The Russell Moore Show

• General Stanley McChrystal on Character

  What does it mean to have character in a world that doesn’t care? Or even worse: platforms and incentivizes a LACK of character?  If anyone should know, it’s a retired four-star General whose career ended in resignation. In this episode, Russell talks with General Stanley McChrystal, former commander of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan and author of On Character: Choices That Define a Life. They discuss the Rolling Stone article that ended McChrystal’s military career, why his wife’s single-word reaction changed the trajectory of his life, and how character is shaped over decades by family, mentors, mistakes, and moral decisions under pressure.  Along the way, McChrystal shares his thoughts on why the U.S. needs a mandatory service year as a way to heal divisions, how leadership choices prevented a hostile environment toward Islam in the United States, and his process for making difficult decisions of national importance. Plus, hear a retired four-star general give his take on the tensions in the Middle East and what should be done to ease them. You don’t need to be weighing options of national security to appreciate this conversation — If you’re weary of living in an era that excuses a lack of integrity and honor in its leadership, this conversation may give you hope that it’s possible to bring those back. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: On Character: Choices That Define a Life by Stanley McChrystal Meditations by Marcus Aurelius Carl Sandburg’s six-volume biography of Abraham Lincoln Listener question: Where are all the mature single Christian men? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Listener Question: Where Are All the Mature Christian Single Men?

  Russell answers a listener's question: Where Are All the mature, single christian men? Listen to the recent episode with Christine Emba about porn’s contribution to relational intimacy. Submit your own question for the show! Email [email protected] — and remember: attach a voice memo! Keep up with Russell: Sign up for the weekly newsletter where Russell shares thoughtful takes on big questions, offers a Christian perspective on life, and recommends books and music he's enjoying. Subscribe to the Christianity Today Magazine: Special offer for listeners of The Russell Moore Show: Click here for 25% off a subscription Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Christine Emba on the Fantasy of Porn’s Harmlessness

  Even where nobody talks about it, porn is everywhere--so much so that many, even those who think it's immoral, have concluded that it's an inextricable part of 21st century digital culture. But what if that attitude is leading us to levels of brokenness we never even imagined? In this episode, Christine Emba joins Russell to talk about what she calls a “quiet catastrophe”: the normalization of pornography in an era marked by loneliness and disconnection. Drawing from her widely read New York Times essay, “The Delusion of Porn’s Harmlessness,” Emba offers a pointed and profound look at what pornography is doing not just to our minds, but to our relationships, our desires, and our sense of self. Emba and Moore explore why the idea of intimacy feels threatening, and how a generation raised on digital pleasure might struggle to imagine and practice real relational connection. They also talk about how porn shapes our expectations of each other, why Christians often mishandle this issue, and what it might look like to recover a deeper, more beautiful ethic of intimate relationships. Emba even shares ways she sees society combatting our perceived defeat and possible despair when it comes to AI’s influence on porn–and the good news is, she has a positive outlook. This is not a frantic conversation about culture war panic. It’s a thoughtful and sobering conversation about what kind of restoration is possible when desire is distorted, but not beyond healing. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: C.S. Lewis letters, Yours, Jack: Spiritual Direction from C.S. Lewis “The Delusion of Porn’s Harmlessness” by Christine Emba (The New York Times) Rethinking Sex: A Provocation by Christine Emba Kate Julian’s “The Sex Recession” (The Atlantic) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Listener Question: Am I Disciplined—or Just Legalistic?

  Russell answers a listener's question: Am I Being Disciplined—or Just Legalistic? Submit your own question for the show! Email [email protected] — and remember: attach a voice memo! Keep up with Russell: Sign up for the weekly newsletter where Russell shares thoughtful takes on big questions, offers a Christian perspective on life, and recommends books and music he's enjoying. Subscribe to the Christianity Today Magazine: Special offer for listeners of The Russell Moore Show: Click here for 25% off a subscription Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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• Tony Hale on Parenting, Powerlessness, and Processing Grief

  Maybe you know Tony Hale as the bumbling Buster Bluth on Arrested Development. Or maybe you know him as the bag-toting assistant to Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Selina Meyer on Veep. You might even know him as the googly-eyed Forky in Toy Story 4 or Riley’s Fear on Inside Out.  No matter how you’ve come across him before, perhaps you haven’t heard him like this. In this episode, Tony Hale joins Russell Moore for a candid conversation about anxiety, art, faith—and why he’s drawn to characters who never quite have it all together. Hale opens up about his personal journey through grief and doubt, and how these experiences shaped both his faith and his creativity. He reflects on the healing power of storytelling, the importance of making space for emotions we often suppress, and what it means to parent children through grief and suffering. Together, Moore and Hale explore the themes of Hale’s new family film Sketch, a story about a girl who processes loss by drawing monsters. But this isn’t just a kids’ movie—it’s an honest look at pain, beauty, and what it means to sit with discomfort. Hale shares why he wanted to make a film that respects the emotional complexity of children and adults alike. They also talk about the influence of Tim Keller, Tony’s early years as an actor, the inner development of his iconic roles (be aware, there could be some spoilers!), and how to choose roles and shape a career as a Christian in Hollywood. And be sure to listen until the end, when Tony shares insights on how to be the one Christian among nonbelievers and how to show the love of Christ with authenticity.  This is a warm, thoughtful conversation about surrender, sacred imagination, and how telling the truth might be one of the most redemptive acts we can offer the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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