Kirk, Dobson & Evangelical Complexity with Bonnie Kristian (#373)

Kirk, Dobson & Evangelical Complexity with Bonnie Kristian (#373)

Author: Dan Koch January 12, 2026 Duration: 1:00:59
I sit down with returning guest Bonnie Kristian, deputy editor at Christianity Today, to examine tensions in contemporary evangelicalism in light of her upcoming book, In Defense of Evangelicalism. First up, we look at James Dobson's complicated legacy and how his parenting advice represented both progress and problems for its time, and why his use of psychology credentials to bypass evidence-based research troubles me as a clinician in the field.  We then tackle the media's panic over "spiritual warfare" language at Charlie Kirk's funeral, where Bonnie points out that Pope Francis uses the same Ephesians passage about wrestling "not against flesh and blood." We also get into Peter Thiel's bizarre Antichrist lectures, which turn out to be less apocalyptic theology and more libertarian fearmongering dressed in biblical metaphor.  Throughout, we wrestle with a core question: how do we navigate religious language in public discourse when biblical literacy has collapsed, and when do passionate warnings cross the line into spiritual abuse? Previous Episodes with Bonnie: ⁠Episode 306 | Dan is Getting Libertarian-Curious⁠ ⁠Episode 21 | To Consider Inerrancy, Infallibility & Inspiration⁠ ⁠Episode 6 | To Consider ALL the Atonement Theories⁠ ___________________________________________ Follow Dan on IG: www.instagram.com/dancoke/ Or Twitter: twitter.com/DanKoch Faith deconstruction resources: www.soyouredeconstructing.com/ Join the Patreon for exclusive episodes (and more) every month: patreon.com/dankoch Email about the "sliding scale" for the Patreon: youhavepermissionpodcast@gmail.com YHP Patron-only FB group: tinyurl.com/ycvbbf98 Website: www.dankochwords.com/yhp.html Join Dan's email list: www.dankochwords.com/ Artwork by sprungle.co/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosted by Dan Koch, Religion on the Mind digs into the messy, fascinating, and deeply personal space where our inner lives meet our search for meaning. This isn't a sermon or a debate; it's a series of conversations that feel more like late-night talks with curious friends. Each episode brings in a different voice-psychologists, scholars, writers, and other experts-to explore how our beliefs, doubts, rituals, and spiritual yearnings are intertwined with the workings of the human mind. We get into the psychology behind religious experience, the spirituality that emerges outside traditional structures, and the very real ways these forces shape identity, community, and coping. The tone is thoughtful but unvarnished, embracing complexity without pretension. You'll hear genuine curiosity, nuanced perspectives, and, yes, the occasional bit of cussing when the topic calls for it. The goal is to offer a space for reflection on how these fundamental aspects of being human collide and coexist. If you've ever wondered about the psychological roots of faith, the spirituality of non-belief, or just how our brains make sense of the profound, this podcast provides a grounded, accessible entry point to those questions.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Religion on the Mind
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