Faithful Politics

Jeff Schoep spent 27 years in the neo-Nazi movement, eventually becoming the leader of the National Socialist Movement, one of the largest white supremacist organizations in the United States. After decades of promoting an ideology built around racial hatred, Schoep began questioning his beliefs following a series of unexpected encounters with people he once considered enemies.Today, Schoep works to help others leave extremist organizations. He joins Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram to explain how he became radicalized, what kept him in the movement for so long, and the experiences that eventually led him to abandon white supremacy.The conversation covers his involvement in the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, his encounters with Black musician and activist Daryl Davis and filmmaker Deeyah Khan, and the personal consequences of walking away from an ideology that had shaped nearly every part of his life.We also explore why public humiliation and confrontation can sometimes drive people deeper into extremism, how online echo chambers reinforce radical beliefs, and why curiosity, empathy, and what Schoep calls "relational dialogue" can create opportunities for people to reconsider deeply held convictions.Schoep's experience also offers insight into America's growing political polarization and the challenges of reaching people whose beliefs have become central to their identity.BOOKBook: American Nazi: From Hate to HumanityAuthor: Jeff SchoepBookshop.org: https://a.co/d/06c3LRdeSchoep also discusses his forthcoming book, Exiting Extremism: The Redemption of an American Nazi Leader, which he expects to be published in early 2027.GUEST BIOJeff Schoep is the founder and president of Beyond Barriers, an organization that helps people disengage from extremist groups, gangs, and other destructive movements. He previously led the National Socialist Movement, one of America's most prominent neo-Nazi organizations, and was involved in the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. After leaving the movement in 2019, Schoep publicly renounced white supremacist ideology and began working in extremism prevention and disengagement. He is the author of American Nazi: From Hate to Humanity, which documents his journey out of extremism.

Can America confront its history of racism and political division without forcing everyone to choose a side?Pastor, author, and Civil Righteousness founder Jonathan Tremaine Thomas joins Faithful Politics to discuss his book Make Straight the Path and his vision for what he calls "holy activism."Jonathan shares how the 2014 Ferguson protests following Michael Brown's death transformed his understanding of the church's responsibility in moments of racial conflict. He explains the "radical middle," a commitment to pursuing justice and reconciliation even when it means challenging your own political community.The conversation explores the similarities between the devotion surrounding Barack Obama and Donald Trump, Martin Luther King Jr.'s spiritual approach to nonviolent resistance, and the warning of Isaiah 58 about religious devotion without justice.Jonathan also makes the case for an American truth and reconciliation process, drawing lessons from Rwanda, South Africa, and Canada. He explains why acknowledging historical injustice, building relationships across political divisions, and taking responsibility for repairing communities are essential to meaningful reconciliation.BOOKBook: Make Straight the PathAuthor: Jonathan Tremaine ThomasBookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9781400256754GUEST BIOJonathan Tremaine Thomas is a pastor, activist, author, and executive director of Civil Righteousness, an organization focused on racial reconciliation, community renewal, and faith based engagement. His work was shaped by his experience during the 2014 Ferguson protests following the death of Michael Brown. He advocates for what he calls "holy activism," bringing spiritual conviction into efforts to address injustice and political division. His book Make Straight the Pathexplores reconciliation, the radical middle, and the responsibility of Christians to help repair divided communities.

EPISODE DESCRIPTIONYoung men and women are growing apart - politically, socially, and romantically. Daniel Cox joins Faithful Politics to explain why that divide is widening and what it could mean for relationships, community, and American politics.Cox is the director of the Survey Center on American Life and a senior fellow in polling and public opinion at the American Enterprise Institute. His new book, Generation Uncoupled, draws on decades of polling data and more than 100 hours of interviews and focus groups.We discuss why young women have moved left while young men have remained more politically unsettled, how abortion and Donald Trump are shaping Gen Z politics, and why young men could become a consequential voting bloc in the 2026 midterms. We also look at dating apps, online harassment, the decline of churches and other social institutions, the "friendship recession," and how social media algorithms can give men and women radically different pictures of each other.The larger question is what happens to a society when people have fewer opportunities to actually know one another.BOOKBook: Generation Uncoupled: America's New Gender Divide and the Crisis of Human ConnectionAuthor: Daniel CoxBookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9780593603437GUEST BIODaniel Cox is the founder and director of the Survey Center on American Life and a senior fellow in polling and public opinion at the American Enterprise Institute. He holds a PhD from Georgetown University and has spent two decades researching American public opinion. His new book, Generation Uncoupled, examines the growing divide between young men and women through polling, interviews, and focus groups, with particular attention to politics, dating, social media, friendship, and declining social connection.

For our October POV live show, Dr. Michael E. Heyes, religion professor at Lycoming College and author of Devils of Democracy, joins Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram to explore the history of demons and how beliefs about them have shaped Christianity, culture, and political movements.We trace the evolution of demonic imagery from the Bible and early Christianity through medieval monasteries, witch trials, and the spiritualist movements of the 19th century. Heyes explains how Abraham Lincoln was accused of being influenced by demonic forces and why some Americans once associated abolitionism and women's equality with the devil.The conversation also examines modern spiritual warfare, the New Apostolic Reformation, Bethel Church, the Seven Mountain Mandate, and the religious activity surrounding January 6.Along the way, we explore a consequential question: What happens to democracy and civil discourse when political disagreements become battles against supernatural evil?BOOKBook: Devils of Democracy: America's Love Affair with Political Demons from the Revolution to TodayAuthor: Michael E. HeyesBookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798341900936GUEST BIODr. Michael E. Heyes is an associate professor of religion and department chair at Lycoming College. His research examines the history of demons, religious imagination, and the ways supernatural beliefs influence social and political life. He is the author of Devils of Democracy: America's Love Affair with Political Demons from the Revolution to Today, which explores how Americans have used demonic language and imagery to understand political conflict. His work connects early Christian and medieval demonology with modern American religious movements and political rhetoric.

The religious vote is often treated as shorthand for white evangelical Christians. PRRI CEO and political scientist Melissa Deckman says that misses much of what is happening ahead of the 2026 midterms.Deckman joins Faithful Politics to examine which religious voters may actually be moving, including white Catholics, white mainline Protestants, Hispanic Catholics, and Hispanic Protestants. She explains why immigration and the economy are affecting Hispanic religious voters, how gender is reshaping politics among Christian women, and why younger Americans are increasingly disconnected from both political parties and organized religion. melissa-josh-willThe conversation also explores Christian nationalism, Gen Z, abortion, James Talarico and the emerging visibility of progressive Christianity in Democratic politics. Deckman also explains how to read political polling without being misled by small samples, margins of error, or surveys that confirm what we already want to believe.Book: The Politics of Gen Z: How the Youngest Voters Will Shape Our DemocracyAuthor: Melissa DeckmanBookshop.org: The Politics of Gen Z on Bookshop.orgGUEST BIOMelissa Deckman, Ph.D., is CEO of PRRI and a political scientist specializing in religion, gender, age, public opinion, and American political behavior. She previously served as the Louis L. Goldstein Professor of Public Affairs at Washington College and chaired its political science department. She is the author of several books, including The Politics of Gen Z: How the Youngest Voters Will Shape Our Democracy.