This conversation between Belvedere and Roberts presents a compelling case for the historical and contemporary role of Protestantism in sustaining American democracy, but it also invites critical scrutiny of its assumptions and implications. **Steelman:** The strongest version of this narrative is that mainstream Protestantism once served as a vital cultural and moral backbone for democracy, fostering civic virtue, equality, and reform movements. Its decline—framed as "disarray"—has left a void ...