/ en /news/2024-10/live-discussion-david-french-what-do-evangelical-christians-want-liberty-or-authority <span>Live Discussion with David French: What Do Evangelical Christians Want, Liberty or Authority?</span> <span><span>Andrew J Schappert</span></span> <span>Mon, 10/14/2024 - 15:12</span> <div class="layout layout--gmu layout--twocol-section layout--twocol-section--70-30"> <div class="layout__region region-first"> <div data-block-plugin-id="field_block:node:news_release:body" class="block block-layout-builder block-field-blocknodenews-releasebody"> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item"><p><span class="intro-text">In the 1970s and 鈥�80s, David French said, the idea of the separation between church and state began to fray due to 鈥渟ome of the constitutional overreach that occurred. Governments became way too vigorous in suppressing religious expression in public places, up to and including private religious expression.</span></p> <figure class="quote"><span><span>鈥淣ow we鈥檝e moved into a world where a number of Christians are saying, 鈥榣iberty isn鈥檛 enough鈥攚e also want authority.鈥欌€�</span></span></figure><figure role="group" class="align-right"><div> <div class="field field--name-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img src="/sites/g/files/yyqcgq291/files/styles/small_content_image/public/2024-10/david-french-400x400.png?itok=tiMUSXee" width="350" height="350" alt="A bald man with eyeglasses and a short white beard gazes away from the camera." loading="lazy" /></div> </div> <figcaption>New York Times columnist David French. Photo provided.</figcaption></figure><p><span><span>That apparent evolution in contemporary religious thinking is the theme of French鈥檚 talk on Monday, October 21, at 7 p.m., when the <em>New York Times</em> columnist addresses 鈥淟iberty or Authority? Christian Political Engagement at the Crossroads鈥� in Merten Hall, Room 1201, on 海角社区鈥檚 Fairfax 海角社区. The event is free, and no registration is required.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>The appearance is cosponsored by the <a href="http://schar.gmu.edu/">Schar School of Policy and Government</a> and the Department of Religious Studies at the <a href="https://chss.gmu.edu/">College of Humanities and Social Sciences</a>.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>The talk will appeal to 鈥渕embers of the George Mason community who want to understand the vicissitudes of contemporary evangelical Christianity,鈥� said Professor <a href="https://religiousstudies.gmu.edu/people/jturne17" target="_blank">John Turner</a>, who is the chair of the Department of Religious Studies and will introduce French. 鈥淒avid French understands the fervency and anguish that characterize contemporary Christian engagement with politics.鈥�</span></span></p> <p><span><span>A <em>Times </em>conservative columnist who has been critical of Donald Trump, French is a former Harvard Law School-trained constitutional lawyer and an Army Reserve veteran of the Iraq War. His military service and legal expertise often inform his perspectives on issues related to national security, military ethics, and foreign policy.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>鈥淔rench has been a fearless advocate for free speech, religious liberty, and a principled politics in which character and virtue matter more than partisan victories,鈥� Turner said.聽 鈥淎lmost all Americans admit that we need to make more of an effort to talk with people across partisan and ideological boundaries. Few journalists and activists do that better than David French.鈥�</span></span></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="layout__region region-second"> <div data-block-plugin-id="inline_block:call_to_action" data-inline-block-uuid="26610c19-d246-4c1e-be46-8c7e5637ac62"> <div class="cta"> <a class="cta__link" href="https://schar.gmu.edu/why-study-here/admissions/request-more-information"> <h4 class="cta__title">Request Schar School program information <i class="fas fa-arrow-circle-right"></i> </h4> <span class="cta__icon"> <div class="field field--name-field-cta-icon field--type-entity-reference field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Icon</div> <div class="field__item"><div> <div class="field field--name-field-media-font-awesome-icon field--type-fontawesome-icon field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Icon</div> <div class="field__item"><div class="fontawesome-icons"> <div class="fontawesome-icon"> <i class="fas fa-info-circle" data-fa-transform="" data-fa-mask="" style="--fa-primary-color: #000000; 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