In this extensive interview, we welcome Joseph “Jody” Bottum as a new Praxis Circle Contributor. Renowned author and social commentator, Bottum engages in a wide-ranging conversation covering topics like the loss of religious language, the influence of Protestantism on American history, and the critical role America plays on the global stage. Bottum’s insights offer a deep and thoughtful reflection on America’s past, present, and future, exploring the intersection of faith, politics, and culture in ways that are both challenging and enlightening. Watch the full interview above and explore some key highlights below.
The Importance of Belonging to a Place
In our conversation, Bottum reflects on his roots in South Dakota and the deep sense of identity that comes with being tied to a specific place. He contrasts the anonymity of big cities, like New York, where people can reinvent themselves, with the grounding nature of smaller towns where personal connections and family heritage carry more weight.
For Bottum, there’s a moral dimension to maintaining a connection to one’s origins. He advocates for the preservation of local accents and customs as a form of resistance to fleeting trends—keeping one’s accent is a declaration of resilience, representing an individual’s ability to stay rooted and unmoved by the winds of cultural change.
The Necessity of Community and Shared Language
Transitioning our discussion to what makes a coherent worldview, Bottum states that “you can’t have a worldview by yourself.” He elaborates that just like language, a worldview is meaningful only when it is shared within a community. This shared vision encompasses everything from eternal truths to the way we interact with each other in daily life, all bound together by intellectual consistency. A coherent worldview must attempt to account for all aspects of reality—from science to religion—and avoid the “doctrine of double truth,” which creates divisions between different kinds of knowledge. Bottum emphasizes that scientific truths and religious truths must ultimately be reconciled if they are to be part of a unified worldview.
Bottum points out that our society lacks a coherent worldview today, where “people scream their individual truths at one another,” but fail to create meaningful dialogue. His concern lies in the fragmentation of truth, where everyone is so focused on their own perspectives that they can no longer communicate effectively or find common ground.
The Importance of Language in Truth
Bottum also touches on the idea that there is “no truth outside of language.” Truth and falsity, in a technical sense, are attributes of propositions that exist only within language. He emphasizes that we live in a community, and the truths we hold exist within a shared society. Truth must be both objective and collectively recognized, making it impossible for truth to be purely personal, or for individuals to claim something as “my truth.” In fact, Bottum sees the current tendency to frame personal beliefs as individual truths as a significant cultural issue that fosters isolation rather than community.
For Bottum, a healthy worldview is one that embraces a broad spectrum of perspectives but still holds onto a shared language and truth. He draws from American pluralism, emphasizing that the richness of diverse experiences should contribute to this shared worldview rather than fracturing it. Bottum’s ideal is a worldview that celebrates the “madness” of America’s diversity while also fostering mutual understanding and respect.
In summary, Bottum underscores that truth, language, and community are inseparable in the creation of a meaningful worldview. As society continues to grapple with fragmented truths and individualism, his insights offer a path forward: cultivating a shared sense of reality, rooted in both intellectual and social unity.
The Need for a New or Resurrected Vocabulary
As Bottum notes, this loss of a shared language creates an urgent need for either a new vocabulary or a return to an older one. He suggests that modern society, especially among educated believers, has lost the ability to articulate a principled defense of American values like freedom, religion, and exceptionalism. He asserts that this is not due to a lack of conviction but a loss of the necessary vocabulary. As Bottum explains, these values, deeply rooted in American history, have drifted from their original metaphysical and religious foundations. Without a shared language to express these concepts, society struggles to defend them in the face of modern challenges.
Bottum raises the question of whether America needs a new narrative and vocabulary to reconnect with its Judeo-Christian heritage or whether a revival of the old language might suffice. He references John Courtney Murray, a prominent Catholic thinker from the late 1950s, who sought to reconcile Catholicism with American ideals, particularly American exceptionalism. For Bottum, Murray’s work highlights the importance of having a vocabulary that bridges religious tradition and national identity, allowing believers to defend values like freedom and exceptionalism in an intellectually coherent way.
The loss of this shared language, Bottum argues, leaves society vulnerable. He cites the example of same-sex marriage, where the Church and its defenders were unable to articulate a metaphysical argument against it. The debate was reduced to legal equity, a framework insufficient to address deeper moral questions. Without the vocabulary to explain why traditional marriage matters or even why gender differences are important, society has moved toward a place where even fundamental distinctions, such as those between men and women, are questioned.
Bottum warns that this erosion of language is a symptom of a broader dissolution of meaning. He points out that while the political left has been adept at creating new language and narratives, the right, particularly those defending traditional values, has struggled to keep pace. This failure to evolve the language has made it difficult to engage in meaningful cultural debates. Bottum calls for either the creation of a new, comprehensive vocabulary or a return to the older, more metaphysical language that once provided a robust defense of American religion, freedom, and exceptionalism.
Ultimately, Bottum believes that without a shared vocabulary, society risks losing the ability to defend its core values. Whether through resurrecting old language or crafting new narratives, he emphasizes the urgent need for a coherent framework that can help people understand and defend the principles that have long defined the American experience.
The Erie Canal Thesis and Protestant Influence
In discussing the religious history of America, Bottum introduces his original “Erie Canal Thesis,” which sheds light on the critical role Protestantism has played in shaping the nation. He observes that much of American religious history, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries, moved through upstate New York—home to the Erie Canal and a region rich with religious innovation and revival. The Erie Canal Thesis posits that many of America’s most significant religious movements—such as Mormonism, Seventh-day Adventism, and the revivalist movement—emerged from this area, which came to be known as the “burnt-over district.” Bottum argues that by understanding the state of Protestant religion at any given point in American history, one can better grasp the nation’s sociopolitical developments.
From the Great Awakening that fueled revolutionary fervor, to the abolitionist movements rooted in the Second Great Awakening, Protestantism has repeatedly driven significant social change in America. Bottum contends that even in modern times, understanding the state of Protestant religion is key to interpreting cultural shifts, such as the emergence of the Woke movement.
The Fourth Great Awakening
Bottum offers a compelling analysis of what he terms the “Fourth Great Awakening.” He suggests that, over the past 50 years, America has been on the verge of a religious revival that never quite materialized—until now. In Bottum’s view, the Woke movement represents the latest manifestation of this spiritual hunger. Drawing parallels to Jonathan Edwards’ description of the First Great Awakening, Bottum notes that these movements often begin with the young, driven by a desire for moral seriousness and spiritual meaning. In the absence of traditional religious structures, this hunger has found expression in political movements like Wokeness, which promises moral clarity but lacks the theological foundation to provide true guidance.
While every Great Awakening in American history has resulted in significant sociopolitical consequences, Bottum argues that the full impact of this Fourth Great Awakening remains to be seen. He warns, however, that it may lead to dangerous outcomes if not tempered by a return to deeper religious and philosophical traditions.
Would the World Be Worse Off Without America?
When posed with the question of whether the world would be worse off without America, Joseph Bottum offers a resounding “yes.” Reflecting on an experience he had years ago at a conference at Notre Dame, Bottum recalls listening to fellow Catholics criticize America as a force for evil in the world. Fed up with their defeatist rhetoric, he passionately responded, arguing that abandoning America’s role in the world would have dire consequences. For all its flaws, Bottum contends, the United States has been a significant restrainer of evil, and its absence would be deeply felt.
Bottum acknowledges that, like every nation, America is imperfect. Governments are inherently flawed, and no state can achieve perfection in this world. In this sense, he admits that America, too, can be seen as “evil,” because no human institution can fully escape the limitations and failures of fallen humanity. However, he is quick to point out that this does not negate America’s overall positive impact. While no country can be a utopia—the “New Jerusalem” where peace and justice prevail eternally—America has played a crucial role in maintaining global stability and restraining much greater evils from emerging.
In his impassioned defense, Bottum warns that those who dismiss America’s significance will regret it if the nation’s influence wanes. Without America, the world would likely see an increase in violence, chaos, and human suffering. Bottum’s metaphor of “abandoning the watchtowers” is a stark reminder of the moral responsibility that comes with America’s global position. For him, America may not be perfect, but it is a necessary force for good, and abandoning its role in world affairs would lead to far worse consequences.
Conclusion
Our interview with Jody Bottum offers a rich exploration of America’s political and spiritual landscape. His ability to weave together historical insight, philosophical reflection, and literary creativity makes this interview a truly thought-provoking and engaging discussion. Not only is this interview insightful, but it is filled with intrigue and mirth, particularly with the reading of Jody’s original poems of which two he offered a special reading. We’ll conclude by sharing two of clips below. Thank you, Jody, for joining the worldview conversation!
