Approach the Bench

WEEK 38: What Makes America Great — w/ Rear Admiral Putnam BrowneWe recorded this one at the Iwo Jima Memorial in Washington, DC, in front of the flag-raising — because if you're going to ask whether America is actually great, you should have to answer it standing somewhere that raises the stakes.And we brought backup. Rear Admiral Putnam Browne has done things only Americans can do: over 450 carrier landings, command of a fighter squadron, command of a ship, and command of a nuclear aircraft carrier with thousands of souls aboard. He's flown the jet, run the reactor school, and led the Carl Vinson's humanitarian response to the Haiti earthquake. When he talks about what this country is, he's not theorizing.We open with THE MOST AMERICAN — rapid-fire, no hedging. Most American movie, food, sport, achievement, and the single most American thing a person can do. The Admiral does not equivocate.Then the main event: what actually makes America great? We refuse the easy version. Great and good are not the same word — the whole question is whether America earns both. From there we work through the real case: a nation founded on an idea instead of blood and soil, a Constitution built by men who assumed you're not an angel, religious liberty as America's most original gift to the world, and the biblical grammar running underneath the whole secular frame. We take Tocqueville seriously — greatness from the bottom up, the little platoons of neighbors and churches and volunteer fire brigades — and we ask the hard question about whether that America is fading. And we don't dodge the ledger: slavery, the gap between creed and conduct, and the remarkable fact that every reformer who fixed America — Douglass, Lincoln, MLK — appealed to the founding, not against it. The idea contained its own cure.The Admiral brings the last pillar himself: power spent on something. Most empires conquered and stayed. America liberated and went home.We close with Girl Problems — real listener questions, real answers:What is the most American date possible?What are the essential American traits in a spouse?Submit your questions at [email protected], leave a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench, or submit anonymously via the Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z8Timestamps:00:00 Introduction02:47 Getting to Know the Rear Admiral38:47 Most American Rankings50:49 What Makes America Great?01:31:23 Girl Problems America Edition

Congratulations, you've stumbled across a treasure trove of men's fashion wisdom. Consider this your lucky day.WEEK 37: The DEFINITIVE Guide to Men's Fashion.This is a semi-serious, fully opinionated breakdown of what a man should actually wear — and why. We start with the one principle that runs underneath everything: fit beats brand beats price. A $40 shirt that fits will always beat a $400 shirt that doesn't. From there we build out the whole vocabulary most guys were never taught — shoulder seams, the trouser break, slim vs. tailored vs. classic, and why a $15 trip to the tailor is the best money in menswear.Then we get into the canon. The core wardrobe every man should own. The classics that have worked for fifty years and will work for fifty more — the navy suit, the OCBD, the navy blazer, the dress-shoe family nobody can name. Then the modern stuff — quiet luxury, dad sneakers, the tech vest, athleisure creeping into every room — and the hard NO pile we're prepared to die on. Square-toe shoes, you've been warned.We land it where we live: dressing for the moment that matters. The interview, the courtroom, the wedding dress codes nobody explains, the first date, and the Sunday morning principle — that showing up deliberately dressed is a quiet way of honoring the room and the people in it.Before all that, the Good vs. Bad tier list — rapid-fire, no hedging. Crocs and socks. Cargo shorts. Fedoras. Each of us gets one sentence to defend the indefensible.We close with Girl Problems:- Ladies: what's the instant ICK a guy can wear, and the instant green flag?- How do you fix a grown man who dresses like a teenager — without crushing his ego?Submit your questions at [email protected], leave a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench, or submit anonymously via the Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction02:57 Why We're Doing This and Other Background07:06 Style Tier List19:28 A Comprehensive Discussion of Men's Fashion34:11 Occasion-Based Fashion40:37 Closing Takes on Fashion that Don't Actually Close out the Discussion44:27 What's In and What Should be Out52:26 Girl Problems

WEEK 35: We Asked a Dominican Priest How to Date (ft. Father Max, O.P.)We're at a resort with a guest who brings the theology heavy: Father Max, a Dominican priest of the Order of Preachers — the order of Aquinas himself.We start with the man behind the collar: what the Dominican Order actually is, how he discerned a vocation to the priesthood, what celibacy looks like from the inside, and what an ordinary day in the life of a priest really involves. Then we get into the heart of it — love.This is a full conversation about how men and women are meant to relate, and why so few of them seem to manage it anymore. We cover the Christian vision of the sexes, dating as the cultivation of virtue rather than consumption, and the marriage question where Protestants and Catholics genuinely split — sacrament or covenant. Then the diagnosis: a dating recession, collapsing relationships among the young, marriage wanted but downgraded, and a generation that swiped its way into more options and less love.We close with Girl Problems:- How do you know someone is right for you?- Can Men and Women be Friends?Submit your questions at [email protected], leave a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench, or submit anonymously via the Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction04:00 How Father Max Became Father Max06:59 What is it like to be a Dominican Priest?26:49 The Sexes and Marriage (rough audio)55:41 The Problems with the Dating Market (normal audio)01:15:56 More Problems with Dating Market (rough audio)01:25:02 How to Date Well (normal audio)01:32:16 Girl Problems w/ Father Max

WEEK 35: Something Is Happening to Gen Z | The Campus Revival w/ Josh MoranWe're coming to you from Lansdowne, Virginia — outside, golden hour, with a guest whose story we've been wanting to tell for a while.Josh Moran played football for the Georgia Bulldogs. Then he went to law school. Now he's helping lead one of the most remarkable stories in America that almost nobody in the mainstream is covering: the UniteUS movement — a campus revival that started at Auburn in September 2023 and has since swept across more than a dozen college campuses, drawing over 100,000 students to mass worship gatherings and seeing some 10,000 baptized. At Georgia, they were baptizing students out of the backs of pickup trucks outside Stegeman Coliseum.This is a full faith episode. Josh shares his testimony — the identity-in-performance pressure of SEC football, what changed, and how a guy goes from the gridiron to gospel ministry. Then we go inside the movement itself: what actually happens at these gatherings, what's driving an entire generation that was supposed to be the most secular in American history back toward Christ, and the question hanging over all of it — is this the next Great Awakening, or a moment of emotional hype? Josh answers the skeptics head-on, including the one question that matters most: what happens to 30,000 new believers the morning after?We close with Girl Problems — the segment where real listener questions get real answers:- How should a brand-new Christian approach dating?- Is a bikini-clad Instagram post a red flag?- Why aren’t men asking women out?Submit your questions at [email protected], leave a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench, or submit anonymously via the Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction02:03 Getting to Know Josh06:17 UniteUs Campus Revival34:24 Sports Rankings37:57 Worship Song Rankings41:00 The Toughest Thing Josh Has Ever Done42:41 Girl Problems

WEEK 34: DC Summer Is Miserable. We Wouldn't Be Anywhere Else. We're coming to you live from a bench in Washington, DC — and before we get into the summer episode, we have some unfinished business. A New York City influencer said something about DC that we can't let slide. We respond. Briefly. But firmly.Then: the DC Summer Episode. We recorded this one outside, in the heat, surrounded by tourists, and we have thoughts.We open with the full DC Summer breakdown — the vibe, the institutions, the intern invasion, and whether any of this is actually enjoyable. We run the DC Summer Power Rankings (best monument, worst Metro experience, most underrated spot in the city) and make our cases. Then we go deep: what makes DC summer genuinely unlike any other American city in summer — 20,000 interns, 24 million Mall visitors a year, 19 free Smithsonian museums, and a political infrastructure so enormous it's almost impossible to wrap your head around. We also build out the official DC Summer Survival Guide for locals and first-timers alike.We close with Girl Problems — the segment where real listener questions get real answers:- Is never having been in a long-term relationship actually a red flag?- At what age should you settle?Submit your questions at [email protected], leave a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench, or submit anonymously via this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction03:24 Our First Internet Drama12:14 Claude Reviewed Our Takes on Men vs. Women14:19 Feedback15:28 DC SUMMER44:22 Girl Problems51:18 Closing Out

WEEK 33: Harvard Business School Has a Morality Problem This week, we're joined by Edward Doan — Harvard Business School student and devout Catholic. And we're once again at Harvard Divinity School, just this time, we're discussing the morally questionable nature of some of HBS's recent activities.Here's what happened: HBS's startup competition — one of the most prestigious student startup hotspots in the country — ranked a sex toy company at the top of the field. They brought an OnlyFans star to campus as part of the promotion. They handed out Plan B. And Ashley Madison was hosted on campus. So we ask the obvious question: what does that say about Harvard Business School?The real problem isn't bad taste. It's the total absence of any moral vocabulary — a framework where the only question worth asking is whether the market will bear it. We walk through what Christian ethics, natural law, and the concept of vocation actually say about economic life: that wealth is a means, not an end, and that a business can be profitable and still be destructive. HBS has no category for that second clause.We also take on the pretense of neutrality. Handing out Plan B isn't a neutral act. Throwing a party for an OnlyFans creator isn't a neutral act. Choosing not to make moral judgments is itself a moral position — one with real consequences, especially when the institution making it sends 85,000 graduates into positions of serious institutional power.In the interlude, we run a rapid-fire "Holy or Unholy?" game — DraftKings, Juul, McKinsey, CoreCivic, Polymarket, OpenAI, and more. Highly recommend.We close with Girl Problems: how do you navigate big career decisions with your wife, and does it actually matter if you make less money than she does?Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction01:57 Harvard Business School vs. Morality29:35 Holy or Unholy Businesses32:08 Girl Problems

WEEK 32: Are Protestants Going to Heaven?Welcome to Harvard Divinity School. This week, we sit down with Edward Doan to take on one of the oldest and most consequential questions in Western Christianity: can Protestants be saved?We start by refusing to treat this as one question when it's really three. Soteriology — can non-Catholics be saved? Ecclesiology — what actually constitutes the Church? And eschatological judgment — can any human being even know who's saved? Keeping those distinct turns out to matter a lot.From there, we walk through the Catholic position in full. Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus — "outside the Church, no salvation" — is 1,800 years old and has never been formally repealed. The Council of Trent explicitly condemned sola fide and sola scriptura. Vatican II's Lumen Gentium opened the door to Protestant salvation without walking any of that back. We press into that internal tension directly.Then we take up the Protestant case: Romans 3, Ephesians 2, Galatians 2, Abraham justified before circumcision. We work through the sola scriptura debate — including the Catholic counter that the Church gave you the canon in the first place — and we spend real time on justification, the theological heart of the whole dispute. Infused vs. imputed righteousness. Whether the 1999 Joint Declaration on Justification actually resolved anything. And the doctrine of invincible ignorance — Catholicism's escape hatch, and why it creates some uncomfortable implications for evangelism.We also get into purgatory, indulgences, the Eucharist, and Mary — covering what actually started the Reformation and where the live disagreements still sit today.We're in Boston for this one, which feels appropriate.The interludes: a Catholic-or-Protestant trivia game, and a deep dive into the Penitential of Finnian — 6th-century Irish Christianity's answer to the question of how much bread and water a sinning cleric deserves.We close with Girl Problems: how do you know what flowers to get her, and how do you actually decide how many kids to have?Email [email protected] or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench to be featured on the show. Anonymous submissions: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction2:02 Getting to Know Ed04:50 Are Protestants Going to Heaven?34:49 Catholic or Protestant?37:59 The Penance Game41:08 Girl Problems

WEEK 31: Are Men Useless? (REUPLOAD) Welcome to Harvard Stadium. This week, we bring in Daniel Nivens and take on one of the most charged questions in modern culture: are men actually useless?We walk through Olivia Barbulescu's viral Substack piece/IG post arguing that men are no longer needed — only wanted — and that they're struggling to adapt to the difference. We engage the comment section, which is exactly what you'd expect. We briefly address AnaMarte's viral claim that marriage is statistically the worst thing a woman can do. Then we turn to the right — Tate's thesis that male self-optimization is the answer, and Fuentes's argument that the whole problem is women were never supposed to be deciding what they want in the first place. We flag the internal contradictions in both.Then we ask the question nobody in this conversation is asking: not what men do — but who men are. We wrap that in the Gospel, and it gets deep.In the interludes: the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is now blue. We have thoughts. Also — Trump's 250-foot triumphal arch modeled on the Arc de Triomphe. We have more thoughts.We close with Girl Problems. - Should relationships ever have breaks?- How liberal is too liberal? And we're officially on a mission to find Dan a girlfriend.Email [email protected] or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench to be featured on the show. Anonymous submissions: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction07:09 Are Men Useless?53:03 DC is Getting a Makeover - good or bad?1:06:23 Influencer vs. Influencer1:14:54 Girl Problems

WEEK 31: Inside the Life of a Harvard Law Professor. Welcome to Newton, MA. This week, we sit down with Professor Jesse Fried — William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, author of Pay Without Performance, expert witness in major corporate litigation, and a man who has been associated with this institution in some form for nearly four decades.Then we get into the main event: what does a Harvard Law professor actually do all day? We walk through Professor Fried's path step by step — Harvard undergrad, economics master's, HLS, a brief stop at a law firm, an Olin Fellowship, Berkeley, and finally back to Cambridge. Was academia always the plan? What made him leave practice? What did the Harvard hiring process actually look like — and did they take him out to dinner?From there, we press into some more fine-tuned questions. Most law professors have barely practiced law — is that a problem? What does a scholar bring to the classroom that a practitioner can't? We dig into what the job actually looks like: how much time goes into prepping a four-credit class with 100 students, how long grading takes, how he divides his time between teaching and research, and what it feels like to take academic work into a real courtroom as an expert witness. We also get into faculty governance — which we've heard can be quite the mess.Then we pull back for the big picture. Harvard is always in the news. Does it affect the day-to-day? What actually makes this place work — and would Professor Fried encourage students to come here?We close with the classics. An AI interlude — corporate law is one of the fields people think AI will hit hardest. Does Professor Fried buy that? Also, what class should be cut from the 1L courses, and which class should be added? And then Girl Problems: should you start a business with your significant other? Do HBS students really need prenups? And what has studying corporate law taught him about romance?Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction04:57 The Professor’s Backstory11:58 Starting at Harvard Law18:35 The day-to-day at Harvard Law (and some advice)48:55 Should the Podcast be a Partnership or LLC?50:46 AI in Corporate Law1:03:18 1L Classes1:05:52 Girl Problems

WEEK 30: Are Mormons Christians? (Outside an LDS Church) This week, we take the conversation outside—literally. Filmed in front of an LDS church in Cambridge, we sit down with John Warnock for one of the most important questions in modern Christianity: are Mormons Christians?We start with a simple goal: clarity, not cheap shots. This isn’t just a “debate”—it’s a serious attempt to understand where Christians and Latter-day Saints actually agree, where they fundamentally disagree, and whether those differences are big enough to matter.We begin with common ground. Both traditions affirm Jesus, the Bible, sin, salvation, and a moral vision that looks strikingly similar in everyday life. At a surface level, the overlap is real—and it’s why this question is so confusing for so many people.But then we press deeper. We walk through the core theological divides:The nature of God (Trinity vs. a fundamentally different view of the Godhead)Who Jesus is—and whether He is eternally God or something elseWhat counts as Scripture—and whether revelation is closed or still ongoingSalvation—grace alone or grace plus covenantal obedienceThe Church—continuous from the apostles or lost and restored in 1830We also unpack the broader LDS story—pre-mortal existence, the Book of Mormon, the Great Apostasy, and the Restoration through Joseph Smith—and why those claims put LDS theology in direct tension with historic Christianity.From there, we tackle the real question: what does “Christian” even mean? Is it self-identification? Agreement with the historic creeds? Belief in a particular gospel? Or something broader and more cultural? Depending on the definition, the answer changes—and we try to be honest about that.We also engage the strongest arguments on both sides. The case that the differences are material—and the case that they might not be. No dodging, no strawmen. Just a serious attempt to think it through.Midway through, we lighten things up with a rapid-fire “best age” game—when should you get married, start dating, have kids, retire, and everything in between.We close with Girl Problems:What’s the most effective way for a girl to get a guy to like her?Would you date a Mormon?This is one of those conversations where precision matters. Whether you come in with a strong view or just curiosity, the goal is the same: understand the differences clearly enough to decide whether they’re decisive.Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction02:35 Getting to Know John Warnock04:53 What Mormons and Protestants Agree On08:21 What Mormons and Protestants Disagree On27:51 Are Mormons Christians?1:38:23 Best Age Rankings1:44:39 Girl Problems!

WEEK 29: Sarah Isgur on the War Fracturing the Legal RightWelcome back to Approach the Bench. This week we sit down with Sarah Isgur — SCOTUSblog editor, Advisory Opinions co-host, ABC News legal analyst, and author of Last Branch Standing. Before all of that: Harvard Law '08, Federalist Society president, veteran of three presidential campaigns, DOJ spokesperson during the Mueller investigation, and the subject of one of the more memorable hiring sagas in recent media history.We open near Harvard Law, where Sarah led the Federalist Society under then-Dean Elena Kagan. What is it actually like holding conservative convictions in an environment that mostly doesn't share them? Sarah walks us through Kagan's reputation for genuine even-handedness, shares a memorable story about Kagan as Attorney General and later as Justice, and reflects on what it means to be openly on the right in the most elite corners of the legal academy.From there, we get into the core of Sarah's new book and the central fight now consuming the legal right: process vs. outcome. Why does Sarah call the Court the "last branch standing"? We use the recent Alien Enemies Act rulings as a live case study — including Matt Walsh's call for Trump to ignore the Court and the remarkable moment when deportation flights to El Salvador continued after Judge Boasberg's order, met only by the Salvadoran president's "Oopsie — too late." We press Sarah on the strongest version of the outcome-first argument, what process is actually for, and whether a coherent defense of the Court requires accepting results you hate. We also ask her to help two originalists effectively counter Common Good Constitutionalism on campus — Adrian Vermeule's rising alternative to originalism that asks judges to incorporate a Catholic vision of the common good into their reasoning.Then we shift to our politics. Does it matter if a political leader is decent? Has the discounting of character produced a grifter class on the right, and fueled the rise of figures like Nick Fuentes and the culture of "vice signaling"? We wrestle with whether a kind "heretic" is more dangerous than an indecent ally, what a decency framework offers young people who've only ever known an indecent style of politics, and whether Sarah fears for the future of the GOP.We close, of course, with Girl Problems. We ask about that date with Ben Shapiro. And we settle a longstanding debate from a Dispatch "Not Worth Your Time" segment: manual transmission — green flag, deal breaker, or doesn't matter?Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z8 00:00 Introduction04:35 Two Harvard Laws14:54 Attorney General Prediction?16:24 Sarah’s New Book!24:09 Process v. Outcome (A Split in the Legal Right)51:54 Decency in Politics01:02:40 Girl Problems

WEEK 28: How to Get Into Harvard Law (with the Dean of Admissions). Welcome to the Charles River. This week, we sit down with Dean Kristi Jobson—the literal Dean of Admissions—to answer the question everyone wants to know: what does it actually take to get into Harvard Law School? We start with Dean Jobson’s story—how she ended up at Harvard, what law school looked like when she was a student, and how she eventually took on one of the most influential roles in legal education. Along the way, we get a behind-the-scenes look at what it means to shape a class at the highest level.Then we dive into the main topic: the admissions process. We walk step-by-step through how applications are actually reviewed—from the first reader to the second reader to full committee discussions—and what really matters when decisions get made. One of the biggest takeaways: Harvard Law is far more holistic than people think. Numbers matter, but they’re not the whole story—and relying on them alone is a mistake.We break down the key components of an application:- GPA and LSAT (and how much they actually matter today)- Personal statements and how to stand out without sounding manufactured- Letters of recommendation, work experience, and extracurriculars- The interview—and what separates candidates at the highest levelWe also tackle some of the biggest misconceptions about Harvard Law admissions. Should you hide your political views? Can an application be too polished? Along the way, we cover the numbers: nearly 9,000 applicants, an admit rate just over 9%, and a class filled with near-perfect GPAs and LSAT scores. But more importantly, we focus on what those numbers don’t capture—and how applicants can distinguish themselves in a hyper-competitive pool.We also get into some lighter (and surprisingly revealing) moments, like how accurate Legally Blonde actually is.Then, of course, Girl Problems:- What’s the best profession for a lawyer to marry?- And is intra-section dating as a 1L a terrible idea?Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z8

WEEK 27: Can the GOP Win Women Back? (with Keri Collins). Welcome to the Harvard Salient office. This week, we’re joined by Keri Collins, a freshman at Harvard College, to tackle one of the biggest political questions right now: why are young men and women drifting so far apart—and can the Right actually win women back?We start with a quick reset after last week’s episode, including strong feedback (both good and… Instagram comments), before jumping into a classic appetizer: rating pickup lines. From confident to cringeworthy, we sort them into “good,” “eh,” or “NEVER say that”—and learn pretty quickly what actually works and what absolutely doesn’t.Then we get into the main topic: the growing gender divide in politics. We break down the data—huge gaps in party identification, voting patterns, education, mental health, and issue priorities between Gen Z men and women—and try to figure out what’s actually driving it. Why are young women trending left? Why are young men trending right? And are both sides misunderstanding each other in the process?We also go deeper than just the numbers. We talk about expectations, resentment, and the real cultural tensions playing out online and in dating. From viral posts to personal experiences, we unpack why both men and women increasingly feel frustrated—and sometimes openly hostile—toward each other.From there, we push toward solutions:- What would it actually take to bring women back to the Right?- Is this a messaging problem, a policy problem, or something deeper?- Are we locked into a permanent divide, or is there a path forward?This ends up being less about politics alone and more about relationships, expectations, and how an entire generation is trying (and often failing) to understand each other.We close with Girl Problems:- What’s the proper order of gifts in a relationship?- Should a man’s salary matter when dating?- Are big, expensive weddings morally wrong?Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction14:25 Pickup Lines24:17 Winning Women Back to the GOP1:16:18 Girl Problems

WEEK 26: The Gay Marriage Debate (with Ripken). Welcome back to the bench. This week, we’re joined by Ripken Holt for one of our most direct and controversial conversations yet: should gay marriage be legal—and how should Christians think about it?We jump straight into the deep end. No long intro—just the question everyone’s actually asking: what do Christians believe about gay marriage, and what should that mean for law and public policy? But before we get there, we lay the groundwork with a key threshold issue: how should Christians think about LGBTQ+ identity more broadly?We break down the three major frameworks you’ll hear today: the traditional/orthodox view, the celibate gay Christian perspective, and the affirming/revisionist position. We walk through the biblical texts, the theological reasoning behind each, and the real pastoral implications—especially for how Christians relate to people inside and outside the Church.From there, we move into the legal side: how marriage actually works in the United States. We explain the state-driven structure of marriage law, the role of the Constitution, and how cases like Obergefell reshaped the entire landscape. We also explore alternative frameworks—what it would look like to return to a pre-Obergefell system, remove the state from marriage entirely, or shift to a civil-union model.Then we hit the core debate: should Christians support banning gay marriage? We take seriously the argument that even if same-sex relationships are viewed as sinful, it doesn’t follow that the government should prohibit them. We walk through the “two kingdoms” framework, the limited role of law, religious liberty concerns, and the tension between moral conviction and political coercion.Will's Resources:Rebecca McLaughlin & Rachel Gilson Resources on Orthodox Approaches to HomosexualityPodcastshttps://open.spotify.com/episode/2IjFDBoB9BJpVSHgXFLpnD?si=ojnWwQ4FTAOWK8cCN1oXLQhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/4C8ArxaAY9qjE35p4l5oK8?si=PscLPwtJQ6i_IhoR-cESKAhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/1lTw8CM1kUAfhvlI2hbWgh?si=_0vKk6qwQa-TGSrp0gUgZAhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/6xHAFfGgcb7mbBRJFhdQCl?si=1fOeG5Z9S6ifUqdLgxGn4ABooksDoes the Bible Affirm Same-Sex Relationships?: Examining 10 Claims about Scripture and Sexuality" (2024) - Rebecca McLaughlinBorn Again This Way: Coming Out, Coming to Faith, and What Comes Next (2020) - Rachel GilsonAlong the way, we keep it grounded (and a little lighter) with some classic segments:- Ranking the best and worst fast food spots (yes, Chick-fil-A makes an appearance)- And some honest tension about what Christian relationships should actually look likeWe close with Girl Problems:- How Christian is “Christian enough” to date?- Should you call out friends for secular relationships?- Dating apps—with Ripken’s takeThis is one of those episodes where we don’t dodge the hard parts. Whether you agree or disagree, we try to lay out the arguments clearly, seriously, and without pretending the answers are easy.Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction03:49: The Christian View on Homosexuality 18:27 Gay Marriage: Should it be legal?1:03:04 Fast Food Restaurants1:10:01 Feedback1:11:04 Girl Problems

WEEK 25: The Singleness SpecialWelcome to Will’s house. This week, we slow things down after a run of politics-heavy episodes to ask a different kind of question: what if singleness isn’t just a temporary inconvenience—but actually a meaningful, even good, way to live? We kick things off with some spring break recap and listener feedback. Then we jump into a fun but revealing appetizer: Green Flag or Red Flag? From texting habits to family closeness to political intensity, we test our instincts on what actually matters in dating—and where people might be overthinking it.From there, we turn to the core topic: should you just stay single? We take a serious look at whether modern Christian culture has overpromised marriage—especially in the wake of purity culture—and whether that has set people up for disappointment. We walk through the biblical tension: marriage as a creational good, singleness as a real and sometimes advantageous calling, and the reality that neither is guaranteed.We break down the real advantages of singleness—time, flexibility, risk tolerance, and undivided focus—and distinguish between temporary and lifelong singleness. We also push back where needed: when “the gift of singleness” becomes an excuse to avoid growth, vulnerability, or rejection.Along the way, we tackle some uncomfortable but necessary questions: Are Christians subtly equating marriage with maturity? Why does Christian dating feel so intense and high-stakes? In what situations might someone actually be called to remain single long-term?We close by reframing the goal: not “find a spouse,” but “become a faithful, integrated Christian adult”—whether that leads to marriage or not.Then, of course, we finish with Girl Problems:How to handle it when someone seems interested—but they’re already in a relationshipDo girls actually like nice guys? (what the data says vs. reality)Do guys really have “types”?And one question we probably shouldn’t have answeredEmail [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction, Spring Break, Homeless People08:16 Where are We? And Feedback.10:19 Red, Yellow, or Green Flag?14:08 Singleness44:52 Girl Problems

Week 24: The Spring Break SpecialShooting at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute, Mason and Will take a bit of a break from the typical content flow to have a heart-to-heart on the bench. They discuss the positives and negatives of podcasting in a social media age and open up about their active debates about what to focus on, how to share their views, and whether to continue doing the podcast at all. If you want an inside look at the Christian Conservative Harvard Bachelor podcasting space, this episode is for you.Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction1:17 Problems with Podcasting and Priorities13:01 Reflecting on ‘Political Podcasting’24:10 Spring Break Plans!25:50 Girl Problems: The Thirty-Three Percent Rule

WEEK 23: American Empire & Progressive Christian Nationalism.This week, we take the bench to the Radcliffe Gardens across from Cambridge Common and are joined by Frank, another Harvard student with a sharp interest in politics, law, and the role of religion in public life. We open with a quick introduction to Frank’s background — from Bates College to Harvard — and talk about what drew him into debates about politics, faith, and American power. For the appetizer, we come prepared with a classic law-student exercise: our top three best and worst Supreme Court decisions. We debate cases ranging from Brown v. Board and Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization to infamous decisions like Dred Scott, Buck v. Bell, and Wickard v. Filburn, arguing about which rulings most strengthened — or most damaged — the American constitutional system.The main topic turns to one of the most urgent geopolitical questions right now: Iran, U.S. power, and the rules of international law. We walk through the basic legal framework governing war between states under the United Nations Charter, including the prohibition on the use of force, the doctrine of self-defense under Article 51, and the principles of necessity and proportionality that are supposed to limit military action. Using the latest escalation between Iran, Israel, and the United States as a case study, we ask whether American involvement fits within international law — or whether the modern system has simply broken down when major powers decide to act.From there, we pivot to the growing political figure James Talarico, the Texas Democrat whose viral speeches combine progressive politics with overtly theological language. We unpack the idea of “progressive Christian nationalism,” look at some of Talarico’s more controversial statements about faith and identity, and debate whether his approach represents a genuine theological vision or a political repackaging of Christianity.We then turn briefly to the Texas Senate race, breaking down the contrast between John Cornyn’s institutional Republican career and Ken Paxton’s confrontational, populist brand of conservatism, and what that fight says about the future direction of the GOP.Finally, we close with Girl Problems, where things get a little more personal: Should you ever settle for anything less than the best in a spouse? What are the top traits to look for in a husband or wife — and which traits are the biggest red flags? We each give our lists and debate what actually matters when choosing someone to build a life with.Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introducing Frank12:27 Best and Worst Supreme Court Opinions22:56 Iran and the American Empire51:05 Progressive Christian Nationalism1:08:32 Girl Problems: Best and Worst Traits in a Spouse

WEEK 22: The Pastor Calling Harvard Law Back to ChristianityRecorded in Hastings Hall, the oldest dorm at Harvard Law School, this week we sit down with Justin Yim — the pastor serving HLS students — to talk about something that may be quietly happening across American campuses: a renewed hunger for Christianity.We begin with a quick introduction to Justin and how he ended up doing ministry at one of the most elite and intellectually intense law schools in the world. But before getting into it too much, we open with a rapid-fire parenting debate: at what age should kids be allowed to do various things? Smartphones, social media, dating, R-rated movies, alcohol, jobs, and sleepovers — we each give a number and defend it. It’s a surprisingly revealing way to talk about authority, maturity, and how modern culture has changed childhood.From there, we dive deeper into Justin’s story. How did he enter ministry? Where did he begin? And how did he end up pastoring students at Harvard Law specifically?That leads to bigger questions about evangelism in elite institutions. How do you share the gospel with students trained to interrogate every claim? Is Harvard Law spiritually darker than other places — or just intellectually honest? What does the daily life of a Christian law student look like compared to their peers? And what does it mean to faithfully preach the gospel when persuasion is never guaranteed?Then we turn to the big question: Is a revival beginning among young people?We play a voice memo from a woman in ministry describing a surge in campus ministry participation and discuss broader signs pointing in the same direction. After decades of decline, new data suggests the rise of the religiously unaffiliated has slowed. Ministries like Cru and InterVarsity report growing attendance, the Asbury revival drew tens of thousands of primarily young worshippers, and Bible sales and Christian content engagement online have surged. We ask Justin what he’s seeing firsthand at Harvard Law: are students actually searching for faith?Finally, we close with one of the most thoughtful Girl Problems segments we’ve had yet. Several female listeners wrote in responding to our conversation about dating and careers. They raise a serious concern: many women today aren’t choosing ambitious careers out of ideology, but out of necessity. If marriage isn’t guaranteed and dating culture is dysfunctional, financial independence becomes survival. We wrestle with the tension between traditional aspirations for family and the practical realities of modern life.Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction3:45 Parenting Advice from a Dad and Two Bachelors28:31 Justin’s Ministry at Harvard Law53:40 Is There a Revival Happening?1:00:05 Girl Problems

WEEK 21: Is Modern Dating Rigged? (With Luis Penichet, HBS & Former Marine)This week we’re joined by Luis Penichet — second-year Harvard Business School student, former U.S. Marine, and founder working on a new kind of dating app. And we go straight at one of the biggest cultural questions facing our generation:Is the American dating system fundamentally broken?We begin with a blunt diagnosis. Dating apps reward dopamine, novelty, and endless optionality — not long-term bonding, sacrifice, or family formation. Swiping trains people to treat each other as consumable profiles rather than covenantal possibilities. We discuss why both men and women are struggling — women facing overwhelming choice and rising expectations, men shaped by pornography and comparison culture — and whether our standards are too high, too low, or just disordered.Luis then shares the idea behind the app he’s building: instead of scrolling through photos, you scroll through simulated conversations. Users create AI agents trained on their views, personality, and values. Those agents interact with other users’ agents first — and you review the conversations before ever seeing a photo. The goal? Shift attraction toward worldview, communication style, humor, and compatibility before physical filtering takes over. We debate whether this could actually rewire incentives — or whether technology will always drift toward superficiality.From there, we pivot to Luis’s family story. As the son of Cuban immigrants, he explains why identity politics and Marxist frameworks are so dangerous — not in theory, but in lived history. We discuss how grievance-based politics corrodes gratitude, how America differs from Latin American revolutionary culture, and why economic resentment can quietly become moral justification for state overreach.Then things get fun.We run through a lightning round of conspiracy theories — which ones are obviously false, which ones are plausible, and which ones we genuinely don’t know what to do with. Instead of dismissing or embracing them wholesale, we talk about epistemic humility, institutional trust, and how to think without becoming paranoid or naïve.Finally, we close with Girl Problems:- Luis speaks for the short kings (he is one):How should women think about height preferences?- Biological clocks and delayed adulthood- And the infamous Alabama HypotheticalEmail [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction2:24 Problems with Dating Culture18:22 Are the Issues with Dating More Deep-Rooted?37:54 Luis's Cuban Heritage and the Essence of America57:27 Conspiracy Theories...1:10:02 Feedback, real quick!1:13:22 Girl Problems: Short Kings1:21:05 Girl Problems: Biological Clock1:24:34 Girl Problems: The Alabama Hypothetical

WEEK 20: Inside the Life of Three Protestants at HarvardWelcome to Brian’s apartment. This week, we bring Brian Rath, Harvard Business School student, into the mix and step back from pure politics to talk about something deeper: what it actually looks like to live as Protestants at Harvard.We begin with a breakdown of the differences between Harvard Law and Harvard Business School — the culture, the people, and the academics. We then move into introductions and testimony — what brought Brian to Harvard, how faith shapes each of our lives, and what spiritual life looks like in a place known more for ambition than confession. We respond to strong listener feedback on our birth control discussion, including a passionate Catholic critique of Protestant sexual ethics, and we wrestle seriously with the differences in moral authority, conscience, and how Christians reason through hard questions.From there, we answer a thoughtful question from a law student about sharing the Gospel in academic settings: when is it bold witness, when is it unwise, and how should Christians think about appropriateness in professional environments?In the appetizer, in the spirit of Presidents’ Day, we rank the best and worst Presidents. We’ve got some controversial takes on those (now viewed and debated by over 400,000 people on Instagram). Highly recommend listening to this section!Then we move to the core topic: what makes Protestant life distinct. We walk through authority (sola Scriptura), conscience, personal responsibility before God, how we confess sin, how we think about moral reasoning, and why Protestantism emphasizes disciplined disagreement over moral delegation. We discuss life issues, dignity, and the difference between intrinsic moral wrongs and matters of prudential judgment.We close with the classic: Girl Problems.- Thoughts on pre-nups- Dating a non-Christian you genuinely love- And advice for the hopeless romantics who don’t want to settle but don’t want to be alone foreverHere are the links to Brian's Protestant resources:Gavin Ortlund/Truth Unites - https://www.youtube.com/@TruthUnites  https://open.spotify.com/show/5pwOh3BIp7rQaeZpmy8SF8?si=3744ff49a1994446Anglican Aesthetics - https://www.youtube.com/@anglicanaesthetics  https://open.spotify.com/show/1U8TF897KNNea8PTXpvIsD?si=f84bc76f5e3b4341Sola Media/White Horse Inn - https://www.youtube.com/@solamediaorghttps://open.spotify.com/show/11CeAFKB1ZF7pAmhGv4fMA?si=bf326f01138949efThe Daily Office - https://open.spotify.com/show/7ABjzy7Tumx5tczT8LBqX5?si=cd458d56ff1642a0Mike Winger - https://www.youtube.com/@MikeWingerhttps://open.spotify.com/show/57uF3G2X0cUJnUMLyRp5HY?si=8e56eada734a4e35Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction1:30 Harvard Business v. Harvard Law School6:46 Getting to Know Brian13:50 Feedback!21:32 Ranking the Best and Worst Presidents43:49 Very Interesting Discussion of Nuclear Energy!54:27 The Secret Lives of Protestant Guys1:34:00 GIRL PROBLEMS

WEEK 19: Can You Love Your Country in a Divided Age?This week, we open by reacting to this year’s Super Bowl commercials — what they reveal about American culture, corporate messaging, and the stories companies think will resonate with young people today.From there, we turn to the Supreme Court’s gay marriage decision and its long-term cultural and legal consequences. We discuss how marriage has been redefined in American law, what that shift has meant for religious liberty, family formation, and public morality, and why these questions remain unresolved a decade later.The centerpiece of the episode is a deeper conversation about patriotism, cynicism, and national identity. In light of recent comments from U.S. Olympic athletes and growing distrust toward political institutions, we ask: Can you love your country while being deeply critical of its leaders? Is modern “activist patriotism” compatible with gratitude and loyalty? And has Gen Z been taught to see America primarily as something to apologize for rather than steward?We wrestle with whether healthy love of country requires honesty about injustice without collapsing into permanent resentment — and how Christian ethics shape our understanding of citizenship, responsibility, and public life.We close with Girl Problems, responding to listener questions about modern dating pressures, political compatibility in relationships, and realistic timelines for engagement and marriage in a high-pressure professional environment.Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction07:48 Rating Super Bowl Commercials24:42 The Gay Marriage Supreme Court Case36:41 Can You Love Your Country?54:10 Girl Problems: Hoeflation1:01:09 Girl Problems: Do Politics Matter in Dating?1:04:40 Girl Problems: Ideal Timeline for Dating/Engagement

WEEK 18: In this episode, we sit by the frozen-over Charles River and work through listener feedback, campus reactions to the show, and what it’s been like navigating growing recognition — both positive and negative — at Harvard Law.We respond to a thoughtful listener challenge on free will, causality, and moral responsibility, exploring whether human choice can be meaningful in a world shaped by causes — and how Christianity understands freedom, agency, and accountability.From there, we turn to one of the most sensitive and important topics we’ve tackled so far: birth control, emergency contraception, and IVF. Beginning from a conception-based moral framework, we walk through the biological and ethical questions behind fertilization, implantation, and different contraceptive methods. We lay out clear categories, practical decision rules, and how Christians can think carefully and consistently about conscience, medical mechanisms, and moral responsibility — without outsourcing moral reasoning to labels or institutions.The second half of the episode shifts to foreign policy and civilizational questions, as we ask whether Europe has reached an inflection point. Using current tensions over Greenland, NATO, and American leadership as a starting point, we zoom out to examine Europe’s Christian roots, its process of secularization, demographic decline, migration pressures, and political backlash. We discuss whether a civilization can preserve moral ideals after cutting itself off from the spiritual foundations that produced them — the “flower and stem” problem.We close by offering a realistic path forward for Europe and the West, balancing strategic realism, cultural sobriety, and spiritual clarity — and what Americans should learn before repeating the same mistakes.Finally, in Girl Problems, we respond to listener questions about new faith, past relationships, dating intentionally in law school, and navigating long-distance relationships with wisdom and honesty.Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction02:37 Quick Feedback04:03 Immigration Update05:13 Meta Narrative on the Podcast08:43 Free Will vs. Predestination14:34 Should This Engineer Go to Law School?17:38 Birth Control42:54 European-American Relations and the Future of Europe1:03:46 A Very Personal Girl Problems Segment

WEEK 17: Welcome to Will’s home. In the snow. This week, we open with a long overdue feedback segment — responding to some of the strongest reactions we’ve gotten all season (including the Israel episodes, Larissa Part 1 & 2, and the Gen Z/Ozempic debate). We read comments ranging from thoughtful critiques to outright hostile takes, and we talk about what it means to have real disagreement online without turning into either cowards or flamethrowers.Then we hit an appetizer we keep getting asked: Does Harvard have a serious Christian community? And does it help or hurt to be a conservative Christian applying to — or surviving at — Harvard Law?The main course is the episode title: we rate Year One of the Trump administration across five categories, from F to A+:- National Security / Foreign Policy (Rubio at State, NATO pressure, China tariffs, Ukraine strategy, Israel/Iran posture, global institutions)- Immigration (border emergency posture, asylum policy changes, interior enforcement, detention levels, and the moral tradeoffs)- Culture War (DEI rollback, Title IX/sex-and-gender policy, religion/parental rights, Department of Education and foreign aid, Planned Parenthood funding fights)- Economy (GDP swings, inflation, wages, jobs, debt, youth unemployment, and whether tariffs are strategy or self-harm)- Moral + Effective Leadership (executive power, staffing, DOJ posture, special counsel policy, and the administration’s aggressive use of pardons)We try to do what most commentary won’t: give the best version of the case for each move and the most serious objections — then land on a grade.And because we can’t help ourselves, we close with Girl Problems:- Dating across Christian denominations- Do you date one person at a time?- Promise rings: sweet, cringe, or situational?- How do you plan to raise kids in this modern era?Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction2:54 Reviewing ALL the Feedback13:17 Being Christian and Conservative at Harvard Law19:45 Grading Trump’s First Year Back57:51 Girl Problems

WEEK 15 (PART TWO): We’re back at Harvard Law with Larissa Truchan for part two of our conversation, and the discussion gets even sharper.We start by sketching out our ideal third parties, debating what’s missing from the current political landscape, and whether America is locked into a permanent two-party system. From there, we make early predictions for the 2028 election, breaking down who we think will win the Democratic and Republican primaries — and why.The second half of the episode turns to Girl Problems, where we tackle listener questions and cultural flashpoints: Can guys tell girls what to wear? Should couples prioritize having kids? Are stereotypes about liberal women and conservative men fair or completely off base? And who should pay on the first date?We close by each offering a piece of hard advice to our own side and to the other, even if it’s uncomfortable. Give it a listen!Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction00:40 Our Ideal Third Parties12:45 Who Will Win in 2028?34:05 Girl Problems: Stereotypes about Liberal Guys42:11: Girl Problems: Not Having Kids50:25 Girl Problems: Stereotypes about Conservative Guys54:47 Girl Problems: Are Will and Mason Feminists?58:40 Girl Problems: Modesty!1:05:04 Our Parting Advice for a Better Political Future

WEEK 15 (Part 1): In front of the Harvard Law library, we sit down with Larissa Truchan — a Harvard Law student and viral leftist political influencer — for the first part of a two-part conversation across ideology, faith, morality, and power.We start by getting to know Larissa: her background, family, and path to Harvard Law, as well as how she built a large political following online — including what it’s like to create content that doesn’t always land the way you expect. We also dig into the distinction between leftism and liberalism, and how Larissa understands that divide.From there, we talk faith. Larissa reflects on growing up Catholic, attending Boston College, and how she thinks about religion, morality, and justice today. We discuss how faith does — and doesn’t — shape political commitments, especially in elite academic spaces like Harvard.The heart of the episode centers on Jonathan Haidt’s moral foundations theory, as we walk through a series of provocative moral hypotheticals designed to test whether our disagreements are about right and wrong or simply about taste and culture. These scenarios reveal sharp contrasts and many similarities in how leftists and conservatives reason about morality, norms, and meaning.We close by turning to foreign policy and power: whether the United States should act as “the world’s policeman,” and how to think about American intervention abroad, including the recent U.S. operation in Venezuela and what it reveals about sovereignty, justice, and global order.This is Part 1 of a longer conversation. Part 2 continues with deeper disagreement, sharper exchanges, and higher stakes.Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction01:30 Getting to Know Larissa02:57 Why She Came on the Show09:34 Distinguishing Leftism from Liberalism11:38 Faith, Christianity, and Morality24:13 How Larissa Got into the Social Media World27:05 Infighting on the Left and Right29:37 Differences Between the Left and Right at Harvard31:19 Moral Tastes Hypotheticals53:27 American Hegemony: Good or Bad?1:33:27 Next Week!

WEEK 14: Returning from a trip to Israel, we sit down with Shanee Markovitz Kay — an Israeli American and fellow Harvard Law student — for a deeply personal conversation about Israel, identity, and what it has meant to be Jewish at Harvard Law in the aftermath of October 7.We begin by getting to know Shanee — her background, her path to Harvard Law, and her (as well as our) involvement with the Harvard Law Alliance for Israel — before stepping back to talk about the wide spectrum of Jewish religious and cultural practice, both in Israel and in the United States.At the center of the episode is October 7th. Shanee shares her personal experience, how it affected her family, her community, and her sense of safety, and what it was like to process those events while being a student at Harvard. We talk candidly about the response to October 7th on campus: the protests, silence, hostility, support, and the emotional and social cost of navigating elite academic spaces during a moment of global attention and polarization.We then turn to Israel’s response — the moral, political, and strategic questions it raised — and Shanee reflects on what she believes the way forward looks like, both for Israel and for those trying to engage honestly across deep disagreement.After Shanee leaves, we stay on to offer immediate reactions to the conversation, reflect on our own recent trip to Israel, and zoom out to discuss the history of the modern Israeli state, U.S.–Israel relations, and the broader geopolitical stakes often missing from campus discourse.We close, as always, with Girl Problems: Israel edition.This episode is personal, serious, and at times difficult — but it’s an honest attempt to listen, understand, and speak clearly about Israel, identity, and truth in a moment when those things feel especially contested.00:00 Introduction01:43 Getting to Know Shanee09:20 Harvard Law Alliance for Israel12:37 The Spectrum of Jewish Practice15:42 How Shanee Ended Up at Harvard Law20:36 October 7th35:08 The Response to October 7th at Harvard51:49 Israel’s Response to October 7th55:24 The Way Forward (Shanee)1:00:13 Post-Interview Immediate Reactions1:12:53 Our Trip to Israel1:41:00 The History of Israel1:46:19 America–Israeli Relations2:00:04 The Way Forward (Will and Mason)2:13:02 Girl Problems: Israel Edition

WEEK 13 (NEW YEAR’S EPISODE): It’s January 1st — a new year, new resolutions, and the usual promises of change. In this episode, we look back at 2025, make rapid-fire predictions about 2026, and ask a harder question underneath all the optimism: Why does it feel like our generation is still waiting for the promises of past generations to come true for us? We open with a bit of reflection on how we shot this episode and why we’re doing it on a hotel bed in Tel Aviv, Israel. Then we run through rapid-fire New Year’s questions, from cultural and political predictions to lighter bets about where the country and economy are headed in 2026. The heart of the episode focuses on Gen Z’s stalled trajectory. We talk about how our generation compares to the Boomers at the same age — wages, homeownership, marriage, career stability, and social mobility — and why so many young people feel like they’re falling behind despite doing “everything right.” We discuss delayed adulthood, credential inflation, cultural pessimism, and the growing sense that the promises made to previous generations haven’t yet materialized for ours.Finally, we close with girl problems — New Year edition: Can you ask a girl to go on Ozempic? Can men and women actually be just friends? And what should New Year’s resolutions look like for couples, guys, and girls trying to build healthier, more intentional lives?Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction01:50 Best and Worst Movies of 202505:23 Predictions for 2026!19:14 Gen Z Is Falling Behind56:46 Girl Problems: Ozempic1:03:42 Girl Problems: Can Guys and Girls Be Friends?1:08:19 Girl Problems: Resolutions for Couples, Guys, and Girls

WEEK 12, THE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL: This episode was filmed in Israel, overlooking the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, just steps from where Christianity began.We start by walking through some classic Christmas questions — everything from whether you tell your kids about Santa to our favorite Christmas movies and hymns. From there, we talk about what Christianity looks like in the Holy Land today: ancient churches, modern Israel, religious pluralism, and the tension between sacred history and contemporary politics.We reflect on what it means to celebrate Christmas in a place where the Gospel was first proclaimed — and how proximity to holy ground sharpens questions about faith, tradition, and belief in a secular age.And because it wouldn’t be our podcast without it, we close with Christmas-themed girl problems. They’re delightful. We promise.Merry Christmas — and thank you for listening.Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Intro08:58 Christmas Rapid Fire Questions29:30 Christianity in the Holy Land42:11 Girl Problems

WEEK 11: Harvard carries unmatched prestige — but what is it actually like on the inside? In this episode, two Harvard Law students sit down to give an unfiltered look at the most powerful university in the world: the opportunities it creates, the tradeoffs it demands, and the realities that never make it into admissions brochures.We start with a simple but revealing question: Do you tell people you go to Harvard? When do you say it, when do you dodge it, and what does the name signal — socially, professionally, and culturally?From there, we ask the question everyone is really wondering: Should you go to Harvard? We break down the numbers — outcomes, salaries, clerkships, BigLaw placement, public interest careers, debt, and Harvard Law’s unmatched alumni network — and then contrast the stats with the lived experience. Is the prestige worth the pressure? Is the price tag justified? And who actually benefits the most from the Harvard system?We also talk honestly about bias and campus culture — ideological homogeneity, academic freedom, self-censorship, and what it’s like to be conservative, Christian, or politically heterodox inside an institution that overwhelmingly leans left. We discuss admissions preferences, faculty politics, and why Harvard repeatedly ranks near the bottom of free-speech indices.Along the way, we touch on elite education in America and whether the federal government — including a possible future Trump administration — should challenge Harvard’s tax status, admissions practices, or ideological capture.Later in the episode, we pivot to broader cultural questions: whether Christians can appreciate art created by immoral artists, how to think about separating art from the artist, and how faith should shape consumption in a secular age.And, as always, we end with girl problems — dating norms, male passivity, pursuit, boundaries, exclusivity, the “Mike Pence rule,” and how young Christians should think about romance, intention, and courage in a confusing dating market.If you’re considering Harvard, curious about elite education, or wondering whether the prestige is actually worth the cost — this episode is for you.Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Introduction05:04 Do We Tell People We Go to Harvard?11:11 Finding Out We Got into Harvard Law18:33 The Power of Harvard21:17 Our Weird Grading System29:10 Ideological Homogeneity43:01 October 7th Protests45:13 Should You Go to Harvard?49:23 The Trump Admin’s Anti-Harvard Campaign54:17 Separating Art from the Artist1:04:00 Girl Problems: Video Games1:09:42 Girl Problems: Azriel’s Two Questions1:22:33 Girl Problems: Dating Apps Including Weight1:23:31 Girl Problems: How to Tell That a Girl Likes You1:27:30 Girl Problems: The Mike Pence Rule

WEEK 10: Freedom is fragile — and the cultural battles shaping America today aren’t coming from where most people think. In this episode, Mason Laney, Harvard Law ‘26, and Will Johnson, Harvard Law ‘27, sit down with Ryan Keane, Harvard Law ‘26, to break down the ideological confusion of our moment: from Hasan Piker’s pro-China escapades… to the romantic drought among young men… to the unraveling of Christian orthodoxy in the West.We begin with Hasan’s recent trip to China — his livestream from Tiananmen Square, the “Mao meme” incident, and the claim that Western criticism of the CCP is just “misinformation.” We unpack what the Chinese state actually is: mass surveillance, re-education camps, censorship, and a Maoist legacy that killed tens of millions. Why are so many young Americans romanticizing authoritarianism? What cultural vacuum is driving them there?Then we take on socialism vs. capitalism — the promises, the myths, the trade-offs, and the “equality vs. freedom” tension behind every modern political movement. We talk incentives, innovation, Scandinavian welfare models, and why centralized power always drifts toward secrecy and control.From there, we dive into the theological side: Can a Christian be liberal? We look at the hermeneutical shifts inside the Anglican Communion, the rise of progressive Christianity, the fallout in TEC and the Church of England, and why interpretive method — literal, symbolic, or cultural — shapes doctrine more than any vote or bishop ever could.And finally… girl problems: Listener questions on dating, Christian courtship, red flags, and when it counts as ‘cheating.’ If you care about faith, freedom, culture, or modern dating — or you’re living through any of these tensions yourself — this episode is for you.Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z80:00 Introduction3:39 Getting to know Ryan15:07 Feedback17:06 Hasan’s Treason33:02 Socialism vs. Capitalism45:14 Reacting to a Liberal Harvard Law Grad’s Take on the School1:02:35 Christian Liberals, an Oxymoron?1:26:09 GIRL PROBLEMS

WEEK 9: America is in the midst of a historic immigration clash — from a rising foreign-born population to surging ICE removals and detention numbers. In this episode, we sit down in the historic Mount Auburn Cemetery to ask the question many avoid: Is mass deportation moral? And what does Christian ethics demand from us on borders, justice, and compassion?We dive into the scale of the challenge — who is here, why they came, what contributions immigrants make to our economy and culture, and the real strains caused by a broken system. We talk about the emotional and spiritual fallout of deportation, including long-term family separation and the trauma faced by children when a parent is removed. And we debate whether a law-and-order approach requires uprooting millions who have lived here peacefully for a decade or more.We also wrestle with the moral tension at the heart of Christian debates over immigration: the duty to uphold lawful order and national boundaries… and the command to love the immigrant and the vulnerable. When does compassion without enforcement become cruelty — and when does enforcement without compassion become injustice?Later, we lighten things up with a rapid-fire round of date ideas (some good, some terrible), a conversation about Christian influencers and the algorithms that shape them, some very eclectic discussion of demonology, family group-chat etiquette gone wrong, and of course, girl problems.If you’ve ever wondered what “justice and mercy” look like in immigration policy — this episode is for you.Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:29 Intro03:40 Reviewing YouTube Comments and Other Feedback!14:01 Girl Problems Jingle Competition15:21 Family Groupchat Etiquette19:25 Mass Deportation — the Debate.46:52 Good Date? Bad Date?53:15 Christian Onlineism59:23 Demonology1:10:14 Girl Problems!

THANKSGIVING SPECIAL: In this episode of Approach the Bench, we travel to historic Plymouth, Massachusetts — the birthplace of the American Thanksgiving tradition — to talk about the Pilgrims, gratitude, politics at the dinner table, and Thanksgiving girl problems. Filmed right by Plymouth Rock, we break down the real Christian roots of Thanksgiving and why this holiday is more theologically important than most Americans realize.We dive into the story of the Separatists, why the Pilgrims left England, how their faith shaped early America, and the unbelievable, providential journey of Squanto — from kidnapping and slavery to becoming the man who saved the Plymouth colony. We talk religious liberty, covenant community, and why the first Thanksgiving was fundamentally an act of worship and dependence on God.We also cover how Thanksgiving became a national holiday, George Washington’s original proclamation, Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Thanksgiving address during the Civil War, and how Christian gratitude grounds us in humility, grace, and trust in God’s provision.Later, we run through a rapid-fire Thanksgiving questionnaire: turkey vs. ham, stuffing vs. dressing, canned vs. homemade cranberry sauce, pumpkin vs. pecan pie, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, mac and cheese at Thanksgiving, Black Friday stories, dress codes, family traditions, and when Christmas actually begins.We then get into politics at the Thanksgiving table — whether Christians should engage or avoid it, how to love across the aisle, why most Americans dread political talk at the holidays, and what it looks like to bring grace, truth, and the image of God into every conversation.Finally, we tackle Thanksgiving girl problems: when to bring your girlfriend home for the holidays, sleeping arrangements, how much her family matters in dating, and whether you should reconnect with hometown exes when you’re back for Thanksgiving break.Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z8

WEEK 7: Young men in America are struggling — in school, in dating, in work, in purpose, in faith, and in mental health. In this episode, we sit down in Cambridge Common with Lindsay, an Army intelligence officer turned Harvard Law 2L, to talk about the crisis facing modern men and the cultural forces shaping young men today.We dive into why boys are falling behind in education, why young men feel lost in dating and sexuality, why male church attendance has collapsed, why addiction and homelessness are overwhelmingly male, and why so many men lack mentors, role models, and direction.We also talk fatherlessness, pornography, arranged marriage, masculinity vs. “toxic masculinity,” male crying and emotional health, Scott Galloway’s advice for young men, and whether the rise of victim mentality is destroying a generation.Later, we discuss naming children, the pro-life question, red flags in dating, and listener questions about relationships, marriage, and masculinity.If you care about the future of young men — or you are one — this episode is for you.Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:29 Intro19:59 Should Men Cry?24:50 Young Men are Falling Behind — Why and What Can Be Done?51:14 The Amber Alert Daughter Name Hypothetical53:25 Why We’re Pro-Life1:08:56 Girl Problems: Red Flags, When He Buys You a Drink, Should You Marry Your GF?, Playing Hard to Get, Going through Your Loved One’s Phone, and Body Count. 

The women are moving, and so are the men, just not in the same direction. How do we reconcile the gender political divide, if at all? Mason and Will tackle several of these big questions in this episode, but the biggest question of all: who was their childhood celebrity crush?Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show! You can also submit anonymous comments through this Google Form: https://forms.gle/9Zjxzkpwajivx19z800:00 Intro03:14 Comments from the Audience08:48 Is Kissing a Skill Issue?17:05 Why the Girls Have Gone Left28:58 Pronouns vs. Christianity38:55 Girl Problems: Celebrity Crushes43:02 Girl Problems: Love Languages48:51 Girl Problems: Side Hugs vs. Front Hugs51:11 Girl Problems: Married Setting Up Singles52:15 Girl Problems: The Dating Prospects of Conservative Female Law Students

Rodrigo Estrada joins Mason and Will to discuss Spanking, MAGA Dating, Conservatism, and some very interesting Girl Problems. Mason has strong opinions on handholding, and Will doesn't --- so the usual!Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show!00:16 Intro1:20 Who is Rodrigo?10:53 How Long Should the Show Be?12:15 Spanking the Children21:45 Date Horror Stories23:02 Make America Hot Again & MAGA Hookup Culture37:20 What is Conservatism?46:31 Girl Problems: Ideal First Date56:01 Girl Problems: HANDHOLDING!

In the longest episode to date, Mason and Will debate arranged marriage, tattoos, love for America, and 30 minutes worth of Girl Problems. They also dabble in a bit of role-playing. Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show!

Mason and Will debate the next Great Awakening (circa 2025) and analyze whether conservatives should have "enemies to the Right." Plus, they take on many, many, many of the audience's girl problems.Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show!

Mason and Will try to figure out why anyone could have disliked episode 1, and Will wonders why people have to wear clothes.Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show!00:19 Intro03:43 Why we’re suffering at Boston College06:24 Our One-Star Reviews…11:19 We say NO to TikTok14:52 Nudity in the arts, cool or not?22:38 Diamonds are Mason’s Bestfriend38:22 Girl Problems: Flirt to Convert45:31 Girl problems: At what age should you start dating?

Mason and Will inaugurate the podcast at the Old North Bridge — the site of the Battle of Concord. Email [email protected] with your questions/comments or submit a voice memo at https://www.speakpipe.com/approachthebench for a chance to be featured on the show!00:21 Introduction03:10 Why we’re doing this08:00 The Battle of Concord12:21 Can you be a Christian at Harvard Law?23:38 ChatGPT for Dating33:07 Whiskey and Cigars Christian Edition42:05 Emotional Terrorism50:10 Girl Problems: The Summer I Turned Pretty Hypothetical01:00:50 Girl Problems: The First Kiss