Episode · Honestly with Bari Weiss · 2025-04-22
Books mentioned on Can America Survive Without Christianity?
In the past few weeks, Bari has done two episodes on religion—one asking, “Do we need a religious revival?,” and then a follow-up conversation with Ross Douthat asking how people who grew up in the secular West can actually find faith.
Bari Weiss discussed Cross Purposes by Jonathan Rauch. Jonathan Rauch recommended American Heretics by Jerome E. Copulsky.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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Cross Purposes
Cross Purposes by Jonathan Rauch is a thoughtful examination exploring the intersection of modern democracy, civic institutions, and the evolving role of religion in American society.
Discussed“In this new book of yours called Cross Purposes, which is a wonderful title, you ask a simple question, which is why has America become ungovernable?”
Where to get it
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American Heretics
American Heretics by Jerome E.
Recommended“There's a wonderful new book about this by Jerome Kapolski called American Heretics about how the founders had to actually face down some attempts by Christians who were very unhappy that the country wasn't named as Christian”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (1) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
Plugged Cross Purposes
“Jonathan Roush is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and he just wrote a book called Cross Purposes: Christianity's Broken Bargain with Democracy.”