Impolite Conversation: Religion And Politics

For the holidays, we're digging into why Christmas is celebrated on December 25--and no, it's not just because of Saturnalia. And then we chat about the sharp rise in anti-Semitic violence the past few years and whether or not there's any reason for hope. And in One Last Thing, Dan read another audiobook this month and Tim has been flipping through the scholarly journals. Some of the things we talked about this month: Our guest, Dr. McGowan, brought up mariology. Here are discussions of the planned attack on the synagogue in Pueblo, CO and the successful one in Poway, CA. And here is a description of the vandalism in an Omaha, NE cemetery. Dan mentioned a verse in the Gospel of John that refers to Jews as the children of the devil. (And here is why it shouldn't be taken out of context.) Dan's OLT was about Mythos: The Grek Myths Retold, by Stephen Fry. Tim's OLT was about "Kids These Days: Why the Youth of Today Seem Lacking," by John Protzko and Jonathan W. Schooler. 0:00-0:58: Introduction 1:02-27:0

This month, we talk to Tim's longtime friend Kimberly Horn Conger about her work documenting the Christian Right at the state level. Then she sticks around to help us break down how the 2020 Democratic hopefuls are using faith, and whose rhetoric might be most effective. And in One Last Thing, both Dan and Tim are reflecting on bad behavior. Some of the things we discuss in this episode: Dr. Conger referenced several Supreme Court cases, including Obergefell v. Hodges, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, and Webster v. Reproductive Health Services. She also mentioned the book The Rights Turn in Conservative Christian Politics, by Andrew Lewis. Dan mentioned The Culture of Disbelief, by Stephen Carter. Dan's One Last Thing was about How to Behave Badly in Elizabethan England, by Ruth Goodman. Tim's One Last Thing was about the Twitter account @presvillain and the essay "On Bullshit." (Tim also mentioned Calvinball. If you don't know Calvin and Hobbes, drop everything and buy one of Bill Watterson's books.) 0:0

This month we talk to Presbyterian minister Layton Williams about her new book Holy Disunity and her thesis that authenticity is more important than unity. Then the two of us settle in to chat about the "quasi-messianic" language that's come out of the White House recently. (Note: we knew when we recorded this episode that the events we discussed in our B-segment would have been overtaken by other scandals many times over by the time it came out, but we had no way of knowing there would be an actual impeachment inquiry underway. So enjoy this window into the more innocent time that was the middle of last month.) Some of the things we talked about in this episode: Here is the tweet and the video that made our second segment possible, and here is the article that inspired us to talk about it. Dan mentioned this moment as possible evidence of Trump's cognitive decline. Tim's OLT was about the New York Times' 1619 Project. And Dan's OLT was about the audio versions of Robert Caro's biographies of Lyndon John

It's our 50th episode! This month we talk to Christopher Murray, a DC-area high school teacher who started a program to teach his colleagues about the religious diversity they might find among their students. And then we spend a few minutes chatting about what we've learned in our first 50 episodes. Finally, in One Last Thing, Dan is going on vicarious coffee dates and Tim is revising the history of early 90s TV. Some of the things we discussed in this episode: Here is the article that inspired our talk with Chris Murray. Tim referenced this famous experiment. Dan's OLT was about Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Tim's OLT was about Zack Morris is Trash. (He especially loves this episode.) 0:00-1:18: Introduction 1:22-14:43: Murray interview 14:47-28:47: 50th episode chat 28:52-31:56: Dan's OLT 31:57-35:09: Tim's OLT 35:10-36:10: Credits

This month we return to our August tradition of discussing the 2018-19 Supreme Court term with friend-of-the-show Ann Duncan. And in One Last Thing, both Dan and Tim have been watching TV of a supernatural variety. *** We burned through a lot of Supreme Court cases in this episode. If you want to read the decisions for yourself, the cases are American Legion v. American Humanist Association (Establishment clause), Box v. Planned Parenthood (abortion), Bucklew v. Precythe (death penalty), Madison v. Alabama (also death penalty), Gamble v. US (abortion again, kind of), and Commerce v. New York (the census). Ann referenced this tweetstorm by the President of the United States of America and recommended the latest season of NPR's Embedded. Dan's OLT was about the third season of Netflix's Stranger Things. Tim's OLT was about the Amazon Prime miniseries Good Omens. 0:00-1:24: Introduction 1:28-40:36: Supreme Court discussion with Dr. Ann Duncan 40:41-43:06: Dan's OLT 43:06-45:36: Tim's OLT 45:36-46:40: C

This month: with abortion restrictions making headlines across the South and Midwest, it's a good time to talk to Rebecca Todd Peters about her new book Trust Women: A Progressive Christian Argument for Reproductive Justice. And in One Last Thing, both Dan and Tim have been watching movies about unsavory characters, but those movies were...not the same. UC Berkeley Law School published this primer on reproductive justice. And this Vox article discusses the data Dr. Peters referenced about declining abortion rates. Dan's OLT was about Pink Flamingos. Tim's OLT was about the documentaries FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened and FYRE FRAUD. 0:00-1:26: Introduction 1:31-31:52: Peters interview 31:57-35:06: Dan's OLT 35:07-38:37: Tim's OLT 38:38-39:39: Credits 39:45-40:01: Outtake

To start off the summer, we talk this month about the erosion of democracy in Israel and Dan's recent trip to the Museum of the Bible. NOTE: we recorded this show prior to last week's announcement that Benjamin Netanyahu is calling for new elections in Israel. Some of the things we discussed in this episode: There are lots of good resources on the question of whether Israel is in a democratic backslide, including this Brookings Institute briefing paper and this Vox article. If you don't know The Princess Bride, here is the reference Dan was making. But then, if you've never seen The Princess Bride, you should really be doing that rather than listening to this show. Material Dan read about the Museum of the Bible included both Bible Nation by Candida Moss and Joel Baden and Steven Young's chapter in Christian Tourist Attractions, Mythmaking, and Identity Formation. And you can read some of Dan's thoughts about the museum, and see some of his pictures, in the newest area of our web site. Dan's One Last Th

On this month’s Impolite Conversation, we talk to a scholar and a bishop about the continuing crisis regarding the status of LGBTQ people in the United Methodist Church. First, Iliff School of Theology president Thomas Wolfe shares his thoughts with us. Then Karen Oliveto, the first LGBT bishop in UMC history, spares some moments to consider what the situation means for her and her flock. And in One Last Thing, Dan has been watching TV (again) and Tim has been reading News of the Gross (again). Some of the things we talked about in this episode: Here is the statement Dr. Wolfe released to the Iliff community. And here is Bishop Oliveto’s memoir. Dan’s OLT was about the Amazon show Hanna. And Tim’s OLT was about this poor woman. 0:00-1:57: Introductions 2:01-27:41: Wolfe interview 27:46-41:17: Oliveto interview 41:21-43:45: Dan’s OLT 43:46-46:10: Tim’s OLT 46:11-47:13: Credits 47:17-47:22: Outtake

On this month's Imp Convo, Oxford Pastorate associate pastor Robert Heimburger joins us via Skype to talk about his new book God and the Illegal Alien: United States Immigration Law and a Theology of Politics. And in One Last Thing, Dan has been watching TV again and Tim is taking music advice from an old friend. Warning: there is a brief moment of explicit language in this episode. No links from the main show this month, but Dan's OLT is The Umbrella Academy, and Tim's is The Dip Delivers. 0:00-1:22: Introduction 1:26-27:38: Heimburger interview 27:43-31:47: Dan's OLT 31:47-33:34: Tim's OLT 33:35-34:35: Credits

This month, Impolite Conversation goes to the movies to discuss the Liberty University-produced film The Trump Prophecy and what it tells us about evangelical culture and the connection between the religious right and Donald Trump. And then Dan and Tim chat some more about the film and What It All Means. (Spoiler: we didn't like it.) And in One Last Thing, Dan is tracking a serial killer, and Tim is watching a woman be killed serially. Some of the things we discussed in this episode: The Trump Prophecy is available to rent, but we wouldn't recommend it. Dr. Willenbrink provided the greatest summary of The Day After Tomorrow we've ever heard. The talking heads in The Trump Prophecy included Jerry Boykin and Michele Bachmann. Here are the supplements sold by the real Dr. Colbert. Dr. Willenbrink also introduced us to the term SAGE Cons, but not this kind. Tim brought up the short-lived, much-mourned TV show Firefly, and how the spaceship was a character on the show. One Last Thing should be like the mus

There's a new Congress in Washington, DC, so we're spending this month talking about the growing diversity of the faiths it represents, the ongoing "theistic bias" in representation, and the consequences for American governance. Some of the things we talked about in this episode: Here is the Pew report we based our conversation on. Dan referenced videos reducing the world's population to 100 representative people. Here's one. Tim referenced this graph of the nations of the world by GDP and religiosity. Dan's One Last Thing was the BBC America series Killing Eve. Tim's One Last Thing was the Amazon Prime series Homecoming. 0:00-1:14: Introductions 1:15-32:38: Congress conversation 32:43-35:43: Dan's OLT 35:43-38:23: Tim's OLT 38:23-39:33: Credits 39:38-39:52: Outtake

On this the first Imp Convo of 2019, friend of the show Todd Green talks to us about his new book Presumed Guilty: Why We Shouldn't Ask Muslims to Condemn Terrorism. And in a 2018 retrospective edition of One Last Thing, Dan gets meta about the year gone by and Tim muses on scandals past and present. Some of the things we discussed on this episode: Todd referenced this Google Doc which documents thousands of instances of Muslims condemning terrorism. Tim really, really likes the podcast Slow Burn. 0:00-1:14: Introduction 1:18-42:34: Green interview 42:39-45:24: Dan's OLT 45:25-47:52: Tim's OLT 47:52-48:56: Credits

This month on Impolite Conversation we chat with the Very Reverend (and longtime Dan-friend) Barkley Thompson about trying to approach the political realm as a Christian rather than a partisan. His new book is In the Midst of the City: The Gospel and God's Politics. And then we break format to shamelessly promote Tim's new book with Heather Yates of the University of Central Arkansas, The Hollywood Connection: The Influence of Fictional Media and Celebrity Politics on American Public Opinion. (Makes a great stocking stuffer!) And in One Last Thing, Dan mourns the passing of Stan Lee and Tim dances on the grave of the Florida felon disenfranchisement law. Some of the things we talked about in this episode: Reverend Thompson mentioned his love for Wendell Berry and Flannery O'Connor, especially the short story "A Good Man Is Hard to Find." Reverend Thompson also alluded to Robert Putnam's Bowling Alone and Paul Tillich's discussion of "ultimate concern." Tim mentioned Bernard Cohen's famous assertion that "

This month on Impolite Conversation: we reconsider the causal arrow between religious attendance and political beliefs as we welcome Michele Margolis to talk to us about her book From Politics to the Pews: How Partisanship and the Political Environment Shape Religious Identity. And in One Last Thing, Dan wants to talk about Fear, while Tim wants to talk about inspiration. Some of the things we talked about this month: Dan mentioned Tradition in a Rootless World, by Lynn Davidman. Dan's OLT was about Bob Woodward's new book Fear: Trump in the White House. And that got us chatting about Dan Drezner's #ToddlerinChief thread and NBC's count of the days the president has spent at self-owned properties. Tim's OLT was about the astounding world record set by Eliud Kipchoge. 0:00-1:03: Introductions 1:08-37:11: Margolis interview 37:15-41:20: Dan's OLT 41:20-44:55: Tim's OLT 44:55-45:54: Credits 45:59-46:18: Outtakes

On this month's episode, Andrew Whitehead talks to us about his recent article which links Christian nationalism with opposition to gun control. He explains what scholars mean by "Christian nationalism" and how a religion founded long before the invention of either guns or America is used to justify an absolutist reading of the Second Amendment. And in One Last Thing, Tim has been prepping for Halloween and Jack Ryan has been disappointing Dan. Some of the links for this episode: Dr. Whitehead's article, "Gun Control in the Crosshairs," is available ungated. Tim's OLT was about The Adventures of Superhero Girl. Dan's OLT was about the Amazon reboot Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan. 0:00-1:32: Introduction 1:36-25:51: Whitehead interview 25:55-29:52: Tim OLT 29:53-34:52: Dan OLT 34:53-36:01: Credits

This month on Impolite Conversation, we dive into the recent headlines to talk about religious freedom and what Jeff Sessions' Department of Justice really means when it uses that term. Then we turn our attention to Arkansas, where Satanists--or really, "Satanists"--erected a goat-headed idol on the statehouse grounds in Little Rock. And in One Last Thing, Dan has been reading a book-length history of Batman and Tim has been reading stories so short, they fit into a single tweet. Some of the things we discussed in this episode: The executive orders that frame the first topic are cataloged at the White House web site. You can read more about the Religious Liberty Summit here. Two books worth reading on church and state issues: Founding Faith by Steven Waldman and The Culture of Disbelief by Stephen Carter. Three court cases integral to this conversation: Reynolds v. US, Sherbert v. Verner, and Employment Division v. Smith. There were many articles about the protest in Little Rock, but this may be the best

This month, we welcome back friend-of-the-show Ann Duncan to talk about the 2017-18 Supreme Court season, including Masterpiece Cake Shop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, NIFLA v. Becerra, and Trump v. Hawaii. She helps us understand why this was such a good year for conservatives in terms of the Court's religion cases, and scopes out what soon-to-be Justice Kavanaugh portends for the terms to come. And in One Last Thing, Dan has been spending his summer at the movie house, while Tim has been catching up on Chinese science fiction. Some of the things we discuss in this episode: Ann mentioned Moral Combat by Marie Griffith and this article by Winnifred Sullivan. Here's a case summary of Korematsu v. US, which many (including the dissenting justices) compared to the ruling in Trump v. Hawaii. Dan's OLT was about Deadpool 2 (trailer NSFW) and The Incredibles 2. And Tim's OLT was about The Three Body Problem by Liu Cixin. 0:00-1:05 Introduction 1:05-50:40: Duncan interview 50:45-53:02: Dan's OLT 53:0

In this month's Impolite Conversation, we talk to David Wheeler-Reed about his new book, Regulating Sex in the Roman Empire: Ideology, the Bible, and the Early Christians. And then Dan and Tim chat about what it means when politicians quote Scripture to make a political point. And in One Last Thing, Dan has been doing some reading of his own about the ancient world, but Tim just wants to strut his summer away. Some of the things we talked about on this episode: This was an unusually Bible-heavy episode: we discussed I Corinthians 7, I Corinthians 13, Romans 13, and this passage from Exodus. Dan's OLT was Alberto Manguel's book Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey: A Biography. Tim's OLT was a little bit Slow Burn but mostly The Stunning's new album Twice Around the World. 0:00-1:58: Introduction 2:02-29:38: Wheeler-Reed interview 29:42-45:00: Bible in politics discussion 45:04-47:43: Dan's OLT 47:44-50:55: Tim's OLT 50:56-52:15: Credits 52:18-52:33: Outtake

In this episode, we go into Dan's class on "Gender, Sex, Race, and the Bible" to discuss Ludger Viefhues-Bailey's book Between a Man and a Woman? Why Conservatives Oppose Same-Sex Marriage. And in One Last Thing, Dan has been watching the Marvel apocalypse, Courtney has been thinking about graduations as endings, and Tim just wants to gross you out. Some of the things we talked about in this episode: If you want some summer reading, you can email Dan for his syllabus. In his book, Viefhues-Bailey referenced both What's the Matter With Kansas? and this debate between Alan Wolfe and James Davison Hunter. Courtney mentioned the Buddhist flag. Dan's OLT is about Avengers: Infinity War. And if you don't know an infinity stone from a kidney stone, NPR's Glen Weldon has you covered. Courtney's OLT is about graduations. And Tim's OLT is about this poor woman. 0:00-1:27: Introduction 1:32-35:45: Roundtable discussion 35:49-38:23: Dan's OLT 38:24-41:10: Courtney's OLT 41:10-43:38: Tim's OLT 43:38-44:48: Cr

On this episode of Impolite Conversation, our friend Kimberly Jarvis joins us as we wrap up our three-month exploration of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with a roundtable discussion of what the future of the conflict might look like. And in One Last Thing, Kim has more thoughts on the Middle East, Courtney has thoughts on being an A’s fan, Dan has thoughts on Jessica Jones, and Tim has thoughts on the recent Simpsons dust-up. Note: there was a small problem with the audio in the first release of this show. This release should fix it. Some of the things we discussed in this show: This map shows the 1948 border between Israel and the Palestinian territories. Dan mentioned King David, featuring Richard Gere. Kim referenced this article on the recent Palestinian protests. Tim talked about Israel/Palestine by Alan Dowty. Kim’s OLT was about the documentary Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of ISIS and the book Notes on a Foreign Country. Courtney’s OLT was about the Oakland A’s. Dan’s OLT w