The Russell Moore Show

Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize–winning historian known for biographies of American statesmen, joins to discuss democracy and American struggle. He examines humility, compromise, and the recurring temptation to treat rivals as enemies. Conversations touch on the 1920s parallels, the Scopes Trial, nationalism versus patriotism, and whether reconciliation remains possible.

A reflection on the life and passing of a civil rights leader celebrated for bold community development and sacrificial work in 1960s Mississippi. The conversation highlights a steadfast commitment to reconciliation rooted in faith and the blending of spiritual devotion with neighborly love. It focuses on moral authority, enduring witness, and how such lives inspire perseverance toward Christ.

Doug McKelvey, Nashville writer, songwriter, and liturgist behind Every Moment Holy, discusses creating liturgies for everyday and transitional moments. He talks about how prayers for writers grew into a larger project. They explore rituals in family formation, rites of passage for emerging adults, awkward social moments, and using Psalm-like prayers for honest emotion.

A conversation about whether AI can capture the lived heartbreak behind a country song. They debate what makes country music authentic beyond sound. Examples from classic and contemporary songs illustrate the limits of algorithmic creativity. The role of empathy, imagination, and human testimony in art is explored.

Christopher Beha, novelist and former Harper’s editor, recounts his shift from Catholic childhood to atheism and back toward skeptical Christian faith. He talks about a teenage mystical experience, wrestling with suffering and consciousness, the limits of materialist atheism, and how love, family, and church practice pulled him toward belief while retaining doubt.

A reflection on how the Iran conflict can affect inner life and moral vision. Short sketches about how war reshapes what feels normal. Warnings about bloodlust, spiritual numbness, and swapping conscience for partisan loyalty. A call to watch for subtle moral corrosion during wartime.

Jennie Allen, author and Bible teacher who founded the IF:Gathering, talks about hidden lies that create a low-grade unease. She explores how childhood moments form identity and outlines core lies like worthlessness and unlovability. The conversation covers how the body remembers wounds, tracing first beliefs, and practical steps to notice and retrain patterns while fixing eyes on Christ.

Allen Levi, author and musician behind Theo of Golden, talks about faith, kindness, and ordinary holiness. He reflects on the book’s origin, writing through COVID, and how real people shaped his characters. They explore why small, attentive acts matter and how stories can provoke Godward thought without sentimentality.

A thought experiment on what it would mean if extraterrestrial intelligence were proven real. Discussion of recent UAP headlines and why the topic resurfaced in public debate. Exploration of emotional reactions like hope and fear about cosmic company. Consideration of Christianity, incarnation, and human significance in a vast cosmos.

Richard Reeves, founding president of the American Institute for Boys and Men and author of Of Boys and Men, explores why many young men are drifting rather than thriving. He surveys rising male loneliness, education gaps, screen withdrawal, body‑image pressures, and the loss of a compelling vision of manhood. The conversation spotlights the need for rites of passage, formation, and institutions that say: we need you.