Faith, Fear, and the Future of Democracy with Jonathan Rauch Ep 38

Why does a self-described “gay, atheistic Jewish guy” argue that America needs more Christianity right now? In this thought-provoking episode, Jonathan Rauch, author, Brookings Institution senior fellow, and newly appointed board member of Heterodox Academy, joins host John Tomasi for an insightful discussion recorded in Washington, D.C. Jonathan reflects on his new book, Cross Purposes, a contrarian apology for the Christian values that once helped sustain both American self-government and its universities. Drawing from personal narratives, constitutional history, and contemporary social fractures, Rauch argues that the decline of robust, virtue-based Christianity and the politicization of faith have contributed to polarization, anxiety, and a crisis of institutional trust. Jonathan and John discuss Tocqueville’s analysis of individualism, the “God-shaped hole” now filled by less constructive substitutes, and what both faith and scholarship can contribute to a pluralistic republic. Join us for the conversation and explore practical and philosophical pathways to revive the transformative power of both religious and academic institutions. In This Episode: 💥 Three core Christian virtues as a civic foundation 💥 The perils of “thin,” “sharp,” and “thick” Christianity 💥 Tocqueville, individualism, and the promise of civil society 💥 The hollowing of purpose and scholarly virtue in higher education 💥 Faith, viewpoint diversity, and restoring vibrant campus culture 💥 Challenges and opportunities for self-reform in academia Read Jonathan’s latest book, Cross Purposes : Check out more about the Brookings Institution : About Jonathan: Jonathan Rauch is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a contributing writer for The Atlantic, renowned for his incisive commentary on public policy, culture, and governance. He has authored several influential books, including The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth (2021) , which delves into the challenges of disinformation and the importance of truth in democratic societies. His latest book, Cross Purposes: Christianity's Broken Bargain with Democracy (2025) , examines the evolving relationship between American Christianity and liberal democracy, arguing that the decline of religious institutions has significant implications for democratic health. Rauch's extensive body of work reflects his commitment to exploring complex societal issues, making him a prominent voice in contemporary discussions on democracy, religion, and public discourse. In January 2025, Rauch was appointed to the Board of Directors of Heterodox Academy (HxA), Follow Jonathan on X: ============================ Follow Heterodox Academy on: Twitter: Facebook: LinkedIn: Instagram: Substack: 🔗 Find out more about Heterodox Academy at:

You can listen to Faith, Fear, and the Future of Democracy with Jonathan Rauch Ep 38 online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Faith, Fear, and the Future of Democracy with Jonathan Rauch Ep 38 is an episode from Heterodox Out Loud by Heterodox Academy.

This episode is 01:02:14 long.

This episode was published on Jun 17, 2025.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from Heterodox Out Loud when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.