Curtis Chang welcomes back author and frequent Good Faith guest Andy Crouch to discuss a topic at the heart of our cultural moment: how Christians can faithfully engage in public life during a time of deep political polarization, rising political contempt, and the expansion of emergency powers.

Together, they outline the transition from the early church’s courageous stand under Caesar’s threatening rule to today’s crisis mentality that shapes much of American politics. Rather than reacting with fear or contempt, Crouch and Chang offer a vision for renewing faith and public life through spiritual formation and a return to the fruits of the Spirit: especially love, gentleness, and faithfulness.

Their conversation challenges listeners to reflect on how the breakdown of civil discourse has compromised Christian witness. Instead of mirroring the anxiety of our age, Christians are called to embody a different posture, one that resists the culture of emergency and embraces long-term Christian hope through deep public engagement shaped by the character of Christ.

This excerpt has been edited for length and clarity.

Andy Crouch: Contempt is an attitude primarily towards people that says ‘this person is beneath my consideration; their dignity is beneath my consideration, their interests are beneath my consideration. They have disqualified themselves from my demonstrating regard for their humanity.’ And unfortunately, I think this is about a 20-year story of public life in America.

Over decades there has been more and more permission in American life to treat certain groups of people as if they don’t even deserve the dignity of basic respect. They are to be neglected, demeaned. They can be freely belittled because they are not like us, they are not one of us and frankly, they’re a threat to us. You can have respect for a worthy opponent, but they’re not even worthy opponents. They’re unworthy enemies, unworthy of our attention, unworthy of our respect.

I don’t think you have to disagree with some of the policy goals of this or any administration to see that among the things that Donald Trump, and many around him, are incredibly good at, masters of, is conveying contempt. It’s all the little nicknames for people that demean them. It’s tones of voice. It’s mesmerizing in media, by the way, like to see someone treating other people with that. It’s a great display of bravado and power. It’s kind of mesmerizing. But while Donald Trump is a master of it, in some ways I think this has become like a widespread affliction that others have done with more politesse.