Dr. Tracy McKenzie, a historian and author, delves into the founding fathers' beliefs about human nature and their implications for democracy today. He discusses how misunderstandings of American morality can lead to political instability. The conversation also explores the dangers of assuming inherent human goodness, which can foster authoritarianism. McKenzie critiques the paradox of Jacksonian democracy, examining the tension between popular leaders and the flaws of human nature. Finally, he emphasizes the importance of integrating faith-based values in political discussions.

Life, Death, Poetry & Peace with Philip YanceyLife has changed dramatically in the 400 years since John Donne wrote his Devotions. Yet despite the advances of the intervening centuries, we find that, like Donne, we are still subject to sickness and death. We still long for comfort. We still want to know what God is saying to us.Author Philip Yancey has found surprisingly relevant answers to these perennial questions in the works of John Donne. Updating the great poet’s work for modern readers in his book UNDONE: A Modern Rendering of John Donne’s Devotions, Yancey has given us a devotional treasure, particularly for those in the midst of trial and suffering:God is on the side of the sufferer. And that's so important. When I go to places like Virginia Tech or Columbine in my backyard here in Colorado or various places and talk about pain and suffering, it's just an important point to get across. And I know that's true because God gave us a face. God showed us what God is like in human form. - Philip YanceyThis is a conversation rich with insights into the problem of pain and the human condition, and full of comfort as we get a clearer picture of God in the face of Jesus. We hope that it encourages you deeply and that you’ll share it with others.This is podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Philip Yancey.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:UNDONE: A Modern Rendering of John Donne’s Devotions, by Philip YanceyWhere Is God When It Hurts, by Philip YanceyIn His Image, by Philip Yancey and Paul BrandDisappointment with God, by Philip YanceyThe Jesus I never Knew, by Philip YanceyWhat's So Amazing About Grace, by Philip YanceyDevotions Upon Emergent Occasions, by John DonneThe Art of Dying, by Lydia DugdaleDr. Paul BrandRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Sacred and Profane Love, the poetry of John DonneWrestling with God, by Simone WeilBulletins from Immortality: Poems by Emily DickinsonMan's Search for Meaning, by Viktor FranklRelated Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydPursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnReading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten WilsonWalking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark BuchananMaking as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto FujimuraConnecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael WearThe Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim AlbertaA Life Worth Living with Miroslav VolfTowards a Better Christian PoliticsChristian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of DifferenceWhat Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi AshworthScripture and the Public SquareHow to be a...

How to be a Patriotic ChristianThe topic of Christian nationalism takes us into deep questions of how we understand and live out our allegiances to both our country and the kingdom of God, how we ought to relate to our neighbors, and how we should pursue justice and flourishing within our nation. It's also a topic rife with confusion and uncertainty. But what is Christian nationalism, and how is it different from a robust patriotism? On our podcast we explore these questions with scholars and authors Richard Mouw and Paul D. Miller who help us distinguish between living out one's faith in the public square and instrumentalizing faith for political ends:"Because I think America is in fact, so great, it means it is so tempting to idolize America because it's just one of the greatest things. Anything we idolize becomes destructive, and it can be destructive individually of our spiritual lives. But when you idolize a nation, that nation can be unbelievably destructive." - Paul D. MillerThis podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Richard Mouw and Paul D. MillerWe hope that this conversation has been helpful in articulating what it means to be a patriotic Christian, and in offering better language and frameworks for wrestling with questions of how to live out our faith in the public square.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Uncommon Decency: Christian Civility in an Uncivil World, by Richard MouwPluralisms and Horizons, by Richard MouwPraying at Burger King, by Richard MouwHow to Be a Patriotic Christian: Love of Country as Love of Neighbor, by Richard MouwThe Religion of American Greatness: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism, by Paul D. MillerThis America: The Case for the Nation, by Jill LeporeAristotlePlatoRev. Martin Luther King Jr.AugustineC.S. LewisRichard John NeuhausSimone WeilJohn CalvinSt. Thérèse of LisieuxGeorge OrwellCurt ThompsonFrederick DouglassRelated Trinity Forum Readings:City of God, by AugustineThe Children of Light and The Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr Wrestling with God, by Simone WeilLetter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr'sDemocracy in America, by Alexis de TocquevilleRelated Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydPursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnReading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten WilsonWalking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark BuchananMaking as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto FujimuraConnecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael WearThe Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim AlbertaA Life Worth Living with Miroslav VolfTowards a Better Christian PoliticsChristian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of DifferenceWhat Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi AshworthScripture and the Public SquareTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

The language of the Bible has often been invoked in American political discourse through the centuries. Quoted by suffragists and secessionists, invoked in arguments for (and against) American independence, the Civil War, and cited by virtually every President across parties.So how should we discern a faithful application of scripture in public life from instrumentalizing the Bible for political purposes? What can we learn from America’s history of using the Bible in politics?Theologian, speaker and author Kaitlyn Schiess helps us think more carefully and clearly about our history and these challenging questions on our latest podcast:"When I look throughout history and when I look at other communities of Christians throughout even our own history in our own country, I see instances, especially of people that are not the main focus of most of the church history textbooks that I read in seminary, who were faithful, who interpreted scripture well, who acted well in history. And that's been really surprisingly hopeful to me, I know now to go to other Christians in other times and places around the world too, and see instances of faithfulness." - Kaitlyn SchiessAs our election cycle continues to twist and turn toward the ballot box in November, we hope this conversation will provoke new ways of thinking about scripture and its faithful application for the common good.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Kaitlyn Schiess here.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:The Ballot and the Bible, Kaitlyn SchiessLiturgy of Politics: Spiritual Formation for the Sake of Our Neighbor, by Kaitlyn SchiessJohn WinthropRelated Trinity Forum Readings:City of God, by AugustineThe Federalist PapersWho Stands Fast, by Dietrich BonhoefferThe Children of Light and The Children of Darkness, by Reinhold Niebuhr Related Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydPursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnReading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten WilsonWalking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark BuchananMaking as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto FujimuraConnecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael WearThe Kingdom, the Power & The Glory with Tim AlbertaA Life Worth Living with Miroslav VolfTowards a Better Christian PoliticsChristian Pluralism: Living Faithfully in a World of DifferenceWhat Really Matters with Charlie Peacock and Andi AshworthTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society.Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Charlie Peacock and Andi Ashworth discuss the importance of love over measurability in life. They highlight the value of small aspects like cooking, music, and family matters. The conversation centers on redefining success as fruitfulness through trust in God's path. They explore writing as a tool for self-learning and the intersection of vocation, art, and hospitality.

Delving into the concept of pluralism, the podcast explores how Christians can navigate a world of differences with love and faithfulness. It discusses the importance of reconciliation and sharing the gospel, emphasizing unity and hope amidst societal divisions. The conversation also touches on bridging generational gaps within the faith community and the role of peaceful protests in promoting social justice and love.

The relentless pull and pressure of partisan antagonisms and tribalism have fractured friendships, families, communities — and churches. In a time of conflict over what is good and confusion over what is true, what can church leaders do to cultivate a more faithful form of civic engagement? How can we learn to discern the call to love and justice amidst the clamor of political wars?On our latest podcast, three wise men, as Cherie affectionately calls them, address these pressing questions. Curtis Chang, David French, and Russell Moore are each writers, scholars, and thinkers who have made courageous and insightful contributions towards a better Christian politics and we’re delighted to share their comments from an evening conversation in 2023 with you:“Be of great hope. Because the after party is coming…It's the wedding feast of the lamb when Jesus returns to cleanse his church, made spotless. And in that moment, the restoration not of the church, but of the world at war where the swords are beaten into plowshares, the spears into pruning hooks. That's the after party that's coming. So if you know how the story ends, how can we not have great hope? - Curtis ChangThis podcast is an edited version of an evening conversation recorded in early 2023. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Curtis Chang, David French, and Russell Moore.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:Divided We Fall, by David FrenchThe Courage to Stand, Facing Your Fear Without Losing Your Soul, by Russell MooreOnward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel, by Russell MooreThe Storm Tossed Family: How the Cross Reshapes the Home, by Russell MooreLosing our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical Christians, by Russell MooreThe Anxiety Opportunity, by Curtis ChangErnest HemmingwayThe Big Sort, by Bill BishopCass SunsteinConstitution of Knowledge, by Jonathan RauchThe Moviegoer, by Walker PercyThe Righteous Mind, by Jonathan HaidtHigh Conflict, by Amanda RipleyRelated Trinity Forum Readings:The Federalist PapersCity of God, by Augustine of Hippo

Theologian Miroslav Volf reflects on a flourishing life, emphasizing the importance of deep reflection and action. He discusses the possibility of finding happiness despite human suffering and explores the essence of a fulfilling life. Volf's insights from his popular Yale course delve into what truly matters in our emotions, circumstances, and actions.

The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory with Tim AlbertaAmerican Christians are certainly not immune to the anger, division, and fear that characterize our political moment. For many, the prospect of another election year is a source of dread or of numb exhaustion; others have responded with aggression or defensiveness.On our podcast, author and journalist Tim Alberta encourages us toward a better media diet, and to remember where our true allegiance lies:“I would pray alongside of you that in our political and civic engagement, no matter who it is that we ultimately vote for, no matter what policies we support, that our allegiance is never to the Donkeys or to the Republicans. Our allegiance is never to a political figure.“We have a king, we have a kingdom, and the best way for us to retain our saltiness is to prioritize that allegiance and that allegiance alone.”We hope this conversation, coming in a heated election year and at a time of great political import for our nation, is, in fact, a kind of spiritual balm to you. May Tim’s guidance help us to retain our distinctiveness as we engage in the public square for the common good.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in early 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Tim Alberta.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:American Carnage, by Tim AlbertaThe Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism, by Tim AlbertaRush LimbaughRobert JeffressRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Children of Light and The Children of Darkness, by Reinhold NiebuhrCity of God, by AugustinePolitics, Morality and Civility, by Václav HavelRelated Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydPursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnReading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten WilsonWalking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark BuchananMaking as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto FujimuraConnecting Spiritual Formation & Public Life with Michael WearTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

Connecting Spiritual Formation and Public Life with Michael WearIn the midst of what is proving to be a frustrating, fractious, and even frightening election year, how can Christians best respond to the situation in front of us, and how can we offer a positive contribution to our common life?Drawing on the life and work of the late philosopher Dallas Willard, Michael Wear helps us explore what true spiritual formation could mean for the reformation of our polarized political life:“We need to retrieve a sense that we live in a moral universe in which moral decisions are not optional. We make moral decisions all of the time, and our politics is actually not absent of moral assertion. “You could say our politics today is actually more robustly full of moral assertions than it has been at any other time this century.”We trust that you’ll be encouraged by Michael’s call to gentleness in our politics and his practical suggestions of Christian practices that help orient our hearts in the midst of cultural confusion and political fractiousness.This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded in early 2024. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Michael Wear.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:The Divine Conspiracy, by Dallas WillardReclaiming Hope, by Michael WearThe Spirit of our Politics, by Michael WearChristian SmithAmerican Grace, by David Campbell and Robert PutnamThe Allure of Gentleness, by Dallas WillardEitan HershThe Spirit of the Disciplines, by Dallas WillardRelated Trinity Forum Readings:Abraham Lincoln: The Spiritual Growth of a Public ManLetter from Birmingham Jail, by Martin Luther King Jr.City of God, by AugustinePolitics, Morality and Civility, by Václav HavelRelated Conversations:A New Year With The Word with Malcolm GuiteMusic, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi FloydPursuing Humility with Richard Foster and Brenda QuinnReading as a Spiritual Practice with Jessica Hooten WilsonWalking as a Spiritual Practice with Mark BuchananMaking as a Spiritual Practice with Makoto FujimuraTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.