Today is the day! My new book CAN RELIGION SAVE DEMOCRACY? is officially out — co-authored with the Evangelical theologian @matthewkaemingk and more importantly my friend. There’s no feeling quite like holding your book after years of toil, excitement, and occasionally doubt. If you're intrigued and perhaps even a bit skeptical, please consider ordering a copy below. We argue that secularization has not made our politics more rational or reasonable. The opposite has happened. In losing our religion, politics has come to resemble a holy war. And we argue that lessons from Islam and Christianity can provide us a better path forward and help us be better democratic citizens. We’re not asking anyone to convert, but we are asking readers to be open to the possibility that religion at its best can play a constructive role in our public life. Christianity and Islam allow us to "delay judgment" of our fellow citizens because final judgment is only God's alone. If God is all-knowing, we are anything but. If we recognize that we are mere mortals who are tempted and broken by sin, then that should allow us to hold a posture of humility about whether we're right and whether others are wrong. We see through a glass darkly. There's also a strong utilitarian argument for religion. The religiously affiliated are more likely to give to charity and volunteer. They're even less likely to cut in line. They drink and smoke less. They are more likely to be married and have kids, which in turn leads them to be happier on average compared to their secular counterparts. We have mixed feelings about the utilitarian argument. First and foremost, Matthew and I believe in Christianity and Islam because we believe they are true. In that sense, we disagree on the most profound theological questions regarding the very nature of God. But despite that — or perhaps because of it — we felt it was important to write this book together. amazon.com/Can-Religion-Save…

We're doing a Goodreads giveaway for our new book CAN RELIGION SAVE DEMOCRACY? "This book is original and profound" — David Brooks Enter now to get a free copy at the link below! goodreads.com/giveaway/show/…