The Holy Post

Over the last 30 years, the number of Americans who say they highly value patriotism, religion, community, and family has dropped dramatically. At the same time, the number of Americans who care about making more money has gone up. Phil, Kaitlyn, and Skye discuss David Brooks' new article about the culture's shift toward autonomy and away from loving attachments, and how Christians can begin rebuilding their social muscles. Sociologist and former pastor, Ryan Burge, is back to discuss why the political polarization of Christianity is hurting both the church and democracy. Also this week, why small houses are better for your soul, and monkeys are missing in St. Louis—or are they?
 
Holy Post Plus:
Ad-Free Version of this Episode:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/148707266/
 
Bonus Interview with Ryan Burge:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/148694023/
 
0:00 - Show Starts
 
3:38 - Theme Song
 
4:45 - Sponsor - Poncho - If you've been looking for the perfect shirt—something breathable, fits great, feels even better, and stands out in a good way—give Poncho a try. Get $10 off your first order by using this link: https://www.ponchooutdoors.com/holypost
 
5:12 - Sponsor - Tyndale - The Life Application Study Bible is here to give you resources to help you understand why scripture matters and how it applies today! Check it out now at:
https://www.tyndale.com/sites/lasb/?utm_campaign=Bibles%20-%20NLT%20Life%20Applicati[…]ource=Holy%20Post%20Podcast&utm_medium=Microsite%20Nov%202025
 
7:00 - The Monkeys are Loose in St. Louis!
 
15:24 - David Brooks on Love
 
38:00 - Are You Socially Muscular?
 
50:33 - Sponsor - BetterHelp - This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/HOLYPOST and get 10% off your first month!
 
51:30 -  Sponsor - PolicyGenius - Secure your family's tomorrow so you have peace of mind today. Go to https://www.policygenius.com/HOLYPOST to find the right life insurance for you
 
52:34 - Interview
 
55:34 - Number of Christians Holding Steady
 
1:00:23 - Do Revivals Need to be Inside the Church?
 
1:09:38 - What is a Moderate Congregation?
 
1:17:50 - Evangelicalism Became Fundamentalism
 
1:24:00 - End Credits
 
Links Mentioned in News Segment:
Monkeys! On the Loose!
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/10/us/monkeys-loose-st-louis.html
 
We're Living Through the Great Detachment:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/02/opinion/americans-marriage-loneliness-love.html
 
Elizabeth Oldfield on Social Muscles:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/24/opinion/community-housing-friendship.html
 
Other Resources:
The Vanishing Church: How the Hollowing Out of Moderate Congregations Is Hurting Democracy, Faith, and Us (Why the Culture War Led to Polarization and What We Can Do About it) by Ryan Burge: https://amzn.to/4r1rbKL
 
Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/
 
Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus
 
Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost
 
Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop
 
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.

Tensions have flared around the country after the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, and the Department of Homeland Security has rolled out a new slogan as it defends the lethal action: "One of Ours, All of Yours." Is the Trump administration declaring civil war on Americans? Then, two seventeenth-century philosophers, Hobbes and Locke, help us understand the divide in our politics today, but Kaitlyn explains why Christians should be hesitant to embrace either. Skye talks with Senator Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia) about his dual roles as both a senator and a pastor, and why he calls the country's economic problems a "spiritual crisis." Also this week—the Bears shred the Packers.
 
Holy Post Plus:
Ad-Free Version of this Episode:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/148153512/
 
Phil and Skye Play the Newlywed Game:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/148151457/
 
0:00 - Show Starts
 
4:22 - Theme Song
 
4:45 - Sponsor - Sundays Dog Food - Get 40% off your first order of Sundays. Go to https://www.SundaysForDogs.com/HOLYPOST or use code HOLYPOST at checkout.
 
5:45 - Sponsor - Hiya Health - Go to https://www.hiyahealth.com/CURIOUSLY to receive 50% off your first order
 
10:00 - The Minnesota Ice Shooting
 
30:25 - Hobbes and Locke
 
50:11 - Sponsor - AG1 - Heavily researched, thoroughly purity-tested, and filled with stuff you need. Get the AG1 welcome pack when you order from https://www.drinkag1.com/HOLYPOST
 
51:39 - Sponsor - BetterHelp - This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/HOLYPOST and get 10% off your first month!
 
52:37 - Sponsor - Glorify - Sign up for the #1 Christian Daily Devotional App to help you stay focused on God. Go to https://glorify-app.com/en/HOLYPOST to download the app today!
 
54:45 - The Affordability Crisis
 
58:35 - Democracy and We the People
 
1:10:10 - Why Do Democrats Avoid Talking About Faith?
 
1:24:00 - End Credits
 
Links Mentioned in News Segment:
National Catholic Reporter:
https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/after-renee-good-are-you-really-going-keep-pretending-trump-and-vance-are-pro-life
 
Hobbes, Locke, and Stephen Miller:
https://www.theatlantic.com/books/2026/01/philosopher-who-explains-stephen-miller-thomas-hobbes/685574/
 
Other Resources:
Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/
 
Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus
 
Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost
 
Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop
 
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.

The new year began with a successful U.S. military operation to capture Venezuela's president. But the mission killed approximately 80 people and is being condemned by some American and international leaders as illegal. Esau McCaulley joins Phil and Skye this week to discuss the fallout from the operation. Was it legal? Was it moral? And what does it reveal about Trump's vision of America? Kaitlyn talks with author Sara Billups about her new book, "Nervous System," and how our age of anxiety is affecting Christians and the whole church. Also this week—the Trump administration celebrated the holidays with Christian memes, festive taunts, and "Ice Ice Baby."
 
Holy Post Plus:
Ad-Free Version of this Episode:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/147587950/

 
Bonus Interview with Sarah Billups:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/147498089/
 
0:00 - Show Starts
 
2:52 - Theme Song
 
3:13 - Sponsor - BetterHelp - This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://www.betterhelp.com/HOLYPOST and get 10% off your first month!
 
4:15 - Sponsor - Our Place - Go to https://www.fromourplace.com and use code HOLYPOST to get 10% off site wide on beautiful cookware!
 
5:23 - Christmas
 
7:35 - Trump Got Venezuela?
 
13:46 - What Does America Want to Be?
 
28:34 - Trump Administration's Christmas
 
36:10 - Optimism and America
 
44:50 - Sponsor - Poncho - If you've been looking for the perfect shirt—something breathable, fits great, feels even better, and stands out in a good way—give Poncho a try. Get $10 off your first order by using this link: https://www.ponchooutdoors.com/holypost
 
46:02 - Sponsor - Brooklyn Bedding - Use code HOLYPOST for 30% off sitewide for a great night's sleep! Go to https://www.brooklynbedding.com/holypost
 
47:04 - Sponsor - DripDrop - Fast hydration in 16 original flavors! Get 20% on your first order and use promo code HOLYPOST! Go to https://www.dripdrop.com
 
48:05 - Interview
 
50:28 - Why Write About Anxiety?
 
56:14 - Practicing Non-Anxiousness
 
1:02:40 - Lasting Effects of Fundamentalist Mindsets
 
1:09:17 - The Church as a Non-Anxious Presence
 
1:18:09 - End Credits



Links:
Nervous Systems: Spiritual Practices to Calm Anxiety in Your Body, the Church, and Politics by Sara Billups: https://amzn.to/3N0A60t
 
Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/
 
Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus
 
Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost
 
Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop
 
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.

Holy Post Media is no stranger to accusations of both-sidesism. Skye and Kaitlyn talk about why they believe pointing it out on both sides isn't simple equivocation or conflict-avoidance, but instead a responsibility… depending on the context.
 
Holy Post Plus:
Ad-Free Version of this Episode:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/147007166/
 
0:00 - Intro
 
0:58 - Theme Song
 
1:18 - Defining Both-Sidesism
 
8:40 - Sponsor - Sponsor - Poncho - If you've been looking for the perfect shirt—something breathable, fits great, feels even better, and stands out in a good way—give Poncho a try. Get $10 off your first order by using this link: https://www.ponchooutdoors.com/holypost
 
10:20 - Sponsor - Sponsor - Sundays Dog Food - Get 40% off your first order of Sundays. Go to https://www.SundaysForDogs.com/HOLYPOST or use code HOLYPOST at checkout.
 
11:30 - False equivalency
 
16:58 - Are we just placating conservatives?
 
30:22 - Sponsor - Tyndale - The Life Application Study Bible is here to give you resources to help you understand why scripture matters and how it applies today! Check it out now at:
https://www.tyndale.com/sites/lasb/?utm_campaign=Bibles%20-%20NLT%20Life%20Applicati[…]ource=Holy%20Post%20Podcast&utm_medium=Microsite%20Nov%202025
 
31:22 - Sponsor - Glorify - Sign up for the #1 Christian Daily Devotional App to help you stay focused on God. Go to https://glorify-app.com/en/HOLYPOST to download the app today!
 
32:34 - Is the Far Left Real?
 
50:33 - Forest Fires and Campfires
 
1:06:31 - End Credits



Links:
Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/
 
Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus
 
Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost
 
Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop
 
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.

We've reached the end of 2025, so we thought it's a good time to answer questions from the Holy Post community. Phil, Skye, and Kaitlyn cover a wide assortment of issues, from how they decompress after a difficult podcast, and how they pick which politicians to interview, to their favorite movies, and who is best at changing a tire. They also tackle theological questions about the nature of grace, the limitations we will still have in the new creation, and why demons may not be fallen angels. They also give their predictions for 2026. Along the way, Phil has weird ideas about hair, Skye wants to be a mango, and Kaitlyn makes a big announcement.
Holy Post Plus:
Ad-Free Version of this Episode:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/146537688/
 
Advice-ish with Malcolm Foley:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/146452896/
 
0:00 - Show Starts
 
3:15 - Theme Song
 
3:38 - Sponsor - Glorify - Sign up for the #1 Christian Daily Devotional App to help you stay focused on God. Go to https://glorify-app.com/en/HOLYPOST to download the app today!
 
4:40 - Sponsor - Rocket Money - Find and cancel your old subscriptions with Rocket Money at https://www.rocketmoney.com/HOLYPOST
 
8:42 - Holy Post Team as Veggies
 
14:30 - Can You Be Ethical and Non-Christian?
 
21:41 - Stories and Conflict in Heaven
 
25:45 - Republicans on Holy Post
 
31:05 - Sponsor - World Relief - Start a monthly partnership with World Relief to help families in crisis at https://www.worldrelief.org/holypost
 
32:15 - Will Skye Fix Flat Tires?
 
36:33 - Is Salvation Free?
 
39:12 - Impactful Movies
 
42:39 - Self-Care
 
52:06 - Pluralism and Faithfulness
 
1:09:41 - End Credits
 
Links:
Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/
 
Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus
 
Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost
 
Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop
 
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.