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Law professor and former prosecutor Corinna Lain returns to Faithful Politics to examine two disturbing developments in America's death penalty system: the botched lethal injection of Christa Pike in Tennessee and the Trump administration's proposal to publicly livestream the execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan. Drawing on her book Secrets of the Killing State, Lain explains why lethal injections fail, how execution protocols leave room for serious mistakes, and why the Supreme Court has allowed states to attempt executions a second time. We also discuss firing squads, the constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment, and the political appeal of public executions. The conversation turns to a larger question about justice, redemption, and whether the death penalty serves any meaningful purpose. Lain also explains why, despite renewed political attention, capital punishment has been declining in the United States. Book: Secrets of the Killing State: The Untold Story of Lethal Injection: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9781479832965 Author's book page: https://corinnalain.com/books/secrets-of-the-killing-state/ Bio: Corinna Barrett Lain is the George E. Allen Chair in Law at the University of Richmond School of Law, where she specializes in constitutional law, criminal procedure, and capital punishment. A former prosecutor and U.S. Army veteran, she is the author of Secrets of the Killing State: The Untold Story of Lethal Injection. Her research examines botched executions, government secrecy, and the constitutional limits of capital punishment. She has spent years investigating how executions are conducted and why lethal injection frequently fails to work as intended.

Pew Research Center's Greg Smith joins Faithful Politics to explain why Christians who share similar religious beliefs often vote for opposing political parties. With the 2026 midterms approaching, we examine the differences between white evangelicals, Black Protestants, Catholics, and religiously unaffiliated voters, and what those differences could mean for the election. Smith also explains why many evangelicals support Donald Trump despite questioning his personal religious commitment, why the economy matters more to religious voters than abortion or LGBTQ issues, and what Americans think about churches endorsing political candidates. We also discuss a surprising finding: most Christians believe people can disagree about Trump and still be good Christians. Guest Bio: Gregory A. Smith is Senior Associate Director of Research at Pew Research Center, where he studies religion in American life and its relationship to politics. He has helped lead Pew's major Religious Landscape Studies and has conducted extensive research on religious identity, political affiliation, and public opinion. His work provides insight into how Americans' religious beliefs and practices intersect with voting behavior, political priorities, and changing demographic trends. These Pew Research Center resources directly support the topics discussed in the interview. Religious Groups Differ Widely in Their 2026 Midterm Preferences - Gregory A. Smith's October 13 research, including the 73% Republican preference among white evangelicals and 74% Democratic preference among Black Protestants.How Americans Feel About Religion's Influence in Government and Public Life - Research on religion in politics, Christian nationalism, and church involvement in elections.Most Americans Think Churches Should Not Endorse Political Candidates - Historical polling showing 79% opposition to church endorsements in 2026.

Votebeat Editorial Director Jessica Huseman returns to Faithful Politics to discuss the security of America's elections andthe challenges facing voters and election officials ahead of the 2026 midterms. We examine concerns about federal interference at polling locations, voter registration problems in Texas, turmoil within Georgia's State Election Board, and allegations of widespread noncitizen voting. Despite growing public distrust, Jessica explains why election officials remain confident in the voting process and why many fears about election security exceed the actual risks. We also discuss misinformation, legal challenges, and why the biggest concerns may emerge after Election Day, when votes are counted and results are challenged. Check out what Votebeat has to offer: https://www.votebeat.org GUEST BIOJessica Huseman is the editorial director of Votebeat, a nonprofit newsroom focused exclusively on voting and election administration. She oversees reporting on election security, voting laws, voter registration, misinformation, and the challenges facing local election officials. Her newsroom investigates how election systems operate and helps journalists across the country access election experts through Votebeat's Election Expert Desk. A returning guest on Faithful Politics, Jessica brings detailed reporting and practical insight into the challenges facing American elections ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Democrats are favored to take back the House in the 2026 midterm elections, but does that mean the country is becoming more Democratic? And could Republicans still hold on to the Senate? Kyle Kondik, Managing Editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, joins Faithful Politics to break down the congressional election map and explain why 2026 could be an especially difficult year for Republicans. We discuss Trump's declining approval ratings, the economic consequences of the Iran war, rising gas prices, and whether Republican efforts to redraw congressional districts will deliver the advantages they expected. Kondik also explains why Democrats face a much harder path to winning the Senate, which states could determine control of Congress, and why even a decisive Democratic victory may say little about the 2028 presidential election. We also examine the reliability of political polling, what early voting can and cannot tell us, and what voters should watch for on election night. GUEST BIO Kyle Kondik is Managing Editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball, the nonpartisan political analysis newsletter published by the University of Virginia Center for Politics. He also serves as the center's Director of Communications. Kondik specializes in American elections, congressional races, electoral history, and political forecasting. He is the author of The Long Red Thread, examining the Republican Party's electoral advantages in U.S. House elections, and The Bellwether, which explores Ohio's historical role in presidential elections. His analysis helps explain the electoral trends and competitive races shaping control of Congress.

Republicans are facing a difficult 2026 midterm election, and even traditionally conservative states like Texas, Kansas, and Iowa are becoming competitive. But if Democrats win, will it be because voters support their agenda, or because Americans are increasingly frustrated with both political parties? Jessica Taylor, Senate and Governors Editor for The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, joins Faithful Politics to examine the races that could determine control of Congress and what is motivating voters heading into November. We discuss Trump's declining approval ratings, the economy, the war in Iran, immigration enforcement, and why some evangelical voters may be reconsidering their political loyalties. Taylor also explains why Democratic candidates like James Talarico in Texas and Pastor Adam Hamilton in Kansas are openly embracing their faith to reach voters traditionally aligned with Republicans. We also examine third-party candidates, redistricting, how Cook Political Report rates elections, and what the midterms could mean for the 2028 presidential race. Websitehttps://www.cookpolitical.com GUEST BIO Jessica Taylor is the Senate and Governors Editor for The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, where she analyzes congressional and gubernatorial elections across the country. Previously, she spent five years as a political reporter for NPR, covering presidential elections, Congress, and statewide races. Raised Southern Baptist in Tennessee, Taylor brings both political reporting experience and a personal understanding of conservative Christianity to her analysis of religious voters, the Republican Party, and the growing role of faith in Democratic campaigns.

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.BOOK Book: American Nazi: From Hate to Humanity Author: Jeff Schoep Bookshop.org: https://a.co/d/06c3LRde Schoep 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 Path Author: Jonathan Tremaine Thomas Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9781400256754 GUEST BIO Jonathan 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 Connection Author: Daniel Cox Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9780593603437 GUEST 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 Today Author: Michael E. Heyes Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798341900936 GUEST 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-will The 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 Democracy Author: Melissa Deckman Bookshop.org: The Politics of Gen Z on Bookshop.org GUEST 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.

What if America’s political polarization is connected to the decline of traditional religion? Christian theologian Matthew Kaemingk and Muslim political scientist Shadi Hamid make a provocative argument in their new book, Can Religion Save Democracy?: as religious participation has declined, Americans have increasingly looked to politics for identity, meaning, community, and even a struggle between good and evil. We discuss Christian nationalism, secularism, political tribalism, religious certainty, pluralism, and why democracy requires people who can lose elections, live alongside deep disagreement, and resist treating political opponents as enemies who must be destroyed. The conversation also explores epistemic humility - including the Islamic tradition of saying “God only knows” - and how Christianity and Islam might provide resources for disagreement without domination. Kaemingk and Hamid also explain why local religious communities may help develop the patience, humility, relationships, and “democratic table manners” that social media and national politics often fail to provide. Book: Can Religion Save Democracy? How More Faith - Not Less - Can Heal Our Public Life Authors: Matthew Kaemingk and Shadi Hamid Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9781587436895 GUEST BIOS Matthew Kaemingk is a Christian ethicist and public theologian, professor of public theology at Theological University Utrecht, and senior research fellow at Georgetown University. His work focuses on Christianity, Islam, pluralism, and public life. He co-hosts Zealots at the Gate with Shadi Hamid and co-authored Can Religion Save Democracy? Hendricks Chapel Shadi Hamid is a political scientist, Washington Post columnist, and senior fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, where he co-directs the Faith and Future of Democracy Initiative. His work focuses on Islam, democracy, political pluralism, and American politics. He co-hosts Zealots at the Gate and co-authored Can Religion Save Democracy?

Albert Mohler has spent decades as one of the most influential voices in conservative evangelical Christianity. Now he is arguing that America’s Constitution should explicitly acknowledge Christianity - a position Warren Throckmorton says represents a major departure from the Baptist tradition of religious liberty. Throckmorton joins Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram to examine Mohler’s evolving views on Christian nationalism, the Constitution, religious tests, and blasphemy laws. They discuss Mohler’s proposal that the constitutional order acknowledge the lordship of Jesus Christ and authority of Scripture, why Throckmorton believes that conflicts with the founding-era approach to religious liberty, and how Mohler’s position differs from Christian nationalist figures such as Doug Wilson. Warren Throckmorton The conversation also examines an important development: after criticism of his position on criminalizing blasphemy, Mohler said he had “blew it” and that theological judgments should be left to the church rather than government. He has continued, however, to defend constitutional acknowledgment of Christianity. BOOK Book: The Christian Past That Wasn't: Debunking the Christian Nationalist Myths That Hijack History Author: Warren Throckmorton Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798889835820 GUEST BIO Warren Throckmorton is an author and retired professor of psychology who taught at Grove City College. His recent work focuses on religion, politics, American history, and Christian nationalism. He is the author of The Christian Past That Wasn't: Debunking the Christian Nationalist Myths That Hijack History and co-author of Getting Jefferson Right. His current writing through The Throckmorton Initiative examines Christian nationalism, religious liberty, and competing claims about America's founding.

Latino Christians are often discussed as a voting bloc. Rev. Dr. Cristal Silva-McCormick and Dr. Daniel Montañez explain why that misses much of what is actually happening. Silva-McCormick, a professor at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary who researches Latino Christianity and Christian Zionism, and Montañez, founder and executive director of the Center for Public Theology and Migration, examine how theology, migration history, church authority, national identity, and the search for belonging shape Latino political life. The conversation explores why some Latino Christians have supported Donald Trump, how Pentecostal and evangelical theology can influence political identity, the role churches play in attitudes toward immigration, and how Christian Zionism has spread within Latino Christian communities. They also discuss biblical interpretation, undocumented immigrants who understand their own migration through the language of sin, the difference between what is legal and what is just, and why the idea of a single "Latino vote" obscures a much more complicated reality. GUEST BIOSRev. Dr. Cristal Silva-McCormick is Assistant Professor of Missions and Evangelism and Director of Latinx Studies at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Her work examines Latino and Latin American Christianity, migration, Christian Zionism, missions, and the relationship between theology and political life. Her forthcoming book with Orbis Books develops research from interviews with Latino Christians about Israel, Palestine, faith, and solidarity. Dr. Daniel Montañez is founder and executive director of the Center for Public Theology and Migration. His scholarship focuses on theology, ethics, migration, Latino Pentecostalism, and the experiences of undocumented pastors. He holds a PhD from Boston University School of Theology and co-edited The Church and Migration: A Theological Vision for the People of God.

Most Americans know Hobby Lobby as a craft store. Investigative journalist Michael Blanding says the bigger story is how the Green family has used the fortune behind the company to advance its understanding of the Bible in American law, culture, education, and politics. Blanding joins Faithful Politics to discuss his new book, The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby. We trace the family’s rise from an Oklahoma craft business to the 2014 Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Supreme Court case, which held that closely held corporations could receive protections under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. We also examine the Museum of the Bible, the Green family’s controversial acquisition of antiquities, relationships with conservative Christian organizations, Dominionism, Christian nationalism, and Blanding’s reporting on the museum as a gathering place for religious and political networks in Washington. The conversation asks a larger question running through Blanding’s book: what happens when sincerely held religious convictions are backed by billions of dollars and an effort to shape a pluralistic democracy? BOOKBook: The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby: Inside a Billionaire Family’s Quest to Craft a Christian Nation Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9781541703940 GUEST BIOMichael Blanding is an investigative journalist and author whose work has appeared in The New York Times, WIRED, Smithsonian, Slate, The Nation, and other publications. He is the author of The Map Thief, In Shakespeare’s Shadow, and The Gospel According to Hobby Lobby, which examines the Green family’s religious, cultural, and political influence. Blanding is a former senior writing fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights and a former senior fellow at the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism.

What happens when your political opponent becomes more than wrong and starts to look like an agent of evil? Religion scholar Michael E. Heyes joins Faithful Politics to trace America's long history of mixing demons with politics. From spiritualists, abolition and Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War era to Billy Graham, the Satanic Panic, modern spiritual warfare, C. Peter Wagner and the New Apostolic Reformation, Heyes shows how demonic language has repeatedly been used to explain political conflict and social change. We also explore why conspiracy theories thrive when complicated problems are reduced to cosmic battles, how suffering can make people more susceptible to othering, and what happens when Christians begin seeing themselves as soldiers fighting human opponents on God's behalf. The conversation ultimately raises a larger question: How do we recognize genuine evil without turning our neighbors, political opponents and fellow citizens into monsters? BOOKBook: Devils of Democracy: America's Love Affair with Political Demons from the Revolution to Today https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798341900936 The book was published September 15, 2026, by Broadleaf Books. GUEST BIOMichael E. Heyes is associate professor of religion and chair of the Department of Religion at Lycoming College. His research focuses on Christianity, demonology, monsters, religion and culture, including the ways ideas about demons have shaped American religious and political life. He is the author of Demons in the USA, Margaret's Monsters, and Devils of Democracy: America's Love Affair with Political Demons from the Revolution to Today. He earned his PhD in religious studies from Rice University.