#130 - Holy smokes

🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 130 – Holy smokes Andy and Roger begin with a puff of white smoke and a whiff of irreverence as they reflect on the death of Pope Francis, his awkward final meeting with JD Vance, and the Vatican’s likely succession plans. In true Middle fashion, things spiral into Catholic doctrine, gay popes, Breaking Bad analogies, and exactly what counts as virginity (cue ChatGPT). The episode is a wide-ranging tour through the role of religion in modern life—from institutional trust and ritual to the Americanisation of Christianity, religious nationalism, and the appeal of Catholicism’s gothic aesthetics versus the Hillsong latte crowd. Along the way, they debate whether religion can still serve as moral scaffolding in secular societies, how modern Christians have made peace with the “Jesus Plus” lifestyle, and whether you can ever truly believe in the Santa Claus of faith again once you’ve peeked behind the curtain. If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if JD Vance became Pope, or whether a Protestant can be jealous of a bishop’s bling, this one’s for you. Hashtags: #PopeFrancis #CatholicChurch #ReligionToday #GayPopes #JDVance #PapalSuccession #ChristianityDebate #ModernFaith #AndyAndRoger #CulturalCommentary #VaticanPolitics #EvangelicalVsCatholic #ReligiousIdentity #ReligionAndPolitics #ChurchVsState #ModernCatholicism Engage with us on social media: Website: http://themiddle.site/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_middle_podcast/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themiddlepodcastandyroger Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Middle-Podcast/100089236832534/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMiddlePC Email: [email protected] Sign up to our subscriber email list: Visit our website: http://themiddle.site/ Or click: https://forms.gle/4qATmU2yiHgjZrej8