Can Religion Save Democracy? with Matthew Kaemingk and Shadi Hamid
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From the nation’s founding to today, Americans have wrestled with the question: What role should faith play in a democratic society? Many have argued that we should keep faith and politics separate–that less religion in public life would lead to a more peaceful and unified democratic nation.
Yet in reality, as religious practice has declined, our nation has grown increasingly polarized, anxious, and unstable. Can faith help us recover the trust and shared purpose that holds our diverse society together?
Our guests in this episode, Matthew Kaemingk and Shadi Hamid, argue that it can. Across their differences in faith, they agree that secularism has deepened our divides. They make the case that there is a hopeful common ground to be found, and that the resources of faith can help us rebuild our commitment to democracy.
This episode is drawn from an Online Conversation in 2026. You can view the video and other resources here!
Go deeper into the issues discussed in this podcast with these Trinity Forum Readings:
Sphere Sovereignty Abraham Kuyper
City of God St Augustine of Hippo
Letter from Birmingham Jail Martin Luther King, Jr.
Children of Light & the Children of Darkness Reinhold Niebuhr