Revisiting his 2004 essay “The Soul of a Nation,” Wilfred McClay describes the importance of civil religion—from holidays like Thanksgiving, to such symbols as the flag, to the sense of a unique American mission—in the life of the United States. He explores American civil religion’s origins in the writings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and New England Puritan thinkers, its roots in the Judeo-Christian tradition, its relevance in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks, and his fear that it is disintegrating in the face of deep political and cultural divisions. (Interview by Jonathan Silver. Audio, 46 minutes. Options for download and streaming are available at the link below.)

Mary Margaret Olohan has spent much of her career in journalism covering demonstrations of various kinds. Since October 7, she has attended numerous anti-Israel gatherings, an experience she discusses with Robert Nicholson and Dominique Hoffman. Olohan explains the ways protestors intimidate outsiders, the online instruction booklet for protests distributed by Students for Justice in Palestine, the systematic avoidance of any condemnation of Hamas, and much else. To this, she contrasts her experience at the joyous yet serious November 14 rally for Israel. Olohan also talks about how her own Christian faith has influenced her journalism. (Audio, 61 minutes.)