Neil DeGraide: The West Has Forgotten Its Own Roots

Find this episode on YouTube: John Heers sits down with Neil DeGraide for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about why the modern Western church feels so untethered from its own roots — and what the angry internet has to do with it.They unpack:🕊️ How post-WWII culture pushed Christianity toward non-denominationalism and away from the liturgical, experiential faith of the early Church⛪ Why modern "ecumenism" often trades real theological depth for a thin, secularized unity🍽️ The "tablecloth" problem — what happens when we treat every denomination as interchangeable and cover over centuries of genuine division🌍 How this rootlessness leaves believers vulnerable to globalist frameworks that prioritize unity over substance🎬 An update on the Christianities film productionA sincere, sometimes frustrated, always intellectually honest conversation between two men working through big questions in real time.__🏷️ Sponsored by Conrad's Beef Jerky — loyalty not guaranteed.Conrad's Deli - The best jerky you'll ever have ➜ https://conradsdeli.com/ ⭐ Use promo code "FIRST THINGS" for 10% off.🔥 Support First Things Foundation field workers like Sarah (featured in this episode): https://first-things.org✈ Become a Field Worker with FTF: https://first-things.org/opportunities📢 First Things Telegram: https://t.me/firstthingsfoundation🍷The best dinner party you've ever experienced - Supra Dinner Society: https://supradinner.com/🥂 Keipi Restaurant: https://keipirestaurant.org✒ Substack: https://johnheersftf.substack.com/ⓧ https://x.com/johnfromftf🏖️ Tailormade tours that give back: https://www.gratitude-travels.com/hom__Credits Music: Intro / Outro Provided by Greg Gilbertson & BandChapters:00:00 Cold Open Joke00:11 Sponsor Shoutout01:00 Meet Neil DeGraide03:29 Postwar Church Confusion04:37 Ecumenism and Billy Graham07:42 Israel and WW2 Narrative18:38 Policing the Story21:41 Orthodoxy in the Spotlight26:30 Field Worker Spotlight28:33 Modern Anthropology and Nominalism32:33 Constantine Myth Debunked37:03 Ecumenism And Loose Doctrine42:52 Postwar Unity And Israel46:59 Why Truth Wont Land49:29 One True Church Objection54:47 God Is Love Not Ledger58:41 American Power Assumptions01:01:17 The Gavin Ortlund Crisis01:04:40 Audience Pressure Exposed01:06:31 Humility Over Winning01:12:00 Faith Alone Barrier01:14:59 Beauty Beyond Data01:18:46 Convert Gratitude01:21:30 Mercy and Confession01:27:22 Supra as a Way This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit johnheersftf.substack.com/subscribe