The Good Books with Blake Chastain

Money, Lies, and God with Katherine Stewart

This week I'm joined by Katherine Stewart, journalist and author of Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy. Her book was published in February 2025 and offers incredible insights into the various networks of influence and power that laid the groundwork for a second Trump victory. We discuss how those same networks are still at work in the US today and try to connect it to more recent developments, including the Epstein Files. Katherine had a brief window of availability, so this interview is a bit shorter. Buy Money, Lies, and God here at my bookshop.org page: ⁠https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9781635578546⁠ [https://bookshop.org/shop/brchastain%20] Laura K. Field's book, mentioned by Katherine Stewart is called Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right, and can be bought here: ⁠https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780691255262⁠ [https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780691255262] See books from other authors on The Good Books: ⁠https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9781635578546⁠ [https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9781635578546] And check out books from other authors who have appeared on my other shows: ⁠https://bookshop.org/shop/brchastain ⁠ [https://bookshop.org/shop/brchastain%20] Buy my book: ⁠https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780593717073⁠ [https://bookshop.org/shop/brchastain%20] If you want to keep up to date with my work, please be sure to subscribe on ⁠YouTube⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@brchastain_] and your favorite podcast app, and head over to blakechastain.com to see more of what I’m up to. (This episode was co-published on the Exvangelical feed.) 00:00 Teaser: The Power of Fear and Control 01:11 Guest Introduction: Katherine Stewart 02:09 The Five Groups in Anti-Democratic Movements 02:53 The Role of Funders and Foot Soldiers 05:27 Sergeants, Power Players, and Thinkers 06:46 Changes Since Trump's Election 08:35 Mindsets and Dispositions in Christian Nationalism 11:12 The Persecution Complex and Authoritarian Leadership 13:18 The Role of Elites and Information Bubbles 28:41 Recent Developments and the Epstein Files 31:45 Conclusion: Forward-Looking Strategies for Democracy 36:08 Outro and Call to Action

After Purity with Sara Moslener

In the first interview of 2026, I talk to Sara Moslener about her latest book, After Purity: Race, Sex, and Religion in White Christian America. (Buy the book from bookshop.org here & support the show: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780807014998) Learn more about Sara's work at https://saramoslener.com/ Support this channel at https://www.blakechastain.com; 25% of net proceeds from direct support are donated. Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Mnzmm_WI8V4 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 01:00 Sarah's Religious Upbringing 04:53 The Influence of Pro-Life Movement 07:16 College and Theater: A Path to Self-Discovery 16:25 Pursuing Academia and Feminist Theology 21:10 The Concept of Purity and Its Implications 26:24 Racial Dynamics in Purity Culture 35:50 Connecting Sexual Purity to Racial Identity 37:28 The Importance of Historical Context 38:17 Teaching Religion, Race, and Discrimination 39:53 How to Support the Show 41:18 The Process of Academic Research 45:09 Challenges and Ethics in Purity Culture Research 49:39 The Intersection of Academia and Therapy 54:44 Lightning Round: Author's Preferences and Insights 01:04:54 The Value of Education and Final Thoughts

Pride Reads: 10 LGBTQ+ Book Recommendations

Here's the audio for a short video I posted to YouTube with 10 LGBTQ+ Book Recommendations. Subscribe over on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@brchastain_].

Disciples of White Jesus with Angela Denker

In this episode, I chat with author Angela Denker about her latest book, Disciples of White Jesus [https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9798889830757]. Subscribe to Angela's newsletter [https://angeladenker.substack.com/]. Support the show via my newsletter: postevangelicalpost.com. [https://www.postevangelicalpost.com]

Shame-Sex Attraction with Lucas FW Wilson

In this episode of The Good Books, I talk to Lucas FW Wilson about the essay anthology Shame-Sex Attraction: Survivors' Stories of Conversion Therapy. This is a visceral, moving anthology about conversion therapy experiences. Purchase the book via Bookshop.org [affiliate link]: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9781805011323 [https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9781805011323] Follow Lucas on Instagram & Threads: https://www.threads.com/@lukeslamdunkwilson [https://www.threads.com/@lukeslamdunkwilson] Subscribe to my newsletter: postevangelicalpost.com [postevangelicalpost.com] Buy my book, Exvangelical & Beyond: How American Christianity Went Radical and the Movement That's Fighting Back: https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780593717073 [https://bookshop.org/a/11130/9780593717073]