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Episode 531: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism? with Paul D. Miller


Everyone is suddenly talking about Christian nationalism. Some on the political right are embracing the label, while others on the political left are condemning it. Bart Barber, the new president of the Southern Baptist Convention, was interviewed on 60 Minutes this week to explain why Christian nationalism is fundamentally anti-Baptist. But Al Mohler, another influential SBC leader, is less eager to condemn Christian nationalism and takes a more nuanced view. Mohler also says any Christian who doesn’t vote for the Republican Party is being “unfaithful to God.” The Holy Post crew unpacks his argument.

Then, Skye interviews Georgetown professor, Paul D. Miller, about his new book, “The Religion of American Greatness: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism.” Miller defines Christian nationalism historically, and explains why it is both anti-American and anti-Christian. Plus—When you give a pig a beer...

Bonus Patreon Interview with Paul D. Miller: Ukraine & Nuclear Armageddon - https://www.patreon.com/posts/73474701/

0:00 - Sponsor: The Veritas Forum podcast

Listen to The Veritas Forum podcast to engage your heart and mind around the ideas that shape your life. Find it at https://apple.co/3T82prk

News Segment

00:44 - Intro

2:39 - Phil’s animation adventures

7:53 - Animal News

12:09 - SBC leaders on Christian nationalism


42:07 - Sponsor: Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology

Visit www.biola.edu/talbot for more information and to apply today.


Interview with Paul D. Miller


“The Religion of American Greatness: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism” - https://amzn.to/3gi48we

43:24 - Interview intro

44:57 - Paul’s background

47:59 - What is Christian nationalism?

49:42 - Critique of Christian nationalism

54:18 - Christian nationalism then and now

1:03:11 - Race and Christian nationalism

1:11:05 - Nationalism vs nationality

1:12:57 - Advice for spiritual leaders

1:17:29 - Credits


Links from news segment:

“Feral pig pinches multiple six-packs of beer and runs riot at Pilbara camp sites” - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-09/beer-swilling-swine/4946072

Southern Baptist Convention President Bart Barber on Trump, abortion, sex abuse in the church and more (CBS) - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/southern-baptist-convention-president-bart-barber-60-minutes-2022-10-09/

Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/

The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.




24 Comments


Richard Blue
Richard Blue
Oct 27, 2022

Why are pro-life and sanctity of marriage prior to all else? Because if we can put all the focus on sins we don’t struggle with, then we can maintain a feeling of moral authority. Note “sanctity of marriage“ doesn’t include the divorce rate within the church or infidelity of pastors. Note that sanctity of life doesn’t involve gun control, prison overcrowding, inconsistencies in the death penalty, and so forth. As long as we can thank God that we’re not like the publicans over there.

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Richard Blue
Richard Blue
Oct 27, 2022
Replying to

Oh…Skye just addressed this…commented before I listened to the rest 😂

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kacumen
kacumen
Oct 25, 2022

This is GORGEOUS!!!! Glad to see you all doing this!!! More dialogue with people you talk about please!!!!! Sometimes you do misunderstand. Very thankful for this!!!!



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kacumen
kacumen
Oct 25, 2022

You should invite Al Mohler to the show and ask him to explain himself. You can also show your listeners how to have conversations with people you don't see eye to eye with. Win win!

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Mark Norman
Mark Norman
Oct 25, 2022
Replying to

To be honest, I listened to the audiobook during a road-trip, but it’s read by the author and maybe even better because of that.


He would certainly be a great guest.

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Jim Koerten
Jim Koerten
Oct 23, 2022

I found a verse that helps me rank the issues and therefore causes me to vote pro-life over everything else. If I could paraphrase Esther 7:3-4 Esther risks her life in approaching the king uninvited and says, "There is a law that is going to take away the life of our people. If it were about social injustices I would have kept quiet and not bothered the king but this is something much worse." Anyway, I have NEVER seen anyone use this verse which means I have an original thought or I have a totally wrong thought. Ha . I would appreciate your thoughts

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Mark Norman
Mark Norman
Oct 25, 2022
Replying to

By “your thoughts” I won’t pretend you meant my thoughts, but maybe it’ll draw the host‘s attention.

The passage in Esther does nothing to define or describe what she meant by ”our people.” The Bible addresses “personhood” and the value of the unborn in Exodus, where causing the death of a fetus was punishable by payment to the father, but causing the death of the mother was reckoned with “a life for a life. “ I don’t know how He could make it any more clear that a fetus was not considered a person with the same value as those who’ve experienced life outside the womb.


Even if we (Christians) were intent on enforcing Biblical Principals on the US, granting…

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Leah Swindler
Leah Swindler
Oct 22, 2022

I’d like to add another comment about polyamory. I myself am a Christian AND I practice polyamory. I got married very young and was enmeshed in purity culture and was very devout, and have had quite the journey to get to where I am. I’m happy to talk to you about that if there is interest.

as I have grown in this journey I have seen polyamory embody many of the fruits of the spirit, and provide the close knit, loving, accepting community I’ve always craved but definitely did not find inside my church (again, a story there!).

current marriage laws are very problematic for people like me because we’ve enmeshed this western ideal of true love with…


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Lisa Crews
Lisa Crews
Oct 26, 2022
Replying to

I think I carefully demonstrated my awareness that I “don’t decide who is Christian” when I specified exactly what I meant (which implies I understand there is not a single, universally accepted definition of Christian) and identified from what source I get my ideas about who Christ is and what it means to be a Christian. In doing so I also met the basic standard of discussion by defining my terms for the sake of clarity. I notice you didn’t, so I’m asking you to do so now so this discussion can move forward in a constructive way. Which Christ do you mean when you say you’re a Christian? I mean Jesus the Christ as recorded in the NT…

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