Podcaster Joe Rogan recently confirmed he’s been going to a “Christian church,” describing it as a “very nice” place where people are trying to become “better.”
Rogan, who has been exploring Christianity in recent months, made the remarks during a June 5 episode of The “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast featuring comedians Shane Gillis, Mark Normand and Ari Shaffir. The three-hour episode touched on a range of topics, including politics, drug use and religion.
“It’s actually very nice,” Rogan said when asked about his experience at church. “They’re all just trying to be better people. It’s a good vibe.”
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The conversation shifted to faith after Normand noted Rogan’s decision to stop drinking alcohol for the past three months. “Wait, are you going to church too, or is that bull—-?” Normand asked.
“I have been to church,” Rogan replied. When Normand responded in surprise, Rogan asked, “Have you ever been to church before?”
Normand acknowledged he had attended in the past.
Gillis then asked Rogan why he didn’t go to a Catholic church. “I tried that. I did that,” Rogan said.
Gillis recalled a positive experience of his own, saying, “It’s so nice. A guy gave me a rosary; I keep it. Very nice.”
When Normand pressed Rogan about the type of church he attended, Rogan responded, “It’s just a Christian church.” Shaffir added, “A non-denominational Christian [church].”
Gillis joked about Charismatic practices like speaking in tongues, saying, “Yeah, all that f—— gibberish,” to which Normand followed up, “Joel Osteen s—?”
Rogan sarcastically replied, “Yeah, I’m just giving all my money to Osteen,” before steering the conversation back to sobriety.
Rogan has increasingly discussed religious topics on his podcast since last year. In January, he hosted Christian apologist Wes Huff and engaged in a wide-ranging conversation on miracles, the Resurrection of Jesus and the nature of faith.
Huff later revealed in May that Rogan had begun regularly attending church. “That has been a consistent thing,” Huff said, adding that the two have remained in contact since the episode aired.
“Joe Rogan and I have had on-and-off communication since then. I can tell you for a fact that he is attending church and that has been a consistent thing.”
“And so, you know, things are happening,” he continued. “And he’s a very inquisitive individual, and I think for the better in that he’s communicating with me and other people in his life who are influences that can speak into, you know, these issues of reliability and trustworthiness and verisimilitude of something like the pages of Scripture, and where he should and shouldn’t be looking for the information in regards to that.”
Huff said he’s “very encouraged” by his communications with Rogan over the last few months, adding: “We’re seeing what I don’t think is an exaggeration to say, somewhat of a resurgence in interest in these topics that we’ve been talking about, even the nitty gritty.”
In the June 5 podcast episode, Rogan also elaborated on his decision to quit drinking.
“The only reason I stopped the booze was because I wanted to see what it’d be like to have no booze for a long period of time,” he said. “And it’s a lot better. You feel a lot better.”
When Normand asked whether Rogan ever got bored at night without alcohol, Rogan said he thought he might, but added, “I have fun doing standup. I have fun hanging out in the green room.”
He also noted that alcohol had begun to interfere with his fitness routine. “I don’t like what it does to your body,” he said.
Normand joked, “You’ll be back,” to which Rogan quipped, “You think so? That’s a supportive friend.”
“It’s just one of those things where you stop doing it, and you’re like, ‘Oh, I feel so much better. Why was I doing that?’” Rogan said. “I had a good time drinking. Don’t get me wrong.”
During a May 7 conversation with comedy podcast host Cody Tucker, Rogan said he’s “sticking with Jesus” when it comes to miraculous claims.
“It’s funny, because people will be incredulous about the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, but yet, they’re convinced that the entire universe was smaller than a head of a pin and that for no reason that anyone has adequately explained to me, instantaneously became everything? OK,” Rogan said.
Rogan’s remarks add to a growing trend of public figures candidly discussing their spiritual journeys.
In 2023, comedian Rob Schneider announced he’d converted to Catholicism and told The Christian Post he felt called to leave behind the type of comedy he had performed in the past.
“I know I can’t do the same stuff I used to do,” Schneider told CP. “Not because I have anything against what I did; I did what I did, and I felt fine about it at the time. I’m not going to judge myself. But I won’t do the same stuff I’ve done. I don’t know what I’m going to do. … I want to come to it from a place of faith, a place of something good in my heart.”
