One Nation Under God? Heschel, Niebuhr, King and the Intersection of Religion and Politics in America
Part of the series “America at 250: Jewish Ideas and the American Experiment”
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With Dr. Arnold Eisen, Chancellor Emeritus; Professor of Jewish Thought, JTS, and
E.J. Dionne, Journalist, Harriman Chair in American Governance, Brookings Institute
A frank and wide-ranging conversation between two admirers of these great religious leaders about the fateful linkage of politics to prophecy in America from the “greatest generation” until our own day. Focusing on the intertwined legacies of Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Joshua Heschel, and Reinhold Niebuhr, the discussion will explore how their distinct approaches to prophecy, justice, and political responsibility continue to shape American public life.
About the Series
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, the JTS Summer 2026 Learning Series will explore the rich and surprising intersections between Jewish thought and American life. From baseball and youth culture to constitutional law, storytelling, and democratic theory, leading scholars reveal how Jewish ideas, texts, and experiences have shaped—and been shaped by—the American experiment.
