In the newest attempt to relitigate the 2020 election, the right-wing provocateur Dinesh D'Souza, released a new movie called 2000 mules. Dinesh, who received a presidential pardon from Donald Trump for a felony conviction for making illegal campaign contributions, along with True The Vote purports to have used cell phone geolocation data and video surveillance of mail-in ballot drop boxes to argue that President Joe Biden lost the 2020 election. The movie, which has grossed over $10 million promises that this is only the beginning. This week I speak with Phillip Bump who recently caught up with the director of the film, to ask him what he learned from his one on one interview with the director of the film, Dinesh D’Souza. ‘2000 Mules’ offers the least convincing election-fraud theory yet: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/05/11/2000-mules-offers-least-convincing-election-fraud-theory-yet/ Discussing the gaps in ‘2000 Mules’ with Dinesh D’Souza: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/05/17/discussing-gaps-2000-mules-with-dinesh-dsouza/ Even the geolocation maps in ‘2000 Mules’ are misleading: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/05/19/even-geolocation-maps-2000-mules-are-misleading/ Georgia Bureau of Investigation: https://twitter.com/stphnfwlr/status/1451309892824936452

Rick Lindroth is a Vilas Distinguished Achievement and Sorenson Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he teaches about climate change. What makes Rick unique, aside from being a nemophilist (a person who loves or is fond of woods or forests), is that he is also a Christian. There are many labels people in the Christian faith have been given by the secular community, but rarely is the term Climate Scientist one of them. This week we unpack what it means to be a Climatologist in the Christian community, and we also do a temperature check (pun intended) on where we are at with regard to our current climate situation. Spoiler Alert: It's bad. To learn more about our guest, check out UW-Madison website: https://entomology.wisc.edu/directory/rick-lindroth/ Guest Bio: Rick Lindroth is a Distinguished Professor of ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During 2010-16, he also served as an Associate Dean for Research at UW-Madison. He is a Fulbright Fellow and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Much of his research has focused on the impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems. But recently Rick was the subject of a Washington Post article that focused on the importance of faith in combatting hopelessness when dealing with climate change. WaPo article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2022/04/16/climate-despair-christian-scientist-finding-hope/

Join Josh and Will as they interview New Testament Scholar Dr. Tim Gombis. Their conversation ranges from cruciformly (yes that IS a word) to the race relationships in the church. You won’t want to miss this fascinating conversation. Learn more about time by visiting his website: https://timgombis.com From Tim Gombis: I call my blogging home Faith Improvised because it represents what I do as a student of the New Testament. I observe a body of texts that improvise upon the faith of Israel in light of the reality of Jesus Christ. It also captures how I regard being Christian. The way of Jesus as depicted in the New Testament is both radically new and in complete continuity with the way of the God of Israel and his aims to claim a people for the redemption of the world. In the same way, Christian faithfulness is always shaped by its many pasts and is always reconfiguring and adjusting in order to meet and redeem new situations. Faith Improvised is a space for me to think out loud and in community about pretty much anything and everything, but mainly about books I’m reading, movies, sports, biblical studies, and politics.

This week we get the honor of speaking with Amanda Tyler (Executive Director, BJC) and Brian Kaylor (President, Word & Way) about a recent SCOTUS case involving prayer. In its simplest definition the Kennedy v. Bremerton School District case is about Coach Kennedy praying on the 50 yard line after a game, and whether or not that prayer is considered government speech. This case centers around two key issues: Whether a public-school employee who says a brief, quiet prayer by himself while at school and visible to students is engaged in government speech that lacks any First Amendment protection; and (2) whether, assuming that such religious expression is private and protected by the free speech and free exercise clauses, the establishment clause nevertheless compels public schools to prohibit it. Amanda and Brian help us make sense of the oral arguments and discuss potential implications of the ruling, should SCOTUS favor Coach Kennedy's position. Listen to the entire oral arguments: https://www.c-span.org/video/?519490-1/kennedy-v-bremerton-oral-argument Guest bios: Amanda Tyler is executive director of BJC. She leads the organization as it upholds the historic Baptist principle of religious liberty, defending the free exercise of religion and protecting against its establishment by government. Learn more about what BJC does: https://bjconline.org Brian Kaylor, Word&Way Editor & President since 2016, is an award-winning writer and sought-after expert on issues of religion, politics, and communication. He also hosts the award-winning podcast "Dangerous Dogma" Learn more about Word & Way: https://wordandway.org

In the third, and last, installment of our series centered around the possibility of Roe V. Wade being overturned, when SCOTUS makes a ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization in June. We speak with Washington Post's Deputy Editorial Page Editor, Karen Tumulty, about the politics of this issue and whether or not this could be an activating event for Democrats going into the midterm elections in November. Guest Bio: Karen Tumulty is Deputy Editorial Page Editor and a columnist for The Washington Post. In her previous role as a national political correspondent for the newspaper, she received the Toner Prize for Excellence in Political Reporting. She joined The Post in 2010 from Time magazine, where she had held the same title. During her more than 15 years at Time, Tumulty wrote or co-wrote more than three dozen cover stories. She also held positions with Time as congressional correspondent and White House correspondent. Before joining Time in 1994, Tumulty spent 14 years at the Los Angeles Times, where she covered a wide variety of beats. During her time there, she reported on Congress, business, energy and economics from Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. Tumulty is a native of San Antonio, where she began her career at the now-defunct San Antonio Light. Tumulty holds a bachelor of journalism from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/faithpolitics)

**This episode contains some external audio sounds that were outside of our control, to include a fire alarm in the recording studio towards the end. Despite this, I hope you will listen to the whole thing as I think you'll find it very valuable*** We talk this week to return guest, Professor Eric Berger who is a constitutional scholar from the Nebraska College of Law, and knows a thing or two about Roe v. Wade. For 49 years a woman has had the right to an abortion in the United States because of this ruling, but within the past year this constitutional right has been significantly restricted at the state level. With the Supreme Court set to offer an opinion on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Orgnanization, which is a Mississippi law banning nearly all abortions after 15 weeks’ gestational age, proponents and opponents of the law are cautiously waiting to see how this might affect the future of abortions in the country. We discuss the law, implications and the likelihood that Roe v. Wade could be overturned in this episode! Here are some useful links that were discussed during the show: Tracking new action on abortion legislation across the states: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/interactive/2022/abortion-rights-protections-restrictions-tracker/ An Overview of Abortion Laws: https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/abortion-bans-cases-sex-or-race-selection-or-genetic-anomaly Two Nebraska towns have approved local abortion bans. Does it matter?: https://theindependent.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/two-nebraska-towns-have-approved-local-abortion-bans-does-it-matter/article_e52b2580-69b5-539e-b4ac-d753743f3e8d.html?fr=operanews Guest Bio: Professor Eric Berger joined the faculty in 2007. He received his B.A. with Honors in History from Brown University, and his J.D. from Columbia Law School, where he was a Kent Scholar and an Articles Editor on the Columbia Law Review. After law school, Professor Berger clerked for the Honorable Merrick B. Garland on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He then practiced in Jenner & Block's Washington, D.C. office, where he worked on litigation in several state and federal trial and appellate courts, including the United States Supreme Court. Professor Berger's matters there included cases involving lethal injection, same-sex marriage, the detention of foreign nationals at Guantanamo Bay, and internet obscenity. Professor Berger teaches Constitutional Law I (structure), Constitutional Law II (rights), Constitutional History, Federal Courts, First Amendment, and Statutory Interpretation. He also teaches a class for undergraduates on Legislation and Regulation. He has been voted Professor of the Year by the upperclass law students six times. He has also received the College Distinguished Teaching Award (in 2010), the Law Alumni Council Distinguished Faculty Award (in 2018), and the John H. Binning Award for Excellence (in 2019).

Abby Johnson has always been fiercely determined to help women in need. This desire is what led Abby to a career with Planned Parenthood, America's largest abortion provider, and caused her to flee the organization, becoming an outspoken advocate for the pro-life movement. During her eight years with Planned Parenthood, Abby quickly rose through the organization’s ranks and became a clinic director. However, Abby became increasingly disturbed by what she witnessed. Abortion was a product Planned Parenthood was selling, not an unfortunate necessity they were fighting to decrease. Still, Abby loved the women that entered her clinic and her co-workers. Despite a growing unrest within her, she stayed on and strove to serve women in crisis. All of that changed on September 26, 2009 when Abby was asked to assist with an ultrasound-guided abortion. She watched in horror as a 13 week baby fought for, and ultimately lost, its life at the hand of the abortionist. This week we hear Abby's story first hand and learn more about the organization she founded, And Then There Were None. This organization helps people leave the abortion industry to rediscover peace and joy they've been missing. Make sure you check out her new book: Fierce Mercy: Daring to Live Out God’s Compassion in Bold and Practical Ways Guest Bio: Once the director of a Planned Parenthood clinic, Abby Johnson is now a passionate, outspoken advocate for the sanctity of human life of pre-born babies. During her stint with Planned Parenthood, she became increasingly disturbed by the organization’s activities and reached a sharp turning point when she was asked to assist in an abortion in which she watched in horror as a 13 week old baby was killed. Soon afterward, Abby departed from Planned Parenthood and quickly became a well-recognized supporter of the pro-life movement. She travels widely as a public speaker and is the author of the national best-selling book, Unplanned, which led to a movie about her experiences also titled Unplanned. She and her husband have eight children and reside in Texas. Learn more about Abby at her website, abbyjohnson.org. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/faithpolitics)

It's no secret that Russia is waging a genocidal war against the people of Ukraine, but what most of the western world doesn't know is exactly which side China is on. We speak with our resident China expert, William Nee, about this odd pairing of autocratic leaders and what they each get out of this relationship. Then we talk about how China might be re-evaluating their strategy on invading Taiwan based on the crippling sanctions that Russia has had placed on them. Is a war with Taiwan worth pursuing? Listen to the episode and find out! Guest Bio: William Nee is the Research and Advocacy Coordinator at Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), where he carries out research regarding a wide array of human rights concerns impacting human rights defenders in China. Previously, Nee worked as a Business and Human Rights Analyst and China Researcher at Amnesty International, where he researched human rights abuses caused by multinational companies and focused on freedom of expression, censorship, criminal justice developments, and the death penalty in China. Before that, he was Development Director at China Labour Bulletin. Nee’s commentary has appeared in The Diplomat, Hong Kong Free Press, and Open Democracy. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/faithpolitics)

Our guest this week is Josh Lewis, the host of the "Saving Elephants" podcast. Josh, not to be confused with Josh Burtram, is a millennial who firmly believes in the conservative ideals and the movement championed by Edmund Burke, Russel Kirk, William F. Buckley, Thomas Sowell, and many others. In this interview we discuss why he feels that in order for conservatism to survive in the 21st century it will be up to Millennials. They then pivot to fiscal responsibility in the era of COVID-19, and end it with a special game of "Biden, Bible, or Buffy". Check out Josh and the work he's doing to get millennials engaged with conservatism: https://www.savingelephantsblog.com Guest Bio: Josh graduated from College of the Ozarks--Hard Work U--majoring in Accounting with a minor in Speech Communications, where he was president of the College Republicans. Though a lifelong Republican, Josh stepped down as Treasurer of the Tulsa County Republican Party in 2016 when he could no longer support the candidate chosen to represent his party. As a diligent student of the conservative movement championed by Edmund Burke, Russel Kirk, William F. Buckley, Thomas Sowell, and many others, Josh is passionate about conservatism surviving and thriving in the 21st century. In particular, Josh is interested in sharing with fellow Millennials how the conservative worldview offers solutions to our unique challenges from learning ways to celebrate and revitalize the uniqueness of the multitude of sub-cultures within America, addressing the loss of civil society and institutions that give our lives meaning and community, and continuously striving to balance order and liberty in the soul of the individual and our nation.

Having political, or even media, biases is no excuse to ignore terrible things that are happening in the world, which is one of the reasons our guest this week was invited on the show. Brandon Darby, has been covering the southern border of the United States for Breitbart for over a decade, and has witnessed, reported on, and understands the struggles and challenges that exists there better than most. Brandon tells us about the steady encroachment of Chinese influence in Mexico, as well as the horrific killings of hundreds of people, by the cartels, just to get to a single person under protective custody. Brandon’s work with the Cartel Chronicles is truly a gift to the world of journalism, and it’s difficult to hear him talk about it without wondering why the border doesn’t get more attention.

With the Russian invasion of Ukraine going into its third week, it's important to remember that Ukraine has been fighting Russia for over 8 years. We cover this and a whole host of other topics in this week's episode. Our guest this week, Judy Twigg is a professor of political science at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she teaches courses on global health, international political economy, and Russian politics. Judy helps us better understand the rich history that exists between these two countries and how, through sanctions, the Russian people will be affected. We then talk about an agreement that hasn't been getting much attention these days, the Budapest Memorandum, which is an agreement that Ukraine made with the US and Russia to get rid of their nuclear weapons in exchange for assurances on their security. This wide ranging discussion covers elements of Russia-Ukraine that you likely have not heard before and you'll want to listen to the very end! If you want to help and get involved please consider checking out these resources suggested by our guest: International Rescue Committee (https://www.rescue.org) UNICEF Ukraine (https://www.unicefusa.org) Ukrainian Ministry of Defense (https://bank.gov.ua) Use your browser's translate function Come Back Alive foundation, providing auxiliary support for the Ukrainian armed forces (https://www.comebackalive.in.ua) Guest Bio: Judy Twigg is a professor of political science at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she teaches courses on global health, international political economy, and Russian politics. She is also a senior associate with the Global Health Policy Center and Russia & Eurasia Program of the Center for Strategic and International Studies; consultant for the Independent Evaluation Group of the World Bank and the Office of Evaluation and Oversight of the Inter-American Development Bank; adjunct professor at the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies at Georgetown University; and member of the board of trustees of the Eurasia Foundation. She has been a consultant for the Kennan Institute, John Snow, Inc., UNICEF, the Social Science Research Council, and various U.S. government agencies. Twigg's work focuses on issues of health, demographic change, and health systems reform in Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. She also conducts program and project evaluations for development assistance efforts world-wide spanning human development and public sector management. She has testified as an expert witness before the U.S. Congress and has been a member of several congressional and other U.S. government advisory groups on Russian affairs. She received the State Council on Higher Education in Virginia's Distinguished Faculty Award in 2005. Dr. Twigg is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/faithpolitics)

In this episode we speak with Rachel Vindman about the conflict in Ukraine. Having lived there, Rachel has a deep connection to this place, but she also is connected to this beautiful country by marriage. Her husband, Ret. LTC Alex Vindman (former Director for European Affairs for the United States National Security Council), was born there. During their conversation Will and Josh explore the situation unfolding in Ukraine, and learn a deep and emotional reason why Rachel has a special place in her heart for this beautiful country. Then they pivot to the American response effort, President Biden’s State of the Union address, and what people can do to help! If you are looking for ways to donate and help the people of Ukraine please consider donating to these organizations: MOAS (https://www.moas.eu) MOAS brings emergency medical aid and assistance to the conflict-affected civilians of Ukraine. or HIAS (https://www.hias.org) Hebrew International Aid Society: Drawing on our Jewish values and history, HIAS provides vital services to refugees and asylum seekers around the world and advocates for their fundamental rights so they can rebuild their lives. Guest Bio: Rachel Vindman is a wife, mom, podcast host, writer, activist, and just an overall good person. Her life was radically changed after the 2019 impeachment of then President Donald Trump because her husband, retired United States Army Lieutenant Colonel, Alex Vindman, had testified in front of Congress against the Commander in Chief. LTC Vindman, who at the time, was the Director for European Affairs for the United States National Security Council (NSC) testified that he made a report to an intelligence official about what he heard during Trump's call with the Ukrainian President Zelensky and felt what the President mentioned during the phone conversation was "improper." Following this event the Vindman family started receiving threats and intimidation, but this didn’t deter Rachel from standing up to the bullies and start using her voice.

In this episode Josh (Faithful Host) interviews Dr. Thomas Schreiner. They cover topics ranging from whether women should preach in church to how scholars argue over how to translate the Bible. Wherever you fall on these issues, we think you will enjoy the conversation! Check it out and subscribe. Guest Bio: Thomas R. Schreiner JAMES BUCHANAN HARRISON PROFESSOR OF NEW TESTAMENT INTERPRETATION AND PROFESSOR OF BIBLICAL THEOLOGY (1997); ASSOCIATE DEAN OF THE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY Schreiner joined the Southern faculty in 1997 after serving 11 years on the faculty at Bethel Theological Seminary. He also taught New Testament at Azusa Pacific University. Schreiner, a Pauline scholar, is the author or editor of several books including, Romans, in the Baker Exegetical Commentary Series on the New Testament; Interpreting the Pauline Epistles; The Law and Its Fulfillment: A Pauline Theology of Law; The Race Set Before Us: A Biblical Theology of Perseverance and Assurance; Still Sovereign: Contemporary Perspectives of Election, Foreknowledge, and Grace, co-edited with Bruce A. Ware; Women in the Church: A Fresh Analysis of I Timothy 2:9-15; Paul, Apostle of God’s Glory in Christ: A Pauline Theology. Books: Believer’s Baptism: Sign of the New Covenant in Christ (co-edited with Shawn Wright) Romans in the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament Series 2nd Edition 1 and 2 Peter and Jude in the New American Commentary Series Interpreting the Pauline Epistles The Law and Its Fulfillment: A Pauline Theology of Law The Grace of God, The Bondage of the Will (a two-volume set which he co-edited with Bruce A. Ware) Still Sovereign Women in the Church: A Fresh Analysis of 1 Timothy 2:9-15, revised edition The Race Set Before Us: A Biblical Theology of Perseverance and Assurance Paul Apostle of God’s Glory in Christ: A Pauline Theology Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/faithpolitics)

If you follow politics, and I'd imagine you do if you are a fan of Faithful Politics, then you most certainly have seen the letter "Q" prominently displayed at various Trump rallies, Capitol Riots, and even churches. But what significance does the 17th letter of the alphabet have in our modern day political discourse? This week, we speak with world-renowned QAnon expert Mike Rothschild to give us an inside look at this outrageous conspiracy theory that has seemingly popped up out of thin air. Get ready for one of the wildest, and informative, interviews we've done where we not only go down the rabbit hole, but we actually enjoy a refreshing cup of T...nay...Q. Make sure you check out his amazing book: The Storm Is Upon Us: How Qanon Became a Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything https://bookshop.org/books/the-storm-is-upon-us-how-qanon-became-a-movement-cult-and-conspiracy-theory-of-everything-9798200735822/9781612199290 Guest Bio: MIKE ROTHSCHILD is a journalist, author, and the foremost expert in this ever-changing QAnon conspiracy theory. He is a contributing writer for the Daily Dot, where he explores the intersections between internet culture and politics through the lens of conspiracy theories. As a subject matter expert in the field of fringe beliefs, Mike has been interviewed by the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN and Yahoo - among many others. He is also a frequent speaker, and podcast and radio guest on the topic of conspiracy theories, including NPR's weekly show "On the Media" and a Vice documentary.

When most people think about Christians, or Christianity in a broader context, they rarely think about how loving of a group they are. Why is that? Our guest this week might have a few ideas. Pastor Greg Boyd is one of those guests that after you finish speaking with you are left with no other response than just to love your neighbor. In 2004, he pastored a large church that was quite upset he wasn't more supportive of the Republican candidate and ideology of the time. As a result, he lost over 1,000 congregants and in 2007 wrote a book called, "Myth of a Christian Nation". The book is a simple reminder for Christians about the power of love, especially when applied to the Political Arena. Guest Bio: Greg Boyd is an internationally recognized theologian, preacher, teacher, apologist and author. He has been featured on the front page of The New York Times, The Charlie Rose Show, CNN, National Public Radio, the BBC and numerous other television and radio venues. Greg received his Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary (summa cum laude 1988), his M.Div. from Yale Divinity School (cum laude 1982), and his B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Minnesota (1979). He was a professor of theology for 16 years at Bethel University (St. Paul, MN) where he received the Teaching Excellence Award and Campus Leadership Award. Greg is the co-founder of Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul, Minnesota where he serves as Senior Pastor, speaking to thousands each week. Greg has authored or co-authored 22 books and numerous academic articles, including his best-selling and award-winning Letters From a Skeptic and his recent books Crucifixion of the Warrior God and Cross Vision. His apologetic writings and public debates on the historical Jesus and the problem of evil have helped many skeptics embrace faith, and his writings and seminars on spiritual transformation have had a revolutionary, freeing impact on thousands of believers. Greg passionately believes that faith and reason are not mutually exclusive, but that the mind and heart were made for congruity. He boldly defends a Christian faith that embraces science, rejects religion, transcends politics and nationalism, and that calls for a radical, socially engaged form of discipleship defined by the self-sacrificial love of the Cross. Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/faithpolitics)