Democracy

Instead of being a force of division as argued by many pundits, religion can be a balm to a polarized country if we are willing to separate religious beliefs from their accompanying practices and ethics.  Besides anchoring faith, religious practices and ethics can embody and enliven a democratic community by showing us how to live in and between different politics of sacred value.      Read More

U.S. Congressman David Price (D-NC) and Vanderbilt experts on American politics participated in a candid conversation charting the transformation of Congress. Vanderbilt political scientists Alan Wiseman and Larry Bartels  will share their expertise with Rep. Price in a lively discussion laced with anecdotes and analysis from his book “The… Read More

For more than 55 years, White House Fellows have made important contributions to American democracy, and this program can serve as a model for those seeking to push back on polarization. Read More

Viewed through the lens of developmental psychology, the United States can be seen as a late-stage adolescent as opposed to a nation in decline. This analogy may help explain some of the recent vicissitudes in American popular and political culture, and theories of developmental psychology may help chart a path toward reducing polarization.  Read More

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The place of faith in public life has been hotly debated as promising and perilous since our nation's founding, and the relationship of church and state remains contentious to this day—and for good reason. Too often, Christians end up shaping their faith to fit their politics rather than forming their politics to their faith. They seem to forget their calling is to be used by God in service of others rather than to use God to reach their own desires and ends. Faith can be a redemptive, healing presence in the public square—as it must be, if our nation is to flourish. Read More

Thank you for viewing the May 25 book launch of Faithful Presence: The Promise and the Peril of Faith in the Public Square, now available wherever books are sold.  Read or listen to an exclusive excerpt from Faithful Presence, selected by Gov. Haslam for the Vanderbilt Project… Read More