Send us a text

Ken Fong and I unpack the life and legacy of Dr. James Dobson, who just recently passed away. For many of us, Dobson’s voice was a constant presence in American evangelical homes. He was the trusted “family counselor” who seemed to offer simple, practical guidance about raising children, strengthening marriages, and protecting the home. His books—Dare to Discipline, Bringing Up Boys, Bringing Up Girls—were bestsellers, and his radio program reached countless millions. They shaped how countless parents understood what it meant to raise a family in a “Christian” way.

On the surface, it all seemed non-political, even innocent.

But as the years progressed, it became clear that Dobson was building something much bigger than a parenting movement. He founded Focus on the Family, moved his empire to Colorado Springs, and began to insert himself more directly into politics. Along the way, he inspired children’s programming and homeschooling curriculum. He trained thousands of young people in “Biblical World View.” He became an outspoken promoter of Donald Trump. He engineered the identification of white evangelicalism with the Religious Right, commandeering the Republican Party into an unrelenting culture war.

Ken Fong shares his research on the roots of Dobson’s work in the discredited “science” of eugenics and names his mentor in psychology, the famed eugenicist and atheist Paul Popenoe.

As Senator Barry Goldwater warned back in 1980, when religious leaders gain control of a political party, it creates a dangerous situation. Goldwater said, “These people believe they’re acting in the name of God, so they can’t and won’t compromise.” Dobson embodied that posture - NO COMPROMISE.

For those of us who grew up under his influence, the costs were real. His insistence on “breaking the spirit” of children, corporal punishment, his crusade against the LGBTQ+ community — fighting same-sex marriage in California’s Prop 8 campaign, promoting conversion therapy, framing homosexuality as a threat to children—all of these left deep wounds. Add to all that, he applauded and facilitated the election of this current wrecking-ball administration.

As we remember his legacy, we must not ignore his undeniable contribution to the rancorous Us-versus-Them culture in our perilously divided nation.

In this episode, Ken Fong and I peel back the layers of Dobson’s legacy. His death may close a chapter, but the impact of his divisive ideology continues to shape families, churches, and American politics.

Support the show

Become a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you!

Ken’s Substack Page

The Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com

Send us a text

In this episode, I sit down with two longtime friends of the podcast: Osahon Obazuaye, pastor and activist, and Grant Young, who holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees from one of America’s leading evangelical universities. Both of them bring firsthand experience as Black men navigating predominantly white evangelical spaces—churches, classrooms, and institutions that shaped their faith journeys in both inspiring and challenging ways.

We discuss the powerful new documentary, “Black + Evangelical”—a film that shines a spotlight on the history, struggles, and contributions of African American evangelicals. The documentary amplifies voices that too often go unheard, voices like Dr. Vincent Bacote, theologian and ethicist at Wheaton College; the late Dr. William E. Pannell, co-founder of the National Black Evangelical Association; historian and author Jemar Tisby; and the unforgettable preacher Tom Skinner, whose Urbana ’70 sermon still resonates today. We even revisit the legacy of Howard O. Jones, the first Black associate evangelist with Billy Graham.

This conversation is eye-opening, personal, and at times raw—but it’s also deeply hopeful. We unpack the film, share stories, and challenge assumptions about what it really means to be both Black and evangelical in America.

So join us —you’ll come away inspired, challenged, and ready for more.

Support the show

Become a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you!

Ken’s Substack Page

The Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com

Send us a text

Today I welcome a familiar voice and a longtime friend—Dr. Randall Balmer. Back in the day, when we were “Trinity Men,” he was “Randy” to me. Today, he’s Dr. Balmer—historian, author, professor, and one of the leading voices on religion in America. He earned his graduate degrees at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Princeton, and Union Theological Seminary, and this marks our third interview together.

Randall recently published a powerful piece in the Los Angeles Times about the 1925 Scopes Trial—often remembered as the showdown between Genesis and Darwin. He reminds us that the trial wasn’t supposed to be about evolution at all, but that’s where it landed. William Jennings Bryan thundered that “if evolution wins, Christianity goes.” Clarence Darrow countered, “It’s not Scopes on trial—it’s civilization.” Nearly a century later, the questions linger.

Randall also brings us into his latest book, America’s Best Idea: The Separation of Church and State. It’s a sweeping story—Roger Williams’s “hedge of separation,” Jefferson’s Danbury letter, Madison, Adams, and the First Amendment—all the way to today’s battles over vouchers, religious schools, and the religious right. Along the way, we’ll talk about court rulings, culture wars, and the ongoing debate over whether America is a Christian nation—or a nation that protects the freedom of every faith, and of no faith at all.

It’s always a rich conversation when Dr. Balmer joins me, and today is no exception.

Come on along with us! SHOW NOTES

Support the show

Become a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you!

Ken’s Substack Page

The Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com