief on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494 Axis Daily Brief on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4MbwXJvxp6MoDkmtj?si=a758e87169e74ede Axis Daily Brief RSS Feed: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/1145852/s/400220.rss Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Support independent religion and politics journalism:https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/ Donate today: https://www.axismundi.us/fundraise?hsCtaAttrib=215444059319 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, Brad Onishi argues that a series of seemingly separate headlines point to a single political project: the construction of a white Christian homeland. He examines the unprecedented sentencing of the Prairie Land protesters under domestic terrorism charges, the Trump administration's growing use of "Antifa" as a catch-all label for political dissent, Supreme Court decisions affecting Temporary Protected Status, and the continued targeting of Haitian immigrants. Together, Brad argues, these developments reflect an effort to criminalize protest, narrow who belongs in America, and reshape citizenship around the ideals of white Christian nationalism. Brad also breaks down new efforts to restrict voting through the SAVE Act, analyzes the rhetoric of figures like Stephen Miller, Megyn Kelly, and Rep. Tom Emmer, and reflects on what Zohran Mamdani's growing political influence reveals about the future of the Democratic Party. Wrapping up the week, he shares reasons for hope, updates listeners on the launch of Access Daily, and explains why independent, expert journalism on religion and politics is more essential than ever. https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/ Listen to the Axis Daily Brief: Axis Daily Brief on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494 Axis Daily Brief on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4MbwXJvxp6MoDkmtj?si=a758e87169e74ede Axis Daily Brief RSS Feed: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/1145852/s/400220.rss Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Support independent religion and politics journalism:https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/ Donate today: https://www.axismundi.us/fundraise?hsCtaAttrib=215444059319 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of Axis Live, Brad Onishi and Matt Taylor are joined by PRRI CEO Melissa Deckman to unpack Vice President JD Vance's new book Communion and the theological vision animating it. The conversation focuses on Vance's turn toward a form of Christianity oriented less around the person and teachings of Christ than toward a broader project of Christendom and civilizational restoration. Rather than centering the lived realities of individuals or communities, Vance's framework is read as prioritizing the preservation and defense of “Western civilization,” raising questions about how political theology can displace core Christian ethical commitments in favor of cultural and national projects. The episode then turns to the underexplored Christian dimensions of the terror plot targeting the White House UFC event, situating it within broader patterns of religiously inflected political violence. The discussion concludes with Melissa Deckman presenting new PRRI data on American religion, emphasizing that claims of a widespread religious revival in the United States are not supported by current evidence. Instead, the data points to continued complexity, fragmentation, and stability in national religious trends rather than a clear resurgence. https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/ Listen to the Axis Daily Brief: Axis Daily Brief on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494 Axis Daily Brief on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4MbwXJvxp6MoDkmtj?si=a758e87169e74ede Axis Daily Brief RSS Feed: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/1145852/s/400220.rss Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Support independent religion and politics journalism:https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/ Donate today: https://www.axismundi.us/fundraise?hsCtaAttrib=215444059319 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this week's Weekly Roundup, Brad Onishi and Dan Miller unpack the fallout from the Trump administration's Iran deal, the growing fractures within the MAGA coalition, and why Vice President JD Vance appears to be carrying the political burden for a foreign policy debacle. They examine the deal's similarities to the Obama-era agreement Republicans once condemned, the tensions between America First isolationists and pro-Israel conservatives, and what Vance's comments reveal about the future of the Republican Party. Along the way, they explore how ideas about masculinity, leadership, power, and political performance shape Trump's approach to governing—and why those approaches are increasingly running into reality. Brad and Dan also discuss the symbolism of Trump's algae-filled Reflecting Pool, the contrast between spectacle and civic leadership, the opening of the Obama Presidential Center, and Zohran Mamdani's appearance at the Knicks championship celebration. What do these competing public rituals tell us about the kind of country Americans want to build? Plus: updates on the launch of Axis Mundi's new daily analysis platform, the Axis Daily Brief, and how you can support independent journalism and public scholarship at the intersection of religion and politics. Subscribe to Axis Mundi on Substack:Axis Mundi Media Listen to the Axis Daily Brief: Axis Daily Brief on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494 Axis Daily Brief on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4MbwXJvxp6MoDkmtj?si=a758e87169e74ede Axis Daily Brief RSS Feed: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/1145852/s/400220.rss Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Support independent religion and politics journalism:https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/ Donate today: https://www.axismundi.us/fundraise?hsCtaAttrib=215444059319 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, Brad Onishi and Matthew D. Taylor break down three major stories shaping the American political and religious landscape:
Axis Daily Brief on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494 Axis Daily Brief on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4MbwXJvxp6MoDkmtj?si=a758e87169e74ede Axis Daily Brief RSS Feed: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/1145852/s/400220.rss In this episode of the Axis Mundi Daily Brief, Brad Onishi examines the viral comments made by UFC fighter Josh Hokit after his victory at the White House and asks what they reveal about the state of MAGA Christianity and Christian Trumpism. From Hokit's walkout song—"I'm a Real American"—to his comments about Michelle Obama and his public declarations of faith, Brad explores how themes of masculinity, power, conspiracy, transphobia, and Christian nationalism converged in a single moment. Set against the backdrop of Donald Trump hosting a UFC event on White House grounds, the spectacle raises larger questions about the relationship between religion, politics, and the performance of American identity. Brad also considers the symbolism of a president watching fighters compete while international crises unfold, and what this moment says about the political culture that has emerged around Trumpism. Is this simply entertainment, or does it represent something deeper about power, submission, and the future of American democracy? Subscribe to Axis Mundi for daily analysis of religion, politics, culture, and democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What are the broader takeaways from Josh Hawley's presentation on “manhood?” How does Hawley's vision of “masculine America” illuminate the dynamics of high-control Christianity, Christian nationalism, and the broader MAGA movement in America today? What lessons can we learn through engaging Hawley's vision of masculinity? Join Dan to find out, as we conclude our look at Hawley's vision of manhood. Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, Brad Onishi sits down with Rev. Alba Onofrio, the Executive Director of Soulforce and author of Spiritual Violence: Religious Phenomena That Defile the Faith. Rev. Alba brings nearly two decades of global activism across four continents to a critical conversation about the exact mechanisms religious systems use to inflict deep psychological and physical harm. Moving past vague concepts of religious trauma, she provides a clear framework that categorizes spiritual harm along a spectrum—ranging from everyday theological microaggressions to full-scale "spiritual terrorism." By defining spiritual terrorism as a sustained, systemic deployment of fear designed to subjugate entire communities, Rev. Alba exposes how weaponized theology acts as an active tool of control rather than an accidental byproduct of faith. The discussion dives into how traditional religious imagery—such as framing God exclusively as a punishing "Father," "King," or "Judge"—subtly normalizes abusive and hierarchical dynamics in families, intimate relationships, and broader civic life. Rev. Alba and Brad unpack how white Christian supremacy shapes what the American context recognizes as violence, using the deployment of Romans 13 during the separation of immigrant families at the U.S. border as a chilling case study in theological terrorism. Crucially, the episode addresses Christianity's historical condemnation of "the flesh," explaining how policing the body strips individuals of their bodily autonomy and self-trust. Ultimately, Rev. Alba shares why she fiercely maintains her faith, arguing that naming these systemic abuses is not a rejection of spirituality, but the vital first step toward true healing, resistance, and collective liberation. Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Josh Hawley is a dyed-in-the-wool, self-described Christian nationalist. But he's careful not to make this too obvious in discussion of Christian masculinity and masculine virtue. But if we look past his smoke and mirrors, if look behind the curtain, his Christian nationalism comes through when he talks about role of men as “kings.” Check out this week's episode as Dan walks us through Hawley's Christian nationalist vision of America. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, hosts Annika Brockschmidt and Roland Meyer sit down with media scholar Roland Meyer to dissect the unsettling intersection of generative AI, right-wing extremism, and the emerging aesthetics of digital fascism. Meyer, a professor at the University of Zurich, breaks down why AI-generated visual culture is uniquely suited for far-right propaganda. Rather than acting as a neutral mirror of reality, these algorithms are structurally nostalgic—relying on past training data to build idealized, hyper-masculine mythologies, clean ethnic landscapes, and weaponized "slopaganda." From American frontier myths to European Islamophobic imagery, Meyer explains how mass-produced, engagement-optimized AI content is being actively weaponized to construct collective, racist fantasy worlds at an unprecedented scale. The conversation pushes past simple deepfakes to examine the darker political economy and Silicon Valley ideologies underlying the modern tech ecosystem. Meyer and the hosts unpack the rise of "slop"—voted Merriam-Webster's word of the year—and how algorithmic distribution networks reward dehumanizing depictions of marginalized groups while turning tech leaders into gladiatorial icons. By exploring how figures like Elon Musk, Peter Thiel's Alex Karp, and Charlie Kirk use these tools, the episode exposes a shared tech-authoritarian vision. This ideology frames AI not as a tool for public good, but as an unregulated, masculine force engineered for white, Western dominance, proving that the struggle over generative AI is fundamentally a battle over who controls the future of reality. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Brad Onishi and Dan Miller discuss the Texas Senate race between Trump-backed Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico as a public theological contest between Christian authoritarianism and a Christianity centered on love of neighbor, noting Paxton's scandals and the right's misogynistic, transphobic attacks portraying Talarico as weak or deviant. They connect this politics of masculinity and domination to reports that Trump's DOJ opened (or is attempting to open) a perjury investigation into E. Jean Carroll after Trump was found liable for sexual assault and defamation, framing it as retaliatory weaponization and hostility toward women who “won.” They also preview Axis Mundi's expansion into live programming, then analyze Pope Leo's first encyclical on human dignity amid AI, highlighting critiques of homogenization, efficiency-over-dignity, sanctified hatred, and Tolkien imagery, including a reframing of Nehemiah against MAGA wall theology. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Josh Hawley claims to present a “biblical” model of masculinity and masculine virtue. But if we look more closely, it turns out that Hawley's “Bible” is actually really weird. And so is his model of masculine kingship. And what does “kingship” mean for Josh Hawley? Well, pretty much the same thing you could read in any self-help book. Join Dan for this week's episode as he tells us why. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of Straight White American Jesus, host Brad Onishi sits down with Dr. Liz Bucar, religious ethicist and professor at Northeastern University, to unpack the hidden costs of the modern wellness industry. Exploring themes from her new book, Beyond Wellness: How Restoring the Religious Roots of Spiritual Practices Can Heal Us, Dr. Bucar argues that consumer culture has stripped profound traditions like yoga, mindfulness, and psychedelics into a "spiritual salad bar"—trading real transformation for quick dopamine hits. Through her own raw, firsthand experiences—including a grueling silent Buddhist retreat and a transformative ayahuasca ceremony while processing the grief of losing her father—she illustrates why separating these embodied practices from their ethical, communal roots ultimate leaves us spiritually malnourished. The conversation dives deep into the ethics of cultural appropriation and extraction, questioning how affluent Westerners commodify sacred traditions while the minoritized communities who sustained them struggle to survive. From analyzing Alcoholics Anonymous as the original "spiritual but not religious" program to unpacking a 97-year-old monk's parable on why we fail to find enlightenment, Dr. Bucar and Brad challenge listeners to move beyond self-care and re-engage with true community and obligation. Whether you practice daily meditation, teach yoga, or are simply curious about the intersection of religion and consumerism, this episode is a vital look at what it actually takes to dig a deep spiritual well. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Brad and Dan show up wired, sleep-deprived, and ready to go, breaking down a week where the absurd somehow outpaced the outrageous. They start with a surreal clip of Donald Trump reflecting on his son's wedding before diving straight into the heart of the episode: a massive DOJ–IRS settlement that includes a $1.8 billion “slush fund” ostensibly for victims of government “weaponization.” The hosts trace how this fund is likely to benefit January 6 participants and allies, connecting it to the long-running “Big Lie” and what Brad calls real-time myth-making. Along the way, they unpack how narratives about January 6 have shifted from condemnation to celebration—and what it means when those narratives are backed by real money and political power. From there, the conversation widens to the broader ecosystem of Trumpism: primary victories that show Trump still holds sway, the endorsement of scandal-plagued figures like Ken Paxton, and the ongoing fusion of political loyalty with religious justification. The episode closes with a sharp critique of billionaire logic, as Jeff Bezos defends his tax record and “value to civilization,” prompting a deeper discussion about inequality, power, and what counts as public good. Even in the midst of it all, Brad and Dan find a few reasons for hope, pointing to court losses for the DOJ and small but meaningful acts of accountability—reminders that resistance, however incremental, is still possible. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Throughout his presentation of manhood and masculine virtue, Josh Hawley assures us that he's telling us “what the Bible says,” or “what the Bible teaches.” And he's not alone: biblicist Christians almost always support their claims by assuring us that they're simply passing along “what the Bible says.” But is it that simple? What else is going on here? How do the claims to merely represent “what the Bible says” operate as mechanisms of control and coercion? How do they serve the interests of Christian nationalism and high-control religion? Check out this week's episode to find out! Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sunday's nine-hour “Rededicate 250” event on the National Mall brought together politicians and religious leaders calling for America to be returned to God. In this episode, Brad Onishi breaks down key statements from figures like Robert Jeffress, Mike Johnson, Pete Hegseth, and Marco Rubio, exposing how their claims rely on selective history, mythmaking, and a deeply misleading vision of the founding. From the Doctrine of Discovery to the legend of Washington at Valley Forge, the story being told isn't just inaccurate—it's strategic. This episode argues that Christian nationalism is not about personal faith or patriotism, but about power: the belief that certain religious identities deserve greater authority in public life. By revisiting the Constitution, the founding era, and the principle of “we the people,” Brad shows what's actually at stake—religious freedom, democratic equality, and the boundary between church and state. The question isn't whether religion belongs in American life, but whether the government gets to decide whose religion counts. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of the Straight White American Jesus Sunday Interview, host Leah Payne speaks with Jonathan Calvillo, sociologist of religion at Candler School of Theology at Emory University and author of The Saints of Santa Ana, about growing tensions within Latino evangelical and Pentecostal communities over immigration, political representation, and the public platforming of prominent evangelical leader Samuel Rodriguez. The conversation centers on the recent “We Are Not a Monolith” statement issued by Latino pastors, scholars, and ministry leaders calling for greater nuance and accountability in how Latino Christians are represented in national media. Calvillo explains why many faith leaders believe Rodriguez has come to function less as an advocate for vulnerable immigrant communities and more as a defender of Trump-era immigration policies and conservative political networks. Together, Payne and Calvillo explore how ICE raids and immigration enforcement are reshaping Latino churches across the United States, including the emergence of new theological language around persecution, sanctuary, solidarity, and resistance. They discuss the complex political diversity within Latino evangelicalism, the influence of white evangelical megachurch networks on Latino Pentecostal leaders, and the growing tensions between immigrant-majority congregations and prominent conservative evangelical institutions. The episode also examines how Latino evangelical and Pentecostal churches are responding to fear, surveillance, and political polarization in this moment, including new collaborations between immigrant churches, ecumenical groups, and unexpected community allies. Throughout the conversation, Calvillo situates current debates within a longer history of migration, marginalization, religious activism, and public theology in the United States. The “We Are Not a Monolith” statement and the debate over Latino evangelical representation Samuel Rodriguez, the NHCLC, and conservative evangelical political influence ICE raids, sanctuary politics, and immigrant church communities Why some Latino pastors are increasingly using the language of persecution Latino Pentecostalism, MAGA politics, and white evangelical influence The role of megachurch culture, class mobility, and political power Christian nationalism and competing visions of American Christianity New ecumenical and interfaith collaborations emerging in immigrant communities Theologies of protest, resistance, and accompaniment among Latino evangelicals “We Are Not a Monolith” statement: WeAreNotAMonolith.com Samuel Rodriguez, “ICE Is Devastating Some Latino Churches” (Christianity Today): Christianity Today article Christianity Today response to the “We Are Not a Monolith” statement: CT response article Religion News Service coverage: “Latino Christians release letter saying Trump advisor overexaggerated influence” Robert Chao Romero, “We Refuse to Be Comforted: When Prophets Side with Pharaoh”: Theology and Migration article Jonathan Calvillo faculty page: Candler School of Theology Faculty Profile Jonathan Calvillo on Instagram/X: @yocalvillo Jonathan Calvillo's book, The Saints of Santa Ana: Faith and Ethnicity in a Mexican-Majority City: Oxford University Press In This EpisodeLinks:Find Dr. Leah Payne at DrLeahPayne.com, subscribe on Substack, follow her on most social media platforms at @drleahpayne, listen along at Spirit & Power: Charismatics & Politics in American Life and Rock That Doesn't Roll, and read along with God Gave Rock and Roll to You: A History of Contemporary Christian Music. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Brad and Dan dig into another whirlwind week in Trumpworld, beginning with the unveiling of a towering gold-leaf Donald Trump statue at his Doral golf resort and the increasingly explicit fusion of political power, religious symbolism, and personality cult. The hosts unpack Trump's comments that he does not think about Americans' financial struggles while simultaneously pushing a pro-natalist agenda alongside figures like RFK Jr. and Dr. Oz. From “under-babied” rhetoric to Heritage Foundation proposals incentivizing marriage and large families, the episode traces how Christian nationalism, wellness culture, patriarchal masculinity, and reactionary family politics are converging into a broader authoritarian vision for American life. Along the way, Brad and Dan connect these themes to neoliberal economics, the collapse of affordable childcare and healthcare, and the deep contradictions at the heart of conservative family policy. The second half of the episode turns to a lawsuit against Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins over religiously coercive emails sent to federal employees, offering a concrete example of how Christian nationalism operates through state power and workplace culture. Brad and Dan examine how the Trump administration simultaneously promotes an “anti-Christian bias” narrative while embedding conservative Christianity into federal governance. They also discuss a new study showing that corporations rolled back DEI initiatives largely due to direct pressure from Trump and his allies, highlighting the administration's broader effort to reshape public institutions around a narrow vision of American identity. The episode closes with reflections on resistance inside federal agencies, the Supreme Court's decision not to restrict access to abortion medication, and why ordinary people continuing to assert their rights still offers reason for hope. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Despite claiming to present us with a “Christian” vision of manhood, there is nothing identifiably Christian about Josh Hawley's account of masculinity and masculine virtue. Instead, he can define masculinity any way he wants, and call it “Christian.” But there's a flip side to this. He can also dismiss anyone who disagrees with him, anyone who doesn't accept his account of masculinity, anyone who opposes his “Christian” vision, as an “atheist.” How does this work for him? Why make this specific move? And what does this tell us about how Christian nationalist envision manhood, and even nationhood? Check out this week's episode as Dan explains! Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Brad Onishi interviews Texas Monthly senior writer Robert Downen about his 12,000-word feature on Paul Pressler, a key architect of the Southern Baptist Convention's conservative resurgence alongside Paige Patterson. Downen outlines how the takeover, framed around biblical inerrancy, gender hierarchy, abortion, and weakening church–state separation, helped align the SBC with the GOP and built a broader culture-war mindset, aided by sophisticated internal tactics such as tracking pastorates, spying on professors, and manipulating convention rules. He traces Pressler's privileged Texas lineage and early political training through his grandfather's Texas Regulars ties and shows how Pressler leveraged SBC power into national influence via the Council for National Policy and Republican politics. The conversation centers on longstanding allegations that Pressler abused young men and how institutional deference and fear of “liberal” attacks enabled silence, shaping SBC responses to the later denomination-wide sexual abuse crisis and ongoing membership decline. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Redistricting Mania and the Christian Nationalist Push for Minority Rule Brad Onishi and Dan Miller discuss the fallout from a recent Supreme Court decision they say further rolled back the Voting Rights Act, triggering aggressive redistricting across states like Louisiana, Florida, Indiana, Virginia, Texas, and Tennessee, including carving up Memphis's Black-majority district. They highlight Christian nationalist rhetoric from figures such as Kevin Roberts, Indiana Lt. Gov. Brian Beckwith, and Rep. Andy Ogles, and critique Mike Johnson's repeated “adults in the room” framing as coded defense of white Christian male authority. They trace continuity to Religious Right strategist Paul Weyrich's explicit anti-democratic voting strategy and argue the Court's anti-discrimination logic now enables open discrimination while accelerating polarization and democratic erosion. They note a sharp Jackson–Alito exchange over partisan timing, call for reforms like anti-gerrymandering measures and term limits, and cite hope in Mark Kelly's legal challenge to the Pentagon. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Send us Fan MailLive Event - We're Talkin' 2021! Podcasters Brad Onishi (Straight White American Jesus), Ken Fong (Asian America - The Ken Fong Podcast) and Ken Kemp (The Beached White Male) join forces on Wednesday, February 10, 2021. A good group gathered to join us for a conversation about the New Year that brought serious crises: an insurrection, the denial of an election result, a failed presidency, an historic inauguration, and a pandemic in full bloom. They talk about their experience as pastors and podcasters, Christian Nationalism, deconstruction, the Super Bowl, racism and whiteness, Trumpism, and conservatism. Live questions from the group added a timely dimension to the conversation. Check out our SHOW NOTES for much more.Originally Aired: February 2021Support the showBecome a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you!Ken's Substack PageThe Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com
In this special crossover episode, Dan Miller joins Dr. Laura Anderson on Sunday School Dropouts for an in-depth examination of the ideological forces shaping modern Christian masculinity. The conversation centers on the specific theological frameworks used to justify patriarchal hierarchies, including the elevation of Adam as a model for the masculine ideal over the figure of Jesus. By analyzing recent political literature on the subject, Dan and Laura pull back the curtain on how high control religious groups and secular manosphere influencers overlap. They explore the historical shift toward imperial power within the faith and why certain movements remain obsessed with a mythic, Roman vision of authority that prizes dominance over vulnerability. The discussion further probes the systemic roots of the male identity crisis, looking at how economic instability and social isolation are often exploited to fuel a pipeline toward fundamentalism. Instead of addressing the trauma and insecurity at the heart of these movements, many leaders rely on a rhetoric of blame and aggression. This episode challenges those narratives by seeking out alternative models of manhood rooted in community care and civic action. By focusing on collaborative parenting and the importance of modeling emotional honesty, the dialogue offers a path away from the rigid constraints of the fundamentalist pipeline and toward a more inclusive understanding of identity and strength. Sunday School Dropouts podcast: https://sundayschooldropoutspod.com/ Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, Annika Brockschmidt sits down with Adrian Daub, Professor at Stanford University and author of the upcoming book What Tech Calls Governing. Daub provides a searing intellectual history of the vibe shift in Silicon Valley, dismantling the myth that the tech world has undergone a broad political transformation. Instead, Daub argues that we are witnessing the radicalization of a billionaire elite, a small class of men like Marc Andreessen, Elon Musk, and Peter Thiel, who have moved rightward not because of shifting data, but out of a reactionary backlash to post pandemic social pressures and the accountability of the MeToo and BLM movements. By examining the ideological bridge from 1960s counterculture to modern cyberculture, Daub reveals how the hippie to tech pipeline created a foundation for a brand of power that refuses to recognize itself as power, leading to a strange paradox where the world's most influential men consistently frame themselves as persecuted outsiders. The conversation dives deep into the specific ideologies driving today's tech giants, from René Girard's mimetic theory to the biohacking and eugenics adjacent subcultures of the ultra wealthy. Daub offers a brilliant critique of the current AI hype cycle, arguing that framing Artificial Intelligence as an unstoppable force of nature is a deliberate political maneuver designed to bypass regulation and democratic oversight. Beyond the policy, they discuss the revealing and often bizarre aesthetics of the tech elite, such as the AI generated gladiator imagery favored by aging billionaires, which Daub links to a historical fascist obsession with the idealized male form and ego. Looking forward, the duo explores the Palantir problem and the structural flaws in Silicon Valley's current political bets, while offering a preview of Daub's next project, Project 1933: Fascism Then and Now, which contextualizes our current moment within the darker chapters of 20th century history. Adrian Daub: What Tech Calls Thinking https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374721237/whattechcallsthinking/ Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this week's solo roundup, Dan Miller deconstructs a series of aggressive maneuvers by the 47th administration designed to codify Christian nationalism into federal policy. The centerpiece is the newly released report from the Anti-Christian Bias Task Force, an entity Dan argues serves less as a shield for religious freedom and more as a sword against civil rights. By framing standard anti-discrimination protections as inherent attacks on the faith, the administration is effectively creating a legal "red meat" pipeline for its base. This ideological shift is mirrored in the judicial branch, where the Supreme Court's ruling in Louisiana v. Calle effectively "guts" the remains of the Voting Rights Act. Dan traces the lineage of Justice Alito's "colorblind" rhetoric back to the Roberts Court, highlighting how the judicial insistence on ignoring race is being weaponized to dismantle Black political representation and broader DEI initiatives. The episode further explores the chilling effect of "MAGA-style" free speech, highlighting the selective weaponization of federal agencies against cultural and political critics. From the FCC's retaliatory pressure on ABC following a Jimmy Kimmel monologue to the surreal indictment of James Comey over a seashell photo, Miller illustrates a pattern of using law enforcement as a tool for personal grievance. On the border, the administration continues its push for a "White America" through restrictive new visa affirmations and a cynical rebranding of ICE to "NICE"—a move Dan describes as a superficial mask for an agency defined by family separations and systemic harm. However, the episode closes on a note of strategic optimism: as the 2026 midterm elections loom, the GOP's fixation on cultural grievances over economic affordability suggests a political vulnerability that could shift the national tide. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Air Date: 4–29-2026 Today we explore the extraordinary clash between Pope Leo XIV and the Trump White House — a feud involving military threats, medieval papal history, and an American-born pope who refuses to back down. We'll hear why analysts say MAGA's religiosity is pure aesthetic, and what that hollowness means for the millions of Americans still taking their faith seriously. Full Show Notes Transcript Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community TOP TAKES KP 1: "Two Versions of Christianity": Pope Leo Calls for Peace as U.S. Uses Religion to Justify Iran War - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-1-26 KP 2: What's Driving the Surge of Catholic Converts? Plus Gabriel Salguero - The Holy Post - Air Date 4-1-26 KP 3: What's Behind a Growing Rift Between Conservative U.S. Catholics and the Vatican - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 12-16-23 KP 4: Why Are US Catholics Like That !? - The Kavernacle - Air Date 4-16-26 KP 5: Pope Bob Vs. Trump World Part 1 - Conspirituality - Air Date 5-22-25 KP 6: Did Trump Officials Threaten the Vatican' The Avignon Papacy Warning Explained - SWAJ with Brad Onishi and Dan Miller - Air Date 4-11-26 KP 7: Republicans .0002 Seconds After the Pope Says Anything - Man Carrying Thing - Air Date 4-18-26 (00:47:36) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Pope Leo vs. Trump: The Catholic Opening Democrats Are Blowing DEEPER DIVES (00:56:09) SECTION A: TRUMP AND COMPANY'S LOVE/HATE PAPAL RELATIONSHIP (01:39:29) SECTION B: ANTI CATHOLIC SENTIMENT IN AMERICA (02:05:17) SECTION C: THE POPE VS THE TRUMP (02:49:26) SECTION D: SOME MISC HISTORICAL CONTEXT SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Composite image of Pope Leo XIV and Trump against the background of Trump's AI image of himself as Jesus. Credit: Internal design. Components: 1. "Pope Leo XIV 3 (3x4 crop)" by Edgar Beltran, The Pillar via Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Changes: Transparent background | 2. "Donald Trump" by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Transparent background | 3. Trump as Jesus, AI image, Truth Social, Public Domain
Despite his promises, Josh Hawley's vision of masculinity and masculine virtue is not “Christian” in any definable way. But while this may be surprising, given his Christian nationalist credentials, it actually serves the interests of his ideology not to be distinctly Christian? In what senses? What can be gained by ensuring that claims to “Christian masculinity” aren't actually Christian? Join Dan for this week's episode as he explains. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this compelling installment of the Sunday Interview, host Brad Onishi engages in a deep-dive conversation with Dr. Tiffany Townsend, a distinguished psychologist and former Chief Diversity Officer, to discuss her timely new book, Weathering the Storm: Navigating the Anti-Social Justice Wave. The episode traces the trajectory of American DEI efforts from the "radical hope" sparked by Barack Obama's election to the current systemic dismantling of equity initiatives across the country. Dr. Townsend offers a masterclass in historical context, drawing striking parallels between modern anti-DEI legislation and the "Redemption Playbook" used to roll back civil rights gains following Reconstruction. By reframing DEI as an effort to expand the table rather than limit it, she provides a necessary correction to the weaponized narratives currently dominating the cultural landscape. Beyond the political analysis, the discussion delves into the psychological toll of navigating spaces where tokenism and stereotypes—which Dr. Townsend famously likens to inescapable "cigarette smoke in a bar"—persist. The conversation moves from the macro-level of institutional violence and intimidation to the micro-level of personal healing, emphasizing that collective solidarity is the only true antidote to depletion. Dr. Townsend concludes with a powerful definition of "Radical Hope": a grounded, strategic persistence that acknowledges the severity of the current storm while drawing strength from the community and history. This episode is an essential toolkit for anyone looking to move past "checking boxes" toward building genuinely inclusive spaces that can withstand the current political climate. Weathering the Backlash: https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9798889835097/Weathering-the-Storm Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The repeal of the military's flu vaccine mandate by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth might seem like a minor policy shift, but it opens a window into a much larger movement reshaping American politics, religion, and public health. In this episode, we unpack how vaccine hesitancy—once a fringe concern—has merged with evangelical Christian nationalism, “medical freedom” rhetoric, and the post-COVID backlash to government authority. What looks like a simple choice about a seasonal shot is, in reality, part of a decades-long effort to reframe public health as a matter of individual liberty, religious conviction, and resistance to institutional power. Joined by Dr. Kira Ganga Keefer, an expert on religion and vaccine hesitancy, we explore how this coalition formed, why “mandates” have become the central battleground, and how movements like MAHA and figures like RFK Jr. have accelerated these trends. The conversation also digs into the cultural and theological currents underneath it all—from wellness spirituality and distrust of biomedicine to performances of masculinity and competing ideas of bodily autonomy. The result is a revealing look at how a single Pentagon policy decision reflects a much broader transformation in American life. Unvaccinated Under God: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691224664/unvaccinated-under-god?srsltid=AfmBOorYs5jhjmrT_gLbENztNw8pi4t5zgyZ2hc-0BEimx6VccCHznqi Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Brad Onishi and Dan Miller discuss the Trump DOJ's indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center, alleging it defrauded donors by paying informants for access to extremist groups, with charges including wire fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering; they note legal experts' skepticism, SPLC's past cooperation with law enforcement, and argue it reflects MAGA hostility and a Project 2025/Project Esther-style push to label opponents “domestic terrorists.” They then cover Virginia voters approving a redistricting measure projected to shift up to four House seats away from the GOP, now temporarily blocked by a judge, and argue Trump's mid-decade redistricting push is backfiring as blue states respond. Finally, they analyze Palantir's manifesto-like summary of Alex Karp's The Technological Republic, criticizing its anti-pluralism, civilizational hierarchy, and alignment with Christian nationalist politics, and close with court actions overturning a federal gender-affirming-care funding ban and a protestor's case. 00:00 Indicting the SPLC 01:54 Charges Explained 07:22 Why Conservatives Hate SPLC 14:32 Project 2025 Playbook 18:55 Will the Case Stick 25:18 Break and Reset 25:32 Virginia Redistricting Fight 29:57 Gerrymandering and Opposition 32:56 Talarico Fox News Clip 34:42 Comedy Detour Dating Advice 35:55 Virginia Redistricting Fallout 37:11 Hope Amid Gerrymandering 38:10 SPLC Claims Revisited 39:41 Fondue Clip Goes Viral 41:09 Racism Goes Mainstream 45:27 Palantir Tech Fascism 47:39 Religion Means Christianity 51:44 Civilizational Chauvinism 57:53 Anti Pluralism Manifesto 01:02:06 Hope And Sign Off Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Josh Hawley tells us he's giving us a vision of Christian “manhood.” But as we near the end of his book on the subject, is he? In this episode, Dan argues that there's actually nothing specifically Christian about Hawley's account of manhood at all. In fact, he argues, Hawley goes to length NOT to discuss any specifically Christian themes, even when he comes to the chapter on men as “priests?” So what's going on? Check out this week's episode to find out! Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Trump's 2 Chronicles Reading and the Politics of Christian Nationalism Brad Onishi discusses an 84-hour marathon Bible reading at the Museum of the Bible tied to U.S. 250th anniversary celebrations, noting that Donald Trump read from the White House rather than attending. He argues it is dangerous that Trump—whom he calls immoral and unfamiliar with scripture—was assigned 2 Chronicles 7:11–22, a passage long used by evangelicals to frame national crisis as divine punishment and to demand repentance, citing examples from Jerry Falwell after 9/11 and a 2 Chronicles prayer at January 6. Onishi walks through the verses to show how they can cast a national leader as a king with a divinely established “royal throne,” linking this to Christian nationalist power politics and pro-Trump messianic imagery. He critiques the spectacle as violating church-state separation and urges leaders to demonstrate civic virtues rather than publicly dictate scripture. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of the Straight White American Jesus Sunday Interview, host Leah Payne speaks with journalist Sam Kestenbaum about his reporting on celebrity pastor culture and the rise of the “hype priest.” The conversation centers on Kestenbaum's widely discussed profile of Judah Smith, a “pastor-to-the-stars” connected to figures like Justin Bieber, and expands into a broader analysis of how millennial pastors have fused evangelical preaching with aesthetics, branding, and media performance. Sam Kestenbaum is a journalist who covers religion in America, known for his deeply reported and stylistically distinctive profiles of contemporary spiritual figures. Based in Los Angeles, his work has appeared in The New York Times, Harper's Magazine, Rolling Stone, and beyond, where he examines the intersections of faith, politics, and culture. Together, Payne and Kestenbaum explore the Churchome experience in Los Angeles, pop-up worship in rented theaters, a creative-class audience, and a ministry shaped as much by production value and performance as by theology. They discuss how presentation - from clothing to sermon delivery - functions as a form of religious communication, as well as how figures like Judah Smith navigate political polarization by shifting toward a more therapeutic, individualized message. The conversation also maps a wider ecosystem of charismatic influencers, including those who lean more explicitly into conservative politics, and situates today's media-savvy pastors within a longer lineage of charismatic power brokers shaping American public life. In This Episode Sam Kestenbaum's profile of Judah Smith and the rise of the “hype priest” The Churchome model: pop-up churches, celebrity culture, and Los Angeles creatives Aesthetics, authenticity, and performance in contemporary evangelical preaching The influence of Black Pentecostal styles on white charismatic leaders Why some celebrity pastors avoid overt political alignment The next generation: influencers, revival tours, and conservative media ecosystems Figures like Greg Laurie and Bryce Crawford in the broader charismatic landscape The enduring influence of leaders like Che Ahn and the question of political power Links: Sam Kestenbaum's website: https://samkestenbaum.com/ “The Hype Priest Who Rode the Bieber Wave: Judah Smith's message of grace earned him many famous followers. Is he out of step with other Evangelicals?” (Vulture / New York Magazine): https://www.vulture.com/article/judah-smith-church-pastor-justin-bieber.html “The Demon Slayers: the New Age of American Exorcisms” (on Greg Locke, Harper's Magazine): https://harpers.org/archive/2024/08/the-demon-slayers-sam-kestenbaum-exorcisms/ “‘I Think All the Christians Get Slaughtered': Inside the MAGA Road Show Barnstorming America” (on Clay Clark, Rolling Stone): https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/clay-clark-reawaken-america-maga-tour-trump-1234594574/ Find Sam Kestenbaum at https://samkestenbaum.com/ Find Dr. Leah Payne at drleahpayne.com , subscribe on Substack, follow her on most social media platforms at @drleahpayne, listen along at Spirit & Power: Charismatics & Politics in American Life and Rock that Doesn't Roll: The Story of Christian Rock, and read along: God Gave Rock and Roll to You: A History of Contemporary Christian Music. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Religion scholars Brad Onishi and Dan Miller recap a week of conflict in which Pope Leo criticized war and bombing in a statement widely read as aimed at the U.S. approach to Iran, prompting a lengthy Trump Truth Social attack and backlash over an AI image of Trump as Jesus. JD Vance and Speaker Mike Johnson told the Pope to “stay in his lane” and invoked just war theory, leading Miller to explain its criteria and argue the Iran conflict fails them; the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a response defending the Pope's teaching authority and the church's just war tradition. The hosts frame the dispute as exposing fissures within MAGA Christian nationalism, discuss claims of nationalism turning the nation and leader into God, and analyze Pete Hegseth's rhetoric and prayer language as further evidence, alongside GOP figures and media urging the Pope to avoid politics while promoting religion in government. 00:00 Pope Versus Trump 01:07 Why Religion Matters 02:03 Iran War And Distraction 03:22 Papal Statement And Trump Blowup 04:16 AI Jesus Backlash 06:37 JD Vance Enters Fight 09:00 Pope Warns War Profiteers 10:14 Mike Johnson Just War Spin 11:53 Just War Theory Explained 15:58 Bishops Rebuke Vance 18:39 Fissures In Christian Nationalism 21:25 Aquinas And War As Evil 27:14 MAGA Splits And Catholic Voters 29:22 Vance Authority Christianity 32:32 Power Theology And Nationalism 35:33 Vance Versus Just War 37:07 Hegseth Pulp Prayer 38:57 Vengeance Voice Swap 44:35 TPUSA Flop Fallout 47:35 Trump As Messiah 52:27 GOP Tells Pope Quiet 56:21 One Way Christian Nationalism 59:16 Who Counts As Christian 01:03:40 Task Force Irony 01:05:35 Reasons For Hope 01:08:40 Discord Hope Stories 01:08:55 Closing Hope Notes Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What does it mean when cultural and religious conservatives proclaim that they affirm a “culture of life?” We know it means that they oppose abortion and abortion access. But what else does it mean? In this episode, Dan dives in to decode this message to look at the racial, gender, and social positions that are encoded in this seemingly familiar slogan. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, Brad Onishi unpacks the escalating clash between Donald Trump and Pope Leo—from Trump's public criticism of the Pope to the now-viral AI image depicting himself as Jesus. What might seem like another headline-grabbing controversy reveals deeper tensions between political power and religious authority, especially as figures like JD Vance attempt to downplay the conflict while advancing a broader ideological vision. Going beyond the news cycle, this episode explores the concept of “civilizational populism” and how it helps explain the contradictions at play: a movement that invokes Christianity and Western civilization while sidelining actual religious institutions and leaders. By tracing the intersection of theology, nationalism, and political strategy, Onishi offers a framework for understanding why this moment matters—and what it signals about the future of religion and power in American public life. www.axismundi.us Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, Brad Onishi is joined by world-renowned New Testament scholar Dr. Bart Ehrman to explore the origins of the Western moral conscience through his latest book, Love Thy Stranger. The conversation challenges the common assumption that altruism is a "natural" human impulse, revealing instead how the ancient Greco-Roman world operated on a logic of social dominance and power. Ehrman traces the evolution of ethics from the specific tribal obligations found in Leviticus to the radical, apocalyptic vision of Jesus, who demanded care for the "stranger" as a universal requirement. By examining how this revolutionary Jewish framework was later institutionalized by the early church and the Roman Empire, they uncover why modern Westerners—regardless of their personal faith—still view charity and humanitarianism as a moral imperative. The discussion also dives into the practical friction between Jesus' universalism and Paul's communal ethics, providing a fascinating historical roadmap of how Christian morality became the baseline for Western civilization. From the communal sharing models in the book of Acts to modern-day secular institutions like Doctors Without Borders, Ehrman argues that our contemporary "moral software" is deeply rooted in 1st-century radicalism. To ground these lofty concepts, Ehrman shares a poignant personal reflection on the community response to Hurricane Helene near his home in Asheville, NC, illustrating how these ancient ethical seeds continue to bear fruit in times of modern catastrophe. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this week's episode, Brad Onishi navigates a high-stakes intersection of nuclear brinkmanship and theological crisis. The discussion centers on the fallout of Operation Epic against Iran, specifically Pete Hegseth's assertion that God deserves "all the glory" for the military strike. Brad deconstructs this "Fox News theology," forcing a confrontation with the classic problem of evil: if a victory is divine, how does one account for the collateral damage of a bombed girl's school? This moral tension coincides with a potential fracture in the MAGA coalition, as even staunch media allies like Joe Rogan and Alex Jones begin to voice public concern over Trump's threats to Iranian civilization and the looming specter of nuclear winter. The episode then shifts to an explosive diplomatic confrontation between the Pentagon and the Vatican. Guests Dr. Thomas Lecaque and Rebecca Bratten Weiss join the show to unpack a bombshell report detailing a meeting where Under Secretary Elbridge Colby allegedly pressured Cardinal Christopher Pierre to align with U.S. interests. By invoking the Avignon Papacy—a historical period where the papacy was essentially held captive by the French monarchy—the administration issued what Lecaque describes as a "mafia-style threat" to the Holy See. The panel explores the doomed fantasy of Catholic integralism and the burgeoning rift between those following the teachings of Jesus and those weaponizing faith for geopolitical dominance. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Josh Hawley tells us that blue-collar and manual labor are the domains of true masculinity. He tells us that they are the path to freedom, and meaning, and purpose. He tells us that men have no social value if they do not undertake this kind of work. But is any of this true? Does this kind of work bring us the freedom he claims? Is he really the voice of “working men?” Or is he another elitist who benefits from the exploitation of workers while masquerading as a liberator? Dan argues that this is the real story. Listen to this week's episode to find out why. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Annika Brockschmidt sits down with historian AJ Bauer to dismantle the long-standing myth that the "liberal media" narrative was a natural reaction to biased reporting. Bauer, drawing from his book Making the Liberal Media, traces a century-long strategic project that began not with an outcry against progressivism, but with conservative efforts in the 1930s and 40s to flip a then-right-leaning press. From the grassroots mobilization of oil tycoon HL Hunt's Facts Forum to the calculated exploitation of the Fairness Doctrine, Bauer reveals how the American Right didn't just abandon mainstream journalism—they systematically built a parallel media universe by borrowing tactics from the very progressive reformers they claimed to oppose. The conversation dives deep into the ideological split between William F. Buckley's quest for respectability and the John Birch Society's alternative infrastructure, showing how both paths converged to create the modern conservative media machine. Bauer explains how the "objectivity imperative" of the 20th century actually left mainstream journalists vulnerable to right-wing pressure, forcing them to constantly look over their "rightward shoulder" to prove their lack of bias. By the time the Fairness Doctrine was abolished in 1987, the groundwork had been laid for the rise of Rush Limbaugh and Fox News, ultimately transforming conservative media from a movement tool into an independent power source that paved the way for the Trump era. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of Straight White American Jesus, hosts Brad Onishi and Dan Miller unpack a chaotic and revealing week at the intersection of politics, religion, and power. As Donald Trump once again compares himself to Jesus during the lead-up to Easter, the hosts explore what they see as a deepening pattern of religious distortion within MAGA Christianity—where theological consistency gives way to political loyalty. The conversation situates Trump's rhetoric alongside broader trends, including a controversial decision tied to U.S. Supreme Court on conversion therapy laws and mounting concerns over religious favoritism within the Pentagon under Pete Hegseth. Together, these developments paint a picture of a movement increasingly defined by power, hierarchy, and ideological purity rather than coherent moral or theological principles. The episode also dives into the implications of an 8–1 Supreme Court ruling that weakens state-level bans on conversion therapy, raising urgent questions about free speech, medical ethics, and the vulnerability of LGBTQ+ individuals. Onishi and Miller highlight the emotional and political weight of the decision, especially amid rising hostility toward queer and trans communities. They close with a discussion of the scandal surrounding Kristi Noem and her husband, using it as a lens to push hypocrisy, gender norms, and the authoritarian logic of “order” that underpins Christian nationalism. Despite the heaviness of the topics, the hosts end with cautious optimism, pointing to signs of political pushback and everyday acts of resistance as reasons for hope. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Josh Hawley says that men are called by God to work. In fact, he says that working is the source of God's image within men. But what counts as “work” for Hawley? And what dogmas about work and the value of men drive his account? And how do issues like economic change and the climate crisis inform his thinking? Check out Dan's discussion this week to find out! Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Brad Onishi introduces One Million Neighbors, a new limited series hosted by Melissa Borja. The episode opens in the Twin Cities—Minneapolis and St. Paul—where a sweeping federal immigration crackdown has transformed daily life. In early 2026, thousands of ICE agents flooded the region as part of a massive enforcement operation, conducting raids, stops, and detentions that left communities on edge and sparked protests, school closures, and economic disruption. At the center of this episode is the story of a U.S. citizen violently detained in his own home—an incident that captures the fear, confusion, and anger rippling through neighborhoods under what local leaders have described as a federal “siege.” But One Million Neighbors is not only about this moment—it's about another one. The series reaches back to the 1970s, when many of these same communities became an epicenter of refugee resettlement, as ordinary Americans—often motivated by their faith—helped welcome more than a million people from Southeast Asia despite widespread opposition. By placing today's ICE raids and deportation debates alongside that history, the show asks a deeper question: how did a nation once defined by radical hospitality arrive at a moment of mass enforcement—and what might it look like to choose a different path again? One Million Neighbors: https://redcircle.com/shows/1525ddb6-2be4-4115-b45f-25bbcabf6749https://redcircle.com/shows/1525ddb6-2be4-4115-b45f-25bbcabf6749 Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Brad Onishi sits down with therapist and author Jay Stringer to explore his new book Desire, a deep dive into how we form identity, intimacy, and meaning in a world shaped by shame and disconnection. Jay reflects on his upbringing as a pastor's kid immersed in evangelical purity culture, including harmful messaging around sexuality reinforced by spaces like Liberty University. Together, they unpack how teachings that equate arousal with sin create lifelong shame cycles, especially for young men, and how cultural artifacts like Every Man's Battle reinforced these patterns. The conversation introduces the concept of differentiation—borrowed from biology—as a key to healthy relationships, using the metaphor of a symphony to illustrate how individuality enables deeper intimacy rather than threatening it. From there, Brad and Jay broaden the lens to examine what it means to live a meaningful life in 2026. Drawing on thinkers like Annie Dillard and Albert Camus, they explore how meaning emerges not in spite of life's absurdity, but in response to it. They discuss the stories we inherit, the “provisional selves” we construct, and the midlife invitation to interrogate what we've been taught to value. The episode also tackles masculinity and vulnerability, arguing that domination and hyper-masculinity often mask unaddressed trauma, and that true connection requires risk and emotional honesty. Ultimately, they frame defiance—not despair—as the path forward: a refusal to believe our lives don't matter, and a commitment to building lives rooted in connection, purpose, and resistance to dehumanizing cultural forces. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Brad Onishi and Dan Miller unpack a series of troubling developments surrounding Pete Hegseth's vision for the military chaplaincy, where chaplains may soon wear only religious insignia instead of rank and operate within a drastically reduced set of approved faith codes. The hosts explore how Hegseth's language—framing the role as a mission to “preach the truth,” “shepherd the flock,” and fulfill a “sacred calling”—signals a distinctly Christian nationalist framing of military service, reinforced by his claim that the armed forces have been “infected by political correctness and secular humanism.” They place this in historical context, noting how Japanese American Buddhist soldiers in World War II were denied adequate chaplain support despite serving in one of the most decorated units in U.S. history. The conversation also touches on reporting about Hegseth's crusader imagery, including tattoos and a Bible stamped with “Deus Vult” and the Jerusalem Cross, raising deeper concerns about the ideological direction of military leadership. The episode then shifts to a controversial Pentagon prayer calling for “overwhelming violence” and the damnation of “wicked souls,” which the hosts connect to a broader pattern of rhetoric that glorifies brutality and frames military action in theological terms. From there, Brad and Dan examine the near-religious devotion to tax cuts within the GOP, highlighting reporting that red states are facing massive budget shortfalls as a result of Trump-backed policies—yet lawmakers continue to support them as a matter of ideological commitment rather than evidence. They close by discussing Trump's absence from CPAC, the unease among attendees regarding Iran, and the irony of Trump mailing in his ballot despite his long-standing opposition to mail-in voting, underscoring what they describe as a deeply transactional and contradictory approach to politics. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Josh Hawley says that the crisis of masculinity in America is due to the fact that men won't work. And the reason they won't work, he assures us, is because liberal elites have convinced them not to. But what does Hawley overlook to tell this story? How does he ignore his own status as a cultural elite, and his political party's support of economic policies that favor the elites? What is Hawley hiding behind his appeals to masculinity? Listen to this week's episode and Dan will fill you in! Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This episode of Straight White American Jesus features Brad Onishi unpacking a central claim gaining traction on the political and religious right: that the American presidency was always meant to function like a monarchy. In light of the nationwide “No Kings” protests, Onishi challenges arguments from figures like Michael Knowles and Adrian Vermeule, who suggest that the founders embedded a “kingly” executive into the Constitution. He traces how thinkers drawing on Thomas Aquinas use the language of the “common good” to justify stronger, more centralized authority—potentially at the expense of democratic participation and individual rights. The episode ultimately argues that this reframing of American government is not just historical revisionism, but a strategic effort to normalize authoritarian leadership under religious justification. By contrasting these claims with the founders' explicit rejection of monarchy, Onishi underscores the stakes of the current moment: whether democracy remains a shared project rooted in the will of the people, or gives way to a model where power is consolidated in a single figure claiming moral authority. The call to “No Kings,” then, becomes not just a protest slogan, but a defense of democratic principles against rising theocratic and authoritarian visions of governance. Order American Caesar: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/american-caesar-bradley-b-onishi/1148909845?ean=9781250427922 Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of the Straight White American Jesus Sunday Interview, host Leah Payne speaks with award-winning journalist and historian Caleb Gayle about his acclaimed book Black Moses: A Saga of Ambition and the Fight for a Black State. Caleb Gayle is an award-winning journalist and professor at Northeastern University. He is the author of We Refuse to Forget: A True Story of Black Creeks, American Identity, and Power and a contributing writer at The New York Times Magazine. His work has also appeared in The Atlantic, TIME, The Guardian, Guernica, The New Republic, and The Boston Globe. Longlisted for the National Book Award for Nonfiction, named one of The Washington Post's Best Nonfiction Books of the Year, and selected as a New York Times Editors' Choice, Black Moses tells the remarkable story of Edward McCabe, a Black political leader who nearly succeeded in founding a Black-governed state in the Oklahoma Territory at the turn of the twentieth century. Together, Payne and Gayle explore McCabe's ambitious political vision, the racial politics of the American West, and the broader historical context of Reconstruction, westward expansion, and Indigenous displacement. The conversation also reflects on how forgotten stories like McCabe's challenge familiar narratives about American democracy, race, and political imagination. In this episode: The cinematic structure of Black Moses and how Gayle and his editor shaped the narrative Who Edward McCabe was and why his story has largely disappeared from mainstream American history McCabe's audacious plan to create a Black state in the Oklahoma Territory The Reconstruction-era search for Black self-determination and how McCabe's vision differed from projects in Liberia or Haiti The American West as a site of competing dreams—and conflicts—among Black settlers, white settlers, and Indigenous nations McCabe's political strategy: organizing, coalition building, and attracting Black migration to Oklahoma Why Oklahoma ultimately aligned itself with Jim Crow politics during statehood The unfinished project of American democracy and the importance of political imagination Black Moses: A Saga of Ambition and the Fight for a Black State by Caleb Gayle Can the Rodeo Save a Historic Black Town? One woman's quest to rescue Boley, Oklahoma, The Atlantic, by Caleb Gayle In This EpisodeLinks: We Refuse to Forget: A True Story of Black Creeks, American Identity, and Power by Caleb GayleFind Professor Gayle at www.calebgayle.com, Instagram: @calebgayle, Twitter: @gaylecalebFind Dr. Leah Payne at drleahpayne.com, subscribe on Substack, follow her on most social media platforms at @drleahpayne, listen along at Spirit & Power: Charismatics & Politics in American Life & Rock that Doesn't Roll: the Story of Christian Rock, and read along: God Gave Rock and Roll to You: A History of Contemporary Christian Music. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome back to Straight White American Jesus. In this episode, Brad Onishi and co-host Dan Miller dig into the resignation of Joe Kent and the unraveling narrative around Iran. Kent's claim—that Iran posed no imminent nuclear threat—directly contradicts statements from figures like Mike Johnson and exposes what the hosts see as a familiar pattern: shifting justifications, vague timelines, and a disregard for expertise in favor of political loyalty. The conversation traces how dissent from within MAGA ranks—especially from someone like Kent—signals fractures in the movement, even as those critiques are quickly dismissed by Donald Trump. For Onishi and Miller, the deeper issue is a political culture where intelligence, experience, and even firsthand knowledge of war are subordinated to rhetoric, loyalty, and “feelings” about national security. The episode then widens its lens, connecting foreign policy to a broader “culture of death” that the hosts argue defines the current political moment. From Pete Hegseth's blunt justification that “it takes money to kill bad guys” to the rhetoric emerging from his religious circle—where his pastor Brooks Potteiger and podcast host Joshua Haymes discussed James Talarico in terms that included prayers for his death and suggestions he should be “stopped by any means necessary”—Onishi and Miller highlight a throughline of violence, dehumanization, and theological justification for harm. They argue that this kind of language—casting opponents as enemies of God or demonic threats—creates a moral framework where violence becomes not just acceptable but righteous. The result is a dangerous fusion of nationalism, militarism, and extremist theology, where political disagreement is reframed as spiritual warfare and the stakes are nothing less than life, death, and the future of American democracy. Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In the end of his chapter on men as “warriors,” we finally get to his full vision of what a “warrior” is. What does Hawley have to tell us? Is there anything specifically “war-like” about his warriors? Or anything specifically Christian? Or even anything particularly masculine. Not so much, as it turns out. As Dan argues in this episode, Hawley's really just in it for the culture war. Take a listen and check it out! Subscribe for $3.65: https://axismundi.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our free newsletter: https://swaj.substack.com/ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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