Claim OwnershipCulture, Faith and Politics with Pat Kahnke
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Pat Kahnke has written two books, from a pastoral perspective, to reject Donald Trump and his MAGA movement:
A Christian Case Against Donald Trump (2024)
MAGA Seduction: Resisting the Debasement of the Christian Conscience (2020)
He was an evangelical church planter and pastor for twenty years before retiring from church ministry in 2016. Planted a church in the inner city of St. Paul, MN - part of the Baptist General Conference (Converge) and Alliance for Renewal Churches. A lifelong conservative Republican until the party left him in 2016. Now a political independent, he has written off the Republican party until it completes 40 years in the wilderness for its capitulation to the MAGA movement.
This podcast contains political and social commentary related to issues at the intersection of culture, faith, and politics.
66 Episodes
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What made millions of German Christians pledge loyalty to Hitler? And are American Christians walking the same path with Trump today?
In this powerful conversation, Pat Kahnke and Christian leader Tihomir Kukolja explore the chilling parallels between Nazi-era Germany and today’s Christian nationalism in the U.S. Drawing from historical research, theology, and lived experience.
Pope Leo XIV recently made headlines for challenging the moral inconsistency of Christians who claim to be pro-life while supporting the cruel treatment of migrants. As a former Catholic and longtime evangelical pastor, I found his words striking — and convicting.
I unpack what Leo said, especially about the Trump administration’s treatment of migrants in Chicago detention centers, and I reflect on the consistent ethic of human life I learned in Catholic school — an ethic that still shapes my worldview today.
We’ll also look at how Gaudium et Spes (Vatican II) calls out not just abortion, but every form of dehumanization — from torture and deportation to poverty and racism.
In this episode I wrestle with one of the most common questions I hear: “What should we do now?”
We reflect on: David French’s practical, wise answer to that question (via Russell Moore’s podcast), my own struggle with giving application instead of just description, the reality that justice work is long-term, slow, and deeply human, why grace, humor, and conviction still matter in dark times, and how each of us can choose to live out our deepest values, even when “winning” feels out of reach.
I reflect on one of the most foundational scriptures shaping my call to speak out — as a Christian and former pastor — against Donald Trump and the MAGA movement.
After a week away, I return to reflect on what may be remembered as the most revealing week of Donald Trump’s second term — a week where he pardoned allies, mocked peaceful protesters with AI war porn, escalated military violence without congressional approval, and demolished the East Wing of the White House to build a gilded ballroom.
In this episode, I argue that Trump has fully embraced his most dangerous instincts — no longer pretending to serve the nation, but ruling with the boldness of a king gone mad. From authoritarian theater to reality distortion, we’re witnessing the unraveling in real time.
This is the week Trump chose his legacy. And the rest of us must now choose ours. (October 25, 2025)
In this urgent breakdown, I play key excerpts from Stephen Miller’s speech at the Charlie Kirk memorial and explain why it may be the most dangerous political speech since the 2024 election. (October 14, 2025)
Every time I speak out about Donald Trump, someone asks: “Well, who SHOULD Christians have voted for?” This is my comprehensive answer. As a former Republican and evangelical pastor, I’ve been raising the alarm for years about the spiritual cost of aligning the church with Trump’s MAGA movement. Today, I walk through five possible voting choices Christians had in 2024 — and why Never Trump isn’t just a slogan, it’s a moral imperative.
In this episode, we dig into a chilling speech from right-wing influencer Benny Johnson at the recent Charlie Kirk rally—a moment that reveals just how deeply Christian nationalism can distort Scripture to serve political power. (October 8, 2025)
In this urgent and candid conversation, Pat Kahnke and author Amy Hawk confront the explosive new emails linking Donald Trump to Jeffrey Epstein — and the deafening silence from many in the American church. With receipts in hand, they ask: How long will Christians keep covering for Trump? When is it enough?
In this episode, we take a hard look at a recent memorial rally clip featuring Rob McCoy — a prominent evangelical pastor and mentor to Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk. What begins as a “basic gospel message” quickly becomes something else: a masterclass in religious manipulation, where Jesus is reduced to a mascot for right-wing politics. (October 6, 2025)
It’s my 60th birthday, and I’m taking a break from the headlines—sort of. Today’s video is about something more basic… and a little more obnoxious. I’m breaking down the toxic absurdity of MAGA theology, why you can trust your gut when it smells like garbage, and why “debating” Christian nationalism on its own terms is often a waste of spiritual energy.
The Charlie Kirk memorial wasn’t just a tribute—it was a political rally wrapped in worship music. And it revealed everything about the religious right's current direction—and the dangerous future MAGA leaders are planning. I break down what made the event so spiritually and politically troubling. (September 30, 2025)
I reflect on my own past as a soft Christian nationalist — and why Charlie Kirk’s memorial service hit me so hard. (September 26, 2025)
I break down a chilling moment from Charlie Kirk’s recent memorial service — where Donald Trump explicitly rejects the words of Jesus in front of a cheering, supposedly Christian audience. I wasn’t planning to cover this, but what I saw horrified me. This wasn’t a memorial. It was a Christian nationalist rally thinly veiled in religious language. (September 23, 2025)
Part three in a serious about the obnoxious ways Christians try to defend Trump. Donald Trump should be mocked, and I explain why here.
If you call yourself a Christian and still support Donald Trump—or the Republicans helping him cover this up—this is your wake-up call. I speak directly to Christians who still support Trump. You’re out of excuses. The lines are clear now. And if the visible church doesn’t speak up, America will keep believing what they already suspect: that authoritarian abuse isn’t a bug of Christian nationalism—it’s the feature. (September 3, 2025)
I unpack another argument I hear from well-intentioned Christians—"God chose Trump for a purpose, so opposing him means opposing God." This isn’t about politics. It’s about the misuse of theological language that enables silence, compromises integrity, and dismisses justice. (August 19, 2025)
What does Romans 13 really say about obeying political leaders—and why are so many American Christians using it to defend authoritarianism? Former evangelical pastor Pat Kahnke breaks down the history, theology, and misuse of passages like Romans 13 and 1 Peter 2—passages used to justify everything from slavery to fascism. This is part of a YouTube series exposing how scripture has been weaponized to support corrupt power, particularly in the age of Donald Trump and Christian nationalism. It’s time for Christians to grow up, read responsibly, and speak out against injustice.
I tackle a question I hear often: *“If it weren’t for Donald Trump, would you still be open to the rest of what the GOP/MAGA movement stands for?”* I used to think *yes*. But after 2016, the marriage between the religious right and MAGA woke me up—especially when I saw even “Christian” leaders abandon their convictions overnight.
I confront the Trump administration's newly proposed 2026 refugee policy, which slashes the U.S. refugee cap to an all-time low--and openly prioritizes white South African immigrants. It's a near "white's-only" refugee policy, and it's not just political...it's spiritually bankrupt. This isn't about border security. It's about white nationalism dressed up as patriotism, and too many white evangelicals are defending it in Jesus' name. As a pastor, I call that what it is: anti-Christian and anti-American.
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