Faith Angle

To comply with a flurry of Executive Orders issued in January, many colleges throughout the country have been renaming, restructuring, or altogether eliminating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programming. These DEI initiatives have been divisive for years. Their proponents see them as essential to ensuring fair treatment for minority students and rooting out prejudice in the academy. Their detractors see them as stifling free speech and academic debate. Emma Green, journalist at the New Yorker, and Eboo Patel, founder of Interfaith America, discuss the genesis of DEI, where it went wrong, and what might replace it in our search to create a flourishing multicultural society.   Links:   What Comes After D.E.I.? by Emma Green   Harvard, Public Trust, and a Warning for the Nonprofit Sector by Eboo Patel

Journalist Jon Rauch's smart new book from Yale University Press, Cross Purposes: Christianity's Broken Bargain With Democracy, offers three provocative and insightful essays. Though an outsider to Christianity—as he tells his long-time friend Pete Wehner of the Trinity Forum, Jon is a “gay Jewish atheist born in 1960”—Jon's new treatise follows a dozen books, and hundreds of articles, covering topics from free inquiry to gay marriage, political realism to happiness, and the constitution of knowledge to matters of American political economy.  The book explores the history and implications of three modes of the Christian faith in America. The first Jon terms Thin Christianity, embodied by mainline Protestantism. The second is Sharp Christianity—really MAGA white evangelicalism, what Jon calls a “fear-based” church. But the third chapter, Jon makes a case for Thick Christianity, exemplified by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and other creative exilic religious minorities who have made peace with the fact of pluralism and the democratic opportunity of compromise and negotiation—the principles James Madison also affirmed. He calls this book a sort of atonement for his past arguments that American society, and its political system, would be better without the influence of religions convictions. What changed for Jon? Partly it was his realizing that religion is a load-bearing wall, in any democracy. But partly it was an emergent friendship with Pete Wehner and with other thinking believers who have enlarged Jon's vision.   Guests Jonathan Rauch Peter Wehner   Additional Resources “Cross Purposes: Christianity's Broken Bargain with Democracy,” by Jonathan Rauch “Let It Be: Three Cheers for Apatheism” by Jonathan Rauch "Evangelicals Made a Bad Trade" by Peter Wehner    

In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Brad Fulton, professor of Nonprofit Management and Social Policy at the O'Neill School of Public Affairs at Indiana University, alongside Amber Hacker, Chief of External Affairs at Interfaith America. Our guests discuss the role of religious giving in philanthropy and the surprising trends that emerge from the underlying data. Out of the $557 billion dollars given annually in the United States to charities, twenty percent of the funds come from foundations. Does religious commitment influence that giving? Do we know from available data that generosity makes a person healthier or happier? Does the generation a person's born into—say, a Boomer vs. a Millennial—impact giving patterns? They also discuss new networking tools as it relates to philanthropic giving.    Guests Dr. Brad Fulton Amber Hacker   Additional Resources “Religious Organizations Crosscutting the Nonprofit Sector,” by Brad R. Fulton “Faith-Based Public Foundations: Identifying the Field and Assessing its Impact,” by Allison Ralph and Brad R. Fulton “Money, Meet Meaning,” by Amber Hacker and Tom Levinson

In this episode, we are joined by Jaweed Kaleem of The Los Angeles Times alongside Knox Thames, author of the new book Ending Persecution: Charting the Path to Global Religious Freedom. Knox reflects on his long career advancing the cause of religious liberty around the world, including in the some of the world's most repressive contexts. Our guests assess the current state of religious freedom across different contexts, from India to Israel and Gaza, and reflect on how the eroding of religious freedom often serves as a "canary in the coal mine" for the loss of other fundamental human rights.    Guests Knox Thames  Jaweed Kaleem   Additional Resources  Ending Persecution: Charting the Path to Global Religious Freedom, by Knox Thames "France Struggles to Confront One of Its Biggest Taboos: Race," by Jaweed Kaleem "Swastikas, bullhorns, guns: Antisemitic Incidents in U.S. Hit 43-Year High," by Jaweed Kaleem

In this episode, New York Times opinion columnist David French sits down with Pulitzer Prize winner Eliza Griswold of The New Yorker to discuss her brand new book, Circle of Hope: A Reckoning with Love, Power, and Justice in an American Church. These two journalists with firsthand familiarity and longstanding expertise in covering religion embark on a fascinating exploration of the book's coverage of Philadelphia's Circle of Hope, a little-known yet influential progressive evangelical movement, and how the sobering disintegration of that spiritual community mirrors broader dynamics at work in American Christianity.    Guests Eliza Griswold  David French    Additional Reading  Circle of Hope: A Reckoning with Love, Power, and Justice in an American Church, by Eliza Griswold  "The Church Preached Love and Tolerance. Then Racial Politics Tore It Apart," by David French  "Losing a Beloved Community," by Eliza Griswold  

On this episode, we are joined by Elizabeth Oldfield to discuss her newly-released book Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times. After beginning her career covering religion for the BBC, Elizabeth for a decade ran a London-based think tank called Theos, which seeks to stimulate the debate about the place of religion in society, challenging and changing ideas through research, commentary and events. Under her leadership, its staff increased tenfold—and still supports podcast she hosts today, "The Sacred." Joining Elizabeth is Damir Marusic, a resident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council's Europe Center and an editor at The Washington Post. Along with Shadi Hamid, a longtime friend and advisor to Faith Angle, Damir co-founded the podcast "Wisdom of Crowds." Damir writes extensively on US politics, polarization, US foreign policy, and European affairs. Bringing a non-religious vantage point, he highlights with Elizabeth key themes in Fully Alive and the two get right into it, not mincing words even when there are differing views of sin, grace, evil, and the possibilities for human community.   Guests Elizabeth Oldfield Damir Marusic   Additional Resources Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times, by Elizabeth Oldfield "The Sacred" Podcast, with Elizabeth Oldfield, a Theos Think Tank podcast  Fully Alive Substack, with Elizabeth Oldfield Wisdom of Crowds Podcast and Substack, with Damir Marusic and Shadi Hamid      

Building on the legacy of Michael Cromartie (1950-2017), who founded Faith Angle Forum a quarter-century ago, MCF brings together a select group of exceptionally talented, early-career journalists for a three-day conference in the nation's capital, focusing on the intersection of faith, culture, and journalism today. This year's forum explored new narratives in American history, reconsidered the relationship between spirituality and vocational journalism, and examined the interplay between race, religion, and identity in diverse democracies.   Additional Resources: Michael Cromartie Forum 2024 Journalism, Religion, and Vocation with Will Saletan and Eugene Scott Religion and Journalism: An Integrating Workshop with Miranda Kennedy and Molly Ball The Spirit of Our Politics with Michael Wear and Jon Ward  The Nation That Never Was: Reconstructing America's Story with Kermit Roosevelt and Pete Wehner  Understanding Race, Religion, and Identity for Diverse Democracies with Simran Jeet Singh    

In this episode, recorded at Faith Angle Miami 2024, we are joined by Brad Wilcox and Isabel Sawhill for a fascinating, timely conversation about marriage patterns, family structure, shifting gender norms, and poverty rates. In a time of deep polarization, are certain approaches better than others when it comes to exploring the benefits of marriage for children? How does marriage compare with cohabitation, and how do we avoid getting caught in culture war cul du sacs when discussing gender roles, marriage norms, and solutions that can benefit low-income families? Two seminal scholars in this field, Brad and Belle highlight themes from their decades of scholarship on these topics and, in particular, from Brad's most recent book, Get Married.   Guests W. Bradford Wilcox Isabel Sawhill   Additional Resources  "Poverty, Religion, and the New Marriage Debate," Faith Angle Miami 2024 session video with Brad Wilcox and Isabel Sawhill "How to Think - and Talk - About Marriage Today," by Will Saletan  Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization, by Brad Wilcox Generation Unbound: Drifting into Sex and Parenthood without Marriage, by Isabel Sawhill  The Two-Parent Privilege: How Americans Stopped Getting Married and Started Falling Behind, by Melissa Kearney

In this episode, we are joined by John Inazu, who is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law & Religion and Professor of Political Science at Washington University in St. Louis. This week, he published his fourth book: Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect. John sits down to discuss differences, respect, bridge-building, and the unique role of journalism in all this, with Matt Kaminski, editor-at-large of POLITICO, and the co-founder of POLITICO Europe. Matt served as editor-in-chief of POLITICO from 2019-2023, and he's covered international politics for more than a quarter-century, still writing regularly on global affairs today.  Together they discuss whether it is possible to disagree in ways that somehow build bridges with neighbors, coworkers, and loved ones, and what role journalists can play in helping us see reality more clearly.   Guests John Inazu Matthew Kaminski   Additional Resources  Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect, by John Inazu Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference, by John Inazu "'Beyond Crazy': The Liberal Jew Mugged by a Post-Oct. 7 World," by Matthew Kaminski

In this episode, we are joined by Sarah McCammon, National Political Correspondent at NPR, to discuss her book Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church. In it, Sarah tells a compelling, personal story about family, marriage, politics, and church—and she concisely boils down insights from scholars like David Gushee, Kristin Kobes Du Mez, Christian Smith, and others you'll hear her reference. If the great de-churching currently happening in American society is most acutely felt by Gen Z and Millennials, Sarah's story is right in the heart of that. And since no one really knows where the future is headed, one question to ask is: If evangelicals or other religious Americans leave the fold, what replaces that unique sense of purpose, transcendent faith, and community? Joining Sarah to discuss that and other urgent questions is Ruth Graham, the brilliant New York Times' religion, faith, and values reporter.   Guests: Sarah McCammon Ruth Graham   Additional Resources: The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church, by Sarah McCammon "Evangelical Writer Who Influenced Purity Culture Separates from Wife," by Sarah McCammon and Ruth Graham "Two Evangelical Leaders on 'Radical Faith'," by Ruth Graham  Testimony: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Failed a Generation, by Jon Ward 

In this episode, we are joined again by Tim Alberta of The Atlantic and Michael Wear of the Center for Christianity and Public Life, to discuss Michael's brand new book The Spirit of Our Politics: Spiritual Formation and the Renovation of Public Life. Michael has been engaging the condition of American politics for more than 15 years, after serving in the White House, helping to launch and lead the AND Campaign, and advising leading policymakers, journalists, practitioners at the intersection of faith and public policy.  Drawing from this experience as well as the work and influence of noteworthy Christian philosopher Dallas Willard, Michael argues that our politics will only get better if we get better. The only way to transcend the current polarized morass we're in is to deepen and revitalize our spiritual formation. Our politics is downstream of the kind of people we are. The Spirit of Our Politics argues that the way forward is to better align our political and civic engagement with our religious commitments. And while the democratic answer for believers is never theonomy, or Christian nationalism, or privileging a majority identity—Michael and Tim sketch the contours of what faithful, integrated living might produce.   Guests: Michael Wear  Tim Alberta    Additional Resources: The Spirit of Our Politics: Spiritual Formation and the Renovation of Public Life, by Michael Wear  The Center for Christianity & Public Life The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism, by Tim Alberta "The Surprising Link between the Gospel and Politics," by Michael Wear Wear We Are Podcast, with Michael and Melissa Wear  "Tim Alberta and Michael Wear: The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory," Faith Angle podcast episode  

On today's episode, we are joined by The Atlantic's Elizabeth Bruenig for an Advent reflection with Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac, assistant pastor of Christmas Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. Rev. Isaac is an evangelical pastor whose life and ministry have been rooted in Bethlehem in the West Bank, where he is a theologian, Bible college dean, a leader of the peacebuilding initiative Christ at the Checkpoint, and part of the ancient but fast-dwindling community of Christians in the Holy Land. This Christmas, as there is war in the Holy Land, this sobering conversation points to the hope of the Incarnation in the midst of suffering—offered from a unique vantage point and moment, in the place of Christ's birth.   Guests: Munther Isaac Elizabeth Bruenig   Additional Resources: The Other Side of the Wall: A Christian Palestinian Narrative of Lament and Hope, by Munther Isaac "Christmas is canceled in the land of Jesus' birth," by Queen Rania Al Abdullah in The Washington Post  "In Bethlehem, the home of Jesus' birth, a season of grieving for Palestinian Christians," by Laura King in The Los Angeles Times

On this episode Tim Alberta and Michael Wear dig deep into Alberta's new book, The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism. Their discussion covers the shaping of the religious and political expression of American evangelicalism in the latter half of the 20th century until today, including the movement's most influential leaders. They explore how Tim's personal experiences as a pastor's son give his journalism and coverage a unique urgency, and they highlight crucial questions of truth, accountability, and priorities within the evangelical community and in American society more broadly.   Guests: Tim Alberta Michael Wear   Additional Resources: The Kingdom, The Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism, by Tim Alberta NPR "Fresh Air" interview with Tim Alberta "The Long Game" interview with Tim Alberta Christianity Today Russell Moore Show interview with Tim Alberta The Spirit of Our Politics: Spiritual Formation and the Renovation of Public Life, by Michael Wear 

Author McKay Coppins sits down with Peter Baker of The New York Times to discuss Coppins' best-selling biography Romney: A Reckoning, which offers an intimate look into the life and career of Senator Mitt Romney. Coppins explains the unique process of creating the book, which reads like an authorized biography, but over which he retained editorial privileges. Coppins explains how Romney's faith influenced his political and personal life, and the thread of rationalization toward self-interest that marked Romney's career and that of so many other politicians. Coppins and Baker also discuss Romney's complex relationship with Donald Trump, including Trump's endorsement of Romney in 2012, and Romney's later criticism of former President Trump and failed attempts to derail his candidacy.   Explored in the conversation are aspects of Romney's life not commonly known, but that Coppins had access to through 45 one-on-one conversations as well as unvarnished journal entries and other correspondence. Peter Baker, Chief White House Correspondent for The New York Times, praises Coppins' book for the unique lens it provides into the inner workings of Washington and the Republican party in the Trump era.   Guests McKay Coppins Peter Baker   Additional Reading Romney: A Reckoning, by McKay Coppins  "What Mitt Romney Saw in the Senate," by McKay Coppins  The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021, by Peter Baker and Susan Glasser  

In this episode, Luke Russert discusses his new book Look For Me There: Grieving My Father, Finding Myself, a reflection on grief, family legacy, religious exploration, and the loss of Luke's father, legendary journalist Tim Russert. Luke is joined by Carl Cannon, Washington Bureau Chief and Executive Editor of RealClearPolitics, who shares from his own experience with family bonds, faith, loss, and his personal friendship with Luke's father.   Guests Luke Russert Carl Cannon   Additional Resources Look For Me There: Grieving My Father, Finding Myself, by Tim Russert

Best selling author and columnist David Brooks sits down with noted psychiatrist Curt Thompson to discuss Brooks' latest book, How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen. Brooks' aim is to help foster deeper connections at home, work, and throughout our lives, and he and Thompson cover a lot of ground. From thoughts on friendship, depression, what it means to really listen, and how we reflect God, there's a lot here. It's a generous conversation, and one that we hope offers a kind of relational balm in our troubled time. Guests: David Brooks. Curt Thompson Additional Resources: How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen by David Brooks The Second Mountain, by David Brooks The Social Animal, by David Brooks The Deepest Place: Suffering and the Formation of Hope, by Curt Thompson

Christine Emba's recent piece for The Washington Post, "Men Are Lost. Here's a Map out of the Wilderness.," says something haunting about the state of gender dynamics in the country and something both our guests remind us matters equally to men and women alike. On this episode, Christine joins noteworthy scholar Richard Reeves, who recently launched the American Institute for Boys and Men. Not only do they explore their timely scholarship and writing on this topic, but they also engage the nuanced role that faith and religious institutions play in it.    Guests Christine Emba  Richard Reeves   Additional Resources  "Men Are Lost. Here Is a Map out of the Wilderness.," by Christine Emba  Rethinking Sex: A Provocation, by Christine Emba  Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It, by Richard Reeves  "How to Solve the Education Crisis for Boys and Men," TED Talk by Richard Reeves  Dream Hoarders: How the American Upper Middle Class Is Leaving Everyone Else in the Dust, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It, by Richard Reeves 

In 2009, Newsweek magazine called David Saperstein the most influential rabbi in America. For over 40 years, he was the director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. He also served as the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom, becoming America's chief diplomat on religious liberty issues. He was the first chairman in 1998 of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Joining Rabbi Saperstein is a brilliant journalist for The Atlantic, McKay Coppins, who writes regularly on politics, faith, presidential campaigns, and other stories of compelling human interest.    Guests Rabbi David Saperstein McKay Coppins   Additional Resources  "What Mitt Romney Saw in the Senate," by McKay Coppins Romney: A Reckoning, by McKay Coppins  Interview with Rabbi David Saperstein  

In this episode, we have the privilege of hosting two brilliant thinkers on the state of race in America, and how a faith angle fits into that. Ekemini Uwan is a writer, public theologian, and activist who hosts the excellent podcast Truth's Table. She co-wrote a book by that title, featuring Black women's musings on life, love, and liberation. Joining Ekemini is Eugene Scott, who has been a prior guest journalist on Faith Angle's podcast, and is currently the senior politics reporter at Axios.   Sixty years after the March on Washington and MLK's “I Have a Dream” speech, how are we doing? At the outset of an election year, this conversation dives straight into that question—with signs of some real progress and signs of much, much work yet ahead.   Guests Ekemini Uwan Eugene Scott    Additional Resources  Truth's Table Podcast Series, co-hosted by Ekemini Uwan and Christina Edmondson  Truth's Table: Black Women's Musings on Life, Love, and Liberation, by Ekemini Uwan and Christina Edmondson  "How Toni Morrison's words pierced me, as a black Christian female writer," by Ekemini Uwan "Black Florida lawmakers blast DeSantis over AP African American studies," by Eugene Scott  "Black lawmakers push Congress to do more on police reform," by Eugene Scott 

This episode explores how the arts can help us transcend some of the worries in contemporary society, from polarization and entrenched tribalism, to our massive decline in public trust, to informational rabbit holes, to other discouraging and sometimes heartbreaking news. How do stories help us renew?     This conversation was originally featured at Faith Angle West 2023 in Seattle, WA. and the full-length talk is linked below. Alissa Wilkinson has covered film and culture since 2016 for Vox, and she been a prolific film critic since a decade prior. Brad Winters – who speaks immediately following Alissa – is a writer, producer, and showrunner who helped direct and oversee TV dramas including “Oz” (where he started his career as a writer), “Boss,” “The Americans,” “The Sinner,” and “Berlin Station.” So we'll hear Alissa's reflections about how faith and Hollywood relate to one another, followed by Brad's take as an on-set practitioner—about how he's tried to stay true.     Guests Alissa Wilkinson  Bradford Winters    Additional Resources "Storytelling and Hollywood," full Faith Angle West 2023 session  "Jesus Is Calling...on Netflix's 'Beef'" in Christianity Today  "Lessons from a Barbenheimer Summer," by Alissa Wilkinson 

Time and again in American life, technology has made room for new, better things that ease human burdens and free up RAM—think just of dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, microwaves, and airplanes. Of course today, Silicon Valley represents this new frontier perhaps better than anyplace else in the world. It's there that Carolyn Chen –  a sociologist and Professor of Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley, where she's co-directs the Berkeley Center for the Study of Religion – has discovered something compelling in her new book Work Pray Code: When Work Becomes Religion in Silicon Valley (Princeton 2022).    Time after time, a Silicon Valley job provided what religion used to provide a Georgia Tech college student or Ohio megachurch volunteer. From company yoga studios to meditation apps, from cafeterias to enriching professional development opportunities, young, mobile, hi-tech workers allured by the perks often work 60 or 70 hour-weeks. If the company is changing the world, why go to church?   For Millennials and Gen Z in particular, the trend toward “no religion at all” or remaining agnostic on the religion survey is increasingly popular. But Trae Stephens, a venture capitalist and Partner at Founders Fund where he invests across multiple sectors and stages, argues the story is more complex.    Enjoy these two short talks, given live to a group of 18 journalists working at outlets primarily west of the Mississippi—first on how work in Silicon Valley has come to take the place of religion once held, and then Trae on why that is, and what we can do about it.   Guests Carolyn Chen Trae Stephens   Additional Resources  Work, Pray, Code: When Work Becomes Religion in Silicon Valley, by Carolyn Chen  "Choose Good Quests," by Trae Stephens 

Professor Joshua Ralston is a scholar and theologian who teaches Christian-Muslim Relations at the University of Edinburgh. His three books look at Sharia law from a Christian perspective, at the impact of global migration on the church, and at Europe's rich religious diversity. He is engaged in the work of bridging divides between Christians and Muslims—each vast, diverse communities who often fundamentally misunderstand one another.  Joining him is Rim-Sarah Alouane, a French legal scholar and commentator who's nearly completed a PhD in comparative law at the University Toulouse-Capitole, in France. Her scholarship focuses largely on religious freedom, human rights in France, the balance of civil liberties and religion, and constitutional law. Listen in for a rich dialogue between a Muslim legal scholar in France and a Christian theologian in Scotland.    Guests Joshua Ralston Rim-Sarah Alouane   Additional Resources  Law and the Rule of God: A Christian Engagement with Shari'a, by Joshua Ralston The Spirit of Populism: Political Theologies in Polarized Times, co-edited by Joshua Ralston "Publicly French, Privately Muslim: The Aim of Modern Laïcité," by Rim-Sarah Alouane  "The Weaponization of Laïcité," by Rim-Sarah Alouane

Yuval Levin is the kind of thinker, policy analyst, public servant, and scholar you really want in DC. The talk you're about to hear is one he gave to a group of 15 Michael Cromartie Forum journalists, a highly promising group of early-career journalists. The topic is declining trust in our politics, in religion, and in American journalism—and it's a deeply insightful and challenging talk that we hope you'll feel just as stirred by as our group did.   Guest Yuval Levin   Additional Resources  A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream, by Yuval Levin  The Fractured Republic: Renewing America's Social Contract in the Age of Individualism, by Yuval Levin "The Crisis in America's Institutions: Religion, Journalism, and Politics," full video of Yuval Levin's session at the 2023 Michael Cromartie Forum   

At the moment, 193 countries in the world hold membership in the United Nations, and, of that group, 50 are currently Muslim-majority countries. This is a data-point referenced by each of this episode's guest scholars, in their thinking about how Islam and liberalism intersect and in their reflections on the future of Islam in the modern era and on Muslim life in America. First up is Mustafa Akyol, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute's Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, where he focuses on the intersection of public policy, Islam, and modernity. He is followed by Dalia Mogahed, who is Director of Research at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding. Dalia previously served on President Obama's Advisory Council for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, and, prior to that, was for six years Director of Gallup's Center for Muslim Studies.     Guests Mustafa Akyol  Dalia Mogahed    Additional Resources  Full video of Faith Angle Miami session on "Islam and American Pluralism"  Reopening Muslim Minds: A Return to Reason, Freedom, and Tolerance, by Mustafa Akyol Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think, by Dalia Mogahed and John Esposito 

Miroslav Volf teaches theology at Yale University, where he also directs the Yale Center for Faith and Culture. He is the author of 17 books, and his 1996 book Exclusion and Embrace was named by Christianity Today as one of the 100 Most Influential Books of the 20th Century. This new book, rooted in a popular Yale undergraduate course, is Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most, co-authored by Matthew Croasmun and Ryan McAnnally-Linz, both fellow teachers. Joining Miroslav for this conversation is Tim Alberta, a brilliant, ascending journalist and bestselling author in his own right, who is a staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of American Carnage. At the moment, Tim is working on a new book, provocatively titled The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism.    Guests Miroslav Volf Tim Alberta   Additional Resources Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most, by Miroslav Volf, Matthew Croasmun, and Ryan McAnnally-Linz American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republic Civil War and the Rise of President Trump, by Tim Alberta "War and Religion in Ukraine," Faith Angle Europe session with Miroslav Volf  

In this episode, we are joined by Shaun Casey, former director of the U.S. Department of State's Office of Religion and Global Affairs, and Rachel Donadio, a Paris-based journalist, a contributing writer for The Atlantic and a former European Culture correspondent for The New York Times. Our guests discuss Shaun's new book, Chasing the Devil at Foggy Bottom, which makes the case that understanding the role of religion in global politics is crucial for effective diplomacy.   Guests Shaun Casey Rachel Donadio   Additional Resources  Chasing the Devil at Foggy Bottom: The Future of Religion in American Diplomacy, by Shaun Casey "Why Is France so Afraid of God?" by Rachel Donadio "Portrait of Bravery: Ukraine's First Lady, Olena Zelenska," by Rachel Donadio   

In this episode, Ryan Streeter of the American Enterprise Institute and Tevi Troy of the Bipartisan Policy Center join us to discuss the history of the White House Office of Faith-Based Initiatives, as well as to provide a roadmap for the office's potential growth and impact under future administrations.    Guests Ryan Streeter  Tevi Troy   Additional Resources "Metro Cons," by Ryan Streeter  "An Eye-Opening Introduction to the Jewish Influence on America's Founding," by Tevi Troy

This episode is lifted directly from one of the most fascinating sessions of November's Faith Angle Europe, where Dr. Peter Frankopan opened a two-and-a-half-hour session available in its entirety below. Peter is the Professor of Global History at Oxford University's Worcester College, and alongside Theresa Fallon, the founder of a Brussels think tank focusing on Russia and China, he spoke with 18 transatlantic journalists about trade, culture, and the easily-misconstrued history of the Eastern and Western worlds that have intersected in China for centuries.     Guests Peter Frankopan   Additional Resources "Past Is Prologue in China," full length Faith Angle Europe 2022 session with Peter Frankopan and Theresa Fallon The New Silk Roads: The Present and Future of the World, by Peter Frankopan Oxford Centre for Byzantine Research

Recently, President Biden signed into law the Respect for Marriage Act, requiring all US states and territories to recognize same-sex and interracial civil marriages. But that isn't all the new law does: it also fortifies religious liberty protections. As today's guests describe, it's perhaps because the Respect for Marriage Act does both things that it garnered bipartisan congressional support. In this episode, we're joined by Tim Schultz, president of the 1st Amendment Partnership, a DC advocacy organization that has worked for the last decade to advance religious freedom in state legislatures. Tim worked closely with leaders of diverse religious minority organizations—and national gay rights lobby organizations—to help foster the conditions needed to make this law and its commitment to Christian pluralism possible. Joining him is Tim Dalrymple, president and CEO of Christianity Today, one of the country's most influential evangelical publications.    Guests Tim Schultz Tim Dalrymple   Additional Resources "Everything You Need to Know About the Respect for Marriage Act," by Carl Esbeck in Christianity Today 1st Amendment Partnership Christianity Today Respect for Marriage Act 

In this episode, we are joined by Rev. Russell Levenson, Rector of St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston, TX. In conversation with Kelsey Dallas of Deseret News, Levenson discusses his new book, Witness to Dignity, about the life and faith of George H.W. and Barbara Bush who attended St. Martin's for over fifty years. Guests Russell Levenson Kelsey Dallas   Additional Resources  Witness to Dignity: The Life and Faith of George H.W. and Barbara Bush, by Russell Levenson "People of faith, pessimism and American politics," by Kelsey Dallas 

Today's conversation is about the leadership, faith, historical record, and implications of the national security policy of Ronald Reagan. This exchange between two seasoned national security officials with unusual expertise is rooted in a hot-off-the-press new book, The Peacemaker: Ronald Reagan, the Cold War, and the World on the Brink, by Will Inboden, who is joined for this episode by Elliott Abrams of the Council on Foreign Relations.    Guests: Elliott Abrams Will Inboden   Additional Resources: The Peacemaker: Ronald Reagan, the Cold War, and the World on the Brink, by Will Inboden "Remembering Mikhail Gorbachev," by Will Inboden

Anne Snyder is one of Faith Angle's newest Advisory Board members. She currently hosts The Whole Person Revolution podcast, and earlier this year she co-edited a volume entitled Breaking Ground, with over 45 short essays published throughout the pandemic. Spurring today's conversation, since May 2019 Anne has served as Editor in Chief of Comment Magazine. She is joined by one of its current contributors, Greg Thompson, who is the co-director of Voices Underground, a Pennsylvania-based, HBCU-affiliated initiative that promotes African American cultural history through scholarly research, community experiences, and historical memorialization. This conversation explores themes from Greg's regular Comment column, "The Welcome Table", which weaves together history, race, memory, hospitality, and a theology of belonging.   Guests Anne Snyder Gregory Thompson   Additional Resources  Comment Magazine The Welcome Table Reparations: A Christian Call for Repentance and Repair, by Gregory Thompson and Duke Kwon The Whole Person Revolution Podcast , with Anne Snyder

In this episode, Bonnie Kristian discusses her brand new book, Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community. Her haunting phrase, “the knowledge crisis,” was perhaps popularized last year by another compelling book from Jonathan Rauch, the senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. Jon's 2021 book is The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth, and as he explains in more detail, the book describes the essential conditions and institutions necessary for maintaining the basic building blocks of shared human understanding in a free society. This is a rich conversation between the two of them on how to steer clear from getting lost in the vortex of news that sometimes swirls.     Guests Bonnie Kristian Jonathan Rauch   Additional Resources  Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community, by Bonnie Kristian The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth, by Jonathan Rauch

In this episode, Paul D. Miller of Georgetown University and Samuel L. Perry of the University of Oklahoma sit down for an insightful, timely conversation about Christian nationalism. Highlighting themes from Paul's newly-released book, The Religion of American Greatness: What's Wrong with Christian Nationalism, both guests offer a historically-rooted definition of Christian nationalism, analyze journalists' coverage of this rapidly-spreading ideology, and explore key differences between Christian nationalism and generative patriotism that bears faithful witness in the public square.   Guests: Paul D. Miller Samuel L. Perry   Additional Resources:  The Religion of American Greatness: What's Wrong with Christian Nationalism?, by Paul D. Miller The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy, by Samuel Perry and Philip Gorski Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States, by Samuel Perry and Andrew Whitehead

If you're an evangelical insider, the name Mike Cosper and his “Rise and Fall of Mars Hill” podcast series, published by Christianity Today in 2021, is almost certainly familiar for its artful retelling of the story of a Seattle megachurch pastored by Mark Driscoll. In this episode, Cosper, who is the director of podcasting for Christianity Today, is joined by Jon Ward of Yahoo News. Together, they examine what it is about the structure of megachurches that leaves them prone to the quick rise and fall of a charismatic leader. How does that compare to American politics—especially when our parties have weakened? And how does Mike's 15-year experience as a pastor temper what he and his colleagues chose to see, and hold up, in this magnificent podcast that took American listeners by storm last year?   Guests Mike Cosper  Jon Ward   Additional Resources  The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill Podcast, by Mike Cosper  Testimony: Inside an Evangelical Movement that Failed a Generation, by Jon Ward

On this episode, we are joined by Simran Jeet Singh, Executive Director of the Aspen Institute's Religion and Society Program, and Ari Goldman, Professor of Journalism at Columbia Journalism School, for a nuanced conversation about American religious pluralism and identity through the lens of Sikh theology and practice. Our guests explore themes from Simran's recently-released book, The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life, and discuss how Sikh religion invites us to find joy in humility, sacrificial love, and service towards our neighbor, practices with profound implications for broader American society.   Guests Simran Jeet Singh Ari Goldman   Additional Resources The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life, by Simran Jeet Singh The Search for God at Harvard, by Ari Goldman  

The purpose of Faith Angle is to connect religious leaders with leading journalists, and today's conversation comes at it from both sides. The setting for this conversation was a group of 19 journalists who gathered three days after the Supreme Court ruled on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. This conversation features one of the country's most thoughtful, publicly-minded evangelical leaders, Dr. Russell Moore, who is now a year into directing the Public Theology Project at Christianity Today. He is joined by Molly Ball, TIME Magazine's national political correspondent.     Guests Russell Moore  Molly Ball   Additional Resources  Faith Angle West Session: Evangelicals and America's "Abortion Wars" "Tim Alberta Worries Politics is Poisoning the Church," on The Russell Moore Show  "How Politics Poisoned the Evangelical Church," by Tim Alberta  "Will Overturning Roe v. Wade Change Everything?", with Molly Ball Pelosi, by Molly Ball

In this episode, twice-elected U.S. Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) joins Rev. Dr. Sam Ferguson for a nuanced discussion of power and public service, contemporary media, spiritual disciplines, political stewardship, and the liturgical aspects of social media and public worship. Sen. Sasse names some fascinating things – including when and how he starts the workday; how many Elmers are in his Lutheran circle of grandparent farmers; his perspective on churchgoing; and how he looks back differently, now, on the stretch-years of early parenting. Ben is sometimes called “the intellectual of the Senate,” in the vein of the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan, whose desk on the Senate floor he now occupies. Conversing with him is Rev. Dr. Sam Ferguson, who in May 2019 became rector of The Falls Church Anglican – a congregation where in 1791, George Washington served on the vestry.   Guests: Ben Sasse Sam Ferguson   Additional Resources: "A Time for Choosing" by Ben Sasse Them: Why We Hate Each Other - And How to Heal by Ben Sasse Falls Church Anglican Sermons by Sam Ferguson   

This episode explores how “masculinity” has shaped elements of white evangelicalism in America. As evangelicals frequently make headlines for their voting patterns and outsized political influence, this discussion will peel back the layers and go deeper—especially on issues of gender equality, racial justice, historic Christian orthodoxy, global expressions of evangelicalism, and the possibilities and limits for evangelical renewal. American evangelicalism is today navigating an important moment of reorientation and reexamination of its identity, and as our speakers highlight, it has much to learn from the history and witness of its global counterparts.   Guests Kristin Kobes Du Mez Walter Kim   Additional Resources  Jesus and John Wayne: How Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation, by Kristin Kobes Du Mez  National Association of Evangelicals 

On this episode, we are joined by Christine Emba, opinion columnist for The Washington Post, and Kimberly June Miller, a licensed marriage and family therapist. Christine has just written a fascinating new book called, Rethinking Sex: A Provocation, which opens with this moral quote: “It is only by asserting one's humanness every time, in all situations, that one becomes someone rather than something. That, after all, is the core of our struggle.” In this provocative book, Christine raises profound questions about meaning and connection, sexuality and even spirituality, as she traces shifting generational views of sex and sexual practices in America.   Guests Christine Emba  Kimberly June Miller    Additional Reading  Rethinking Sex: A Provocation, by Christine Emba  Boundaries for Your Soul, by Kimberly June Miller and Alison Cook

How much of a role does religion play in the war Vladimir Putin launched in Ukraine? It's a complicated question, but the answer may very well be: more than most Western experts think. Our guests on this episode of the Faith Angle podcast bring decades of military, foreign policy, and peacemaking expertise to help us make sense of the horrible war now unfolding in Ukraine. Dr. Kori Schake is Director of Foreign and Defense Policy at the American Enterprise Institute, and Dr. Chris Seiple is Founder of the The Sagestone Group, as well as principal advisor to the Templeton Religion Trust. The picture in Ukraine is complex, and today's guests help us see more clearly.    Guests Kori Schake  Chris Seiple   Additional Resources "Putin Accidentally Revitalized the West's Liberal Order," by Kori Schake The Routledge Handbook of Religious Literacy, Pluralism, and Global Engagement, by Chris Seiple    Twitter Links  Julia Ioffe  Lawrence Freedman Michael Kofman  Rob Lee  Shashank Joshi

In this episode, we are joined by a world-class Anglican theologian, Dr. Sarah Coakley, and a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist for The New Yorker, Eliza Griswold. Dr. Coakley's scholarship looks at the Trinity, "New Asceticism," Christology, power, sexuality, and the distinction of the self. Today, she is continuing her trilogy in systematics, aiming in a forthcoming volume at a robust theological examination of race. In this episode, Dr. Coakley and Eliza connect the wisdom of historic Christian thinkers with the urgent issues of a world that is today perhaps more in need of justice than ever.    Guests Sarah Coakley Eliza Griswold    Additional Resources  God, Sexuality, and the Self: An Essay "On the Trinity," by Sarah Coakley  Powers and Submissions: Spirituality, Philosophy, and Gender, by Sarah Coakley Amity and Prosperity: One Family and the Fracturing of America, by Eliza Griswold  "The Unmaking of Biblical Womanhood" by Eliza Griswold   

On February 2, EPPC's Faith Angle Forum had the privilege of hosting a fascinating online conversation with Dr. Francis Collins, the country's first Presidentially appointed Director of the National Institutes of Health to have served for more than one administration in that role. Alongside BioLogos president Dr. Deb Haarsma and EPPC Senior Fellow Peter Wehner, who contributes regularly to The Atlantic and New York Times, Dr. Collins joined 11 journalists in conversation that included a firsthand window into the development of the mRNA vaccine, and as well as the spread of vaccine resistance among many Americans. The conversation moves swiftly and covers a lot of ground, from sociology to political religion, evolution to creation-science, choices about singing in church to assessing American institutions.   Guests Dr. Francis Collins Deborah Haarsma Pete Wehner   Additional Resources  Integrate: A Faith and Science Curriculum    

In this episode, Kelefa Sanneh, staff writer for The New Yorker, is joined by John Azumah, Founding Executive Director of the Sanneh Institute, to discuss the legacy and witness of Kelefa's father Lamin Sanneh, a leading expert in Christian theology and missions as well as Christian-Muslim dialogue. Lamin's legacy continues on through the work of the Sanneh Institute, which seeks to educate and equip religious leaders, scholars, academic institutions, and the broader public on Christian and Muslim history, theology, and possibilities for interfaith partnership.    Guests Kelefa Sanneh John Azumah   Learn More  The African Christian and Islam by John Azumah  My Neighbor's Faith: Islam Explained for Christians by John Azumah Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres by Kelefa Sanneh  "The Plan to Build a Capital for Black Capitalism" by Kelefa Sanneh

For this first podcast of the New Year, we are recapping highlights from Faith Angle Europe, a two-day conference of 16 international journalists and 5 speakers in France, with a window into some especially compelling insights that emerged on national populism, anti-Semitism in Europe and particularly France, impact investing and the growth of religion in sub-Saharan Africa, and finally, a big-think conversation about the commonalities faced by creative minorities in a pluralistic world.    All three full Faith Angle Europe sessions as well as a short recap video from the forum are linked below.   Additional Resources Faith Angle Europe Recap  Session One: French Identity and Anti-Semitism Session Two: Rising National Populism - And Religion  Session Three: Impact Investing and Sub-Saharan Africa

In this episode of the Faith Angle podcast, Eboo Patel of Interfaith Youth Core sits down with Daily Beast columnist Wajahat Ali to discuss the possibilities and challenges of interfaith partnerships in today's polarized America, each drawing from the wisdom of their personal Muslim faith. Wajahat points to the obstacles that increasing political division, anti-immigrant discrimination, and bias against those of other faiths pose to robust religious pluralism. While accepting the strain of these realities, Eboo highlights with hope the many forms in which interfaith partnership is flourishing in America today. He offers listeners an invitation to learn from and replicate promising interfaith civic engagement in their own communities.    Guests Eboo Patel Wajahat Ali    Additional Resources Out of Many Faiths: Religious Diversity and the American Promise by Eboo Patel  Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American by Wajahat Ali   

In this episode of the Faith Angle podcast, Edward Luce of Financial Times sits down with Bernard-Henri Lévy to discuss Bernard's newest book, The Will to See: Dispatches from a World of Misery and Hope.    Guests Bernard-Henri Levy  Edward Luce   Additional Reading The Will to See by Bernard-Henri Levy The Retreat of Western Liberalism  by Edward Luce   

On this episode of the Faith Angle podcast, Ross Douthat of the New York Times sits down with Ryan T. Anderson of the Ethics and Public Policy Center to discuss Ross's newest book, The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery. Ross recounts this deeply personal story of loss, wrestling, and overcoming in the midst of a chronic disease, reflecting on how his conviction and rootedness in the Christian story offered strength in the face of felt pain.    Guests Ross Douthat Ryan T. Anderson    Additional Reading The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery by Ross Douthat

This week on the Faith Angle podcast, we are joined by Jonathan Tran of Baylor University and Tina Nguyen of Puck News, who explore themes of Asian American identity, political engagement, and religious formation in the United States. They discuss the development and distortions of the "model minority" myth, the impact of racial binaries on Asian American identity, the political-economic forces of racism in America, and the ways in which Asian American Christian communities are discovering a more just and redemptive way forward.   Guests Jonathan Tran Tina Nguyen   Additional Reading  Asian Americans and the Spirit of Racial Capitalism by Jonathan Tran

This week on the Faith Angle podcast, we are joined by Paul D. Miller of Georgetown University and Nadine Maenza of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. On August 30, the United States' armed forces completed their withdrawal from Afghanistan, marking the end of a twenty-year war. We can all recall the sickening images and stories that came out of Afghanistan during this period as well as the sobering reality awaiting those left behind. In this episode, our guests consider why events unfolded the way they did in America's withdrawal from Afghanistan, and what that means for America's presence and policy around the world.   Guests Paul D. Miller Nadine Maenza   Links Paul D. Miller in Foreign Policy  Nadine Maenza in Providence Magazine    Additional Reading Just War and Ordered Liberty by Paul D. Miller 

This week on the Faith Angle podcast, we are joined by Luke Bretherton of Duke Divinity School and Shadi Hamid of the Brookings Institution, who explore the religious nature of American politics and the political implications of American religion. Drawing from Christian and Muslim political-theological resources, they discuss the roots (on both the left and right) of today's increasing pull toward illiberalism, the tendency of religion to take on the role of identity politics, and the mediating role of religious institutions in society. Guests Luke Bretherton Shadi Hamid  Podcast Links Listen, Organize, Act! Community Organizing and Democratic Politics with Luke Bretherton The Wisdom of Crowds with Shadi Hamid and Damir Marusic  Additional Reading Christ and the Common Life: Political Theology and the Case for Democracy by Luke Bretherton Islamic Exceptionalism: How the Struggle over Islam Is Reshaping the World by Shadi Hamid