Not long ago, John Cooper, the lead singer of the Christian rock band Skillet, made headlines and filled social feeds when he attacked “deconstruction” from the stage.
This caused a minor kitchen fire as podcasts like The Holy Post reviewed and responded to the inflammatory comments. Cooper turned up the heat by responding on his podcast, Cooper Stuff, which compelled us to check out the show.
The show is a hot stove for Cooper to share his thoughts on the issues of the day—perhaps a more appropriate platform than during his music shows.
Cooper pretends the criticism rolls off his back (like eggs out of a non-stick… get it?), but he protests too much. He seems deeply invested in his political ideology, which makes Cooper Stuff feel more like right-wing talk radio than anything Gospel-centered.
Spending more time defending the idea of Christian nationalism from “redefinition” by “liberals” suggests the milk has turned sour and leaves that bitter “I’ve heard this before” taste in your mouth.
There’s space for everyone in podcasting, even those we do not agree with. Very conservative Christians will feel at home listening to this show. Those experiencing “deconstruction” or asking questions about the cozy relationship of their faith to one political party will want to stay away.
We sought out this show hoping for something substantive and unique. Unfortunately, all we found was ranting of the blandest variety.
April 2022 Issue
