Straight White American Jesus

Epizode

• The Sunday Interview: Debunking the Christian Nationalist Story of America 05.07.2026 48min

  In this Sunday interview, Brad Onishi is joined by historian and author Warren Throckmorton to discuss his new book, The Christian Past That Wasn't: Debunking the Christian Nationalist Myths That Hijack History. Together they examine some of the most persistent myths at the heart of Christian nationalism: that America was founded as a covenant nation, that the colonies' state churches prove the United States is inherently Christian, and that the Founders intended to establish a Christian government. Warren explains why these claims collapse under historical scrutiny while revealing how Christian nationalists flatten centuries of history into a single political narrative designed to justify power today. The conversation also explores the outsized influence of pseudo-historian David Barton, whose revisionist accounts of the American founding continue to shape churches, political leaders, and organizations despite repeated factual debunking. Brad and Warren unpack why these myths persist, how they fuel white Christian nationalism and Christian supremacy, and what is at stake as the United States approaches its 250th anniversary. This is an essential conversation for anyone seeking to understand the historical foundations of today's Christian nationalist movement—and why telling the truth about America's past matters for the country's future. The Christian Past That Wasn't: https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9798889835820/The-Christian-Past-That-Wasn-t Support independent religion and politics journalism:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://axismundinetwork.substack.com... Donate today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.axismundi.us/fundraise?hs... Listen to the Axis Daily Brief: Axis Daily Brief on Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Axis Daily Brief on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4M... Axis Daily Brief RSS Feed: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast... Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Weekly Roundup: Trump's America250 Spectacle, the SSPX Schism, and the Rise of Democratic Socialists 03.07.2026 1h 1min

  Here are two concise paragraphs suitable for podcast show notes: As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, Brad Onishi and Dan Miller examine how Donald Trump has transformed the semiquincentennial celebration into a showcase for political patronage, executive power, and Christian nationalism. They unpack the controversy surrounding the America250 festivities on the National Mall, including allegations of corruption, the role of PragerU and Hillsdale College in shaping historical narratives, and what the celebration reveals about competing visions of American identity and democracy. The conversation then turns to the Vatican's dramatic excommunication of clergy and members associated with the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), exploring what the schism says about the growing influence of traditionalist Catholicism in American politics and its connections to the broader Christian nationalist movement. Brad and Dan close by discussing the rise of democratic socialists in Congress, what these electoral victories reveal about generational shifts in American politics, and why the future of democracy may depend on who gets to define the nation's story. As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, the nation's semiquincentennial should be a moment for civic reflection, shared history, and democratic renewal. Instead, Donald Trump is transforming the celebration into a political spectacle centered on himself, military power, patronage, and Christian nationalism. In this episode, Brad Onishi and co-host Dan Miller examine how the National Mall and America's founding story are being repurposed to advance a vision of the country rooted in executive power, religious nationalism, and loyalty to one political movement. From corporate influence and political corruption to the growing role of Christian nationalist organizations in shaping the celebration, they ask what happens when a national commemoration becomes a vehicle for ideological power. Brad and Dan also discuss a major story from the world of American Catholicism: the excommunication of a priest associated with the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX). The case offers a window into ongoing tensions over authority, tradition, Catholic identity, and the growing influence of far-right and traditionalist movements within the American Church. The conversation explores how these conflicts intersect with broader political currents, including Christian nationalism and the reshaping of conservative religious activism in the United States. As America approaches its 250th birthday, the stakes are larger than a single event. They concern who gets to tell the nation's story—and what kind of democracy that story will sustain. Subscribe for weekly analysis of Christian nationalism, authoritarianism, religion, democracy, and American politics from the hosts of Straight White American Jesus. Support independent religion and politics journalism:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Donate today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.axismundi.us/fundraise?hsCtaAttrib=215444059319 Listen to the Axis Daily Brief: Axis Daily Brief on Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Axis Daily Brief on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4MbwXJvxp6MoDkmtj?si=a758e87169e74ede⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Axis Daily Brief RSS Feed: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/1145852/s/400220.rss⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Donate today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.axismundi.us/fundraise?hsCtaAttrib=215444059319 👍 Like this video if you found it valuable. 💬 Join the conversation in the comments. 🔔 Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. #Trump #ChristianNationalism #America250 #Semiquincentennial #NationalMall #AmericanCatholicism #SSPX #Catholicism #Authoritarianism #Democracy #Religion #Politics #Project2025 #StraightWhiteAmericanJesus #BradOnishi #DanMiller Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• It's In the Code 197: "The Small Miracles" 01.07.2026 24min

  Dan Miller continues the Questions You Weren't Supposed to Ask in Church series by tackling one of the most common—and most unsettling—questions many Christians eventually ask: Why doesn't God perform big miracles anymore? From the parting of the Red Sea to raising the dead, the Bible is filled with spectacular divine interventions. But if God is unchanging, why don't we see those kinds of miracles today? Dan examines the most common Christian response—that God still performs miracles every day in small ways—and explores why that answer often fails to satisfy people wrestling with doubt. In this episode, Dan argues that the "small miracles" explanation creates deeper theological problems than it solves. If God chooses to miraculously heal one person while millions continue to suffer, what does that say about God's goodness? And if miracles are reduced to finding a parking spot or arriving at school pickup on time, does that diminish rather than magnify God's power? Drawing on his experience as a former pastor and on questions from listeners, Dan explores how this issue has led many people to rethink their understanding of God, the Bible, and faith itself. https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Listen to the Axis Daily Brief: Axis Daily Brief on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Axis Daily Brief on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4MbwXJvxp6MoDkmtj?si=a758e87169e74ede⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Axis Daily Brief RSS Feed: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/1145852/s/400220.rss⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Support independent religion and politics journalism:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Donate today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.axismundi.us/fundraise?hsCtaAttrib=215444059319 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Axis Live: Birthright Citizenship Reactions, Texas Bible Reading, NAR Gone Wild 01.07.2026 1h 9min

  The Supreme Court's narrow birthright citizenship ruling has triggered an extraordinary reaction from influential voices on the American right—and the backlash reveals much more than disagreement over immigration policy. In this episode of Axis Live, Brad Onishi, Annika Brockschmidt, and Matthew D. Taylor examine the response from figures including Kevin Roberts, Stephen Miller, Matt Walsh, and Joel Webbon, unpacking what their rhetoric tells us about the future of the 14th Amendment, Christian nationalism, and competing visions of American identity. The conversation explores why this legal battle is far from over and how the movement to redefine citizenship fits into a broader authoritarian political project. The hosts also analyze Texas' decision to mandate Bible readings in public schools, discussing the implications for religious liberty, public education, and Christian nationalism. Finally, they turn to a series of remarkable public appearances by New Apostolic Reformation-linked politicians, including Indiana Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith's declaration that Christians should "hate" what God hates and his attacks on Islam. Together, these stories reveal how increasingly radical religious and nationalist ideas are moving from the political fringe into mainstream American public life—and why understanding them is more important than ever. https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠ Listen to the Axis Daily Brief: Axis Daily Brief on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Axis Daily Brief on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4MbwXJvxp6MoDkmtj?si=a758e87169e74ede⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Axis Daily Brief RSS Feed: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/1145852/s/400220.rss⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Support independent religion and politics journalism:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Donate today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.axismundi.us/fundraise?hsCtaAttrib=215444059319 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• The Sunday Interview: Turning Point USA’s “Pink Pill” Pipeline: Inside the Women’s Leadership Summit 28.06.2026 1h 10min

  In this Straight White American Jesus Sunday interview, Annika Brockschmidt speaks with journalist and researcher Madeleine Peltz about her years-long reporting on the conservative youth ecosystem and the gendered strategies shaping the modern far right. Peltz, formerly of Media Matters, has spent thousands of hours documenting right-wing media and events like Turning Point USA’s Women’s Leadership Summit—an increasingly influential gathering that blends lifestyle branding, faith language, and political recruitment. Together, they explore how the “pink pill” aesthetic fuses pop culture, wellness, and evangelical-coded messaging to draw in Gen Z women, reframing conservative politics through themes of empowerment, marriage, and “biblical womanhood.” The conversation examines the contradictions at the heart of this movement: conferences that market “women’s leadership” while promoting submission, purity culture, and debates over women’s political participation. Peltz describes the summit as both a recruitment pipeline and a social network, where influencers, field organizers, and Turning Point USA infrastructure work in tandem to shape ideology and identity. From MAHA wellness politics to tradwife influencers and viral culture-war media figures, the episode traces the fracturing and evolution of Gen Z conservatism—and asks what it means when aesthetics, faith, and political strategy become indistinguishable. Good Girls and Alpha Males by Madeline Peltz: https://bookshop.org/p/books/good-girls-and-alpha-males-how-conservative-media-is-targeting-gen-z-madeline-peltz/fe9f4d811b430430 https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/⁠⁠ Listen to the Axis Daily Brief: Axis Daily Brief on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Axis Daily Brief on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4MbwXJvxp6MoDkmtj?si=a758e87169e74ede⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Axis Daily Brief RSS Feed: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/1145852/s/400220.rss⁠⁠⁠⁠ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Support independent religion and politics journalism:⁠⁠⁠⁠https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Donate today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.axismundi.us/fundraise?hsCtaAttrib=215444059319 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Weekly Roundup: How Protest Became Terrorism in Trump's America 26.06.2026 58min

  This week, Brad Onishi argues that a series of seemingly separate headlines point to a single political project: the construction of a white Christian homeland. He examines the unprecedented sentencing of the Prairie Land protesters under domestic terrorism charges, the Trump administration's growing use of "Antifa" as a catch-all label for political dissent, Supreme Court decisions affecting Temporary Protected Status, and the continued targeting of Haitian immigrants. Together, Brad argues, these developments reflect an effort to criminalize protest, narrow who belongs in America, and reshape citizenship around the ideals of white Christian nationalism. Brad also breaks down new efforts to restrict voting through the SAVE Act, analyzes the rhetoric of figures like Stephen Miller, Megyn Kelly, and Rep. Tom Emmer, and reflects on what Zohran Mamdani's growing political influence reveals about the future of the Democratic Party. Wrapping up the week, he shares reasons for hope, updates listeners on the launch of Access Daily, and explains why independent, expert journalism on religion and politics is more essential than ever. https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/⁠ Listen to the Axis Daily Brief: Axis Daily Brief on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494⁠⁠⁠⁠ Axis Daily Brief on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4MbwXJvxp6MoDkmtj?si=a758e87169e74ede⁠⁠⁠⁠ Axis Daily Brief RSS Feed: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/1145852/s/400220.rss⁠⁠⁠ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Support independent religion and politics journalism:⁠⁠⁠https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠ Donate today: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.axismundi.us/fundraise?hsCtaAttrib=215444059319 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• It's In the Code 196: "Why Isn't God More Forgiving?" 24.06.2026 24min

  Why does God forgive only as much as we forgive? In this episode, Dan Miller explores a listener’s challenging question about the nature of divine forgiveness, justice, and fairness in Christian theology. He examines how high-control religion responds to tough questions and why these core issues matter. How different interpretive frameworks alter understanding of divine forgiveness The relationship between human imperfection and divine perfection The threats and control tactics embedded in religious teachings about justice Why questions of fairness reveal core theological and doctrinal conflicts The broader implications of questioning authority and dogma in faith communities How high-control religion often reacts defensively to challenging questions https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/ Listen to the Axis Daily Brief: Axis Daily Brief on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494⁠⁠⁠ Axis Daily Brief on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4MbwXJvxp6MoDkmtj?si=a758e87169e74ede⁠⁠⁠ Axis Daily Brief RSS Feed: ⁠⁠⁠https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/1145852/s/400220.rss⁠⁠ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Support independent religion and politics journalism:⁠⁠https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/⁠⁠ Donate today: ⁠⁠https://www.axismundi.us/fundraise?hsCtaAttrib=215444059319 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Axis Live: Christendom Over Christ, Political Violence, and the Myth of Religious Revival 24.06.2026 1h 3min

  In this episode of Axis Live, Brad Onishi and Matt Taylor are joined by PRRI CEO Melissa Deckman to unpack Vice President JD Vance’s new book Communion and the theological vision animating it. The conversation focuses on Vance’s turn toward a form of Christianity oriented less around the person and teachings of Christ than toward a broader project of Christendom and civilizational restoration. Rather than centering the lived realities of individuals or communities, Vance’s framework is read as prioritizing the preservation and defense of “Western civilization,” raising questions about how political theology can displace core Christian ethical commitments in favor of cultural and national projects. The episode then turns to the underexplored Christian dimensions of the terror plot targeting the White House UFC event, situating it within broader patterns of religiously inflected political violence. The discussion concludes with Melissa Deckman presenting new PRRI data on American religion, emphasizing that claims of a widespread religious revival in the United States are not supported by current evidence. Instead, the data points to continued complexity, fragmentation, and stability in national religious trends rather than a clear resurgence. https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/⁠ Listen to the Axis Daily Brief: Axis Daily Brief on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494⁠⁠⁠⁠ Axis Daily Brief on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4MbwXJvxp6MoDkmtj?si=a758e87169e74ede⁠⁠⁠⁠ Axis Daily Brief RSS Feed: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/1145852/s/400220.rss⁠⁠⁠ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Support independent religion and politics journalism:⁠⁠⁠https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠ Donate today: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.axismundi.us/fundraise?hsCtaAttrib=215444059319 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• The Sunday Interview: America Was Never One Nation Under One God 21.06.2026 46min

  What does American religious history actually tell us about the present moment? In this episode, Brad sits down with historian and author Brook Wilensky-Lanford to discuss her sweeping new book, A God-Shaped Nation: 500 Years of Religion in America. Rather than focusing on famous founders and powerful institutions, Wilensky-Lanford tells the story of America through ordinary people—religious dissenters, immigrants, Native Americans, enslaved Africans, and others whose struggles shaped the nation's understanding of freedom, belonging, and identity. Together, Brad and Brooke explore how figures like Anne Hutchinson, Mary Dyer, Roger Williams, and members of the Native American Church challenged religious domination and expanded the meaning of religious liberty. The conversation also examines the darker side of America's religious history, from the persecution of Japanese American Buddhists during World War II to Supreme Court battles over patriotism, conscience, and the limits of state power. As Christian nationalism continues to reshape American politics, Wilensky-Lanford argues that understanding the country's religious past is essential for making sense of the present. This wide-ranging discussion offers a powerful reminder that the struggle over whose religion counts—and who counts as a real American—has been at the center of the American experiment from the beginning. Subscribe to Axis Mundi on Substack:⁠Axis Mundi Media⁠ Brook Wilenksy-Lanford: A God Shaped Nation? https://groveatlantic.com/book/a-god-shaped-nation/ Listen to the Axis Daily Brief: Axis Daily Brief on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494⁠⁠ Axis Daily Brief on Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4MbwXJvxp6MoDkmtj?si=a758e87169e74ede⁠⁠ Axis Daily Brief RSS Feed: ⁠⁠https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/1145852/s/400220.rss⁠ Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Support independent religion and politics journalism:⁠https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/⁠ Donate today: ⁠https://www.axismundi.us/fundraise?hsCtaAttrib=215444059319 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Weekly Roundup: Trump's Iran Disaster, JD Vance's Problem, and the Collapse of the Strongman Myth 19.06.2026 1h 3min

  In this week's Weekly Roundup, Brad Onishi and Dan Miller unpack the fallout from the Trump administration's Iran deal, the growing fractures within the MAGA coalition, and why Vice President JD Vance appears to be carrying the political burden for a foreign policy debacle. They examine the deal's similarities to the Obama-era agreement Republicans once condemned, the tensions between America First isolationists and pro-Israel conservatives, and what Vance's comments reveal about the future of the Republican Party. Along the way, they explore how ideas about masculinity, leadership, power, and political performance shape Trump's approach to governing—and why those approaches are increasingly running into reality. Brad and Dan also discuss the symbolism of Trump's algae-filled Reflecting Pool, the contrast between spectacle and civic leadership, the opening of the Obama Presidential Center, and Zohran Mamdani's appearance at the Knicks championship celebration. What do these competing public rituals tell us about the kind of country Americans want to build? Plus: updates on the launch of Axis Mundi's new daily analysis platform, the Axis Daily Brief, and how you can support independent journalism and public scholarship at the intersection of religion and politics. Subscribe to Axis Mundi on Substack:Axis Mundi Media Listen to the Axis Daily Brief: Axis Daily Brief on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494⁠ Axis Daily Brief on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4MbwXJvxp6MoDkmtj?si=a758e87169e74ede⁠ Axis Daily Brief RSS Feed: ⁠https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/1145852/s/400220.rss Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts. Support independent religion and politics journalism:https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/ Donate today: https://www.axismundi.us/fundraise?hsCtaAttrib=215444059319 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• It's in the Code ep 195: "Intelligent' Design?" 17.06.2026 38min

  What are the questions you aren’t supposed to ask in church—the ones that earn you a sit-down with the pastor, worry your parents, and might even make you leave your faith entirely? In this episode, Dan kicks off a brand-new series, "Questions I Wasn't Supposed to Ask in Church," by revisiting a question that got him into trouble during his own time as a pastor: does it really look like human beings were "intelligently designed" by a maximally perfect, omnipotent Creator? While a hypothesis of superhuman design made sense for most of human history, Dan calls bullshit on modern creationist claims by looking at the glaring engineering flaws of the human body—from the staggering statistical inefficiency of human reproduction and dangerous choking hazards to the evolutionary mismatch of our metabolic health in modern society. Why does asking whether a supreme designer could have done a better job elicit such vitriolic pushback from theological traditionalists, and how does confronting the sheer implausibility of intelligent design expose the limits of high-control religion? Join Dan to find out. Direct support: ⁠⁠https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new⁠⁠ Tax-deductible donations through our partnering 501c3: ⁠⁠https://www.irmce.org/donate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Axis Live: Southern Baptists, Domestic Terrorism, and the Pope's Challenge to Opus Dei 17.06.2026 1h 13min

  This week, Brad Onishi and Matthew D. Taylor break down three major stories shaping the American political and religious landscape: 🔹 The Southern Baptist Convention’s hard-right turn The SBC elected a new president, Willie Rice, and moved to further restrict women in church leadership. What do these developments reveal about the growing influence of Christian nationalist and reconstructionist movements within America’s largest Protestant denomination? 🔹 Trump’s little-known domestic terrorism framework (NSPM-7) A largely overlooked presidential memorandum could dramatically expand the government’s ability to target protesters, activists, and political opponents. Brad and Matt explain what NSPM-7 is, why civil liberties advocates are alarmed, and how it could reshape political dissent in America. 🔹 Exclusive: Gareth Gore on Opus Dei and Pope Leo Investigative journalist Gareth Gore, author of Opus, joins the show to discuss his extraordinary private meeting with Pope Leo, the future of Opus Dei, and what may be a major turning point in the Catholic Church’s relationship with one of its most controversial organizations. 📚 Gareth Gore's book: Opus: The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking, and Right-Wing Conspiracy inside the Catholic Church 📖 Subscribe to the Axis Daily Brief: https://axismundinetwork.substack.com/ 🎙️ Support Axis Mundi Media: https://axismundinetwork.substack.com... ❤️ Make a tax-deductible donation: https://www.irmce.org/donate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Axis Daily Brief: The White House UFC Fight That Revealed Christian Trumpism 16.06.2026 16min

  Axis Daily Brief on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/axis-daily-brief/id1896931494 Axis Daily Brief on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033zp4MbwXJvxp6MoDkmtj?si=a758e87169e74ede Axis Daily Brief RSS Feed: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/1145852/s/400220.rss In this episode of the Axis Mundi Daily Brief, Brad Onishi examines the viral comments made by UFC fighter Josh Hokit after his victory at the White House and asks what they reveal about the state of MAGA Christianity and Christian Trumpism. From Hokit's walkout song—"I'm a Real American"—to his comments about Michelle Obama and his public declarations of faith, Brad explores how themes of masculinity, power, conspiracy, transphobia, and Christian nationalism converged in a single moment. Set against the backdrop of Donald Trump hosting a UFC event on White House grounds, the spectacle raises larger questions about the relationship between religion, politics, and the performance of American identity. Brad also considers the symbolism of a president watching fighters compete while international crises unfold, and what this moment says about the political culture that has emerged around Trumpism. Is this simply entertainment, or does it represent something deeper about power, submission, and the future of American democracy? Subscribe to Axis Mundi for daily analysis of religion, politics, culture, and democracy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• The Sunday Interview: The Soundtrack of Christian Nationalism 14.06.2026 46min

  What if one of the most important political symbols in American evangelicalism isn't a campaign slogan, a policy platform, or a charismatic preacher, but a worship song? In this episode of the Straight White American Jesus Sunday Interview, host Leah Payne speaks with Religion News Service journalist Bob Smietana about his reporting on the unexpected political life of Chris Tomlin's worship anthem "How Great Is Our God." Over the past several years, the song has appeared everywhere from the Capitol Riots to ReAwaken America rallies and Sean Feucht events, to the memorial service for Charlie Kirk. Yet unlike overtly political songs such as "God Bless the USA," "How Great Is Our God" contains no explicit political message at all. So why has it become such a powerful soundtrack for conservative Christian activism? Drawing on his reporting for NPR’s All Things Considered, and Payne’s God Gave Rock and Roll to You: a History of Contemporary Christian Music, Smietana and Payne discuss the rise of “Christian Nashville-ism," the fusion of the worship music industry, suburban evangelical culture, celebrity influence, and political identity. Nashville's Christian music machine has produced a soundtrack so ubiquitous that it now functions as a kind of sacred common language across American Christianity. In an era of political polarization, worship songs provide emotional resonance, spiritual legitimacy, and a sense of collective identity that can easily travel into political spaces. Together, Payne and Smietana explore how contemporary worship music became one of the most influential forms of religious formation in American life. They discuss the rise of Chris Tomlin and the Passion movement, the mainstreaming of charismatic worship practices, the growing overlap between worship culture and conservative politics, and the role of suburban megachurches in shaping modern evangelical identity. The conversation also examines how Christian nationalism often operates less through overt ideology than through atmosphere, familiarity, nostalgia, and music. Why do songs matter so much in political movements? What happens when worship becomes a form of cultural power? And why has a seemingly apolitical worship song become one of the defining sounds of conservative evangelical America? In this episode: Why "How Great Is Our God" has become a fixture at conservative political events The relationship between worship music and conservative activism Nashville's role as a center of evangelical cultural power Chris Tomlin, the Passion movement, and the mainstreaming of charismatic worship How worship music became the dominant language of American Protestantism Charlie Kirk, Sean Feucht, and the politics of sacred music The rise of suburban megachurch culture and its political influence Why contemporary worship songs often succeed where political slogans fail "Comfort food Christian nationalism" and the power of familiarity The overlap between MAGA politics, evangelical identity, and worship culture Links: Bob Smietana's NPR article: “Why an Apolitical Worship Song Has Become Popular With Conservative Activists” Adam Perez: ““It’s Your Breath in Our Lungs”: Sean Feucht’s Praise and Worship Music Protests and the Theological Problem of Pandemic Response in the U.S.” Worship Leader Research Leah Payne’s God Gave Rock and Roll to You: a History of Contemporary Christian Music Bob Smietana Official Website Bob Smietana at Religion News Service Bob Smietana's book, Reorganized Religion: The Reshaping of the American Church and Why It Matters: Axis Mundi is becoming more than a podcast network. We are building the essential newsroom for understanding religion, democracy, extremism, and power in America today. And with your support, we can build it together. Direct support: ⁠⁠https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new⁠⁠ Tax-deductible donations through our partnering 501c3: ⁠⁠https://www.irmce.org/donate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Weekly Roundup: The UFC Presidency: Election Lies, Blood Sport Politics, and Hegseth’s D-Day Disgrace 12.06.2026 1h

   This week on Straight White American Jesus, Brad and Dan unpack the GOP’s latest claims of voter fraud in California and show how conspiracy thinking, Christian nationalist spiritual warfare, and anti-democratic rhetoric continue to undermine public trust in elections. Focusing on comments from Donald Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson, they explore how evidence-free allegations of fraud function politically, why California has become a symbolic target, and how narratives of hidden, “unprovable” corruption mirror the logic of both conspiracism and charismatic Christian nationalism. The episode examines what happens when feelings and intuition replace facts, and why attacks on election integrity remain central to the MAGA movement’s political strategy. The conversation then turns to the Trump administration’s unprecedented UFC event at the White House and Pete Hegseth’s controversial D-Day remarks in Normandy. Brad and Dan analyze the UFC spectacle as a symbol of a broader political vision rooted in domination, submission, and conflict rather than democratic deliberation and compromise. They also discuss Hegseth’s embrace of Western civilizational rhetoric and anti-immigrant messaging during a commemoration of the Allied fight against fascism, situating his comments within a larger framework of Christian nationalism, Western chauvinism, and the growing influence of the postliberal right. Along the way, they reflect on America’s declining international standing, the politics of spectacle, and reasons for hope as public resistance to authoritarianism continues to grow. Axis Mundi is becoming more than a podcast network. We are building the essential newsroom for understanding religion, democracy, extremism, and power in America today. And with your support, we can build it together. Direct support: ⁠https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new⁠ Tax-deductible donations through our partnering 501c3: ⁠https://www.irmce.org/donate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• It's in the Code ep 194: “The Last Word” 10.06.2026 34min

  What are the broader takeaways from Josh Hawley’s presentation on “manhood?” How does Hawley’s vision of “masculine America” illuminate the dynamics of high-control Christianity, Christian nationalism, and the broader MAGA movement in America today? What lessons can we learn through engaging Hawley’s vision of masculinity? Join Dan to find out, as we conclude our look at Hawley’s vision of manhood. Subscribe to our free newsletter: ⁠https://swaj.substack.com/⁠ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: ⁠https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/⁠ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• The Sunday Interview: Fighting Spiritual Terrorism 07.06.2026 50min

  In this episode, Brad Onishi sits down with Rev. Alba Onofrio, the Executive Director of Soulforce and author of Spiritual Violence: Religious Phenomena That Defile the Faith. Rev. Alba brings nearly two decades of global activism across four continents to a critical conversation about the exact mechanisms religious systems use to inflict deep psychological and physical harm. Moving past vague concepts of religious trauma, she provides a clear framework that categorizes spiritual harm along a spectrum—ranging from everyday theological microaggressions to full-scale "spiritual terrorism." By defining spiritual terrorism as a sustained, systemic deployment of fear designed to subjugate entire communities, Rev. Alba exposes how weaponized theology acts as an active tool of control rather than an accidental byproduct of faith. The discussion dives into how traditional religious imagery—such as framing God exclusively as a punishing "Father," "King," or "Judge"—subtly normalizes abusive and hierarchical dynamics in families, intimate relationships, and broader civic life. Rev. Alba and Brad unpack how white Christian supremacy shapes what the American context recognizes as violence, using the deployment of Romans 13 during the separation of immigrant families at the U.S. border as a chilling case study in theological terrorism. Crucially, the episode addresses Christianity's historical condemnation of "the flesh," explaining how policing the body strips individuals of their bodily autonomy and self-trust. Ultimately, Rev. Alba shares why she fiercely maintains her faith, arguing that naming these systemic abuses is not a rejection of spirituality, but the vital first step toward true healing, resistance, and collective liberation. Subscribe to our free newsletter: ⁠https://swaj.substack.com/⁠ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: ⁠https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/⁠ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• Weekly Roundup: From Neo-Nazi Remigration to Military Christian Nationalism 05.06.2026 1h 1min

   This week on Straight White American Jesus, Brad and Dan trace the connections between Trump-era immigration policy, rising far-right extremism, and a growing international movement built around the idea of “remigration.” Beginning with unrest at New Jersey’s Delaney Hall detention center, they examine former ICE official Greg Bovino’s appearance at a European far-right conference and discuss how anti-immigrant rhetoric, Christian nationalism, and white identity politics are increasingly intertwined on both sides of the Atlantic. The conversation explores how language, policy, and political movements reinforce one another—and what it means when American officials and European extremists are drawing inspiration from the same playbook. The episode also dives into new Gallup polling showing declining support for LGBTQ+ rights after decades of gains, particularly among Republicans, and considers how coordinated religious and political campaigns have reshaped public opinion. Brad and Dan connect these trends to battles over schools, charter education, and public funding, while also unpacking Pete Hegseth’s efforts to narrow religious representation in the military chaplaincy. They close with a discussion of free speech, the courts’ response to the “8647” controversy, and several signs of hope—including a federal court ruling protecting transgender service members and the ongoing celebration of Pride Month. Along the way, they share exciting news about the next chapter of Axis Mundi Media, including new live programming, The Daily Brief, and plans to expand independent coverage of religion, democracy, and power. Axis Mundi is becoming more than a podcast network. We are building the essential newsroom for understanding religion, democracy, extremism, and power in America today. And with your support, we can build it together. Direct support: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Tax-deductible donations through our partnering 501c3: https://www.irmce.org/donate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• It's in the Code ep 193: “Christian Nationalism On the DL” 03.06.2026 37min

  Josh Hawley is a dyed-in-the-wool, self-described Christian nationalist. But he’s careful not to make this too obvious in discussion of Christian masculinity and masculine virtue. But if we look past his smoke and mirrors, if look behind the curtain, his Christian nationalism comes through when he talks about role of men as “kings.” Check out this week’s episode as Dan walks us through Hawley’s Christian nationalist vision of America. Subscribe for $3.65: ⁠https://axismundi.supercast.com/⁠ Subscribe to our free newsletter: ⁠https://swaj.substack.com/⁠ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: ⁠https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/⁠ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
• The Sunday Interview: Synthetic Hate: How AI Fuels the Far Right 31.05.2026 1h 3min

  In this episode, hosts Annika Brockschmidt and Roland Meyer sit down with media scholar Roland Meyer to dissect the unsettling intersection of generative AI, right-wing extremism, and the emerging aesthetics of digital fascism. Meyer, a professor at the University of Zurich, breaks down why AI-generated visual culture is uniquely suited for far-right propaganda. Rather than acting as a neutral mirror of reality, these algorithms are structurally nostalgic—relying on past training data to build idealized, hyper-masculine mythologies, clean ethnic landscapes, and weaponized "slopaganda." From American frontier myths to European Islamophobic imagery, Meyer explains how mass-produced, engagement-optimized AI content is being actively weaponized to construct collective, racist fantasy worlds at an unprecedented scale. The conversation pushes past simple deepfakes to examine the darker political economy and Silicon Valley ideologies underlying the modern tech ecosystem. Meyer and the hosts unpack the rise of "slop"—voted Merriam-Webster’s word of the year—and how algorithmic distribution networks reward dehumanizing depictions of marginalized groups while turning tech leaders into gladiatorial icons. By exploring how figures like Elon Musk, Peter Thiel's Alex Karp, and Charlie Kirk use these tools, the episode exposes a shared tech-authoritarian vision. This ideology frames AI not as a tool for public good, but as an unregulated, masculine force engineered for white, Western dominance, proving that the struggle over generative AI is fundamentally a battle over who controls the future of reality. Subscribe for $3.65: ⁠https://axismundi.supercast.com/⁠ Subscribe to our free newsletter: ⁠https://swaj.substack.com/⁠ Order American Caesar by Brad Onishi: ⁠https://static.macmillan.com/static/essentials/american-caesar-9781250427922/⁠ Donate to SWAJ: https://axismundi.supercast.com/donations/new Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices