Liberal democracy is under military threat abroad, and intellectual threat in America. And many of these domestic attacks are coming from within Christianity. So should Christians care about defending democracy? What are the connections between our Christian faith and America’s form of self-government? This week David and Curtis dive headlong into this deep and fascinating issue, including some history, some theology, and some critical guidance for why we Christians must indeed care about the state of our democracy and its institutions.   Show Notes: -French Press: “A Christian Defense of American Classical Liberalism” -Sarah Repucci & Amy Slipowitz (Freedom House): “Democracy Under Siege” -From John Adams to Massachusetts Militia, 11 October 1798 -Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter -Check out Redeeming Babel’s job opening here

This week David and Curtis offer a follow up discussion on fundamentalism, clarifying some key points from the previous episode and diving deeper into how we can become fundamentalists without even knowing it! Do our increasingly homogenous social groups perhaps push us toward fundamentalism and even radicalization? How might the presence of even a few diverse voices impact these groups? This then leads to a discussion about liberal democracy and how it is under assault, not just globally (as in Russia/Ukraine), but even here in the US. How should our Christian faith inform things like our system of government and our embrace (or rejection) of liberal democracy?   Show Notes: -Cass Sunstein - The Law of Group Polarization -Sign up for David’s French Press newsletter -Check out Curtis’ series Anxiety as Opportunity for Spiritual Growth, available at RedeemingBabel.org. 20% discount for Good Faith listeners, use code: GoodFaith20

In a continuation of our “What the Heck is . . .?” series, David and Curtis help us think about the concept of fundamentalism and how it fits into the current cultural moment. Is fundamentalism just a set of beliefs? Is it a way of approaching belief? Does it perhaps even extend beyond traditional religious belief to certain political beliefs? And where do uncertainty and humility fit into all of this? Join us as we unpack how fundamentalism functions both within the church and in the wider culture.   Show Notes: -Richard Hofstadter (Harper’s Magazine): “The Paranoid Style in American Politics” -Please consider taking our Podcast Survey (podsurvey.com/faith) to help us determine what types of advertisers you want to see on the Good Faith podcast

This week David and Curtis start with confession time, each looking closely at the challenges of contrarianism and pride that impact all of us in our modern discourse. They unpack the tricky balance between knowing, certainty, and humility, including the possibility that we might be wrong.  In the second half, they dive into the spiritual challenge of staying attentive to the war in Ukraine without just watching it as a form of perverse entertainment. In another tricky balance, our hosts offer suggestions for staying connected in ways that are less personally destructive and more spiritually healthy.   Show Notes: -French Press: “What the Russian Invasion Teaches us About the Right” -French Press: “Questions and Answers After a Month of War” -Adam Grant: “Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know”

Joining David and Curtis this week are two of the most influential voices speaking to Christian faith in the public square, David Brooks and Peter Wehner. Both Peter and David recently wrote landmark pieces analyzing the current landscape of American evangelicalism. In this podcast, they discuss the signs of hope and restoration for the troubled movement. Also, in a bit of self-revelation, they share about the books that most influenced their own faith journeys.   Show Notes: -Peter Wehner: “The Evangelical Church is Breaking Apart” -David Brooks: “The Dissenters Trying to Save Evangelicalism From Itself” David Brooks’ Most Influential Books:  A Severe Mercy (Sheldon Vanauken) The Long Loneliness (Dorothy Day) The Confessions (St. Augustine) My Bright Abyss (Christian Wiman) Peter Wehner’s Most Influential Books: A Grief Observed (CS Lewis) The Resurrection of the Son of God (NT Wright)

David and Curtis are honored this week to share the microphone with Jonathan Tjarks, famed NBA beat writer and podcaster for The Ringer. Jonathan’s recent piece “Does My Son Know You?” was a rare moment of candid sharing and distilled wisdom in light of his recent cancer diagnosis. This is truly a must listen as Jonathan shares a poignant perspective on faith, family and the power of community. Be sure to stay tuned to the end where he also breaks down a potential Grizzlies-Warriors matchup in the NBA playoffs, leaving one of our hosts happy and one sad.   Show Notes: -Jonathan Tjarks: “Does My Son Know You?” -Jonathan Tjarks “Blogs About Books (Of The Bible)”

This week David and Curtis help us look at leadership and what it is about certain leaders that seems to resonate so deep in our souls. Why does President Zelensky’s stand in Kyiv inspire us? Is it possible that a man who claims no Christian identity can be bearing the image of God? How do we recognize these images while not falling for the temptation of idolatry and worship of leaders as false images? Join us for this fascinating and timely discussion of the spiritual power of leadership.   Show Notes: -French Press: “When the Man Meets the Moment” -Helen Lewis (The Atlantic): “The Twitching Generation”

David and Curtis talk to Tish Harrison Warren, an author, Anglican priest, and writer for The New York Times. Their conversation about prayer gets very real, as they first talk about prayer in wartime. Then they move back to the American cultural struggles, and discuss the disturbing tendency to compare peace to war and the toxic effect on our lives and hearts.   Show Notes: -Sign up for Tish Harrison Warren’s newsletter -And David’s French Press

On today’s podcast, David and Curtis tackle Christian nationalism. What is it? Is it an ideology? A theology? An emotional, visceral connection? Or some combination of all three? Then they talk about healthy patriotism and how to love your national home, warts and all.   Show Notes: -Thomas Kidd: “Christian Nationalism vs. Christian Patriotism” -Deseret News: “What the latest data tells us about Christian nationalism” -French Press: “Discerning the Difference Between Christian Nationalism and Christian Patriotism” -French Press: “The Seeds of Political Violence Are Being Sown in Church”

David and Curtis talk to Dr. Derwin Gray about his career path from college football to the NFL to seminary and, ultimately, to the founder and pastor of Transformation church, a multi-ethnic congregation in South Carolina. Dr. Gray talks about his new book, How to Heal Our Racial Divide and David and Curtis ask him about political and racial tensions in church, critical race theory, and how he proposes reaching a church that's polarized on political and racial grounds.   Show Notes: -How to Heal Our Racial Divide by Derwin Gray -Desert News: “Leaning on Jesus to heal America’s racial divide” -Follow Derwin Gray on Twitter -RedeemingBabel.org 20% discount for Good Faith listeners: GoodFaith20