Highest Power: Church + State
Baptist News Global
A podcast from Baptist News Global examining the intersection of faith and politics at the highest levels of power. Hosted by Rick Pidcock.
Episodes
Mentioned books
10 snips
Feb 26, 2026 • 19min
Ep104: Trump's State of the Union Address & Belittling the Women's Olympic Hockey Team
Discussion of Trump’s unusually long State of the Union and his portrayal of America as a winner. Coverage of the men’s hockey team being honored and the notable exclusion of the women’s gold-medal team. Analysis of locker-room jokes, misogyny, and how public honors become about a single personality. Notes on omitted topics like the Epstein files and fact-checked falsehoods in the speech.
Feb 23, 2026 • 26min
Ep103: Doug Wilson Preaches at the Pentagon, with Brian Kaylor
Brian Kaylor, president/editor-in-chief of Word & Way and a Baptist minister who studies Christian nationalism. He discusses how preaching at the Pentagon reframes familiar evangelical language into political theology. He traces patterns in who leads services, song choices, and how worship can be repurposed for power. He also points to resources and coverage tracking these trends.
Feb 19, 2026 • 24min
Ep102: How Jesse Jackson's Legacy Inspires Young Black Civil Rights Leaders Today, with Braxton Wade
Thursday, February 19, 2026 — You're listening to Highest Power: Church + State, a weekly podcast from Baptist News Global, hosted by Rick Pidcock. Support faith-based journalism at baptistnews.com.
Feb 16, 2026 • 23min
Ep101: How the Worship Industry's Racial & Ethnic Hierarchies are Harming Black Christians
Monday, February 16, 2026 — You're listening to Highest Power: Church + State, a weekly podcast from Baptist News Global, hosted by Rick Pidcock. Support faith-based journalism at baptistnews.com.
Feb 12, 2026 • 30min
Ep100: Howard Thurman's View of Jesus Could Heal Us from Today's Christian Nationalism, with Jacob Robinson
Thursday, February 12, 2026 — You're listening to Highest Power: Church + State, a weekly podcast from Baptist News Global, hosted by Rick Pidcock. Support faith-based journalism at baptistnews.com.
Feb 9, 2026 • 28min
Ep99: Bad Bunny vs. TPUSA – A Tale of Two Super Bowl Halftime Shows
A contrast between Bad Bunny’s inclusive, Latino-centered Super Bowl set and Turning Point USA’s reactionary alternative broadcast. Discussions cover political framing of pop performance, revival-style religious messaging used for activism, and how cultural fights reveal evangelical anxieties about celebrity, language, and social change.
Feb 5, 2026 • 21min
Ep98: Trump's Sexist Attack on Kaitlan Collins
Thursday, February 5, 2026 — You're listening to Highest Power: Church + State, a weekly podcast from Baptist News Global, hosted by Rick Pidcock. Support faith-based journalism at baptistnews.com.
Feb 2, 2026 • 18min
Ep97: Erika Kirk and Sean Feucht's ICE Revivals, Their Demonization of Protestors, & James Dobson in the Epstein Files
Monday, February 2, 2026 — You're listening to Highest Power: Church + State, a weekly podcast from Baptist News Global, hosted by Rick Pidcock. Support faith-based journalism at baptistnews.com.
Jan 29, 2026 • 24min
Ep96: Does Law Enforcement Deserve Benefit of the Doubt & How Regular People Can Expose the Truth
Thursday, January 29, 2026 — You're listening to Highest Power: Church + State, a weekly podcast from Baptist News Global, hosted by Rick Pidcock. Support faith-based journalism at baptistnews.com.
Jan 26, 2026 • 18min
Ep95: Alex Pretti & How Patriarchy Cares More about Power over Women than Protecting Women
Monday, January 26, 2026 — You're listening to Highest Power: Church + State, a weekly podcast from Baptist News Global, hosted by Rick Pidcock. Support faith-based journalism at baptistnews.com.
