Wilderness, Church Hope and the alternative to MAGA Christianity with Father Pete Nunnally

Welcome to the Common Good Podcast. In this episode, Doug Pagitt sits down with Father Pete Nunnally, an Episcopal priest, writer, and visionary leader behind the new Water and Wilderness Church. Together they dive into Pete’s forthcoming book, Catching Hope, which offers a fresh vision of faith rooted in renewal, resilience, and community.
Their conversation explores not only Pete’s personal journey and the inspiration behind his work, but also the larger state of Christian faith in America today. Doug and Pete wrestle with some of the biggest questions facing the church: How do we remain faithful in an age of division? What does it look like to embody Christ’s love when MAGA Christianity and Christian Nationalism threaten to distort the gospel? And how can communities of faith nurture hope and courage in these turbulent times?
This episode is a heartfelt, honest, and hopeful dialogue—inviting listeners to imagine a Christianity that resists fear, rejects authoritarianism, and returns again and again to love as the way forward.