Shows / Zealots at the Gate
Zealots at the Gate
How do you disagree with substance, respect, and a spot of laughter? Is it possible for deep difference to be the uncanny glue of a free society, and not the spark for its conflagration? What does good-faith persuasion look like anymore? Zealots at the Gate from Comment explores these questions through the friendship of two men: Muslim political thinker Shadi Hamid and Christian theologian Matthew Kaemingk. Through frank, unapologetic dialogue interrogating the future of democracy and the role…
Episodes
- Zealots at the Gate
Have Progressives Found Faith Again?
When Michael Wear briefed senior political leaders, he always included a simple slide showing how many Americans identify as religious. Once, one of them…
- Zealots at the Gate
Evangelicals and Their Cultured Despisers
Join us as we talk with journalist and author Bonnie Kristian about her new book, In Defense of Evangelicalism. Kristian illuminates the societal trends toward…
- Zealots at the Gate
Holy Feminism? Muslim and Christian Feminists Discuss
Leah Libresco Sargeant and Hadia Mubarak join Matt and Shadi to discuss what feminism looks like within their respective commitments to Catholicism and Islam…
- Zealots at the Gate
Can Trump Bomb Iran Into Democracy?
Matt and Shadi's initiative, The Faith and Future of Democracy Initiative, is now housed at the Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at…
- Zealots at the Gate
9/11: Why We Remember That Day Differently
What are the lessons of 9/11? What does it mean to "never forget"? Join Matt and Shadi as they reflect on the fact that Muslims and Christians remember 9/11…
- Zealots at the Gate
A Christian Case Against Christian Nationalism
In the previous episode, Matthew and Shadi sat down with self-described Christian nationalist William Wolfe and gave him substantial room to articulate his…
- Zealots at the Gate
What Do Christian Nationalists Actually Want? — With William Wolfe
In one of their most revealing—and at times unsettling—conversations to date, Matthew and Shadi sit down with William Wolfe, a self-described Christian…
- Zealots at the Gate
The Lost Art of Political Moderation, with David Brooks
Join us as we talk with David Brooks, author and staff writer for The Atlantic. Brooks explores the tensions between political resentment and spiritual…
- Zealots at the Gate
What Does It Mean to Support Israel?
Evangelicals, historically, have largely supported the state of Israel. But is support waning? Why have evangelicals taken this stance, and what has changed?…
- Zealots at the Gate
The Politics of Falling Birthrates
Birthrates are falling drastically in many parts of the world. Why is this? And how does this trend relate to our political and religious lives in the…
- Zealots at the Gate
Why Democracy Needs Religion—Not "Spirituality"
Within our American context, "spiritual but not religious" is an increasingly popular title. It connotes rising above organized religion and opting instead for…
- Zealots at the Gate
How to Be a Muslim and an American
What does it look like for American Muslim communities to engage in the political landscape of the twenty-first century? In light of Republican and Democratic…
- Zealots at the Gate
A Muslim Reads C.S. Lewis
The book Mere Christianity, written by C.S. Lewis, is a staple for Christians and presents what many would argue are the core tenets of the Christian faith…
- Zealots at the Gate
Is There a Path Forward for Muslim-Jewish Conversations?
What do American Jewish-Muslim relations look like post–October 7? Does Jewish theology compel multifaith dialogue and a commitment to pluralism? American…
- Zealots at the Gate
A Christian Nationalist Changes His Mind
In an extremely polarized political landscape, how do we learn to change our minds? What happens when someone dedicates their entire career to the Christian…
- Zealots at the Gate
The Minds Behind the New Right
Underneath a bombastic and bumbling Donald Trump sits a world of radical right-wing intellectuals, shaping the ways we experience the MAGA movement today. How…
- Zealots at the Gate
Is "Wokeness" a Religion?
The Democratic Party is the home of the religious "nones." And yet it is also a bastion of wokeness and language policing. With its desire to maintain its own…
- Zealots at the Gate
MAGA's Spiritual Future
Conservatism in American politics has historically been tied to religious communities, bound by common concerns of morality and common values. As the MAGA…
- Zealots at the Gate
Muslims and Christians on Natural Law
Are there universal moral laws that bind all humanity? Are some things just right and wrong? In a polarized world, can we hope to agree on moral issues?…
- Zealots at the Gate
What Mormonism Reveals About America
The Mormon faith is deeply American in just about every way, and yet Mormons have never quite been accepted in America. Why? What is it like to be a Mormon in…
- Zealots at the Gate
What the Hell? The Fate of Non-Muslims
Are you afraid of hell? Do you know who's going there? We know that our beliefs about the afterlife can often influence the ways in which we treat so-called…
- Zealots at the Gate
The Seven Deadly Sins in our Divided Age
The seven deadly sins aren't just a relic of the past—they continue to shape the way we live, lead, and engage with one another. In this episode, Elizabeth…
- Zealots at the Gate
How to Lose an Election (Well)
That's it! I'm moving to Canada. After a long election season, many American voters will find it difficult to accept defeat. And while it is hard, democratic…
- Zealots at the Gate
Is There a Judeo-Islamic Tradition?
Muslims and Jews share more than either side might want to admit. Their monotheistic theology, their emphasis on law, and their long history of living…
- Zealots at the Gate
Do Muslims Fit in a Political Party?
Muslim voting habits in America have changed in the past, and they are changing again. What issues might draw them to the political right or left? Dalia…
- Zealots at the Gate
Can God Save Trump?
In the wake of an assassination attempt on Donald Trump, he and his followers have been discussing the role of God in sparing his life. Reflecting on his good…
- Zealots at the Gate
Learning to Disagree
Our many differences in religion and politics are not problems to be solved. In this episode we interview John Inazu, the author of a new book titled Learning…
- Zealots at the Gate
The Rise of the Secular Evangelicals
What is the political future of American evangelicalism? And what explains the rise of "secular" evangelical politics? Russell Moore is the editor-in-chief of…
- Zealots at the Gate
Do Muslims and Christians Worship the Same God?
Shadi Hamid and Matthew Kaemingk can't postpone the difficult question any longer. Do Muslims and Christians worship the same God? Their answers (and…
- Zealots at the Gate
A Muslim Goes to Wheaton
Shadi Hamid and Matthew Kaemingk visited Wheaton College (the so-called evangelical Harvard) to discuss faith, politics, and deep difference. Interviewed by…
- Zealots at the Gate
The Politics of Hell
"Hell is actually pretty underrated. I mean it, when it comes to democratic life, a belief in hell is quite helpful." Shadi kicked off a recent public lecture…
- Zealots at the Gate
Gaza and the Gods of Tribalism
How are American evangelicals and Muslims responding to the war in Gaza? More than half a year into the war, Shadi Hamid and Matthew Kaemingk discuss the…
- Zealots at the Gate
Gaza: A Political and Spiritual Reckoning
We're failing. The Israel-Hamas war is barely two weeks old and we are witnessing a collective religious failure. Christians, Muslims, and Jews alike are…
- Zealots at the Gate
How to Exorcise Your Political Demons
Political demons? Really? While everyone can agree that there's something terribly wrong with America's political culture, should we really describe it as…
- Zealots at the Gate
Islamic Feminism: An Oxymoron?
Can Muslims be feminists? Should they be? This week, we speak with Hadia Mubarak, a self-described Muslim feminist, about the role and place of women in Islam…
- Zealots at the Gate
A Catholic Socialist in a Secular World
Can the American Left make space for deep religious commitment? Elizabeth Bruenig, a 2023 Pulitzer Prize finalist, is one of the most prominent—and…
- Zealots at the Gate
How to Fight Political Burnout
Americans are politically exhausted. Shadi happens to be one of them. But he's taking action. In this special episode, our venerable co-host opens up about…
- Zealots at the Gate
Tinder and the Gods of Modern Sex
Welcome to a frank and thought-provoking discussion of the modern sexual marketplace and its discontents. Our guest and guide is Washington Post columnist…
- Zealots at the Gate
Crowning Charles: The Coronation and the Cross
The coronation of King Charles will take place in a Christian church. Within the context of worship, Charles will be anointed, blessed, crowned, and enthroned…
- Zealots at the Gate
Moral Progress and the Problem of Slavery
Neither Islam nor Christianity banned slavery. For the near entirety of human history, the greatest prophets, statesmen, and philosophers did not seem to…
- Zealots at the Gate
Swimming Against the Secular Stream
Ramadan isn't going great for Shadi Hamid. Fasting in a secular city is hard. Everyone else is running around being productive and well-fed while Shadi's…
- Zealots at the Gate
Why Fasting Is Good for Democracy
Muslims and Christians traditionally deny themselves during the holy seasons of Ramadan and Lent. To the modern mind, this might seem like an odd and…
- Zealots at the Gate
Prayer Is Political
What is the connection between prayer and politics for Muslims and Christians? Shadi Hamid and Matthew Kaemingk challenge each other with a series of tough…
- Zealots at the Gate
Does the World Need a Caliphate?
The caliphate is the traditional form of Islamic governance. Ever since the abolition of the last caliphate in 1924, Muslim thinkers have debated the revival…
- Zealots at the Gate
The Myth of Religious Violence
What do we mean when we call someone "religious"? Is there such a thing as "religious" power or "religious" violence? The answers to these questions appear…
- Zealots at the Gate
Muscular Muslims, Weak Christians, and a Response to Andrew Tate
Christianity in the West has grown soft and effeminate—or so says a growing groundswell on the right. These agitators argue that values like diversity and…
- Zealots at the Gate
Can Islam and Liberalism Coexist?
If Muslims are committed to shariah and liberals are committed to individual freedom, can these two worldviews really coexist? Our guest, the Islamic legal…
- Zealots at the Gate
Is Democracy a Mere System or a Way of Life?
We have ourselves a disagreement. A debate breaks out as our hosts discuss Shadi's new book, The Problem of Democracy. Shadi argues that we should see…
- Zealots at the Gate
Is Democracy God's Will?
Around the world, democracy is in crisis. Should Christians and Muslims work to protect and revive it? Neither the Bible nor the Qur'an mentions the word…
- Zealots at the Gate
Listening to Heretics
Diverse democracies are filled with "heretics"—citizens outside our religious and political tribes who dispute our vision of the good life and challenge all…
- Zealots at the Gate
The Case for Political Combat
Our most "combative" episode yet. Progressive secularism is on a winning streak. It has scored a number of significant political victories over those who hold…
- Zealots at the Gate
Against Political Certainty
Democracy is suffering from an overabundance of ideological certainty. Few citizens are willing (or able) to honestly express their doubts about their tribe…
- Zealots at the Gate
Zealots at the Gate
What's happening to our democracy? It feels like we're being torn apart by deep religious, cultural, and political differences. Welcome to Zealots at the Gate…