In this enlightening episode of the Good Faith podcast, host Curtis Chang is joined by Jonathan Rauch, senior fellow at the Brookings Institute and author of Cross Purposes: Christianity’s Broken Bargain with Democracy. Together, they explore the profound relationship between Christianity and democracy, discussing how faith’s influence on politics has shaped the political landscapes and institutions that define the American republic.

Rauch delves into the Christianity’s foundational role in American society, arguing that Judeo-Christian values in society have long served as a stabilizing force for democracy. They examine how Christianity’s legacy in society has influenced everything from political discourse to societal norms, and why this influence is crucial for understanding the intersection of religious freedom and democracy.

The conversation also tackles the growing divide between secularism vs. Christianity in the modern political climate, where political polarization and religion often intertwine. Rauch argues that the decline of Christianity’s influence could have significant repercussions on the future of democracy, making the case for Christian virtues as a stabilizing force in American life.

The episode provides valuable insights into how Christianity and secular values intersect and influence each other. For those with secular perspectives on faith, this conversation offers a deeper understanding of Christianity’s influence on democracy and why it extends far beyond the church. Whether you’re a believer or a skeptic, this episode emphasizes why understanding democracy’s spiritual foundations is crucial for navigating today’s political climate.

This exerpt has been edited for length and clarity.

Jonathan Rauch: ‘Be like Jesus’ translates into ‘all men are created equal,’ including the smallest and the lowest, and a society is judged by how it protects the least of these. That’s core liberal doctrine. And human beings are always ends in themselves. They’re never means to an end. That’s core Jesus, and that’s core liberal democracy.

And then forgive each other. That translates into forbearance. Sometimes you win elections, but the point of politics and winning is not to crush the other side. The point is to remember that they are still citizens. You’re going to be sharing the country with them. Treat them the way you will want to be treated by them when the wheel turns and they’re in charge.

And so I’m looking at the teachings of Jesus as Christianity, as I understand them, and I’m looking at the teachings of James Madison, and I’m saying Christianity – the faith, Christianity, not just because it’s a faith or because it’s a religion or because people need God in their lives – the peculiar doctrines of Christianity are what our country needs to heal right now. And if Christians foregrounded those elements of their Christianity and put them into practice instead of the church of fear, our whole country would be better off.