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Straight White American Jesus

Straight White American Jesus

By: Bradley Onishi + Daniel Miller
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An in-depth examination of the culture and politics of Christian Nationalism and Evangelicalism by two ex-evangelical ministers-turned-religion professors. If you have ever wondered what social and historical forces led white evangelicals to usher Donald Trump into the White House this is the show for you. As former insiders and critical scholars of religion, Dan Miller and Bradley Onishi have a unique perspective on the Religious Right. Guests have included Chrissy Stroop, R. Marie Griffith, Janelle Wong, Randall Balmer, Katherine Stewart, and many others.Bradley Onishi + Daniel Miller Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Axis Live: Birthright Citizenship Reactions, Texas Bible Reading, NAR Gone Wild

    Axis Live: Birthright Citizenship Reactions, Texas Bible Reading, NAR Gone Wild
    Jul 1 2026
    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
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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • The Sunday Interview: Turning Point USA’s “Pink Pill” Pipeline: Inside the Women’s Leadership Summit

    The Sunday Interview: Turning Point USA’s “Pink Pill” Pipeline: Inside the Women’s Leadership Summit
    Jun 28 2026
    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
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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • Weekly Roundup: How Protest Became Terrorism in Trump's America

    Weekly Roundup: How Protest Became Terrorism in Trump's America
    Jun 26 2026
    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
    Show More Show Less
    59 mins
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