I’ve said for many years that the state of our public life both shapes and reflects the state of our souls.

What does our public life say about us? What does the broader public take away from how Christians act, and how they are represented, in public? The health of our politics is not determined, in the end, simply by the positions we take or which party is in power, but by the kind of people we are.

The problem in our public life is that, increasingly, Christians view public life and politics as a forum for conflict and antagonism, rather than service. Meanwhile, the public is losing confidence that Christians have or intend to make a positive contribution to our public life. The question is not whether Christianity will influence our future together as Americans, but how Christianity will influence our nation’s future. The future of American democracy is inextricably tied to the character of Christianity in this country.

Our hope is to gain a fresh hearing for Jesus in public life, for the good of the public. This vision can be realized. Now is not the time for Christian passivity or frantic action, but for joyful confidence. This is the beating heart of The Center for Christianity and Public Life