Episode 495: The False Gospel of Democracy with Robert Tracy McKenzie

Should churches stop live-streaming their services and return to in-person worship? A recent editorial by Tish Harrison Warren has gotten a lot of negative reactions from chronically ill and disabled people who value online worship. What does the debate say about our theology of the church? ABC has suspended Whoopi Goldberg for her comments about race and the Holocaust. Is Judaism a race, a religion, an ethnicity, or something else?

 

Some Christians are praising Stephen Colbert for talking about how his faith informs his comedy on his talk show, while others are criticizing him for not explicitly sharing the gospel. Who’s right? And David Brooks’ recent NY Times article about the evangelical leaders trying to save their movement makes the Holy Post crew ask—When do we try to fix a ministry and when do we leave it? Then, Skye talks to history professor Robert Tracy McKenzie about his new book “We the Fallen People” about what the Founders really believed about democracy and the virtue of the American people. He explains how Americans lost the Founders’ belief in human depravity and exchanged it for a false gospel that affirms the inherent goodness of people and democracy, and how that explains the challenges we are now experiencing in our politics.

News Segment:

 

0:00 - Intro

4:29 - Should churches stop live-streaming services?

Tish Harrison Warren article: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/30/opinion/church-online-services-covid.html

Skye’s video, “Why You’re Sick of Church” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TqmTugUfT0

16:52 - Whoopi Goldberg’s comments on race and the Holocaust

26:01 - Stephen Colbert on faith and comedy

36:47 - Institutions - when to fix and when to leave

David Brooks article: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/04/opinion/evangelicalism-division-renewal.html

 

Interview with Robert Tracy McKenzie:

“We the Fallen People: The Founders and the Future of American Democracy” - https://amzn.to/3gvwP5J

Patreon Bonus Interview - https://www.patreon.com/posts/62311740/

56:04 - Interview Start

57:57 - “Democratic gospel” definition

1:02:02 - Founders’ beliefs about democracy and human nature

1:12:46 - “The Great Reversal”

1:20:21 - Jackson and unchecked democracy

1:23:22 - Christianity and partisanship

1:26:03 - Imperial presidency concerns

1:30:08 - End

 

The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.