Strong Gods: The End of the Long 20th Century

Are the "strong gods" returning to American life — and what does that mean for politics, Christianity, and civilization?

In this episode of Project Cosmos, host Johnny Burtka is joined by a distinguished panel of scholars to discuss NS Lyons' essay on the long 20th century and the Return of the Strong Gods — building on Rusty Reno's influential work. 

Guests:
Tom West — Paul Ermine Potter and Dawn Tibbetts Potter Endowed Professor of Politics
Khalil Habib — Allison and Dorothy Rouse Professor in Politics, Associate Professor of Politics
Miles Smith IV — Assistant Professor of History
Daniel O'Toole — Assistant Professor of Politics
Rich Bacigalupi — Director, Deany's Days Foundation

Timestamps:
0:00 – Introduction: NS Lyons & the Return of the Strong Gods
0:19 – Why the left calls conservatives "fascists"
3:58 – Malcolm X, identity, and strong gods on the left
8:08 – The structure of progressive movements: weak gods as the ideal
26:43 – Is traditional Christianity making a comeback?
43:09 – Two versions of Christianity & the immigration debate
1:08:37 – AI, Silicon Valley & the political realignment
1:09:24 – AI as a threat to elections and public opinion
1:31:19 – Can the republic be saved? The role of the statesman

Project Cosmos is a production of ISI — the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. Visit isi.org to learn more about our educational programs on Western and American civilization.