How Differences Can Lead to Healthy Politics with Luke Bretherton

When most people hear the word "politics," their minds immediately go to partisan battles, ideological divisions, and the dysfunction of 24-hour news cycles.

This episode challenges the conventional notion of politics. Instead of focusing solely on partisan battles, ideological divides, and the often chaotic media cycle, it explores a more profound perspective with guest Luke Bretherton, a professor at Duke University and an expert in moral and political theology.

Bretherton wants listeners to see politics as something that's a part of human nature, not just about political parties or policies. Everyone engages in politics in some way as social beings, and it's up to them whether they do so constructively or destructively. The question is whether people will form common life respectfully through relationships of give-and-take, or take destructive paths that undermine their ability to live together in diversity.

Join host Kaitlyn Schiess and Luke Bretherton in this episode as they present an inspiring vision of how faith and citizenship can become unifying forces rather than divisive ones, grounded in the virtues of understanding and respecting others.

In this episode, we highlight the following themes:
✅ The theological meaning of politics and Christian nationalism
✅ Expressing Christian beliefs in a pluralistic society
✅ Founding community through relationships, not nationalism

Links from this episode:
✅ Get to know more about Luke Bretherton: divinity.duke.edu/faculty/luke-bretherton
✅ Check out Bretherton’s book, “A Primer in Christian Ethics:”
www.amazon.com/Primer-Christian-Ethics-Christ-Struggle/dp/1009329022/ref=sr_1_1

For its fifth season, hosted by Kaitlyn Schiess (kaitlynschiess.com), The Disrupters podcast from IVP asks the question, "What does it mean to disrupt ourselves?" Join Kaitlyn as she explores the ways that Christians can prepare themselves—spiritually, emotionally, and relationally—to faithfully disrupt the church and the world. Pastors, scholars, activists, and therapists share their own experiences of formation and transformation to educate and inspire listeners who seek lasting change, both within themselves and in their communities.

Other links
✅ Special offer: Visit ivpress.com (www.ivpress.com) and use the code IVPOD25 for 25% off any IVP resource mentioned in this episode.
✅ Producers: Maila Kim, Helen Lee (ivpress.com/helen-lee), Travis Albritton, and Andrew Bronson
✅ Sound Engineering: Honest Podcasts (honestpodcasts.com)
✅ Social Media Manager: Allie Noble
✅ Production Assistant: Isis Toldson
✅ Podcast Art: Kate Lillard
✅ Theme Song: "People" by Lightmuzik

==== Time Stamps ====

00:00 - Introduction
01:00 - About Luke Bretherton
07:56 - Insights and influence on understanding politics
12:23 - Challenges of expressing Christian convictions in politics
14:37 - Learning from diverse relationships shapes personal identity
17:41 - Balancing openness with deep understanding of Christianity
23:15 - Atonement, salvation, debt, and human relationships
25:10 - Navigating Christian nationalism in public life concern
28:02 - Challenges in grounding the political community's foundation
32:03 - Importance of interpreting scripture and avoiding historical mistakes
37:24 - Christological humanism opposes declension and dominatory projects
40:40 - Christians' historical consciousness
43:09 - Local politics comes first, not national agenda