Episode 111: Dan McClellan - the Bible, TikTok and right-wing identity politics
Dan McClellan is a different kind of biblical scholar. He has a cult following on TikTok, regularly engages with conspiracy and misinformation content to debunk it, and isn't afraid to speak about politics. Many of us have come to welcome Dan's "alright, let's see it" on stitches of lurid and ridiculous pseudo-religion online, and along the way, we've learned a lot about what the Bible is and isn't.
Dan's takes are challenging not just to right-wing conspiracy theorists, but to many traditional Christian assumptions. What's nice is that he recognises that, and that he has no particular agenda aside from presenting data and academic consensus as an alternative to dogma and misinformation.
Jonty caught up with Dan a few months ago to talk about the Bible, its misuses and our misunderstandings about it.
Among other things, Dan shares the best and worst Bible translations, the biblical ‘position’ (such as it is) on abortion, and how an academic got onto an app for Korean teenagers to troll politicians.
You can find more from Dan McClellan at his blog and also at the Data Over Dogma podcast.
Dan McClellan’s new book, The Bible Says So is out in April 2025.
Follow Dan on socials by finding his handle: @maklelan
An edited version of this interview appears in Issue 2 of S(h)ibboleth magazine. It’s a good issue. You should buy it.
You can listen to Episode 111 anywhere: in a brave week-night Bible study group, in church during parts of a sermon that seek to leverage the Bible on behalf of privileged identities, in bed when you’re tired of doomscrolling, or right here…
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