What if justice — as we commonly understand it — isn’t enough? In this episode, theologians David True and Tom James, co-authors of The Transcendence of Desire: A Theology of Political Agency, join us to explore the limitations of liberal justice frameworks and the radical potential of love-as-desire.

We talk about the co-optation of justice under capitalism and how eros — not sacrifice — might be the generative ground of prophetic politics.

From Antigone’s defiant love to James Cone’s revolutionary longing, this conversation weaves together theology, political imagination, and the enduring question: what kind of power does desire hold in the struggle for liberation?

About Religion and Justice
Religion and Justice is a podcast from the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt Divinity School. We explore the intersections of class, religion, labor, and ecology, uncovering how these forces shape the work of justice and solidarity. Each episode offers space for investigation, education, and organizing through conversations with scholars, organizers, and practitioners.

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