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The Bulletin

Attitudes Toward Israel, Kash Patel’s Lawsuit, and John Mark Comer’s Fame

The Bulletin

Christianity Today

News, News Commentary, Society & Culture, Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.4586 Ratings

🗓️ 24 April 2026

⏱️ 58 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week, a photo circulated on social media that showed an IDF soldier in southern Lebanon smashing the face of a fallen statue of Jesus. Rabbi Michael Holzman joins Russell Moore and Clarissa Moll to discuss this incident and Americans’ shifting attitudes towards Israel. Then, FBI Director Kash Patel files a defamation lawsuit against reporter Sarah Fitzpatrick and The Atlantic for publishing an article stating that Patel consistently drinks on the job and is a national security vulnerability. Justin Giboney and Sho Baraka join the conversation. Then, Bonnie Kristian stops by to talk about why pastor John Mark Comer has become so popular. REFERENCED IN THE EPISODE: The FBI Director Is MIA - Sarah Fitzpatrick, The Atlantic Is Hurry the Great Enemy of Spiritual Life? - Nancy Waleki, The Atlantic ABOUT THE GUESTS: Rabbi Michael Holzman is the spiritual leader of the Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation and the founder of the American Scripture Project and Faith250. Rabbi Holzman has partnered with a variety of organizations like the Aspen Institute, Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement and the Shalom Hartman Institute of North America to examine the intersection of faith and democracy. Sho Baraka is Christianity Today’s Big Tent editorial director. He is a recording artist, performer, culture curator, activist, and writer. He is a cofounder of Forth District and the And Campaign, and he has served as an adjunct professor at Wake Forest University School of Divinity. He was an original member of influential hip-hop consortium 116 Clique, recording with Reach Records. Justin Giboney is an attorney, political strategist, and ordained minister in Atlanta. He is also the cofounder and president of the And Campaign, a coalition of urban Christians who address the sociopolitical arena with the compassion and conviction of the gospel. Giboney is the coauthor of Compassion (&) Conviction: The AND Campaign’s Guide to Faithful Civic Engagement. Bonnie Kristian is the deputy editor at Christianity Today. She is the author of Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community and A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today. Her writing has been published at outlets including The New York Times, The Week, USA Today, CNN, Politico, and others. GO DEEPER WITH THE BULLETIN: Join the conversation at our Substack. Find us on YouTube. Rate and review the show in your podcast app of choice. ABOUT THE BULLETIN: The Bulletin is a twice-weekly news analysis podcast from Christianity Today, with editor-at-large Russell Moore and executive editor of news Clarissa Moll. Each episode offers commentary on current events and headlining news with a roundtable of premier guests, and shares a Christian perspective on issues that are shaping our world The Bulletin listeners get 25% off CT. Go to https://orderct.com/THEBULLETIN to learn more. “The Bulletin” is a production of Christianity Today Producer: Clarissa Moll Associate Producer: Alexa Burke Editing and Mix: Kevin Morris Graphic Design: Rick Szuecs Music: Dan Phelps Executive Producer: Erik Petrik Senior Producer: Matt Stevens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

This paid message is from the 26 moms, dads,

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gift guide from Christianity Today's Creative Studio.

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or one to give a gift just because, you'll find a book you love.

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Visit moms, dads, grads.com to browse our books.

0:25.4

Thank you. grads.com to browse our books. From Christianity, today you're listening to The Bulletin, a podcast about the people,

0:30.4

events, and issues that are shaping our world. I'm Clarissa Mall. Today, Russell Moore and I

0:36.2

joined with Rabbi Michael Holesman, Justin Gibney,

0:39.1

Shobaraca, and Bonnie Christian to talk about Americans' growing frustrations with Israel,

0:44.7

Cash Patel's defamation lawsuit, and the popularity of John Mark Comer. Welcome to the show.

0:55.6

Good morning, listeners.

0:57.1

Welcome to our Friday roundtable.

0:58.9

On Monday, conservative commentator Tucker Carlson identified what he says is a new civic religion in America.

1:06.1

What is the civic religion of the United States?

1:08.9

What's the religion of the U.S. government?

1:12.0

What's the religion, honestly, of Donald Trump? It's not Christianity, clearly. It's

1:18.5

Israelism. It's the defense of Israel.

1:22.0

Carlson's comments come in the same week that Israel has come under sharp critique for a photo

1:27.1

circulated on social media

1:28.7

that showed an IDF soldier in southern Lebanon smashing the face of a fallen statue of Jesus.

1:34.9

New Pew Research reports that 60% of Americans have an unfavorable view of Israel rising from

1:41.3

53% last year, and we wanted to talk more about these shifting attitudes

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