The Mona Charen Show

Christianity’s Crossroads: Faith, Democracy, and America’s Future

Feb 3, 2025

In this conversation, Jonathan Rauch, an author and advocate for the intersection of faith and democracy, discusses his book, "Cross Purposes: Christianity's Broken Bargain with Democracy." He examines Christianity's decline in America and its effects on democracy, arguing for a return to core Christian principles. The dialogue covers political polarization, the need for a civic theology, and the duality of faith—how it can inspire both good and bad. Rauch also reflects on the challenges of secularism in fulfilling spiritual needs and fostering community.

01:05:51

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Episode guests

Jonathan Rauch

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The decline of Christianity in America is linked to its mingling with politics, which has overshadowed its core spiritual messages.

Rauch emphasizes that the secularization trend results in losing church-provided social connections, leading to increased societal polarization.

Adopting a minority mindset can help Christians express their beliefs more authentically by prioritizing humility and service over political agendas.

Deep dives

The Journey of Understanding Christianity

The author shares a personal narrative that highlights a transformative relationship with a college friend, revealing how it changed their perception of Christianity. Initially, they held a negative view due to experiences of cruelty and hypocrisy associated with the faith. However, through this friendship, they recognized the beauty and ideals of Christianity that promote kindness and respect for humanity. This pivotal experience showed that while Christianity has flaws, its core principles can be profoundly meaningful.

Intro

2min

A Journey from Rejection to Reflection on Faith

3min

The Inspiring Impact of Christian Compassion

2min

The Great De-Churching: Decline of Christian Faith in America

22min

The Duality of Christianity: Faith as a Force for Good and Bad

5min

Faith and Liberal Democracy: Navigating Complex Intersections

24min

The Insufficiency of Secularism in Fulfilling Spiritual Needs

3min

Christianity in Minority Context

5min

In this episode of The Mona Charen Podcast, Mona Charen speaks with author Jonathan Rauch about his new book, Cross Purposes: Christianity's Broken Bargain with Democracy. They explore the decline of Christianity in America, its impact on democracy, and whether faith can be depoliticized. Rauch, a self-described “atheistic homosexual Jew,” makes the case that Christianity has been a vital “load-bearing wall” for American democracy and argues for a return to its core principles. The conversation touches on political polarization, the role of faith in public life, and what small-l liberals and conservatives alike can learn from the evolving role of religion in society.

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REFERENCES:
Books by Jonathan Rauch:

Cross Purposes: Christianity's Broken Bargain with Democracy (his new book)
The Constitution of Knowledge (his previous book)

Articles:

An article by Jonathan Rauch in The Atlantic (2003) celebrating secularization, which he later called "the dumbest thing I ever wrote."

Books and Works Referenced:

Tim Alberta’s The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory (referred to in discussion about the church and politics)
A quote attributed to G.K. Chesterton: “When people cease to believe in God, they don’t believe in nothing, they believe in anything” (noted as possibly apocryphal).
Russell Moore's commentary on the state of the church.
The Bible (including references to Jesus’ teachings such as "forgive your enemies" and "the least of these").
A quote from John Adams: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
The Book of Mormon (mentioned in the discussion of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).
Immanuel Kant’s ethical philosophy (used to support moral arguments).
Rabbi Hillel’s summary of the Torah: “That which is hateful to you, do not do unto your neighbor. All the rest is commentary. Now go and study.”

Legislation and Policies Referenced:

The 1964 Civil Rights Act (mentioning its religious exemptions).
The Utah Compromise (2015) on LGBT rights and religious freedoms.
The Respect for Marriage Act (2022), which protected same-sex marriage while also ensuring religious protections.

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The Mona Charen Show

Christianity’s Crossroads: Faith, Democracy, and America’s Future

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Journey of Understanding Christianity

The Crisis of American Christianity

Christianity's Political Misalignment

Call for Civic Theology

Embracing Minority Status for Transformation

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts