The Worst President.
In this episode, Frank Schaeffer delivers a reflective essay on how the evangelical right’s political mobilization—rooted in his father Francis Schaeffer’s influence—helped propel Donald Trump to the presidency and set the stage for a systematic erosion of democratic norms. He argues that the administration’s manipulation of language turns truth into a loyalty test, reshapes legal protections, and weaponizes bureaucracy to silence dissent and marginalize vulnerable populations. Schaeffer highlights the gradual surrender of institutional standards, from the weakening of civil‑service safeguards to the redefinition of scientific expertise as mere opinion, illustrating how power becomes personal and unchecked. Ultimately, he warns that when words no longer describe reality, reality becomes negotiable, threatening the very foundations of liberty.
Becky Garrison on Spiritual Narcissists, MAGA as Cult, and Why the Church Can’t Be Saved
In this episode, Frank Schaefer talks with religious satirist Becky Garrison about her new book *Gaslighting for God*, a satirical guide to recognizing and escaping spiritual narcissists. Garrison explains how the rise of MAGA has taken on cult-like characteristics, blending...
“Scratch” By Kate Cohen | Why Making Things Matters
In this episode, Frank Schaefer talks with former Washington Post columnist Kate Cohen about her new Substack column "Scratch," which explores how making things—sewing, baking, farming, art—reinforces our humanity in an age dominated by algorithms and late‑stage capitalism. Cohen reflects...
Marianne Leone's Christina The Astonishing | The Bold Girl the Nuns Couldn’t Break
In this episode Frank Schaefer interviews actress‑writer Mary Ann Leone about her new novel *Christina the Astonishing*, a darkly comic tale of a young Italian‑American girl raised in a strict Catholic environment near Boston. They explore the book’s vivid opening...