Theological reflection opens the social imaginary to the hopeful possibility that the future will NOT, inevitably, be the present extended into perpetuity. If democracy has a future, economic power will need to either restrain itself (ha!), or be restrained.

We continue the conversation on democracy, drawing, again, on religious and spiritual truth about human beings and repentance. Healing and justice in the story of race in our country-- and fulfilling the promise of democracy-- require the insights of theological anthropology, which give us understanding of the mystery of the human heart.

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Much stilted and unimaginative thinking, in Christian circles, limits the deep descriptive power of "corporate sin" to illuminate our shared public life. While the concept of sin contains within itself a cluster of meanings that function internally to those who are Christian, the explanatory power of "corporate sin," used as an interpretive tool, can deepen public conversations about racism in our country, even with and among those who do not have a Christian religious commitment.

Such is the work that accompanies bringing religious concepts into the public square in a pluralistic society: the work of interpretation, of translation.

Chris says "No" to the question our title asks; Shayna pushes back. Running underneath the conversation is the acknowledged reality that American democracy's future is far from certain. 

Alexis de Tocqueville observed American democracy (such as it was) in the 1830s, and wondered if we could sustain it. Religion (such as it was) was part of the story he told; religion was a force in society without which, he thought, democracy would seed its own destruction. Was he right?

We begin again with an introductory tease for a series of shows on American democracy. What is the story? Is there a future? Does God have any interest in American democracy?