Green Mountain Academy for Lifelong Learning (GMALL) welcomes Dartmouth College Professor Jeremy Sabella to talk about the history of defending democracy on religious grounds. In an era when the loudest religious voices openly support authoritarian figures and movements, it is worth remembering that some of democracy’s most vigorous defenders have done so on religious grounds. One such defender was the mid-twentieth century ethicist and political philosopher Reinhold Niebuhr, who drew on Christian understandings of human nature and social justice to assert the importance of defending democratic pluralism against fascism and communism. Niebuhr’s argument provided a template for the Vital Center Liberalism that shaped American political culture in the early Cold War period and steeled American resolve to uphold democratic values. Today, Niebuhr’s work helps us understand the root causes of authoritarian resurgence and offers insight into how religious categories and frameworks can bolster our commitment to democracy. This program will also be available online via live stream. Registration is $22 per person. For more information or to register, please call our office at 802-867-0111 or visit www.greenmtnacademy.org.