The Russell Moore Show

Malcolm Gladwell, bestselling author and host of Revisionist History, reflects on The Alabama Murders and how forgiveness, charisma, and institutional power shaped the case. He probes the human cost of prolonged executions and questions capital punishment. He also connects religion, memory, and storytelling to reckon with justice and redemption.

A listener’s struggle with persistent anxiety and how to trust God when calm won’t come. Clarifying different kinds of anxiety and why feeling anxious is not automatically sinful. How Scripture offers comfort rather than condemnation, and practical next steps like seeking help, bearing burdens with others, and brief honest prayers.

Tim Keller, pastor and theologian known for clear apologetics; Kate Bowler, historian who wrote about cancer and struggling faith; Christian Wiman, poet exploring joy in suffering; Francis Collins, physician-geneticist who bridges science and belief. They reflect on the resurrection, how it reframes science and doubt, the place of bodies and suffering, and sudden moments of joy amid illness.

A lively debate about whether commercialization has hollowed out country music. Generational cycles of criticism and creative renewal get examined. Stories trace outlaw country, contemporary artists pushing roots revival, and how streaming reshapes experimentation. The discussion separates personal behavior from musical worth and explores industry pressures that shape artistic choices.

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.