Should politics be off-limits in church? Reverend Clay Stauffer doesn’t think so.

Two months after a member of his congregation was killed in The Covenant School shooting, Rev. Stauffer invited his community to gather in their sanctuary for a discussion about gun violence — a conversation most churches would rather avoid. Host Julie Rose talks with him about what compelled him to do it, why he believes churches should be “big tents” where people with different views can still talk and stay connected, and how avoiding politics in church might actually make divisions worse. They also explore why people of faith might be especially equipped to lead with empathy and peace.

Clay Stauffer is the senior minister at Woodmont Christian Church in Nashville, professor of moral leadership at Vanderbilt University, and author of “What the World Needs Now: Virtue and Character in an Age of Chaos.” Learn more about Dr. Stauffer’s work at https://claystauffer.com/.

What do you think? Should faith and politics mix or stay separate? Tell us in the comments, connect with us on social media, or share your thoughts at uncomfy@byu.edu.

Episode transcript - https://uncomfypodcastbyu.blogspot.com/2025/10/should-political-conversations-be.html

CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction
00:44 Meet Reverend Clay Stauffer
01:13 The Role of Church in Political Conversations
02:34 Addressing Political Violence and Incivility
06:15 Gun Violence and Community Safety
08:59 The Intersection of Faith and Politics
10:58 The Rise of Political Partisanship
12:58 Finding Solutions in Faith
14:11 Conclusion