Tyranny and the Post-Christian West (Rod Dreher) | Ep. 532

Rod Dreher is a bestselling author and cultural critic known for his incisive commentary on faith, politics, and modern society. His landmark books The Benedict Option and Live Not By Lies have shaped conversations on Christian resilience in an age of decline, while his newest work, Living in Wonder, turns inward, exploring beauty, suffering, and the search for meaning. Dreher’s voice is unapologetically countercultural, drawing on Orthodox Christianity and a deep skepticism of modern ideological conformity. 🍺 Want to Support Pints With Aquinas? 🍺 Get episodes a week early, score a free PWA beer stein, and join exclusive live streams with me! Become an annual supporter at 👉 https://mattfradd.locals.com/support 💵 Show Sponsors: 👉 Seven Weeks Coffee – Use promo code MATT for up to 25% of your first subscription order + claim your free gift: https://sevenweekscoffee.com/matt 👉 Exodus 90 – Join Exodus 90 on August 15 for St. Michael's Lent: https://exodus90.com/matt 👉 Truthly – The Catholic faith at your fingertips: https://www.truthly.ai/ 👉 Hallow – The #1 Catholic prayer app: https://hallow.com/mattfradd  💻 Follow Me on Social Media: 📌 Facebook: https://facebook.com/mattfradd 📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/mattfradd 𝕏 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/Pints_W_Aquinas 🎵 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@pintswithaquinas 👕 PWA Merch – Wear the Faith! Grab your favorite PWA gear here: https://shop.pintswithaquinas.com 00:00 Intro 02:40 Exploring The Benedict Option 07:28 Writing books as a spiritual journey 09:00 Facing rejection from family 15:17 Moving forward with loved ones 19:45 Finding recovery through prayer 25:30 Seeing ourselves in Dante’s Inferno 32:15 Forgiveness and restoring peace at home 38:15 When public figures go through a divorce 45:15 Why women often initiate divorce 50:40 Holding on to faith in dark times 55:45 Wrestling with judgment and justice 1:01:30 The tension between mercy and truth 1:05:13 Confronting scandal in the Church 1:11:40 The road to converting to Orthodoxy 1:20:47 Evangelism and building real community 1:34:40 Responding to criticism while keeping faith 1:40:30 Creating redemptive media with Angel Studios 1:48:15 The coming decline of wokeness 1:57:40 Corruption across different nations 2:03:06 Living a life in pursuit of truth 2:07:10 Reflecting on J.D. Vance’s speech 2:15:08 The roots of the Muslim civil war 2:19:15 What’s ahead for the European Union 2:28:10 Bringing tradition back to the Church 2:35:14 Why cults are converting 2:36:15 Why so many are being labeled antisemitic 2:38:22 The rise of Benedict option knock-offs 2:39:45 Awakening to the nature of God 2:44:16 Where AI and tech are leading us 2:50:15 Rediscovering crunchy conservatism 2:54:20 Living with wonder and truth 2:59:00 Serving Christ in everything 3:04:49 Final reflections