In this first episode of a special eight-episode series called “Politics discerned differently,” Dr. Turman and Dr. Denison discuss the importance of understanding and engaging in politics from a biblical perspective, the role of Christians in political discourse, and how to maintain faith and civil responsibility during this unprecedented political season. 

They also talk about the historical context of democracy, the moral foundations of politics, and practical ways to balance political engagement with spiritual growth. This conversation is designed to equip and encourage Christians in navigating today's political landscape.

• (01:13): Historical Context and Personal Reflections
• (05:09): Denison Forum's Mission and Vision
• (06:22): Discerning Politics Biblically
• (11:30): Christianity and Democracy: A Complex Relationship
• (22:08): Principles for Christian Political Engagement
• (28:35): Politics as a Reflection of Culture
• (35:09): Political Denominationalism and Partisanship
• (39:45): Balancing Political Engagement and Spiritual Life
• (42:46): The Impact of Media and Social Consumption
• (45:27): Healthy Political Engagement for Christians
• (51:51): Understanding Winning in a Democratic Republic
• (57:15): The Stakes of the Upcoming Election

Episode Transcript (PDF)

Related Denison Forum Podcasts: 

• How to be a good citizen of heaven and America: A conversation with Jim Denison
• An invitation to “The After Party”: Reframing Christian engagement in politics with David French and Curtis Chang
• Why must Christians be civil in uncivil times?
• When politics get extreme, what should Christians do? A conversation with Tim Alberta

Related Denison Forum articles & resources: 

• Respectfully, I Disagree by Dr. Jim Denison - Audiobook - Audible.com
• Respectfully, I Disagree (E-Book) From
• The lost art of civility • Denison Forum
• Election 2024: Discern politics differently
• With a contentious election looming, our lack of trust could be our undoing
• How can Christians respond redemptively to election turmoil?
• How the church can weather oncoming political storms

Other trusted resources: 

• The After Party: Toward Better Christian Politics - Redeeming Babel
• Divided We Fall: America's Secession Threat and How to Restore Our Nation
• The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism: Alberta, Tim
• Truth Over Tribe: Pledging Allegiance to the Lamb, Not the Donkey or the Elephant
• Exiles: The Church in the Shadow of Empire
• Ballot and the Bible: How Scripture Has Been Used and Abused in American Politics and Where We Go from Here
• My Faith Votes

Jim Denison, PhD, is a cultural theologian and the founder and CEO of Denison Ministries. He speaks biblically into significant cultural issues at Denison Forum. He is the chief author of The Daily Article and has written more than 30 books, including The Coming Tsunami, the Biblical Insight to Tough Questions series, and The Fifth Great Awakening.

Dr. Mark Turman is the Executive Director of Denison Forum and Vice President of Denison Ministries. Among his many duties, Turman is most notably the host of The Denison Forum Podcast. He is also the chief strategist for DF Pastors, which equips pastors and church leaders to understand and transform today’s culture.

Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, The Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.