Russell Moore, Mike Cosper, and Clarissa Moll gather at the end of the year to reflect on 2025’s top news stories–what mattered, what didn’t, and what thoughtful media engagement means for Christians. Together, they consider the influential rise of artificial intelligence, the merging of politics with the pulpit, and the timeless call of Jesus–“Do not be afraid”--that anchors Christian hearts in the truth, no matter what the news cycle brings. GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.  ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producer: Erik Petrik  Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Grab a loved one and gather round for a special reading of the Christmas story from your friends at CT Media podcasts. Music from The Porter’s Gate, poetry from Malcolm Guite, and more – shared by the voices you know and love from your favorite shows here at Christianity Today! GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.  TODAY’S VOICES: Russell Moore, Mike Cosper, and Clarissa Moll of The Bulletin. Nicole Martin, president and CEO of Christianity Today. David Zahl, Bulletin guest and author of The Big Relief: The Urgency of Grace for a Worn-Out World. David French, Bulletin guest and New York Times columnist. Sho Baraka, editorial director of CT’s Big Tent Initiative. Steve Cuss of Being Human. Jesse Eubanks and Faith Stults of Wonderology. Music used with permission from the Porter’s Gate album, Advent Songs. The poem “The Magi” is written by Malcom Guite, from his collection Sounding the Seasons: 70 Sonnets for the Christian Year (Canterbury Press). ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producer: Erik Petrik  Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As a mom of six, author Leslie Leyland Fields was shocked when she first heard the term “breeder” to describe mothers of large families. In this edition of Sunday Afternoon Reads, Leslie reads her piece “The Case for Kids,” which was published nearly twenty years ago as a cover story for Christianity Today, offered today with all new statistics for contemporary listeners. As the birth rate in the US has declined to a record low, Leslie’s words are more prescient than ever.  READ THE WRITTEN VERSION: -The Case for Kids - Leslie Leyland Fields GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.    ABOUT THE GUESTS:   Leslie Leyland Fields is a writer, speaker and professional editor who lives on Kodiak Island, Alaska in the winter and Harvester Island in the summer, where she works in commercial salmon fishing with her family. She co-hosts “Off the Shelf” on KMXT Public Radio and is the author of Parenting Is Your Highest Calling, Surprise Child, and other books. ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper   Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Cosper and Clarissa Moll discuss the complexities of recent violence, including the shooting at Brown University and an antisemitic attack at Bondi Beach in Sydney. They explore the media's role in covering such incidents, the impact on affected communities, and the loss of empathy. Then, Mike sits down with former Representative Adam Kinzinger to talk about his experience on Capitol Hill during the January 6 riots, his new documentary The Last Republican, and what true courage looks like. They finish the conversation talking about the war in Ukraine and the Venezuelan boat strikes.  REFERENCED IN THE SHOW: -The Last Republican  -Meet the Republican Congressman Who Says His Faith Led Him to Vote for Impeachment - Christianity Today -Adam Kinzinger’s Substack GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.  ABOUT THE GUESTS: Adam Kinzinger is an American politician, senior political commentator for CNN, and former lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard. He served as a United States representative of Illinois from 2011 to 2023. ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producer: Erik Petrik  Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On Sunday, a Hanukkah celebration in Australia was interrupted by a horrific shooting which killed at least 15 people. At Brown University in Rhode Island, a gunman shot and killed two students and left nine injured at a Saturday exam study session. In light of these tragedies, we’re re-releasing a conversation about violence and antisemitism between Mike Cosper, Rabbi Joshua Stanton, and Bishop Robert Stearns. Then, Australian Steve Cuss of CT Media’s Being Human podcast drops by with a Christmas meditation on the hospitality of God to those the world considers strangers.  REFERENCED IN THE SHOW: -Trump Disses Putin, Kermit Speaks at Graduation, and The Israeli Embassy Suffers Loss - The Bulletin -Hosted by God at Christmastime - Being Human with Steve Cuss GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Follow the Being Human podcast. -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice. ABOUT THE GUESTS: Rabbi Joshua Stanton is associate vice president for interfaith and intergroup initiatives at the Jewish Federations of North America. He is also on the board of governors with the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations, which presides over Jewish-Christian relations with the Vatican.   Bishop Robert Stearns is the founder and executive director of Eagles’ Wings and the presiding bishop of the historic Tabernacle Church in Buffalo, New York. Stearns serves as president of the Israel Christian Nexus in Los Angeles and has ministered in more than 30 nations around the world, with a central focus on the nation of Israel.  Steve Cuss is a pastor, former chaplain, and founder of Capable Life which helps people lower internal and relational anxiety in the workplace and at home. He is the author of Managing Leadership Anxiety: Yours and Theirs and The Expectation Gap: The Tiny, Vast Space between Our Beliefs and Experience of God. Steve hosts the CT Media podcast, Being Human. ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producer: Erik Petrik  Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, officials examine Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s role in recent drug boat strikes. Charlie Sykes joins Mike and Clarissa to explain the legalities of the recent military action. Then, President Trump’s tariffs are beginning to affect US farmers. Gretchen Ronnevik shares perspectives from America’s heartland. Finally, a new Pew report says religiosity in America isn’t diminishing quite as quickly as in previous years. We ask veteran journalist Bob Smietana to help us interpret the new data. REFERENCED IN THE SHOW:  -⁠Hamas Crackdown, Rural Hospitals, and Why Brides Wear White⁠ - The Bulletin GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.  ABOUT THE GUESTS: Charles J. Sykes is a political commentator who hosted a conservative talk show in Wisconsin for 23 years. He was the former editor-in-chief of The Bulwark, and is currently an MSNBC contributor. Sykes has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Politico, Salon, USA Today, National Review, The Weekly Standard, and has appeared on the Today Show, ABC, NBC, Fox News, CNN, PBS, and the BBC.  Gretchen Ronnevik is the author of Ragged: Spiritual Disciplines for the Spiritually Exhausted and the co-host of the weekly podcast Freely Given. She and her family live in Minnesota on the family farm. Bob Smietana is a national reporter for Religion News Service based near Chicago, covering evangelicals, weird religion, and the changing religious landscape. ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producer: Erik Petrik  Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Australia bans kids under 16 from social media platforms. Should the US do the same? The CDC votes to change the recommendations for the hepatitis B infant vaccination schedule. Notre Dame is snubbed from the playoffs and rejects a bowl game. Mike Cosper and Clarissa Moll discuss these headlines. Then, Mike sits down with Rebeccah Heinrichs of The Hudson Institute for a conversation about the shifting historical narratives of the far right, why young men are drawn to authoritarian ideas, and the importance of maintaining global alliances to prevent world wars.     GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.  ABOUT THE GUESTS: Rebeccach Heinrichs is a senior fellow at Hudson Institute and the director of its Keystone Defense Initiative. She specializes in US national defense policy with a focus on strategic deterrence. Heinrichs currently serves as a commissioner on the bipartisan Strategic Posture Commission, which was created in the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act. She also serves on the US Strategic Command Advisory Group and the National Independent Panel on Military Service and Readiness. She is an adjunct professor at the Institute of World Politics, where she teaches nuclear deterrence theory and is also a contributing editor of Providence: A Journal of Christianity and American Foreign Policy. ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: TJ Hester Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producer: Erik Petrik  Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, the Trump administration temporarily halted all asylum application decisions following the shooting of two National Guardsmen by an Afghan refugee. CT’s Andy Olsen joins Mike Cosper and Russell Moore to discuss the implications of this change. Then, Dalibor Rohac of the American Enterprise Institute stops by to talk about Russia’s rejection of the U.S.’s 28-point proposal for ending the war in Ukraine, despite indications that the proposal was overly favorable to Russia. Last, Mike and Russell talk about the fallout from the U.S. Navy’s attack of alleged Venezuelan drug boats and whether the U.S. committed war crimes by killing survivors.  REFERENCED IN THE SHOW: -‘Amid Peace Talks, Russian Drone Damages Christian School in Kyiv’ by Jill Nelson -‘⁠Trump's full 28-point Ukraine-Russia peace plan⁠’ - Axios GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.  ABOUT THE GUESTS: Andy Olsen is the senior features writer at Christianity Today. He previously oversaw the print magazine team. His writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune, among other outlets, and has been recognized by the Religion News Association and the Evangelical Press Association. Dalibor Rohac is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, where he studies the political economy of the European Union and transatlantic relations. He is concurrently a research associate at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies in Brussels. ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: TJ Hester Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producer: Erik Petrik   Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join us for the kickoff of Advent as Russell Moore, Clarissa Moll, and Being Human’s Steve Cuss discuss when they officially start listening to Christmas music, their favorite Christmas memories, nativity story characters that are meaningful to them, and what “Six White Boomers” means for Australians at Christmas.  GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.  ABOUT THE GUESTS: Steve Cuss is a pastor, former chaplain, and founder of Capable Life which helps people lower internal and relational anxiety in the workplace and at home. He is the author of Managing Leadership Anxiety: Yours and Theirs and The Expectation Gap: The Tiny, Vast Space between Our Beliefs and Experience of God. Steve hosts the CT Media podcast, Being Human. ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: TJ Hester Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper   Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, the kidnapping of children from a Catholic school in Nigeria prompted further discussions about Christian persecution in the country. Then, in a surprising turn of events, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene announced she will resign in January, while newly elected mayor of New York City Zohran Mamdani held a friendly meeting with President Trump. Mike Cosper and Clarissa Moll discuss these headlines and share favorite gift ideas as the holiday season begins. This conversation features gratitudes from listeners near and far. REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE: -⁠JD Vance’s Interfaith Marriage, Fighting in Nigeria, Nick Fuentes Interview⁠ -⁠Pete Hegseth Addresses Military, Nigerian Christians, Government Shutdown GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.  ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: TJ Hester Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper   Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On Thursday, Christianity Today announced that Nicole Martin will be our new president and CEO. In this episode, Nicole and CT board member Walter Kim join Clarissa Moll for a conversation about the legacy of Billy Graham, the call to unity in the midst of division, the centrality of Christ and pro-life values, and the vision for CT’s future. GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.  ABOUT THE GUESTS:  Nicole Martin is Christianity Today’s president and CEO. Formerly, she was CT’s chief operating officer. She is the author of several books including Nailing It: Why Successful Leadership Demands Suffering and Surrender and Made to Lead: Empowering Women for Ministry. Walter Kim is the president of the National Association of Evangelicals and is on Christianity Today’s board of trustees. He previously served as a pastor at Boston’s historic Park Street Church and at churches in Vancouver, Canada and Charlottesville, Virginia, as well as a campus chaplain at Yale University.  ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper   Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, President Trump hosts the Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman for a formal White House visit, despite the prince’s responsibility for numerous human rights abuses. National security expert Elizabeth Neumann joins Mike Cosper and Clarissa Moll to discuss how to interpret this visit. Then, New York Times columnist David French stops by to talk about shifts in the Republican party as the U.S. emerges from the government shutdown. Finally, CT’s Sho Baraka joins us to talk about the TikTok trend of the performative male, and how one man in Detroit is using jujitsu to teach boys and men to control their strength and be emotionally open.  REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE: -Mastering Masculinity with Jason Wilson by Sho Baraka   GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.  ABOUT THE GUESTS:   David French is a columnist for The New York Times. He’s a former senior editor of The Dispatch and author of Divided We Fall: America’s Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation. Elizabeth Neumann is a national security expert who has served across three presidential administrations: on the inaugural staff of the White House Homeland Security Council under President George W. Bush, as an advisor to the office of the director of national intelligence during the Obama Administration, and as the Department of Homeland Security’s deputy chief of staff and assistant secretary for counterterrorism and threat prevention in the Trump administration. Neumann is also a national security contributor for ABC News. Sho Baraka is a recording artist, performer, culture curator, activist, and writer. Baraka is an alumnus of Tuskegee University and the University of North Texas. He is a cofounder of Forth District and the And Campaign, and he has served as an adjunct professor at Wake Forest University School of Divinity. He was an original member of influential hip-hop consortium 116 Clique, recording with Reach Records. In 2024, Baraka became the Big Tent editorial director for Christianity Today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the weekend, President Trump changed his tune about the Epstein files, calling for them to be released. Meanwhile, the rift between Trump and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene widens. Former Bethel worship leader Sean Feuchts hosts communion on state capitols around the country, and finally near the White House. And ICE arrests over 80 individuals in Charlotte, North Carolina, in one of the first major raids in southern states. Mike Cosper and Clarissa Moll discuss these headlines.  REFERENCED IN THE EPISODE: -Sunday Afternoon Reads: An American Deportation GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack. -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.  ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: TJ Hester Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper   Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Israeli settler violence continues against Palestinians; Mike, Russell, and Clarissa discuss the complex dynamics in the West Bank. Then, Congress releases emails from Jeffrey Epstein that mention President Trump. Nicole Martin stops by to consider how we can think about the new revelations. Last, CT contributor Luke Simon joins the conversation about the role of purity in Christian discourse about sexuality and political violence.  REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE: ‘Promised Land’ miniseries by The Bulletin Rachael Denhollander Calls for a Southern Baptist Reckoning on Abuse on The Russell Moore Show Harm, Trauma, and Church Abuse with Diane Langberg on The Russell Moore Show Have We Kissed Purity Goodbye? By Luke Simon GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  Join the conversation at our Substack.  Find us on YouTube.  Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.    ABOUT THE GUESTS:   Nicole Martin is Christianity Today’s chief operating officer. She is the author of several books including Nailing It: Why Successful Leadership Demands Suffering and Surrender and Made to Lead: Empowering Women for Ministry. Luke Simon is a content strategist for The Crossing church in Columbia, Missouri, and a M.Div. student at Covenant Theological Seminary. He has written on Gen Z, technology, masculinity, and the church. His writing appears in Christianity Today, Mere Orthodoxy, and The Gospel Coalition. ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: TJ Hester Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper   Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The federal government inches towards reopening as five Democratic senators signal they will join Republicans in passing legislation to fund the government. SNAP benefits were in question during the shutdown– how can Christians think about the role of the federal government in providing food assistance? And we haven’t heard much in the news about Iran recently; what’s going on there? Mike Cosper and Clarissa Moll discuss these headlines, and Clarissa talks with Sara Billups about how to address anxiety through embodied, spiritual practices. REFERENCED IN THE EPISODE: -Nervous Systems: Spiritual Practices to Calm Anxiety in Your Body, the Church, and Politics by Sara Billups.  GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.    ABOUT THE GUESTS:   Sara Billups is a Seattle-based writer and cultural commentator whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Christianity Today, Aspen Ideas, and others. Sara writes Bitter Scroll, a monthly Substack letter and co-hosts the podcast That’s the Spirit. She earned a Doctor of Ministry in the Sacred Art of Writing at the Peterson Center for the Christian Imagination at Western Theological Seminary.  ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper   Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nelson and Gladys Gonzalez snuck into the US in the 1980s from Colombia, rooted themselves in California where they became Christians, and eventually became lay leaders at Saddleback Church in Orange County, California. CT’s Andy Olsen got to know the Gonzalez family and recounts their complex and poignant story in his piece ‘An American Deportation.’ We’ve asked Andy to read his piece out loud. We think you’ll love it. Settle in and enjoy!  READ THE WRITTEN VERSION: -They Led at Saddleback Church. ICE Said They Were Safe. by Andy Olsen. GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.    ABOUT THE GUESTS:   Andy Olsen is the senior features writer at Christianity Today. He previously oversaw the print magazine team. His writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune, among other outlets, and has been recognized by the Religion News Association and the Evangelical Press Association. ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper   Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, former Vice President Dick Cheney died at the age of 84. Steve Hayes of The Dispatch stops by to discuss Cheney’s life and legacy. Then, CT’s Harvest Prude analyzes Tuesday’s elections in New York, Virginia, California, and New Jersey, and how the results signal voter frustrations with the Trump administration and the economy. Last, CT’s Ken Chitwood joins Russell, Mike, and Clarissa to talk about German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s statement telling Syrian refugees it’s time to go home. REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE: -CT’s international reporting  -A Little-Noted Element Propelled Mamdani’s Rise: Gen Z Loneliness by Emma Goldberg and Benjamin Oreskes GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.    ABOUT THE GUESTS:   Steve Hayes is CEO and editor of The Dispatch. Prior to co-founding the company in 2019, he worked at The Weekly Standard for 18 years covering Washington, politics, and national security. Steve is the author of Cheney: The Untold Story of America's Most Powerful and Controversial Vice President. He has worked as a contributor at CNN and Fox News and currently serves as a political analyst at NBC News.  Harvest Prude is Christianity Today’s national political correspondent and a congressional reporter based in Washington, DC. She is a former reporter for The Dispatch and World, having served there as political reporter for their Washington bureau. Ken Chitwood is an award-winning religion, travel, and culture newswriter based in Germany. He is editor of ReligionLink, a nonpartisan, monthly newsletter with source guides and story ideas for journalists reporting on religion. His work has appeared or been featured in Foreign Policy, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, USA Today, The Guardian, and Christianity Today. ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: TJ Hester Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper   Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vice President JD Vance comments about his interfaith marriage saying he hopes his wife becomes a Christian. Fighting in Nigeria continues, and President Trump remarks about possible intervention. Tucker Carlson hosts a friendly interview with alt-right Nazi sympathizer Nick Fuentes. Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts defends the interview and re-ups his support for Carlson. Mike Cosper and Clarissa Moll discuss these headlines, and Clarissa talks with Collin Hansen of The Gospel Coalition about cultural apologetics in our modern age.     REFERENCED IN THE EPISODE: -The Bulletin episode 213 - segment 2 about Nigerian Christians with Liam Karr -Jihadists Persecute Christians in Nigeria. Is It Genocide? by Emmanuel Nwachukwu -The Gospel After Christendom: An Introduction to Cultural Apologetics  GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.    ABOUT THE GUESTS:   Collin Hansen is the vice president for content and editor-in-chief of The Gospel Coalition and executive director of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. He is an author, journalist, and podcast host known for books like Young, Restless, Reformed and Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation. Hansen also hosts the Gospelbound podcast and is an adjunct professor at Beeson Divinity School.  ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper   Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Trump has been dropping hints that he will run for a third presidential term. Charlie Sykes joins Russell, Mike, and Clarissa to discuss if there’s any merit to these claims. Elizabeth Neumann stops by to talk about the US’s continued strikes on boats off the coast of South America. And, ChatGPT announces it will offer erotica content to adult users. Brandon Rickabaugh discusses spiritual formation for an AI world. REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE: -The Bulletin's AI Miniseries. GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.    ABOUT THE GUESTS:   Charles J. Sykes is a political commentator who hosted a conservative talk show in Wisconsin for 23 years. He was the former editor-in-chief of The Bulwark, and is currently an MSNBC contributor. Sykes has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Politico, Salon, USA Today, National Review, The Weekly Standard, and other national publications. He has appeared on the Today Show, ABC, NBC, Fox News, CNN, PBS, and the BBC and has been profiled on NPR.  Elizabeth Neumann is a national security expert who has served across three presidential administrations: on the inaugural staff of the White House Homeland Security Council under President George W. Bush, as an advisor to the office of the director of national intelligence during the Obama Administration, and as the Department of Homeland Security’s deputy chief of staff and assistant secretary for counterterrorism and threat prevention in the Trump administration. Neumann is also a national security contributor for ABC News. Brandon Rickabaugh is the founder and director of NOVUS, a center dedicated to applying Christian wisdom for the renewal of public life and academia. He is the co-author of The Substance of Consciousness and the author of two forthcoming books: What is Consciousness? and The Unity of Consciousness and Self. ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper   Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As New York City heads into a mayoral election next week, progressive candidate Zohran Mamdani leads the polls over the former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. Will his emphasis on the rising cost of living win him the race? Putin’s tactics in Ukraine show his desire for the war to continue, while President Trump softens towards Ukraine. And, Hurricane Melissa poses a threat to Jamaica. Mike Cosper and Clarissa Moll discuss these headlines, and Clarissa sits down with Kutter Callaway, host of the CT’s podcast Be Afraid, to talk about how violence in horror films compares to violence in the news, and why Christian filmmakers are producing horror films.   GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN:  -Join the conversation at our Substack.  -Find us on YouTube.  -Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice.    ABOUT THE GUESTS:   Kutter Callaway is the William K. Brehm Chair of Worship, Theology, and the Arts, associate dean of the Center for Advanced Theological Studies, and associate professor of theology and culture at Fuller Seminary. He is author and contributor to several books, and his most recent book is Theology for Psychology and Counseling: An Invitation to Holistic Christian Practice.  ABOUT THE BULLETIN:  The Bulletin is a twice-weekly politics and current events show from Christianity Today moderated by Clarissa Moll, with senior commentary from Russell Moore (Christianity Today’s editor-at-large and columnist) and Mike Cosper (senior contributor). Each week, the show explores current events and breaking news and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world. We also offer special one-on-one conversations with writers, artists, and thought leaders whose impact on the world brings important significance to a Christian worldview, like Bono, Sharon McMahon, Harrison Scott Key, Frank Bruni, and more.    The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more.    “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today  Producer: Clarissa Moll  Associate Producer: Alexa Burke  Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps  Executive Producers: Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper   Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices