Episode 449: The Atlanta Shootings & Courageous Leadership with Richard Stearns

Is evangelical purity culture to blame for the murder of eight people at spas in Atlanta? Or is anti-Asian racism the cause? What about America’s gun culture or mental illness? Phil, Skye, and Christian discuss the many facets of the tragedy and get vulnerable about their own history with evangelicalism’s obsession with sex.

Then, Skye talks with Richard Stearns, president emeritus of World Vision, about his new book on leadership. Stearns recalls his own battle with purity culture when he tried to convince evangelicals to fight the AIDS epidemic 20 years ago, and he discusses the lack of courageous leadership in many parts of the church today. Also this week—a News of the Butter update.

https://religionnews.com/2021/03/17/atlanta-massage-parlor-murder-suspect-big-into-religion/

https://religiondispatches.org/dont-discount-evangelicalism-as-a-factor-in-racist-murder-of-asian-spa-workers-in-georgia/

https://www.relevantmagazine.com/current/nation/wrestling-with-misogyny-racism-and-toxic-purity-culture-in-the-wake-of-the-atlanta-shootings/

Podcast Phil references:

https://bethebridge.com/episode-12-transition-in-proximity-to-whiteness-with-dante-stewart/

"Lead Like It Matters to God" by Richard Stearns:

https://www.amazon.com/Lead-Like-Matters-Values-Driven-Success-Driven/dp/0830847308