Best Phil Vischer Podcasts (2024)

1
622: How Ideological Purity is Killing Churches with Ryan Burge 1:32:26

1d ago1:32:26

1:32:26

Remember when churches were seeker-sensitive? The goal was to grow by welcoming newcomers, skeptics, and non-believers. But now it seems some evangelical churches and denominations are more worried about ideological purity than outreach. Sociologist, political scientists, and pastor Ryan Burge is back to talk about the self-defeating trend toward s…

1
621: The Rise of Christian Extremism with Elizabeth Neumann 1:25:37

8d ago1:25:37

1:25:37

After working for the Department of Homeland Security, and more than twenty years as a counterterrorism expert, Elizabeth Neumann says the greatest threat to the U.S. is no longer international Islamic terrorism but domestic Christian extremists. She discusses her new book, “Kingdom of Rage,” with Skye and how conspiracy theories and violent politi…

1
620: Applying the 7 Deadly Sins in a Secular Age with Elizabeth Oldfield 1:30:12

15d ago1:30:12

1:30:12

Lord Acton famously said, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Was he right? Mike Erre is back to discuss the way Christians think about power, and why he believes our pursuit of power over the world is not the way of Jesus. Then, author Elizabeth Oldfield talks with Kaitlyn about her new book, “Fully Alive,” which uses the Seve…

1
French Friday: The Trump Verdict, Flawed Heroes, & Shogun 1:01:29

20d ago1:01:29

1:01:29

The verdict is in and Donald Trump was found guilty on all 34 counts in the hush money trial. Skye Jethani and David French discuss the political implications of the guilty verdict. While neither believe the verdict will have any impact on Trump’s base, David thinks it could erode support among supporters on the bubble, but Skye remains unconvinced…

1
619: Human Sinfulness and the Evangelical Legacy of Slavery 1:27:45

22d ago1:27:45

1:27:45

In a recent 60 minutes interview, Pope Francis sparked controversy when he claimed that humans are fundamentally good. Katelyn Beaty joins Phil and Kaitlyn to discuss the Pope's comments, and why our theology needs to include both the doctrine that all humans are made in the image of God and an understanding of original sin. Also, new survey data s…

1
618: Commencement Controversy & Racial Reconciliation with Latasha Morrison 1:25:21

29d ago1:25:21

1:25:21

Kansas City Chiefs Kicker, Harrison Butker, recently gave a controversial commencement address at Benedictine College where he drew on some popular conservative talking points about Pride Month, Covid 19 policies, and the calling of women in the home. Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn discuss the problems they had with the speech, as well as their frustratio…

1
617: Apple Crushes It & the Future of Christianity with Matthew Niermann 1:31:09

1M ago1:31:09

1:31:09

A new iPad advertisement showing musical instruments and art supplies being crushed by a hydraulic press has triggered a backlash against Apple and provoked a wider discussion about the impact of technology on communities and creativity. Jonathan Haidt says religious kids have better mental health on average because they’re connected to incarnate c…

1
616: Black Church Politics & Messy Authenticity with Nancy French 1:26:05

1M ago1:26:05

1:26:05

Phil is back! He gives an update about his family’s harrowing medical emergency. Then, new data shows the Democratic Party’s grip on Black Christians may be slipping. Esau McCaulley shares his take on the reason. Nancy French talks with Skye about the themes in her new memoir, “Ghosted,” including church sexual abuse, political tribalism, trauma, a…

1
615: Taylor Swift’s Sacrilege & the Future of the Republican Party with Peter Wehner 1:34:31

2M ago1:34:31

1:34:31

Swifties are celebrating the record-breaking release of two new albums, but some conservative Christians are not happy. They’re accusing Taylor Swift of mocking Christianity and promoting witchcraft. Our resident Swiftie, Kaitlyn Schiess, explains the controversy. Then, former presidential speechwriter and contributor to The Atlantic, Pete Wehner, …

1
French Friday: Israel’s Error and College Protests 1:02:27

2M ago1:02:27

1:02:27

The war in Gaza has carried on for longer than expected, and David French is starting to see parallels between Israel and the US military in the Iraq War—he thinks Israel could learn from what went wrong in Iraq. Then, David and Skye discuss the student protests and how universities are handling them—what’s civil disobedience and what’s lawlessness…

1
614: The Rise of Raunchy Christians & Avoiding Civil War with Tracy McKenzie 1:35:33

2M ago1:35:33

1:35:33

Previously puritanical evangelicals are increasingly embracing profanity and lewd content. A recent New York Times article explores possible explanations ranging from politics and the culture wars, to the internet and the decline of churches. Also, fewer people are reading books, and that’s a challenge for Christian traditions rooted in literacy, e…

1
613: Driscoll, Dawkins, & Political Discipleship with Curtis Chang 1:27:52

2M ago1:27:52

1:27:52

Atheist Richard Dawkins has said he doesn’t believe one word of the Christian faith, but he now considers himself a “cultural Christian” and wants to defend the Christian values of his country against the influence of Islam and immigrants. Does this represent an alignment between the New Atheists and Christian Nationalists? Curtis Chang shares abou…

1
612: The Religious Vacuum, Politics, & the Powers with N.T. Wright 1:30:48

2M ago1:30:48

1:30:48

This week we’re discussing a series of articles exploring what we’re gaining and losing as fewer Americans are committed to religion and attending church. Even some non-believers are beginning to worry that the decline in religion may not be good for society, but does it also represent a new opportunity for the message of Christianity? Then, N.T. W…

1
611: Trump’s Bible, Biden’s Easter, and Climate Change for Christians with Katharine Hayhoe 1:25:59

3M ago1:25:59

1:25:59

The newest Holy Post team member, Esau McCaulley, joins Phil and Skye to discuss two stories that caused outrage from both ends of the political spectrum during Holy Week. Trump is selling an American flag-wrapped Bible, and the Biden administration honored “Transgender Visibility Day” on Easter. And why are Catholic Charities being attacked for he…

1
French Friday: TikTok Ban & Who Should Hold the Reins of Social Media 1:10:11

3M ago1:10:11

1:10:11

A recent bill to ban TikTok was passed in the House with bipartisan support. Skye talks with David French about the arguments for and against the bill, the likelihood of it passing the Senate, and why Trump claims China is America's biggest threat, and yet he still opposes the TikTok ban. Then, Skye and David break down two recent Supreme Court cas…

1
610: Learning to Disagree Respectfully with John Inazu 1:35:52

3M ago1:35:52

1:35:52

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade almost two years ago, the debate about abortion has taken on new dimensions. Factions within the pro-life camp are now battling each other. Could they break apart the Religious Right? Then, Kaitlyn interviews professor of Law and Religion, John Inazu, about his new book, “Learning to Disagree.” He says …

1
609: Rebounding Pastors, Shifting Evangelicals, & Rethinking Christian Media with Jon Houghton 1:35:21

3M ago1:35:21

1:35:21

After a number of difficult years and dismal statistics, a new report from Barna says pastors are on the mend. Another book about “ex-vangelicals” has been released. Does it have anything new to add to the conversation? And a record number of Latinos in the U.S. are leaving Catholicism to become Pentecostal evangelicals. What does it mean for the f…

1
Episode 171 (Final Episode): Dune 2 1:01:23

3M ago1:01:23

1:01:23

Josh's Something Old: Raiders of the Lost Ark Skye's Something Old: Kill Bill Vol 1 & 2 Something New: Dune 2 Josh's Proposal: I propose Dune 2 is "adult Star Wars" Skye's Proposal: I propose Dune is the best sci-fi sequel since The Empire Strikes Back Something Borrowed: https://www.ign.com/articles/dune-part-2-is-less-about-the-movie-and-more-abo…

1
608: Defining the Gospel & Who’s a “Real” Christian with Matthew Bates 1:32:36

3M ago1:32:36

1:32:36

Earlier this year, John MacArthur said that Martin Luther King Jr. was “a nonbeliever who misrepresented everything about Christ and the gospel.” Last week, Justin Giboney responded with an article in CT explaining why MacArthur was wrong about MLK. This leads Phil, Kaitlyn, and Skye to ask when is it appropriate to define who is, and who is not, a…

1
607: The Gift of Disillusionment with Mike Cosper 1:38:17

4M ago1:38:17

1:38:17

CORRECTION - The initial audio file uploaded this morning was missing the last 10 minutes. If your phone automatically downloads the episode, remove the download and then redownload it, and that should take care of the issue. Sorry for the inconvenience! 607: Are you feeling disillusioned about your faith? About your church? You’re definitely not a…

1
Episode 170: Orion and the Dark 49:01

4M ago49:01

49:01

Josh's Something Old: Fried Green Tomatoes Stacey's Something Old: Never Ending Story Something New: Orion and the Dark Josh's Proposal: I propose Orion and the Dark is Dreamworks’ Inside Out, but not funny or enlightening. Stacey's Proposal: I propose that Orion and the Dark went for complex and nuance but just ended up with complicated. Something…

1
606: Alabama Embryos & Catechizing Kids with Todd Hains & Natasha Kennedy 1:27:40

4M ago1:27:40

1:27:40

Last week the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos created for in-vitro fertilization have the legal status of children, essentially ending all IVF treatments in the state. Some are applauding the ruling as both a morally and theologically consistent affirmation of human life. But others, including some Christians, are saying the pro-lif…

1
French Friday: Biden's Age & MAGA's Violence 1:07:00

4M ago1:07:00

1:07:00

David and Skye discuss the upcoming primary election—if most people agree that Biden is too old to hold office, why hasn’t he stepped down? Would a different vice president give voters more confidence? Pastors, doctors, and politicians are routinely threatened with physical violence by MAGA—is this our fault for not standing up publicly against thi…

1
605: Market-Driven Christianity & Abortion Beyond Politics with Angela Weszely 1:30:07

4M ago1:30:07

1:30:07

A new book argues that the rise and decline of the Contemporary Christian Music industry helps explain the political idolatry of many Christians, and Karen Swallow Prior says the biblical manhood industry is a scam. These stories lead Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn to discuss whether American evangelicalism is defined more by consumer markets than by theo…

1
Episode 169: Argylle 41:42

4M ago41:42

41:42

Josh's Something Old: Undercover Blues Skye's Something Old: Bourne Identity Something New: Argylle Josh's Proposal: I propose that the makers of Argylle need to learn the meaning of know your audience. Skye's Proposal: I propose getting a colonoscopy is more enjoyable than watching Argylle Something Borrowed: https://www.vulture.com/article/an-att…

1
604: Faulty Foot Washing & Pagan Christianity with Nijay Gupta 1:29:20

4M ago1:29:20

1:29:20

The “He Gets Us” campaign ran a Super Bowl ad showing culture war combatants washing each other’s feet. It has conservative Christians upset and non-Christians confused. Phil, Kaitlyn, and Skye react to the ad and unpack the many ways we misunderstand the meaning of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet. Then, New Testament professor Nijay Gupta is bac…

1
603: The Politics of Fear & Rethinking the Cross with Brian Zahnd 1:31:54

4M ago1:31:54

1:31:54

Well, here we are again. The very same arguments that were rolled out by MAGA Christian leaders to justify supporting Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020 are back again in 2024. A new article in the Christian Post says America’s survival depends on Christians voting for Trump. Why do these fear tactics still work? Then, it’s true that all politicians lie…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Phil Vischer Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
The Holy Post

Phil Vischer

1
The Movie Proposal

Skye Jethani and Josh Lindsay

1
VeggieTakes

Edible Theology

1
622: How Ideological Purity is Killing Churches with Ryan Burge 1:32:26

1
621: The Rise of Christian Extremism with Elizabeth Neumann 1:25:37

1
620: Applying the 7 Deadly Sins in a Secular Age with Elizabeth Oldfield 1:30:12

1
French Friday: The Trump Verdict, Flawed Heroes, & Shogun 1:01:29

1
619: Human Sinfulness and the Evangelical Legacy of Slavery 1:27:45

1
618: Commencement Controversy & Racial Reconciliation with Latasha Morrison 1:25:21

1
617: Apple Crushes It & the Future of Christianity with Matthew Niermann 1:31:09

1
616: Black Church Politics & Messy Authenticity with Nancy French 1:26:05

1
615: Taylor Swift’s Sacrilege & the Future of the Republican Party with Peter Wehner 1:34:31

1
French Friday: Israel’s Error and College Protests 1:02:27

1
614: The Rise of Raunchy Christians & Avoiding Civil War with Tracy McKenzie 1:35:33

1
613: Driscoll, Dawkins, & Political Discipleship with Curtis Chang 1:27:52

1
612: The Religious Vacuum, Politics, & the Powers with N.T. Wright 1:30:48

1
611: Trump’s Bible, Biden’s Easter, and Climate Change for Christians with Katharine Hayhoe 1:25:59

1
French Friday: TikTok Ban & Who Should Hold the Reins of Social Media 1:10:11

1
610: Learning to Disagree Respectfully with John Inazu 1:35:52

1
609: Rebounding Pastors, Shifting Evangelicals, & Rethinking Christian Media with Jon Houghton 1:35:21

1
Episode 171 (Final Episode): Dune 2 1:01:23

1
608: Defining the Gospel & Who’s a “Real” Christian with Matthew Bates 1:32:36

1
607: The Gift of Disillusionment with Mike Cosper 1:38:17

1
Episode 170: Orion and the Dark 49:01

1
606: Alabama Embryos & Catechizing Kids with Todd Hains & Natasha Kennedy 1:27:40

1
French Friday: Biden's Age & MAGA's Violence 1:07:00

1
605: Market-Driven Christianity & Abortion Beyond Politics with Angela Weszely 1:30:07

1
Episode 169: Argylle 41:42

1
604: Faulty Foot Washing & Pagan Christianity with Nijay Gupta 1:29:20

1
603: The Politics of Fear & Rethinking the Cross with Brian Zahnd 1:31:54

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