Is American democracy under threat from Christian Nationalists? David Gushee seems to believe so.

When you are in a crisis, it’s hard to rise above it to see where we have come from, where we are, and where we need to go. It also can feel a lot bigger than it actually is. So, how do we know that we are in an existential crisis?

“Our current moment in the United States represents a profoundly troubling existential crisis for many of us who once took the functioning of American democracy for granted. We find ourselves fearful, alarmed, and disoriented. We have experienced psychological distress, frayed family bonds, divided churches, intimidated pastors, and destroyed friendships, all because of politics,” urged Gushee on the CBF Podcast Conversation.

We sat down with David Gushee, the Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics and Director of the Center for Theology and Public Life at Mercer University, to discuss his new book, Defending Democracy from Its Christian Enemies. 

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Andy Hale is the creator and host of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Podcast. Hale is the Associate Executive Coordinator of CBF North Carolina. He’s also served as CBF’s Church Start Specialist, the founding pastor of Mosaic Church of Clayton, and the senior pastor of University Baptist Church of Baton Rouge. Follow on Twitter @haleandy.