In today’s secular, post-modern world, many Americans – even Christians – have settled for a transactional relationship with leaders in church, in government, and in our civic institutions. If those leaders give us what we want, when we want it, that’s all we ask of them.

But Marvin Olasky believes that character matters when it comes to leadership. He has studied great leaders in American history, from the founding era to today, and he has written about them in a fascinating new book called “Moral Vision: Leadership from George Washington to Joe Biden.”

Marvin Olasky probably needs no introduction to many of you. He spent nearly 30 years as editor in chief at WORLD Magazine, he served as the provost – which is the senior academic officer – for The King’s College, he was a tenured faculty member at the University of Texas, and he has served as a mentor to an entire generation of reporters and editors who are now making a difference in publications here and abroad. I should also disclose that I am one of them. Marvin has been a mentor and friend for more than 25 years. I worked for him when he was editor in chief at WORLD Magazine, I helped him revise his classic book “Prodigal Press,” and the journalism that we do here at MinistryWatch is a direct result of what I learned from Marvin.

So, with that too-brief introduction, here’s my conversation with Marvin Olasky.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Thanks for listening in today on my conversation with Marvin Olasky. His new book is “Moral Vision: Leadership from George Washington to Joe Biden.”

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Christina Darnell, Casey Sudduth, Stephen duBarry, and Kim Roberts.

Until then, may God bless you.