For over a year, major news networks tracked the number of Americans contracting and dying from the coronavirus. All of this is happening amid devastating loss of life. In the face of such big and complex social problems, the empty quest for materialism and pleasure seeks to fill or give meaning to the rampant nihilism we have unleashed on ourselves and each other. Then there is persistent violence at every level of human and social interaction from domestic violence and rape to mass shootings. There are also gross economic inequities and poverty that affects millions of lives. There is a stubborn refusal to right the wrongs of past and present around issues of race, political dysfunction in Washington that is more beholden to corporate interests than the people, and a hyper-partisan “tribalistic” two-party system that is tearing the country apart. If we peel back the layer and look closer, we see a more troubling picture of the nature of the American crisis. Biden says this is a battle for the soul of the nation, he is not using it religiously but as a synonym for character.” Biden’s insistence that we are in a fight for the soul of America sought to draw attention to America’s moral character and implicitly suggested a very real possibility that America was in danger of losing its soul. In an October New York Times article, Elizabeth Dias noted “From the start, his campaign message has been one of broader morality, versus specific policy or ideology” also quoting presidential historian Jon Meacham who said, “When Mr. It requires moral leadership, something Biden is attempting to provide. These leaders understood that seminal moments require more than political leadership, more than politics as usual. Kennedy who understood the broader spiritual significance of their presidencies. It was reminiscent of past presidents such as Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt and John F. It was striking to hear a presidential candidate talk in such ways about an election. It’s about winning the heart and, yes, the soul of America.” -Joe Biden during the Democratic National Convention

“This campaign isn’t just about winning votes.

America is not the heart