A few weeks ago, former President Donald Trump made the assertion, from the Presidential debate stage, that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio were eating citizens' pets. This was his attempt to underscore the need for immigration reform by using debunked conspiracy theories to incite fear. He received this pet-eating information from "people" who he did not name and, though the story was revealed to be completely unfounded and false, his running mate J.D. Vance continued promulgating the rumor after the debate. Since that time, Springfield has experienced bomb threats and school closures due to racist conspiracy theories surrounding the Haitians in the area (the vast majority of which are there legally). Several Haitian migrants have filed suit against Trump and Vance.

Just this week, Republican Representative from Louisiana, Clay Higgins, provided this rant on X: "Lol. These Haitians are wild. Eating pets, vudu, nastiest country in the western hemisphere, cults, slapstick gangsters...but damned if they don't feel sophisticated now, filing charges against our President and VP. All these thugs better get their mind right and their ass out of our country before January 20th."

This week, my conversation partner, Loren Romeus (who is Haitian) will help me unpack the power narratives beneath these sound bytes, interviews, memes, and tweets. We'll explore why our power narratives matter and what's at stake when we embrace or excuse lies. Join us as we continue to dig for God's gold in the baffling story of American politics.

This week, Loren and Amber discuss the cost of following Christ, especially when one's cherished way of life might be at stake. Is it wrong to defend our rights as Americans or to fight to keep the privileges we've always enjoyed? Is it wrong to allow others to infringe on those rights and privileges? What makes us truly Christian and truly patriotic?

As we dig deeper into Christian Nationalism and the Doctrine of Dominionism, we're finding some profound theological questions popping up, ones that challenge our notions of "right" and "wrong" when it comes to God, politics, and love of country.

Welcome to Season 14 of the show in which recurring favorite, Loren Romeus, and I take another -- more informed, more loving, and fairer -- stab at the exploration of Christian nationalism and the doctrine of dominionism which is enjoying a resurgence in America.

On today's episode, we define our terms and explain why we think this is a conversation worth having again. Our relationship to power, safety, and control informs how we see the world, God, and ourselves. And the way we see all of that informs the way we show up and how we influence. Join us as we dig a little deeper for the gold in this election cycle story.

What happens when we use our power and authority to honor others, especially those on the margins? What is possible when we serve the "we" instead of the "I?"

Join me in conversation today with Loren Romeus as we discuss stories in which we've been called to steward our power for the sake of those who have less power.

It stands to reason that Christians would want to model their leadership styles/stewardship of power after the example of Jesus. Yet, the One who taught us to wash feet, to use our power in service of others, to sacrifice the "I" for the sake of the "we" is often disregarded in churches, Christian homes and communities.

Why do Christians resist the example of Christ? What can we learn from God's own stewardship of power?

Join me in conversation today with Loren Romeus as we explore these questions and more.

We all agree that servant leadership is the kind of leadership style that values the goodness and well being of all people within an organization. It's the goal, the aspiration, and the gold standard of leadership styles.

Yet, we rarely see it sustained. We most often default to styles of leadership which are not in service of all. Why is this? What is it about servant leadership that is so difficult for us to sustain in the real world?

Join me in conversation with Loren Romeus as we explore these questions and more.

God gave humans limited power -- over self, the earth, and one another. What is the purpose of this power? What did God have in mind for its use and what can we know about how God sees its misuse?

Christian dominionism is a popular teaching, growing more popular as our nation is further polarized across a number of issues. Did God give us power so that we could extend God's power on the earth? If so, what does that look like and what does it NOT look like?

Join me in conversation with Loren Romeus as we explore these questions and more.

Join me today in conversation with a favorite guest, Loren Romeus, as we begin Season 13. This season is all about power/authority/dominion and how it intersects with American Christianity.

• What is the purpose of power?
• How does God steward power and provide an example for us?
• What is with the rise of Christian dominionism teachings and how do they fit in with the teachings of Christ?

These are just a few of the questions we'll be exploring together as we try to make sense of our current cultural moment. On today's episode we introduce ourselves and tell the story of what sparked this conversation in the first place.