This discussion features theologians Stanley Hauerwas and Jonathan Tran exploring how Christians should think about and participate in politics. They reflect on their forthcoming book, Christians and the Promise of Politics, and challenge many common assumptions about the relationship between faith and political life in the United States.

They begin by critiquing Christian nationalism, noting that it exists not only on the political right, where it is most visible today, but also in more subtle forms on the left. Stanley’s earlier writings, particularly his 1986 essay “A Christian Critique of America,” anticipated many of the current conversations about Christian political identity. Jonathan Tran observes that while progressive Christians often critique the religious right, they may unknowingly carry their own version of nationalism under the guise of virtue and justice. He argues that the left’s confidence in the state’s ability to enact Christian values actually helped create the political involvement of the right, especially on polarizing issues like abortion and segregation. In their view, both sides have misused Christianity to pursue political power.

Hauerwas questions the shallow understanding of democracy often found in U.S. discourse. He challenges the idea that democracy is primarily about individual freedom or simply about voting. Instead, he insists that real democracy happens when those with the least power are given the most voice. Drawing on Paul’s teachings, he proposes a vision of democracy rooted in humility, trust, and a deep concern for the marginalized. Elections may matter, but they cannot replace the deeper conversations and commitments required for genuine democratic life.

At the heart of this discussion is the idea that the church itself is a political community. This doesn’t mean the church should align with a party or campaign, but rather that its practices—especially baptism—form people into a particular way of life. Baptism, for instance, is not only a spiritual act but a political one, because it reorients our identity and our loyalties. In contrast to modern liberalism, which encourages people to define themselves apart from history or tradition, the church invites people to be shaped by a shared story and community.

Marriage offers a clear example of this idea. In the church, marriage is a public commitment made before a community that will hold the couple accountable. It assumes that the couple doesn’t fully understand what they’re committing to, but trusts that the church will help them live into their vows. By contrast, state-sanctioned marriage tends to emphasize private choice and lacks any communal accountability. This contrast highlights how the church offers a different kind of politics—one rooted in long-term responsibility, shared life, and mutual care.

Trust is central to the church’s political witness, but trust is easily broken. The church must be a place where people speak the truth to one another, even when it’s hard. This requires honesty, coherence between words and actions, and a willingness to be accountable. When Christians fail to live in this way—especially in cases of abuse or scandal—their political witness is destroyed. Tran and Hauerwas agree that the greatest threat to Christianity is not an external enemy like nationalism, but the internal failure of the church to be what it claims to be. Hypocrisy, especially when it violates the vulnerable, undermines the gospel far more than political disagreement.

On the issue of voting, both speakers reflect with caution. Hauerwas once joked, “Don’t vote—it only encourages them,” but he still participates in elections, albeit with modest expectations. He sees voting as a limited tool, one that should follow serious moral and political conversation. Tran emphasizes that Christians shouldn’t withdraw from political life, but neither should they invest ultimate hope in it. The church must remember that true justice can only come from a kingdom rooted in love for God and neighbor, not in any earthly government.

Their vision of Christian political engagement is not one of disengagement or apathy, but of reordered priorities. The church’s first political task is to form people in the way of Jesus, shaping their values, relationships, and commitments. This formation may influence how Christians vote, but more importantly, it changes how they live and love in the world. Difficult conversations—about issues like abortion or racism—should not be avoided in church, but approached with humility and a shared identity in Christ. Unity doesn’t mean uniformity, and disagreement does not need to fracture the body of Christ.

The conversation also addresses the history of the church’s involvement in American politics, including its complicity in slavery. Both acknowledge that Christians used the Bible to both justify and oppose slavery. Tran notes that the recent politicization of the church, especially in the 20th century, has deep roots in both left and right ideologies. Hauerwas adds that the country’s founding in slavery and genocide leaves wounds that no political policy can fully heal, and that Christians must lead with confession and truth.

Finally, they reflect on the importance of difference within the church. Hauerwas critiques the term “diversity” as too abstract and prefers to speak of real differences shaped by history, culture, and suffering. He highlights the witness of African Americans, whose hospitality and forgiveness in the face of injustice have offered a profound model of what the church can be. For the church to be politically meaningful, it must be a community where real difference is not just tolerated, but seen as essential to its faithfulness.

Nonviolence is essential to this vision. Hauerwas emphasizes that violence ends conversation, while politics in the church must be built on conversation, mutual listening, and peace. This is why the civil rights movement, especially through the Black church, remains one of the most powerful examples of Christian political life. A church committed to nonviolence, truth, and community offers a radically different vision of politics—one grounded not in fear or power, but in trust, hope, and the love of Christ.