As religion’s hold on American public life has weakened in the past couple of decades, political polarization and ideological extremism have risen dramatically. If there was a secular dream, it was that as traditional religions recede from modern life, a more rational and inclusive form of secular politics would emerge. The secular dream has become a nightmare. The more “secular” America becomes, the more its political culture appears to resemble a holy war.

John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics professor John Inazu will moderate a candid conversation between Shadi Hamid and Matthew Kaemingk on the possibility and tragedy of democracy in a “post-religious” America. A committed Muslim and a committed evangelical, Hamid and Kaemingk are collaborating on a new research project in which they are exploring the ways in which their respective faiths might contribute to the renewal of democratic life.

RSVPs appreciated to rap@wustl.edu