The Russell Moore Show

Note: This episode was recorded before the presidential election. “We don’t live in a world of ideals right now.” So says Jeffrey Goldberg, editor in chief of The Atlantic. He and Moore, who recorded this episode on the anniversary of the October 7th Hamas attacks on Israel, discuss the fraught state of both domestic and global politics. They consider cultural climates on college campuses and social media, civil disobedience, and leadership. They also talk about military service in light of Goldberg’s new book, On Heroism, and talk about perspectives on masculinity in light of American culture and politics.  Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Jeffrey Goldberg The Atlantic Washington Week with The Atlantic Prisoners: A Story of Friendship and Terror by Jeffrey Goldberg On Heroism: McCain, Milley, Mattis, and the Cowardice of Donald Trump by Jeffrey Goldberg “The Unreality of Columbia’s ‘Liberated Zone’”  “Stoicism in the South”   Seven Days in May The Overton Window Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Civility is not the whole story in life,” Richard Mouw said. “But we often take incivility much too far.”  Online, in face-to-face relationships, and even at church, this statement has proven true time and again in recent years. Mouw—author, theologian, and former president of Fuller Seminary—says that in a world of ridicule, Christians can still be people who honor the humanity of others. Mouw and Moore discuss political division, patriotism in worship services, and the powerful draw of specific candidates to certain demographics. They talk about the rise in female leadership, the sense of lostness many men feel amid cultural shifts, and the idea that bitterness and anger are often forms of grief. Mouw and Moore talk about what Calvinism can bring to the church today, whether they believe they’ll be surprised by the faces they see in eternity, and how to live in light of the kingdom. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Richard J. Mouw Uncommon Decency: Christian Civility in an Uncivilized World by Richard J. Mouw Divine Generosity: The Scope of Salvation in Reformed Theology by Richard J. Mouw Wendell Berry on the providence of God Nicholas Wolterstorff “Sphere Sovereignty” by Abraham Kuyper James E. Bradley “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When will all the craziness be over?  It’s the question that seems to be on every American’s mind, and one that many have asked both Russell Moore and George Packer, author and staff writer at The Atlantic. Moore and Packer discuss the exhaustion and rage that have become common in our politics. They discuss partisanship, profitability, and pessimism. They talk about the historical events that have led to our current realities, the effects of secularization on culture, and what it might take for Packer to believe there is a God—and why Packer still, despite all of the chaos, can’t forgo his hope for humanity. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: George Packer "What Will Become of American Civilization? Conspiracism and Hyper-Partisanship in the Nation’s Fastest-Growing City” by George Packer at The Atlantic The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America by George Packer The Assassins’ Gate: America in Iraq by George Packer Blood of the Liberals by George Packer Facing Unpleasant Facts: Narrative Essays by George Orwell, compiled and with an introduction by George Packer Our Man: Richard Holbrooke and the End of the American Century by George Packer David French Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt Montaigne’s Tower Click here for a trial subscription at Christianity Today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Carlos Whittaker is an author, podcaster, and global speaker who is backed by, as he puts it, “the power of a massive Instafamilia.” Perhaps it’s no wonder, then, that when he decided to spend 23 hours a day in silence at a Benedictine monastery, he experienced physical detoxification symptoms—including heart palpitations.  Whittaker and Moore talk about their experiences of spending time screen-free and how it has changed them. They discuss the relational focus made possible by time apart from devices and the transformative effects of communal living. They consider how Christians engage with time, why it’s important to savor experiences, and how believers might reclaim the practice of solitude.  Ultimately, they speak to the potential for a healthy relationship to technology and discuss what it may look like to pursue it. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: Carlos Whittaker Pascal’s Penseés  Reconnected: How 7 Screen-Free Weeks with Monks and Amish Farmers Helped Me Recover the Lost Art of Being Human by Carlos Whittaker Saint Andrew’s Abbey Henri Nouwen “London Taxi Drivers and Bus Drivers: A Structural MRI and Neuropsychological Analysis” Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to [email protected]. Click here for a trial subscription at Christianity Today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices