Sarah talks to Lydia Bean, author of
The Politics of Evangelical Identity, a study of how white evangelical political identity is shaped by
grassroots “folk theory” about what it means to be a good Christian. Lydia explains why evangelicals might
react differently to people coming from outside their religious “tent.” She talks about why evangelicals see their
messaging on issues like abortion and same-sex marriage as compassionate, even when outsiders may not. They discuss the
economic differences between American and Canadian evangelicals on issues like socialized medicine. Plus: Why
“faith-based” campaigning by Democrats falls flat, and how a new set of rhetorical tools
can change that.