Exploring the Shift from Compassionate Conservatism to Harsher Politics

It was November 1, 1973, and Marvin Olasky—a then self-proclaimed atheist and communist—was reading an essay by Vladimir Lenin. Suddenly, Olasky began to have thoughts he couldn’t shake. 

What if this is all wrong?

What if there really is a God?

Within eight hours, Olasky had decided he was no longer an atheist or a communist. He became a Christian a few years later. Olasky went on to become a leader in Christian higher education and publishing—most notably as the editor in chief of World Magazine. 

On this episode of The Russell Moore Show, Olasky—author of 29 books, senior fellow at the Discovery Institute, and affiliate scholar at the Acton Institute—joins Moore to discuss religion, politics, and philosophy. They talk about two of Olasky’s latest book releases: Pivot Points and an extensively updated Moral Vision, which includes a new foreword by Moore. 

Olasky shares thoughts on his conversion, his relationship with George W. Bush during his presidency, and the evangelical embrace of some politicians and rejection of others. He and Moore consider the state of journalism, Christian symbolism in political movements, and the danger of echo chambers. Their conversation covers abortion and the pro-life movement, the Hamas attacks, and American involvement in world politics. 

Olasky encourages listeners to live a life they’ll be glad to look back on, and offers words of wisdom for doing so.

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

• Discovery Institute
• Acton Institute
• Zenger House
• WORLD Magazine
• Pivot Points: Adventures on the Road to Christian Contentment by Marvin Olasky
• Moral Vision: Leadership from George Washington to Joe Biden by Marvin Olasky
• Jonathan Edwards
• Cotton Mather
• John Cotton
• “Marilynne Robinson on Biblical Beauty, Human Evil and the Idea of Israel” on The Ezra Klein Show
• “Glenn Beck Comes to Town” by Chris Good
• March for Life
• Living Life Backward: How Ecclesiastes Teaches Us to Live in Light of the End by David Gibson

Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to questions@russellmoore.com.

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“The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today 

Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper 

Host: Russell Moore 

Producer: Ashley Hales 

Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill

Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens

Audio engineering by Dan Phelps 

Video producer: Abby Egan 

Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton

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