Cross purposes: Christianity’s broken bargain with democracy

What happens to American democracy if Christianity is no longer able, or no longer willing, to perform the functions on which our constitutional order depends? In his provocative new book “Cross Purposes: Christianity’s Broken Bargain with Democracy,” Brookings senior fellow and award-winning journalist Jonathan Rauch—a lifelong atheist—reckons candidly with both the shortcomings of secularism and the corrosion of Christianity. “Thin Christianity,” as Rauch calls the mainline church, has been unable to inspire and retain believers. Worse, a “church of fear” has distorted white evangelicalism in ways that violate the tenets of both Jesus and James Madison. What to do? For answers, Rauch looks to a new generation of religious thinkers, as well as to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has placed the Constitution at the heart of its spiritual teachings. 

On February 4, Governance Studies at Brookings hosted an event with Jonathan Rauch and Atlantic staff writer Christine Emba to discuss how Christianity’s crisis is making America ungovernable. 

Viewers submitted questions for speakers by emailing [email protected] and via Twitter at @BrookingsGov by using #CrossPurposes.