Faithful Politics
Dive into the profound world of Faithful Politics, a compelling podcast where the spheres of faith and politics converge in meaningful dialogues. Guided by Pastor Josh Burtram (Faithful Host) and Will Wright (Political Host), this unique platform invites listeners to delve into the complex impact of political choices on both the faithful and faithless.
Join our hosts, Josh and Will, as they engage with world-renowned experts, scholars, theologians, politicians, journalists, and ordinary folks. Their objective? To deepen our collective understanding of the intersection between faith and politics.
Faithful Politics sets itself apart by refusing to subscribe to any single political ideology or religious conviction. This approach is mirrored in the diverse backgrounds of our hosts. Will Wright, a disabled Veteran and African-Asian American, is a former atheist and a liberal progressive with a lifelong intrigue in politics. On the other hand, Josh Burtram, a Conservative Republican and devoted Pastor, brings a passion for theology that resonates throughout the discourse.
Yet, in the face of their contrasting outlooks, Josh and Will display a remarkable ability to facilitate respectful and civil dialogue on challenging topics. This opens up a space where listeners of various political and religious leanings can find value and deepen their understanding.
So, regardless if you're a Democrat or Republican, a believer or an atheist, we assure you that Faithful Politics has insightful conversations that will appeal to you and stimulate your intellectual curiosity. Come join us in this enthralling exploration of the intricate nexus of faith and politics. Add us to your regular podcast stream and don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel. Let's navigate this fascinating realm together!
Not Right. Not Left. UP.
Episodes
18 episodes
Church & State 250: Reporting Religion in an Age of Christian Nationalism
What happens when journalists cover politics without understanding the religion shaping the story?Brian Kaylor, president and editor-in-chief of Word&Way and the leader of A Public Witness, joins Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram ...
Church & State 250: Christian Supremacy and the Fight for American Power
What happens when Christians begin to believe they are entitled to rule over everyone else? Matthew D. Taylor, a scholar of religion and politics and visiting scholar at Georgetown University’s Center on Faith and Justice, joins Wi...
Church & State 250: Christian Nationalism and the Question of Who Belongs
What does “Christian nationalism” actually mean, and how can people tell the difference between public faith, patriotism, and a political project built around power? Andrew Whitehead and Samuel Perry, two leading sociologists of re...
Church & State 250: Contemporary Christian Music and American Evangelical Politics
How did Christian music become one of the most powerful forces shaping evangelical identity and politics? Leah Payne, professor of American religious history at Portland Seminary and author of God Gave Rock and Roll to You, joins W...
Church & State 250: Evangelical Fear, Masculinity, and Political Power
How did “biblical manhood” become so tied to aggression, politics, and power? Kristin Kobes Du Mez, professor of history at Calvin University and author of Jesus and John Wayne, joins Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram to explain ...
Church & State 250: The Black Church and Faith as Resistance
Can America tell its religious history honestly without confronting race? Jemar Tisby, historian, public scholar, author, and founder of Tisby Media, joins Will Wright for Church and State 250 to explain why race does not “enter” t...
Church & State 250: The Courtroom Fight Over Church and State
What happens when religious freedom becomes a legal tool for imposing religion on others? Andrew L. Seidel, constitutional attorney, author, and Vice President of Strategic Communications at Americans United for Separation of Churc...
Church & State 250: Protestant Supremacy and Christian Slavery
Could enslaved Africans become Christians, and if they did, should baptism lead to freedom? Katharine Gerbner, Associate Professor of History and Director of Religious Studies at the University of Minnesota, joins Will Wright and P...
Church & State 250: How Theology Preserved White Supremacy
How did white Southern evangelicals use the Bible to defend segregation after slavery ended?J. Russell “Rusty” Hawkins, Dean of the John Wesley Honors College and Professor of Honors Humanities and History at Indiana Wesleyan University...
Church & State 250: The Bible, Slavery, and White Christian Power
What happens when Christianity becomes a tool for defending racial hierarchy? Robert P. Jones, founder and president of PRRI and author of White Too Long, The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy, and the forthcoming Backslide, joins Wi...
Church & State 250: The Myths of a Christian Nation
Was America founded as a Christian nation, or has that story been repeated so often that it feels true? Warren Throckmorton, retired professor of psychology and author of The Christian Past That Wasn’t and co-author of Getting Jeff...
Church & State 250: Was America Founded as a Christian Nation?
Was America founded as a Christian nation, or is that question usually about today’s politics more than the eighteenth century? John Fea, historian of early America and American religion, joins Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram t...
Church & State 250: Faith, Empire, and the American Revolution
Was the American Revolution really a fight for religious freedom? Katherine Carté, Professor of History at Southern Methodist University and author of Religion and the American Revolution: An Imperial History, helps separate the na...
Church & State 250: Christianity and the Story America Tells About Itself
How did Christianity become so deeply woven into the American story? Matthew Avery Sutton, professor of history at Washington State University and author of Chosen Land: How Christianity Made America and Americans Remade Christiani...
Church & State 250: How Christians Justified Manifest Destiny
How did Manifest Destiny become a Christian story about land, providence, and moral duty? L. Daniel Hawk, Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Ashland Theological Seminary and author of Undoing Manifest Destiny, joins Will Wrig...
Church & State 250: Doctrine of Discovery and America Before 1776
Can America tell the truth about itself if it starts the story in 1776? Mark Charles, Navajo writer, speaker, activist, and co-author of Unsettling Truths, opens Church and State 250 by arguing that America’s religious story begins...
Greg Garrett on White Lies and the Racial Myths That Protect Power
Why do racial myths continue to shape American politics, religion, and culture long after people claim to reject racism? Greg Garrett, author of White Lies: Dismantling Ten Cultural Myths About Race, joins Faithful Politics to expl...
Tim Chapman on Principled Conservatism in the Trump Era
What does conservatism mean when personality politics starts replacing policy, principle, and coalition-building? Tim Chapman, president of Advancing American Freedom, joins Faithful Politics to explain how he thinks about the futu...