What does it mean to call someone the “father” of a nation—and what happens when that father is more complicated than legend allows? Watch this conversation on YouTube . Russell welcomes renowned historian H.W. Brands for a conversation on his newest book, American Patriarch: The Life of George Washington. Washington was a man formed by ambition and concern for character, but from the myth of praying at Valley Forge to the quiet realities of Washington’s faith, his life is often incorrectly perceived through a filter of our modern era. The truth about his leadership and life has more nuance than we realize.   Brands helps uncover a leader who believed in providence but resisted religious spectacle, who embodied authority not through charisma but through consistency. And perhaps most strikingly, a man who understood power well enough to walk away from it. But the conversation isn’t just about the past, It’s about the kind of leadership we recognize in the present (and the kind we are missing). In an age marked by distrust in institutions and suspicion of motives, Washington’s example raises uncomfortable questions we should reckon well with: Can character still command respect? Can authority still be earned rather than performed? And are we even looking for the kind of leaders who would rather leave than stay? Resources mentioned in this episode: American Patriarch: The Life of George Washington — H.W. Brands Keep up with Russell: Subscribe to Russell on Substack Sign up for the weekly Moore to the Point newsletter  Submit a question for the show at questions@russellmoore.com  Subscribe to the Christianity Today Magazine: Special offer for listeners of The Russell Moore Show: Click here for 25% off a subscription. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices