Good Faith

Will the Midterms Be a Tourniquet, a Cure, or Something Else Entirely? Does who wins Congress matter? What happens to American democracy after the midterms may be up for grabs. Good Faith "founding friend" and New York Times columnist David French joins Curtis Chang to look beyond the 2026 midterm scoreboard and explore what the elections could mean for presidential power, political extremism, and the church's public witness. They discuss the limits of congressional checks on President Trump, the Texas Senate race between James Talarico and Ken Paxton, and why restoring trust requires more than a partisan victory. David and Curtis also offer practical ways Christians can move to active participation—and a call to pray for justice, repentance, and reconciliation. 01:28 - David Forecasts the Midterms 06:45 - Can a Democratic Congress Check the President? 13:10 - The Republican Party's Future and Moderate Candidates 17:48 - Institutional Damage and Constitutional Checks 22:47 - Election Integrity and the Risk of Close Results 30:22 - The Need to Move from Spectatorship to Participation 35:50 - Speaking Up in Evangelical Churches 41:08 - Is Texas a Signal for Faith and Politics? 46:23 - Why Do Candidates Like Adam Kinzinger Struggle? 51:03 - David's Call to Prayer Find this episode on our website: Good Faith episode 255 Sign up for The After Party course Mentioned in This Episode: Good Faith ep. 252: David French: Can We Trust the Supreme Court? David French's The 'God Gap' Is Narrowing in Texas Virginia debate Ratifying Convention: Article 2, Section 2, Clause 1 Congressal authority to judge its members' elections/qualifications: Article I, Section 5 Learn more about The After Party course Scriptures: Jeremiah 29:7 (ESV) 1 Timothy 2:1–2 (ESV) More From David French: David French's New York Times pieces HERE Follow David French on Threads Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Can the Next Generation Do Politics Better Than We Have? Being angry on the internet isn't activism. So what actually makes a difference? Sharon McMahon, "America's government teacher" and author of The Small and the Mighty and host of the Preamble podcast, joins Curtis Chang to explore how we can help the next generation do politics better and build a healthier democracy in the process. They discuss raising engaged citizens, choosing character over party loyalty, and loving our neighbors—even when they're our enemies. With the midterms approaching, Sharon offers a practical path from political frustration to local civic engagement, reminding us that hope begins with believing our actions matter. 00:54 - Welcome and Why Civic Formation Matters 05:53 - Norm Mineta and Modeling Public Service 09:27 - Teaching Young People to Vote Thoughtfully 14:21 - Can Civic Engagement Form Character? 18:04 - Choosing a Community Focus 23:55 - Loving Enemies Without Accepting Harm 34:04 - Helping College Students Speak Up 38:30 - Civic Education During a Constitutional Crisis 41:26 - Is Hope an Active Choice? 43:55 - Helping One Person at a Time Apply to be Good Faith's next Director of Marketing Sign up for The After Party course Mentioned in This Episode: Sharon McMahon's The Small and the Mighty Sharon McMahon's We Are Mighty More about Norman Mineta Executive Order 9066: Resulting in Japanese-American Incarceration (1942) Read the Constitution and the Preamble (transcript) Scriptures: Matthew 22:34-40 and Matthew 5:43-48 (ESV) Matthew 6:10 (ESV) More From Sharon McMahon: Sharon McMahon's website Sharon McMahon's The Preamble podcast Sharon McMahon's The Preamble Newsletter Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Your "Safe" College Major May Be an AI Dead End Could AI make your college degree obsolete while making your plumber more valuable? Curtis Chang and Andy Crouch explore how artificial intelligence is disrupting higher education and the future of work—and why skilled trades and embodied human abilities may be safer bets. They also examine the rise of AI therapy and explain why chatbots can offer useful advice but can never replace human connection, spiritual community, and forgiveness. 02:36 - Declaring Personal Educational Backgrounds 13:26 - The Risk of "Cutting Edge" Education 15:37 - Computer Science: A Good Bet Turned Bad? 19:49 - Advice for Today's College Students 27:11 - The Role of a Teacher in the AI Age 30:54 - What About First-Generation American Students 35:27 - The Value of Skilled Trades 38:08 - The Intellectual Life of the Working Class 42:38 - The Real-World Value of Skilled Professionals 44:26 - What About AI as a Mental Health Tool? 47:35 - The Limits of AI in Providing Human Connection Apply to be Good Faith's next Director of Marketing Sign up for The After Party course Mentioned in This Episode: Notre Dame's DELTA: Human Formation in the Age of AI Jean Lee Latham's Carry On, Mr. Bowditch Jonathan Rose's The Intellectual Life of the British Working Classes Matthew Loftus' Resisting Therapy Culture Good Faith episode 245: When Mental Health Goes Too Far with Matthew Loftus RAND study: Use of Generative AI for Mental Health Advice Among US Adolescents and Young Adults Ronald Heifetz's adaptive-leadership framework More From Andy Crouch: Check out Andy's website Check out Andy's work at Praxis Read Andy's book: The Life We're Looking For Read Andy's book The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Miracles, Heartbreak, and the Fight Against Human Trafficking Nearly 50 million people remain trapped in modern slavery—but International Justice Mission founder Gary Haugen believes it could end in our lifetime. He joins host Curtis Chang to explore how IJM fights human trafficking by transforming broken justice systems, where God is amid horrific evil and patient prayer, and how Christians can stop watching from the sidelines and join the fight. 02:23 - The Evolution of IJM's Strategy of Strengthening Local Justice Systems 08:30 - US Complicity in Global Slavery 13:48 - The Impact of Unpredictable US Government Action 18:24 - Is Their a Contradiction in Evangelical Support? 24:23 - The Role of Miracles in Fighting Evil 28:56 - Waiting For Prayers to Be Answered 33:51 - The Dangers of Christian Hero Worship 45:26 - A Call to Action Against Modern Day Slavery To give to Good Faith: https://goodfaith.org/donate Mentioned in This Episode: Gary Haugen's biography IJM's work fighting trafficking and slavery IJM's response to the State Department funding pause U.S. State Department Trafficking in Persons Report Global Estimates of Modern Slavery Child trafficking and forced labor on Ghana's Lake Volta Good Faith episode 224: Francis Collins and Kristine Torjesen Scriptures: Matthew 5:16 (ESV) Matthew 25:14–30 (ESV) International Justice Mission: Get involved with IJM Pray with IJM Support IJM's advocacy work IJM resources for churches Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

Why Are We So Lonely Even When We're Not Alone? Host Curtis Chang talks with psychologist and podcaster Dr. Alison Cook about why America's loneliness epidemic can't be solved by simply adding more people to our lives. They explore how attachment wounds, anxiety, distraction, and modern life leave us disconnected—and how solitude and honest prayer can become paths toward healing. Dr. Cook offers a practice for loneliness: "recognize and return"—name what you feel, then remember, "I am loved even here." 02:46 - Why Do We Minimize Loneliness? 05:12 - What Is Attachment Theory? 10:31 - Childhood Wounds and Cultural Context 13:42 - Where God Enters the Healing Process 16:14 - The Inner Dialogue with God 20:44 - The Importance of Solitude 27:20 - The Modern Epidemic of Loneliness 35:16 - Loneliness as a Holy Longing 39:22 - Spiritual Practices for a Healthy Inner Life To give to Good Faith: https://goodfaith.org/donate Mentioned in This Episode: Dr. Cook's The Secure Soul: Finding Inner Strength and Connection When Trust Doesn't Come Easy The U.S. Surgeon General's report: Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation Professor Irvin D. Yalom's Existential Psychotherapy Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Life Together Scriptures: Psalm 42 (ESV) Psalm 131 (ESV) Psalm 139 (ESV) Genesis 2 (ESV) Romans 8 (ESV) More From Alison Cook: Dr. Alison Cook's Website Dr. Alison Cook's The Best of You podcast Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

How Does Therapy Culture Undermine True Healing? Host Curtis Chang talks with physician and author Matthew Loftus about how therapeutic language can distort ordinary suffering, turn disagreement into "gaslighting," and leave people feeling less capable of changing their lives. They examine the overmedicalization of grief and anxiety, the rise of mental health culture in schools, and why churches risk losing their purpose when pastors start acting like therapists. **This is not an attack on therapy or psychiatric medication. It is a provocative conversation about when mental health care becomes a worldview—and whether our relentless focus on feeling better is actually making us sicker. 02:10 - Therapy Practice vs. Therapy Culture 03:52 - The Importance of Personal Experience 06:34 - The Three Elements of Therapy Culture 10:09 - The Problem with Focusing on Mental Health 13:22 - The Suggestive Power of Diagnosis 15:30 - A Christian Understanding of Suffering 17:57 - Finding Solace in the Midst of Suffering 21:40 - The Role of Medication in Mental Health 25:49 - Knowing When Therapy Becomes Unhelpful 28:30 - The Unique, Healing Functions of the Church 32:21 - How Parents Can Counter Therapy Culture in Schools 35:01 - A Final Word of Encouragement To give to Good Faith: https://goodfaith.org/donate Mentioned in This Episode: Matthew Loftus's Resisting Therapy Culture Curtis Chang's Anxiety Opportunity Kathryn Greene-McCreight's Darkness Is My Only Companion What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? Further Reading: DSM5 and the Medicalization of Grief: Two Perspectives (article) Matter over mind: How mental health symptom presentations shape diagnostic outcomes Effectiveness of school-based mental health programs on mental health among adolescents Scriptures: Romans 8:38–39 (ESV) More From Matthew Loftus: Matthew's website Matthew's writing at Mere Orthodoxy Matthew's articles at Plough Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.

What Does the Confederacy's Legacy Mean for the Modern South and Christian America? Host Curtis Chang and New York Times columnist, and Good Faith podcast "founding friend," David French confront the enduring power of the Confederate myth. David reflects on growing up as a white Southerner in a culture shaped by Confederate symbols, revisionist history, racial injustice, and a deeply rooted shame-and-honor code. Curtis, a Chinese American immigrant, brings an outsider's perspective that challenges familiar assumptions about heritage, memory, and belonging. Together, they examine Confederate monuments, the theological defenses of slavery, the meaning of "heritage, not hate," and whether honest historical reckoning can lead to redemption and reconciliation. 02:51 - Curtis Congratulates David on the Birth of His Latest Grandchild 05:54 - Why Does the Confederacy Still Matter? 10:12 - The South's Distinct Cultural Cohesion 22:19 - "Heritage, Not Hate": A White Southern Perspective 29:52 - Race, Religion, and Revisionism in the South 42:13 - The Resurgence of Explicit Racism 47:20 - What to Do with Confederate Memorials 56:32 - Repenting of Southern Shame-Honor Culture 01:01:32 - Institutions Founded on Injustice Can Carry Spiritual Darkness Sign up for The After Party Informational Webinars Sign up for The Good List Mentioned in This Episode: Learn about the Tulsa Race Massacre Learn about The Great Migration Watch MLK50 Conference (video) More about General George H. Thomas More about the Southern Baptist Convention and slavery What is Kinism More about the South's resistance to Reconstruction Read the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Watch: Selma and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (video) Scriptures: Ephesians 6:12 (ESV) Colossians 2:15 (ESV) Luke 10:25–37 (ESV) Matthew 20:16 (ESV) Matthew 10:39 (ESV) More From David French: David French's New York Times pieces HERE Follow David French on Threads Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.