The Jim Wallis Podcast

Author Katherine Stewart (Money, Lies, and God) joins Jim Wallis to expose the money, disinformation, and Christian nationalism fueling the anti-democratic movement. Discover the funders, the lies, and what we can do to fight back.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Legal journalist Dahlia Lithwick (Slate’s Amicus podcast) exposes how Trump’s second-term agenda—and cases like Dr. Rasha Alawieh’s deportation and Mahmoud Khalil’s ICE detention—are testing judicial independence. We break down:The "metaphorical weapons" courts still have against executive overreach; Why Chief Justice Roberts’ rare public warning matters now; Project 2025’s blueprint for reshaping the judiciary; andReal-world impacts on immigrants, academics, and civil liberties.Subscribe wherever you get podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Professor Ruth Braunstein is the host of the new podcast When the Wolves Came, Evangelicals Resisting Extremism.  Prof. Braunstein chronicles the American heretics who blaspheme Jesus by turning against our neighbors, whom he has commanded us to love. And she documents the courageous resistance that is rising up in Evangelical congregations across the country against the false prophets, whom the Gospel of Matthew calls “ravening wolves.”“Christian nationalism in particular is really a false gospel,” says Braunstein. “And so this is a term that has been a helpful one, particularly for Christians to use when thinking about how to deal with these ideas circulating within their own communities.”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Pastor Caleb Campbell chronicles his journey from active engagement as a Neo-Nazi Skinhead to becoming Lead Pastor of Desert Springs Bible Church in Phoenix, Arizona. His work focuses on equipping Christians to minister to their Christian nationalist neighbors.  He explores the reasons for its appeal, offering compassionate responses to its claims, in his new book "Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor."Campbell explains to host Rev. Jim Wallis how and why the the Chirstian Nationalist MovementSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We began this Lenten Season in the aftermath of the virtual destruction of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). As a result, millions will starve and millions will die around the world. The scale and scope of this preventable tragedy gives added weight and significance to our observation of Lent. The Lenten tradition of discipline and fasting requires us to increase our awareness of–and strengthen our compassion for–the suffering of others. Lent also calls us to focus on reaching out in service and justice as we await to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ at Easter. In this very special episode of the Jim Wallis Podcast, we provide a window into the magnitude of the torment being inflicted upon those Jesus called “the least of these.”  You can read Jim’s Commentary on this subject hereRev. Jim Wallis speaks with an eyewitness to the desperation, devastation, and imminent death that is resulting from the Trump Administration’s vicious assault on people providing life-saving humanitarian aid around the world. Rev. Tim Costello, a global expert on international humanitarian aid, is the former Chief Executive of World Vision Australia (WVA) and the current Executive Director of Micah Australia. He was in Kenya and Uganda when the Trump Administration inaugurated the irresponsible and unconscionable freeze on USAID funds. “Kenyan women, clinicians, doctors [were] in tears saying, ‘the medications, the U-S-A-I-D medications have dried up. This means we cannot treat the people who we've treated for so many years, poor Kenyan people without a chance without these medications.’” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A historic lawsuit has been filed by the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, in partnership with the Center on Faith and Justice, on the behalf of a broad coalition of 27 national church and organization plaintiffs, whose combined membership numbers in the millions, to defend the teachings of Jesus and the traditions of all Abrahamic religions. {Subscribe to weekly Jim's Substack column here to stay up to date with our progress.}Rev. Jim Wallis speaks with two important leaders involved in the case of Mennonite Church USA VS The Department of Homeland Security: Kelsi Brown Corkran, the Supreme Court Director at the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown Law, and Reverend Carlos Malave, the president of the Latino Christian National Network (LCNN), which is a broad Christian Latino network in our country, including Pentecostals, evangelicals, Catholics, and mainline leaders.On the first day of his second term as President of the United States, according to Fox News, Donald Trump ordered the Department of Homeland Security to upend a decades long practice honoring sacred spaces and “sensitive locations” to allow religious leaders and congregants to obey the commandment of Jesus from Matthew 25: “As ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Jesus’ words include “the stranger” which means immigrant and refugee in Greek.Immigrants and refugees, who rely on these sacred spaces for sustenance for their souls and bodies, are being deterred by the aggressive and unorthodox tactics from the Trump Administration that the lawsuit alleges are a violation of the First Amendment right to freely practice religion.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the wake of the decisive victory of Donald Trump and his followers, Rev. Jim Wallis speaks with Executive Producer Paul Woodhull about what must take place before we consider what lays before us. Wallis counsels that it is appropriate and healing to feel grief and to lament where we find ourselves as a nation. But he warns against falling into despair. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Elizabeth Neumann,  Former Assistant Secretary for Counterterrorism at the Department of Homeland Security and the author of Kingdom of Rage talks with Jim Wallis about her time serving at the Trump White House.  Neumann says,  “This is what another four years would be. Nobody tells [Trump] no. And then you end up violating people's constitutional rights… His rhetoric was inspiring hate crimes and violence. We actually have documentation of that now.”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Daniel Gutierrez is the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, the second oldest and fourth largest diocese in the Episcopal Church. He also served as Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and as Director of Economic Development there.Regarding America’s immigration policy Gutierrez analyzes the dilemma by reconciling both a practical and a Christian viewpoint.Pragmatically, Gutierrez says, “Migrants, immigrants pay taxes. And then what would happen if every worker in our fields, starting in Iowa, California, Arizona, Texas, were deported? Look at what that would do to our economy. Almost overnight, it would ruin American businesses in the agricultural industry.”More importantly, Bishop Gutierrez reflects upon the teachings of Jesus when regarding migrants and refugees. “The only way to have union with Jesus is to have union with one another.” He continues, “I want my diocese to be the diocese of the poor, compassionate, merciful, and loving.”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Christian Ethhicist David Gushee explains how White Evangelicals have lost their way as religious reactionaries work to destabilize our democracy. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim Wallis convenes a roundtable of thought and faith leaders to discuss our responsibilities for the upcoming 2024 Presidential election:Jemar Tisby--New York Times bestselling author, national speaker, and public historian on a mission to deliver truths from the Black experience with depth and clarityKristen DuMez--New York Times bestselling author and Professor of History and Gender Studies at Calvin University. Diana Butler Bass,Ph.D.--Award-winning author, speaker, preacher, commentator on religion and contemporary spiritualityRobert P. Jones --the president and founder of Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) and a leading scholar and a New York Times bestselling author.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As threats of deadly violence are mounted against election officials across the country, Jocelyn Benson, the Secretary of State and Chief Election Officer of Michigan, analyzes the unique challenges they face in 2024. Despite an onlslaught of efforts to intimidate, Benson shares her commitment to ensure all votes are counted and the true electors are certified.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this election special Faith Factor season, we will be releasing weekly in-depth exclusive interviews focused on the most consequential Presidential Election of our lifetimes.Ian Bassin, the co-founder of Protect Democracy,  outlines how Donald Trump and his radical right-wing enablers plan to subvert the democratic institutions of our country in order to amass and maintain power.  Trump’s well-documented and self-proclaimed policies adhere to what Bassin calls The Authoritarian Playbook, the well-worn tactics executed by the most brutal dictators in world history, including:Policize Institutions  Spread Disinformation      Aggrandize Executive Power      Quash Dissent     Target Vulnerable Communities       Corrupt Elections      Incite Violence See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this election special Faith Factor season, we will be releasing weekly in-depth exclusive interviews focused on the most consequential Presidential Election of our lifetimes.In our first episode, Rep. Jim Clyburn discusses with Rev. Jim Wallis:The attempts of Trump supporters to revive Jim Crow practices;  The historical import of the Kamala Harris candidacy; andHis private conversations with President Joe Biden regarding withdrawing his candidacy; andWhat he means when says “we can never go back.”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join host Jim Wallis in a live and enlightening conversation at Georgetown University with Sarah McCammon, esteemed Political Correspondent at NPR and author of the thought-provoking book, "The Exvangelicals." Delve into Sarah's personal narrative as she shares her upbringing within the evangelical church and the profound intersections of faith and politics. Together, they unravel the intricate layers of White Christian Nationalism and its resonance within the presidency of Donald Trump, exploring its profound impacts on Sarah's faith and the broader American religious landscape. Tune in to this compelling episode of The Soul of the Nation as they navigate through the complex terrain of belief, identity, and the soul of America.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us for a riveting episode of The Soul of the Nation, where the spotlight turns on our esteemed host, Jim Wallis, as he becomes the guest of the hour. In this compelling conversation, Jim Wallis, the renowned New York Times bestselling author, unveils the profound insights from his latest groundbreaking book, The False White Gospel.Hosted by Daniel Burke, the Director of Communications at the Center on Faith and Justice, this episode delves deep into the heart of Wallis' thesis, which argues that the antidote to detrimental religious ideologies lies in cultivating true faith. Wallis presents a compelling case for how authentic spirituality can serve as the cornerstone for revitalizing democracy in our nation.Tune in as Burke guides the discussion, unraveling the layers of Wallis' thought-provoking narrative and exploring its implications for the future of our society. Prepare to be enlightened, challenged, and inspired as we navigate the intersection of religion, politics, and the soul of our nation.You can pre-order The False White Gospel as well as check the upcoming book tour to see if Rev. Jim Wallis is coming to a city near you here!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this week's Soul of the Nation, Reverend Jim Wallis engages in a profound conversation with author and Senior Scholar Matthew Taylor about his upcoming book, "THE VIOLENT TAKE IT BY FORCE: The Christian Movement That Is Threatening Our Democracy." Together, they delve into the intricate world of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), exploring its "prophets" and the controversial 7 Mountains Mandate of dominion theology.Matthew Taylor sheds light on the complexities surrounding the NAR movement and its potential impact on democratic principles. The discussion spans the influence of key figures such as Mike Johnson and the broader implications of a movement that intertwines faith and politics.Join us as Rev. Jim Wallis and Matthew Taylor navigate through the theological landscape, examining the intersections of religion, power, and democracy. Gain insights into the challenges posed by movements like NAR and how they shape the narrative of our contemporary political climate. This episode is a compelling exploration of the delicate balance between faith and democracy, raising crucial questions about the future of our society.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week The Soul of the Nation welcomes Tim Alberta,  an award-winning journalist, staff writer for The Atlantic magazine and author of the bestselling new book “The Kingdom, the Power and the Glory: American Evangelicalism in an Age of Extremism” Alberta is also the son of an evangelical pastor who was raised in Michigan. His new book raises the important questions: What is the purpose of the Christian church? And why have so many white evangelicals sold their souls for Donald Trump? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Soul of the Nation, we bring you a conversation with Senator Chris Coons at Georgetown University. The event was part of the "Higher Calling" series hosted by the Center on Faith and Justice at Georgetown. In this conversation, Senator Coons, a Democrat from Delaware who earned a degree in ethics from Yale Divinity School, speaks candidly about his Presbyterian upbringing, confronting former President Donald Trump and how he stays spiritually centered in a place like the U.S. Senate. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Soul of the Nation we welcome the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest, editor at large of America magazine, consultant to the Vatican's Dicastery for Communication, and author of numerous books, including the New York Times bestseller Jesus: A Pilgrimage. His new book is called “Come Forth: The Promise of Jesus’ Greatest Miracle.” In this episode Father Martin shares his insights on the biblical story of Lazarus, an important Vatican meeting and how to stay spiritually centered and hopeful in a dark and turbulent world. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on the Soul of the Nation, we welcome Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, DC. Bishop Budde serves as spiritual leader for Episcopalians in the District of Columbia and Maryland, the first woman elected to this position. Bishop Budde is also the author of several books, including, “How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith.” In this episode, Bishop Budde talks about standing up to Donald Trump, "dangerous unselfishness," and how to be Good Samaritans during bad times. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this live recording of Soul of the Nation, Rev. Jim Wallis and the Center on Faith and Justice hosted Harvard University political scientist Steven Levitsky for a discussion on his new book “Tyranny of the Minority.” In the book, Levitsky argues that authoritarianism threatens the foundations of the U.S. political system, which the Constitution prevents from becoming a true multi-racial democracy. Levitsky is co-author of the New York Times bestseller How Democracies Die and the David Rockefeller Professor of Latin American Studies and Professor of Government at Harvard University. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Soul of the Nation, our host, Rev. Jim Wallis, engages in a profound conversation with climate advocate and author Kyle Meyaard-Schaap. Together, they explore the timely and pressing subject of climate change through the lens of faith and Christian values.Meyaard-Schaap, author of the thought-provoking book "Following Jesus in a Warming World: A Christian Call to Climate Action," delves into the intersection of spirituality and environmental stewardship. This enlightening discussion looks into how followers of Jesus can rise to the challenge of the climate crisis, recognizing it as a moral imperative.Rev. Jim Wallis and Kyle Meyaard-Schaap explore the key themes of the book, providing insight into how faith communities can play a pivotal role in addressing climate change. They discuss practical steps, advocacy, and the spiritual awakening needed to combat the warming world. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Soul of the Nation, Rev. Jim Wallis and the Center on Faith and Justice host a conversation about Robert P. Jones' groundbreaking new book, "The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy: And the Path to a Shared American Future." Delving deep into the history of white supremacy in America, Jones takes us on a journey back to 1493 and guides us through the examination of contemporary communities that offer models of racial repair. Joining the conversation are Vann Newkirk II, a staff writer for The Atlantic, and Jennifer Rubin, a columnist for The Washington Post. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Soul of the Nation welcomes Bill McKibben, an American environmentalist, author, and journalist who has written extensively on the impact of global warming. He is the Schumann Distinguished Scholar at Middlebury College and leader of the climate campaign group 350.org. In this episode, they discuss the historical and ongoing struggles for racial equity in America, shedding light on the important work of faith-based communities in promoting justice, diversity, and inclusion. Their conversation highlights the power of unity and collective action in the fight for social equality and justice. The episode also explores the urgent need for environmental stewardship and how we can repay our debt to the environment. Rev. Wallis and McKibben emphasize the ethical and moral dimensions of taking responsibility for the impact of human activity on the planet. They discuss the imperative of mitigating climate change and the practical steps we can take to protect our environment for future generations.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Soul of the Nation, our host Jim Wallis is joined by two of the country’s preeminent Christian leaders to celebrate and discuss the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, Interim President and General Secretary of the National Council of Churches, and the Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III, Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, join to reflect on King’s famed epistle and its lessons for our day. Sixty years after its publication, “Letter From Birmingham Jail” continues to challenge Christians – and all people of faith – to understand that, as King warned, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Soul of the Nation features a public conversation with Rev Dr. Kelly Brown Douglas, Dean of the Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary. In this Q&A moderated by Rev. Ebony Grisom of Georgetown University, Douglas explores the role of Black women in the church, discusses the importance of maintaining hope against what seems at times as insurmountable odds and lays out a pathway towards moving beyond the white imaginary.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jim Wallis, the Founding Director of the Georgetown University Center on Faith, advocates spirituality and social change in America. Under Wallis’ leadership, Sojourners has had international acclaim as a group of Christians who work together to live a gospel life that integrates spiritual renewal and social justice. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Soul of the Nation welcomes Matthew Desmond, a sociologist at Princeton University whose research focuses on poverty in America. He is the author of four books, including “Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City,” which won the Pulitzer Prize. Desmond’s new bestselling book is called “Poverty, By America.” In this episode, Desmond explains why the United States has more poverty than any other advanced democracy, calls the Republicans' plan to reduce federal spending by cutting poverty programs "sinful and shameful," and offers five ways we can all become "poverty abolitionists." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Soul of the Nation features a public conversation Jim Wallis had recently with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi about the role her Catholic faith plays in her public and personal life. The conversation was part of a new series called Higher Calling Jim just launched at the Center on Faith and Justice at Georgetown University. During this conversation, Nancy Pelosi opens up about the Catholic values she learned growing up in Baltimore, how she deals with relentless political attacks and the Bible verse that inspired her to move, as she says, “from the kitchen to the Congress; from housewife to house speaker.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Soul of the Nation, we continue our series on White Christian Nationalism by welcoming Jack Jenkins to the podcast. Jenkins is a national reporter for Religion News Service (RNS) covering U.S. Catholics and the intersection of religion and politics. Earlier this year, Jenkins ventured west to northern Idaho to explore the rise of White Christian Nationalists staking up a claim in the state and published a piece with RNS documenting his findings. In their conversation, Jenkins discusses his discoveries on how deeply entrenched the White Christian Nationalist movement has become in the local politics of northern Idaho, how he thinks these trends will affect other libertarian minded states, and how current residents are responding to the influx of this movement in their communities. You can read Jack's article from RNS here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Soul of the Nation, we continue our series on White Christian Nationalism by welcoming Rachel Kleinfeld to the podcast. Kleinfeld is a senior fellow in Carnegie’s Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program. Her work on troubled democracies facing problems such as polarized populations, violence, corruption, and poor governance bridges the United States and international cases. In their conversation, Rachel discusses the rising threats facing modern democracy in America and what can be done to subvert these attempts to overthrow democracy as we know it.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Soul of the Nation, we continue our series on White Christian Nationalism by welcoming cultural sociologist Ruth Braunstein to the podcast. Braunstein is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Connecticut, where she is Director of Undergraduate Studies and Director of the Meanings of Democracy Lab, which studies the moral and cultural foundations of American democratic life. Braunstein reveals the types of people who are attracted to White Christian Nationalism, what the phrase "Judeo-Christian" really means, and offers insights on how to persuade people away from Christian nationalist views. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jemar Tisby, a historian and author of "How to Fight Racism: Young Readers Edition," as well as several other books, joins the podcast to talk about his personal history with white evangelicalism, how he came to feel unwelcome in the tradition and how to talk to your kids about racism. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Soul of the Nation, we continue our series on White Christian Nationalism by welcoming pollster Robert P. Jones to the program. Jones is the president and founder of the Public Religion Research Institute, and the author of White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity. The Public Religion Research Institute takes the pulse of Americans each fall on a range of issues at the intersection of religion, culture and politics. This year, they covered attitudes about white Christian nationalism, systemic racism, abortion, gender and gender identity, QAnon, and critical issues for voting among others. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Soul of the Nation we continue our series on White Christian Nationalism by welcoming Andrew Whitehead, one of the foremost scholars of the movement in the United States. Andrew is the lead author of Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States, and a sociologist at Indiana University–Purdue University in Indianapolis. Whitehead’s research on Christian nationalism has been featured across several national outlets including The New York Times, NPR, The New Yorker and The Washington Post.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yale University sociologist and author Phillip Gorski explains how White Christian Nationalists wove together stories from the Bible to create a theological justification for white supremacy, how current economic and political conditions have created a perfect storm for White Christian Nationalism to thrive and why it is not just a fringe movement.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A political ideology is rising that distorts the Christian faith and America’s constitutional democracy — and poses dangers to both. This episode features an live event sponsored by Georgetown’s Center on Faith and Justice with: The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church; Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee; Dr. Samuel Perry, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Oklahoma. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is a recording of a TED-style talk Rev. Jim Wallis delivered this fall in Atlanta, Georgia. In it, Wallis talks about growing up in segregated Detroit as a young person -- and how crossing the color line educated him about the troubles and trials of Black life in America. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this very special episode of The Soul Of the Nation, we revisit our conversation with best-selling author Heather McGhee which was recorded in July of 2020 during the aftermath of the George Floyd murder and the beginning of the onslaught of COVID-19.How did white people justify racism for so long in this country? Heather McGhee, talks with Rev. Jim Wallis about the legacy of racism in the United States and the lies that allow America’s original sin to be perpetuated to this day.“The whitewashing and posthumous glorification of our society's agitators allows for contemporary people to pretend that they back in that time would have had a clear moral stance,” says McGhee. “And that, I think, is a temptation that allows people in the contemporary moment to justify their own ambiguity or hostility towards the agitators of today. So often in conversations with white people about Jim Crow and about slavery, they act as if, of course they would have been one of the good guys back then.... What is lost is how much the justifications for the status quo always evolve and change.”“There were reasons that good, upstanding, moral white people gave themselves and their children for why segregation made sense,” continues McGhee. “It was about crime. It was about poverty. It was about God's will. It was about the natural order of things. And when you focus on what the possible justifications could have been, as opposed to just saying, ‘old people in the past were evil,’ then you might start to recognize some of those same justifications for the status quo today.”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this very special episode of Soul of the Nation, we revisit our conversation with Robert P. Jones, from July 2020.Robert P. Jones, CEO and founder of the Public Religion Research Institute and the author of White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity, speaks with Rev. Jim Wallis about how white American Christianity and white supremacy collaborate throughout our nation's history. Jones says, "[Racism is] very, very deep in [white Christian] theology and it's going to take more than a couple of potlucks with the African American church down the street. It's going to take a serious reconsideration of evangelical theology top to bottom. I liken it to something like a bone marrow transplant. It's so deep that you basically have to kill the immune system and bring someone close to death in order to finally bring them to health. I think that's the situation we're in after hundreds of years of this being built into the very DNA of white Christian identity in this country."See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

E.J. Dionne, Jr. a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, syndicated columnist for the Washington Post, and Georgetown University professor explains how universal voting could help alleviate some of the deeper problems plaguing our democracy, including voter suppression, rampant polarization and political apathy. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on the Soul of the Nation, Jim Wallis speaks to Mark Magana, founder and CEO of GreenLatinos, a network of Latino environmental advocates, about why more than 80% of US. Latino voters say the global climate crisis is their greatest–or one of their greatest–concerns. Jim and Mark also spoke about how unprecedented barriers are being erected to disenfranchise Latino voters in several key states across the country and why some Latinos broke for Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Anne Nelson is author of the book “Shadow Network: Media, Money and the Secret Hub of the Religious Right,” which examines the history of a secretive group called the Council for National Policy. The council, a mix of money men, religious fundamentalists, political operatives and media moguls, includes Mike Pence, Kellyanne Conway and Wayne LaPierre of the NRA. As Nelson explains, its goals are curtailing civil and political rights for women and minorities, giving tax cuts to the rich, and white Christian domination of our politics. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kristin Kobes Du Mez, a New York Times bestselling author and Professor of History and Gender Studies at Calvin University, reveals why white evangelicals have become Donald Trump staunchest supporters, even after his lies about the election, his multiple affairs and his decidedly un-Christian behavior before, during and after his presidency. Challenging the commonly held assumption that the “moral majority” backed Donald Trump for purely pragmatic reasons, Du Mez reveals that Donald Trump in fact represents the fulfillment, rather than the betrayal, of white evangelicals’ most deeply held values. In her memorable phrase: White evangelicals say they love Jesus, but they follow the example of John Wayne. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

During her time at Fox News, Kirsten Powers once ground her teeth so hard that she cracked a molar. That was the Road-to-Damascus moment for the author and columnist when she decided that -- even when dealing with political adversaries– we must approach them with grace.“I am talking about this very transformative kind of grace, which is really for the people we don’t like and may even hate. Grace helps you see the humanity in them because you are separating them out from your rage and your anger about what they are doing,” says Powers.So how do we hold people in power accountable and call out political misdeeds without losing our sense of grace? Powers has some ideas.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dr. Eddie Glaude, chair of the Department of African American Studies at Princeton University, reveals how religion contributes to racial bigotry in America. “What are we fighting about? It's these basic ideas that all men and women are equal. White supremacy has overdetermined, distorted, disfigured democracy in this country,” says Glaude. “The situation that's at the heart of the rot of the polity isn't resolved.”Glaude and Rev. Jim Wallis discuss the need to shatter our illusions about the myth of equality and the role religion can play both in the redemption of American democracy. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In conversation with Rev. Jim Wallis recorded before a live audience at Georgetown’s Center on Faith and Justice, Rep. Jamie Raskin, who serves on the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, made international news when he said the investigation's findings will “blow the roof off the house.”“It is a story of the most heinous and dastardly political offense ever organized by a President and his followers and his entourage,” says Raskin. Raskin also spoke about the trauma surrounding the tragic death of his son and why our democracy is in peril.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Harvard professor Steven Levitsky, author of How Democracies Die, says, "Our politicians have not yet come to grips with the fact that the house is on fire, that our democracy is directly threatened. And that if we don't behave as if there is a crisis, if we don't step outside of the box of normal politics, we will lose. Or at least, we are at risk of losing our democracy."In order to preserve our democracy in the face of attacks by White Christian nationalists, Rev. Jim Wallis says that we need to build a "multi-faith, multiracial, and multi-generational” movement.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Representative Terri Sewell and Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock discuss their ongoing battle to protect voting rights for people who are at risk of losing their franchise to participate in our democratic elections.“People talk about how divided our country is,” adds Senator Warnock. “Both Democrats and Republicans are saying that something is broken in our Democracy. How can we not have a debate about it in the United States Senate?” Rep. Sewell urges all citizens, “to vote, volunteer, organize, turn out, and elect people who will do the right thing.”Listen to these two voting rights leaders advocate for the protection of the integrity of our democratic system of government.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.