The Biggest Oversimplification in Politics with Hyrum Lewis

In this episode of Faithful Politics, Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram sit down with political theorist and historian Hyrum Lewis to challenge one of the most basic assumptions in American political thinking: the left-right spectrum.

Drawing from his work on The Myth of the Left and Right, Lewis explains why reducing politics to a single line fails to capture how people actually think and act. Instead of treating political identity as one fixed position, he argues for a more granular approach—one that looks at individual issues on their own terms.

The conversation moves beyond political labels into deeper questions about truth, history, and how we interpret the American founding. Lewis breaks down why both conservatives and progressives engage in preserving and changing society, and why those labels often obscure more than they clarify.

They also explore how history is used in modern political debates—especially around the claim that America was founded as a Christian nation. Lewis offers a nuanced framework for understanding the founders, arguing that while Christian ideas shaped the culture, the founding itself reflects a broader and more complex intellectual tradition.

The episode closes with a practical takeaway: how to think more clearly about politics, avoid false binaries, and engage issues with more precision and humility.

Guest Bio

Hyrum Lewis is a professor of history and political theory at Brigham Young University–Idaho, where he leads the American Foundations program. His work focuses on the history of ideology and how political ideas shape culture and society. He is the co-author of The Myth of the Left and Right and the author of There Is a God: How to Respond to Atheism in the Last Days. His research challenges common assumptions about political identity and encourages a more nuanced understanding of how beliefs are formed.

Relevant Links

The Myth of the Left and Right by Hyrum Lewis and Verlan Lewis

There Is a GodHow to Respond to Atheism in the Last Days by Hyrum Lewis