It’s In the Code Ep. 82: “The Proof of Inerrancy”
The claim that the Bible is inerrant is a claim that it is the sole and absolute authority in matters of religious truth. For millions of American Christians, that also means that it should be the source of social policy and legislation that shape public life for every American. Those are BIG claims. So what […]
Evangelical Trumpism: Then and Now Part II. w/ Tim Alberta
Part II of Brad’s interview with journalist Tim Alberta, author of the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: Evangelicalism in an Age of Extremism. In his intro, Brad goes through his criticisms of the book. They come down to three main points: It is a normative project in a journalistic format; it reproduces the theological […]
Weekly Roundup: God’s Chosen Is Above the Law
On the eve of the Iowa caucuses, Brad and Dan first take stock of two wild but related claims by Trump: He is immune from the law and chosen by God to enact it. Sounds more like a medieval monarch than a democratically elected president . . . In the second segment, the two hosts […]
It’s In the Code Ep. 81: The Inerrant Bible
“The Bible is without error.” This claim, the claim that the Bible is “inerrant,” is what lies behind most Christians’ claims when they insist they are “preaching the Bible,” that they attend a “Bible church,” that “the Bible is true,” and so on. When most conservative Christians claim to be “literalists,” what they mean is […]
Evangelical Trumpism: Then and Now Part I. w/ Tim Alberta
Part I of Brad’s interview with journalist Tim Alberta, author of the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: Evangelicalism in an Age of Extremism. In his intro, Brad goes through what he learned from the book – and hints at his criticisms of it (those are coming next week). In the interview, Brad asks Tim […]
Weekly Roundup: J6 3 years Later + 14th Amendment Originalism
More Americans think J6 was not big deal than ever. Why? Because the myth of the Big Lie has festered in the three years since the Insurrection, creating an alternate reality in which Donald Trump is not responsible for what happened – and the event wasn’t that violent. Brad and Dan break down the statistics […]
It’s In the Code Ep. 80: “I’m a Biblical Literalist”
“I believe the Bible is literally true.” Such is the claim of many self-professed biblical “literalists.” Academics and journalists who study American religion also often describe conservative Christians, in particular, as “literalists.” But in this episode, the first of several related to the understanding of the Bible within popular American Christianity, Dan argues that no […]
2024 Will Shape America for the Rest of Our Lives
On the first episode of the year, Brad looks ahead to various scenarios in 2024 and what they might mean for our country. One thing is certain: This year will shape our country for the rest of our lives. It could mean a second Trump term. It could mean more political violence. It could mean […]
Weekly Roundup + Festivus (Brad’s Version): Slavery, Stolen Elections, Civil War, In n Out, and Cauliflower “Rice”
Brad begins by discussing the news that Trump is off the ballot in Maine and what that means in the wake of the Colorado decisions. He breaks down why the complexity and tumult of these decisions does not warrant objection to them and why they are necessary in order to safeguard democracy. In the second […]
It’s In the Code Ep. 79: “Everyone Has An Ultimate Authority II”
“Everyone has an ultimate authority.” Last episode considered the intellectual merits of this claim. In this episode, Dan considers the emotional appeal of this claim and the work that claims like this do within high-control religious contexts. How do claims to ultimate authority provide us with a sense of control over, or assurance about, our […]