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Dr. Melissa Deckman, CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) and political scientist specializing in gender, religion, and public opinion, joins host Leah Payne, author of God Gave Rock and Roll to You: A History of Contemporary Christian Music (Oxford University Press, 2024) and host of Spirit & Power: Charismatics & Politics in American Life.

In this Sunday interview, Leah Payne talks with Dr. Melissa Deckman about PRRI’s February 2026 release of findings from the 2025 American Values Atlas—a massive nationwide survey (22,000+ adults across all 50 states) that maps the reach of Christian nationalism and its intersections with race, religious practice, party, geography, age, education, media trust, and attitudes toward political violence.

Deckman explains what PRRI means by “Christian nationalism,” why PRRI measures it with a five-item scale (instead of asking people whether they identify with the label), and what the data can—and cannot—tell us about religion and politics in the U.S. today.

• Mapping Christian Nationalism Across the 50 States (Insights from PRRI’s 2025 American Values Atlas)

• Charismatic Revival Fury: The New Apostolic Reformation (Matthew D. Taylor / Axis Mundi Media)

• Right Wing Watch on Sean Feucht and federal partnerships tied to America’s 250th anniversary programming

• Dara Delgado, “Black Pentecostal and charismatic Christians are boosting their visibility in politics — a shift from the past”

• Melissa Deckman, The Politics of Gen Z: How the Youngest Voters Will Shape Our Democracy,(Columbia University Press)

• Melissa Deckman, School Board Battles: The Christian Right in Local Politics, (Georgetown University Press)

• Ansley Quiros, Ph.D., PRRI Spotlight: Why Black Americans Identify as Christian Nationalists: Religiosity, Theology, and History Matter

• Michael R. Fischer Jr., PRRI Spotlight, Understanding Differences Between Black and White Christian Nationalism Adherents and Sympathizers

Links and resources mentioned
Find Dr. Melissa Deckman at PRRI, LinkedIn, Substack and BlueSkyFind Dr. Leah Payne at drleahpayne.com, subscribe on Substack, follow her on most social media platforms at @drleahpayne, and listen along at Spirit & Power: Charismatics & Politics in American Life, and Rock that Doesn’t Roll: the Story of Christian Rock

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