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
478 episodes
How Gerrymandering Is Reshaping the 2026 Elections with FairVote's David Daley
David Daley joins Faithful Politics to explain how gerrymandering, mid-decade redistricting, and recent Supreme Court decisions are reshaping the 2026 elections. The conversation covers Virginia’s redistricting fight, the Supreme Court’s decisi...
POV: Did Biden Target Christians? Anti-Christian Bias Report Explained
In this Faithful Politics POV episode, Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram examine the Trump administration’s anti-Christian bias report and ask whether it proves real discrimination against Christians or mostly reframes policy disagreements as...
Nijay Gupta on Why Paul Was Not Just Preaching About the Afterlife
What did the Apostle Paul actually teach about heaven, resurrection, and the meaning of life on earth?Dr. Nijay Gupta joins Faithful Politics to talk about Paul, heaven, resurrection, and why Christian faith is not meant to function as ...
Ainsley LeSure on Racism Beyond Intent
What if racism is not just a belief someone holds, but something people do through everyday choices, institutions, and patterns of behavior?Ainsley LeSure joins Faithful Politics to explain why racism cannot be reduced to personal...
Christian Patriarchy and Abuse: Tia Levings on Leaving High-Control Religion
What does religious trauma actually look like inside high-control Christian environments?In this episode of Faithful Politics, we sit down with Tia Levings, author of A Well-Trained Wife and I Belong to Me, to un...
Peter Montgomery on the Religious Right and Christian Nationalism
What is the religious right, and how has it shaped American politics over the last 50 years?In this episode of Faithful Politics, we sit down with Peter Montgomery to break down the religious right and its influence on American politics...
Can Christians Give More Effectively? J.D. Bauman on Faith, Charity, and the Ethics of Impact
What if having good intentions alone isn’t enough? In this episode, we sit down with J.D. Bauman, Executive Director of Christians for Impact and author of All the Lives You Can Change, to explore a challenging question: are Chri...
Nadine Smith on Civil Rights, Power, and the Fight for Equality in America
In this conversation, Nadine Smith traces her journey from investigative journalism to becoming one of the country’s leading civil rights advocates. Drawing from decades of experience, she explains how organizations like Color of Change work to...
Rep. Jennifer McClellan on Iran, Voting Rights, and AI Risks
What is actually happening inside Congress right now—and how does it affect everyday people?In this episode, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan breaks down a wide range of issues shaping the current political moment, from rising healthcare...
John Fea on Why America's Founding Isn’t So Simple
This conversation takes a direct look at one of the most debated claims in American politics: whether the United States was founded as a Christian nation. John Fea, a historian of early America, walks through how historians approach that questi...
Mechele Dickerson on Why the Middle Class Was Built—and How It’s Being Broken
The middle class in America didn’t just happen—it was built through government policies after World War II. In this episode, law professor Mechele Dickerson explains how things like affordable housing, stable jobs, and access to education helpe...
Reading the Bible Across America: Faith, Politics, and the 250th Moment with Bunni Pounds
In this episode of Faithful Politics, Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram sit down with Bunni Pounds to unpack America Reads the Bible, a national initiative tied to the 250th anniversary of the United States. The project brin...
The Religion of Whiteness with Michael Emerson & Glenn Bracey
In this episode of Faithful Politics, Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram sit down with sociologists Michael Emerson and Glenn Bracey to unpack the core ideas behind their book The Religion of Whiteness.The conversation explores...
The Biggest Oversimplification in Politics with Hyrum Lewis
In this episode of Faithful Politics, Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram sit down with political theorist and historian Hyrum Lewis to challenge one of the most basic assumptions in American political thinking: the left-right spectrum.D...
Deconstruction Isn’t Deconversion: Margaret Bronson on What the Church Gets Wrong
What does it actually mean to “deconstruct” your faith—and why are so many people doing it?In this episode of Faithful Politics, Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram sit down with Margaret Rose Bronson, founder of Deconstruction Doulas, ...
Christian Zionism, U.S. Policy, and the Iran War with Kiera Butler
*Note* Appologies for my audio, it was a bad microphone day! - Will What role does Christian Zionism play in shaping American politics and foreign policy?In this episode of Faithful Politics, Will Wright sits down wit...
Religious Trauma, Deconstruction, and Finding Agency — with Morgan Piercy
What happens when faith becomes a source of harm instead of healing?In this episode of Faithful Politics, Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram sit down with therapist Morgan Piercy, who specializes in religious trauma, deconstruc...
Beyond Pro-Life vs Pro-Choice: Angela Weszely on a “Pro-Grace” Approach to Abortion
What if the abortion debate is missing the most important framework entirely?In this episode of Faithful Politics, Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram sit down with Angela Weszely, founder of ProGrace and author of Becoming ProGrace<...
Peter Beinart on Gaza, Zionism, and the Moral Tension Inside Jewish Identity
What happens when your faith tradition and your political reality collide? In this episode, we sit down with Peter Beinartto unpack the moral and theological tensions shaping the war in Gaza and the broader debate around Zionism. Beinart walks ...
Undoing Manifest Destiny with L. Daniel Hawk: How Faith Was Used to Justify Colonization
In this episode of Faithful Politics, Pastor Josh Burtram sits down with Old Testament scholar and author L. Daniel Hawk to unpack the theological roots and lasting impact of Manifest Destiny. What many Americans were taught as a story of coura...
Church, State, and the Courts: Rachel Laser on the Fight for Religious Freedom
In this episode of Faithful Politics, Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram speak with Rachel Laser, President and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, about the growing legal and political battles over reli...
Is the Left-Right Spectrum a Myth? A Conversation with Verlan Lewis
What if the basic way we talk about politics is fundamentally flawed?In this episode of Faithful Politics, Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram sit down with Verlan Lewis, professor of constitutional studies at Utah Valley U...
Inside the Data on Christian Nationalism in America | PRRI CEO Melissa Deckman
What do the numbers actually tell us about Christian nationalism in the United States?In this episode of Faithful Politics, Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram sit down with Melissa Deckman, CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute ...
Election Integrity and the SAVE Act Explained with Jessica Huseman of VoteBeat
How secure are America’s elections, and what actually happens behind the scenes when votes are cast and counted?In this episode of Faithful Politics, Will Wright and Josh Burtram sit down with election journalist Jessica Huseman, Editor...
Matthew Sutton on How Christianity Made America and Americans Remade Christianity
What does it mean to call America a “Christian nation”? And has it ever truly been one?In this episode, we sit down with Matt Avery Sutton, historian and author of Chosen Land, to unpack the long and complicated relationship between Chri...