#221 | Is Politics Killing Evangelicalism? Pt 1 with Pete Wehner

Is our political focus, which we believe is for the greater good, actually doing the opposite for the Christian witness today? How do we maintain our integrity in the midst of political compromise? Is there a third way? Should we focus on the lesser of two evils? What happens if we continue to do that?

Travis welcomes special guest Pete Wehner to the show today. Pete is a Senior Fellow at the Trinity Forum, a writer and thinker who served in the Reagan administration and both Bush presidencies including as head of the office for strategic initiatives. He has written three books and has written for many publications, recently for The Atlantic and the NY Times. I met Pete at a symposium and found him to be a thoughtful and insightful voice in evangelicalism and into evangelicals' political involvement. He is a committed Christian, a political insider, and a voice needed for this moment.

Episodes featured in today's show: Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes by Randy Richards.

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Takeaways:

• The healing of a nation fundamentally relies on the healing of individual lives, emphasizing personal transformation.
• Engaging with differing perspectives within one’s community fosters understanding and deepens relationships, transcending mere political discourse.
• The political landscape today poses significant challenges for communities of faith, often resulting in division among congregants and families.
• Christians must navigate the complexities of political engagement while maintaining their commitment to the teachings of Jesus Christ.
• Many church leaders express a desire to avoid political discussions to focus solely on spiritual matters, yet they must confront the realities of their congregants' beliefs.
• The approach to politics among Christians should be characterized by integrity, empathy, and a commitment to truth, rather than divisive rhetoric.