Podcasts about american public life

Melissa Rogers joins the podcast for a conversation about how each of us can take steps to promote religious freedom and the common good in the United States today. After leading the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships in the Obama and Biden administrations, she shares her inside perspective on government, where we are right now, and how people can truly make an impact. Our religious freedom protects everyone's right to bring their faith to the public square, and you won't want to miss this conversation about opportunities we have as Americans to engage government at all levels and express ourselves in the face of injustice.    SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 00:38): The genius of our constitutional protections for religious freedom Melissa Rogers served as the executive director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships in the Obama and Biden administrations. You can click here to read her extensive biography. She is the author of Faith in American Public Life, published in 2019. She has been on two earlier BJC podcasts: Respecting Religion, S2, Ep. 06: What's next? The Biden administration and religious liberty (2020) The Dangers of Christian Nationalism series, episode 9: Religious freedom, church-state law and Christian nationalism (2019), alongside Rabbi David Saperstein. You also can watch a video of that podcast.  NOTE: On April 21, we released a special podcast episode recorded at the same time as this conversation, focusing on the case of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia and the rule of law. Click here to hear that portion of the conversation.    Segment 2 (starting at 10:09): Our current moment as a country Here are links with more information from this portion of the conversation:  Melissa discussed the work of the federal government to protect places of worship. Protecting Houses of Worship is a helpful resource on this topic from the CISA (the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of the Department of Homeland Security).  She also mentioned the Biden-Harris administration's work on countering hate. One example is the United We Stand Summit in 2022: Taking Action to Prevent and Address Hate-Fueled Violence and Foster Unity. Click here to read more about the summit, or click here to watch the full summit proceedings. In addition, the Biden-Harris administration released the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Antisemitism in 2023, and the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Islamophobia and Anti-Arab Hate in 2024. Learn more about BJC's Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign at ChristiansAgainstChristianNationalism.org.   Segment 3 (starting 16:52): Practical ways to take action  Here are a few resources and organizations to connect with if you are interested in responding to governmental actions, including by sharing information about their impact on you or your community:  DOGE cuts: Have you been impacted by DOGE cuts? Share your story with the Center for American Progress Article published by The Century Foundation: We Led Federal Agencies. Here Are 10 Ways That President Trump and Elon Musk's Attacks on Federal Workers Will Hurt You by Mark Zuckerman, Julie Su, Lauren McFerran, Gayle Goldin, Rachel West, Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Ruth Friedman, Carole Johnson, Viviann Anguiano, Kayla Patrick and Loredana Valtierra Information on various lawsuits challenging governmental actions: Melissa mentioned the lawsuit challenging the recission of the “sensitive locations” guidance as a violation of religious freedom protections under the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). Read more about the lawsuit on our website, which is being led by Democracy Forward. Another lawsuit on sensitive locations is also being pursued by a group led by the Institute for Congressional Advocacy and Protection.  You can find more information about this and other pending lawsuits here: Updates from Democracy Forward  Just Security's litigation tracker  Legal actions of CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) Resource on how to protect democracy: Protecting Democracy's Faithful Fight Toolkit Interested in calling your congressional representatives about issues you care about? Here's how you can find their contact information:  Click here to find your representative in the U.S. House Click here to find your U.S. Senators Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. Your gift to BJC is tax-deductible, and you can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

What if everything you've been taught about America's founding was incomplete? What if our monuments, buildings, and founding documents contain evidence of a deeply Christian heritage that has been systematically erased from public education?This episode takes listeners on a fascinating journey through America's architectural treasures – from the biblical inscriptions inside the Washington Monument to the Ten Commandments engraved above the Supreme Court chamber, from paintings of prayer and Bible reading in the Capitol Rotunda to the towering Forefathers Monument in Plymouth that few Americans even know exists.The evidence is literally carved in stone: America was founded as a Christian nation. Fisher Ames, who worded the First Amendment's Establishment Clause, believed the Bible should be the primary textbook in schools. John Jay, our first Supreme Court Chief Justice, stated that Christians have both the privilege and duty to elect Christian leaders. These weren't religious extremists but the very architects of American liberty.As we explore these forgotten monuments, we also examine how Bible illiteracy has allowed revisionist history to flourish. Without knowledge of Scripture, we miss countless biblical references in our founding documents, presidential addresses, and national symbols. This knowledge gap has enabled the false narrative of America as a secular nation from its inception.The episode weaves together this historical exploration with timeless spiritual wisdom from the book of Philemon about free will, love, and our relationship with Christ. Jesse emphasizes that just as Paul wouldn't force Philemon to free his slave but appealed to his heart, God doesn't force our love either – He offers it freely, waiting for our response.Whether you're a history enthusiast, a person of faith concerned about America's direction, or simply someone who wants to understand the complete story of our national heritage, this episode will challenge assumptions and inspire a deeper appreciation for the biblical principles woven throughout American history. Listen, learn, and consider how reconnecting with these roots might help secure liberty for future generations.Support the showThe American Soul Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/1791934/subscribe

The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent BacoteAs the lines between faith, politics, and patriotism have become, in some quarters, increasingly blurred, it is increasingly important to understand the origin, ideas, and consequences of Christian Nationalism — what it means, why it matters, and how best to respond.“Responsible Christian patriots try to show how Christianity can be a service to the nation; extreme nationalists make Christianity a servant of the nation.” - Mark Noll“If you think about the cross: patriotism, rightly construed from a Christian point of view, will put the flag at the foot of the cross. Christian nationalism wants to drape the [flag] over them. So is God serving your country, the sponsor of your country, or are you, as a Christian, operating wherever you are and having loyalty, but not your primary loyalty to your country over God?” - Vincent BacoteWe hope you find this conversation insightful and helpful as you consider the state of our culture and shared political life, and your role in reviving responsible Christian patriotism.This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation recorded in June of 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here. Learn more about Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind by Mark NollGod and Race in American Politics: A Short History, by Mark NollThe Civil War as Theological Crisis, by Mark NollIn the Beginning Was the Word: The Bible in American Public Life, by Mark NollThe Political Disciple, A Theology of Public Life, by Vincent BacoteReckoning with Race and Performing the Good News, by Vincent BacoteThe Spirit in Public Theology: Appropriating the legacy of Abraham Kuyper, by Vincent BacoteRelated Trinity Forum Readings:A Narrative of the Life of Frederick DouglassCity of God by St. Augustine of HippoChildren of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold NiebuhrLetter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.Related Conversations:Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval LevinThe Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent BacoteThe Decadent Society with Ross DouthatScience, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis CollinsBeyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene RiversJustice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac PierHealing a Divided Culture with Arthur BrooksAfter Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan HaidtTrust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie KristianHope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt ThompsonTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

This month we continue our series on speech and censorship by discussing a famous critique of free speech from the left. My guest and I dig into Herbert Marcuse's famous essay and try to make sense of its critique of tolerance and free speech. We discuss Marcuse's background and role as a leading thinker of the New Left. We also analyze Marcuse's goal of liberation or autonomy, his understanding of the relationship between speech and action, his use of the term totalitarian, and his understanding of the duty of the intellectual.Our guest is Professor Alexander Duff. Alex is a scholar of the history of political philosophy, focusing on the ontology and psychology of statecraft and politics. He was trained at the University of Notre Dame, where he earned his Ph.D. from the department of Political Science and was educated in the humanities and history at Carleton University, Ottawa. He is the author of Heidegger and Politics: The Ontology of Radical Discontent (Cambridge University Press) and numerous articles on classical, Renaissance, modern, and contemporary political philosophy which have appeared in the American Journal of Political Science, Journal of Politics, Political Review Quarterly, the Review of Metaphysics, the Heidegger- Jahrbuch, and other scholarly and popular publications. His work has been translated into Estonian and Farsi.He teaches at the University of North Texas where he is Assistant Professor of Political Science and Director of the Constitutionalism and Democracy Forum. He has held fellowships from the Tocqueville Program for Inquiry into Religion and American Public Life at the University of Notre Dame and from the Program for the Study of the Western Heritage at Boston College and has delivered lectures at many colleges and universities, including Oxford, Harvard, Yale, the University of Notre Dame, Boston College, the University of Texas: Austin, and Louisiana State University. He lives in Little Elm, Texas.

In this episode, Jason had a conversation with Jerry L. Sittser, a retired professor of theology from Whitworth University, renowned for his expertise in Christian spirituality and history. In this conversation, Jerry shares the relevance of early Christian practices in today's world and highlights the importance of the church embracing a new catechumen. He unpacks the challenges and opportunities for the church posed by a post-Christendom world, advocating for a deeper, more resilient approach to faith. Jerry also shares personal reflections on grief and loss not as something to avoid, but learning to carry it redemptively. His dedication to bridging academia and the church infuses our dialogue with hope and understanding, inviting us to explore what it means to follow Jesus in our time. Bio | Jerry has been a professor emeritus of theology and senior fellow at Whitworth University, specializing in the History of Christianity, Christian Spirituality, and Religion in American Public Life. He is now retired and spends much of his time with his 11 grandchildren. He has written nine books, among them are A Grace Disguised, The Will of God as a Way of Life, Water from a Deep Well, and his most recent book, Resilient Faith: How the Early Christian “Third Way” Changed the World. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Give⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ today⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to CCLN and help seed a hopeful future for the Church in Canada. Partners:  Thanks to the Canadian Bible Society for supporting this episode. Learn more about their ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bible Course⁠⁠⁠. Show Notes: ⁠⁠⁠A Grace Disguised Revised and Expanded: How the Soul Grows through Loss Resilient Faith: How the Early Christian "Third Way" Changed the World Water From a Deep Well: Christian Spirituality from Early Martyrs to Modern Missionaries Get Connected! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Blog & Episode write-up⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Mailing List! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Share a Canadian Church Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent BacoteAs the lines between faith, politics, and patriotism have become, in some quarters, increasingly blurred, it is increasingly important to understand the origin, ideas, and consequences of Christian Nationalism — what it means, why it matters, and how best to respond.“Responsible Christian patriots try to show how Christianity can be a service to the nation; extreme nationalists make Christianity a servant of the nation.” - Mark Noll“If you think about the cross: patriotism, rightly construed from a Christian point of view, will put the flag at the foot of the cross. Christian nationalism wants to drape the [flag] over them. So is God serving your country, the sponsor of your country, or are you, as a Christian, operating wherever you are and having loyalty, but not your primary loyalty to your country over God?” - Vincent BacoteWe hope you find this conversation insightful and helpful as you consider the state of our culture and shared political life, and your role in reviving responsible Christian patriotism.This podcast is an edited version of an Online Conversation recorded in June of 2021. You can access the full conversation with transcript here. Learn more about Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind by Mark NollGod and Race in American Politics: A Short History, by Mark NollThe Civil War as Theological Crisis, by Mark NollIn the Beginning Was the Word: The Bible in American Public Life, by Mark NollThe Political Disciple, A Theology of Public Life, by Vincent BacoteReckoning with Race and Performing the Good News, by Vincent BacoteThe Spirit in Public Theology: Appropriating the legacy of Abraham Kuyper, by Vincent BacoteRelated Trinity Forum Readings:A Narrative of the Life of Frederick DouglassCity of God by St. Augustine of HippoChildren of Light and Children of Darkness by Reinhold NiebuhrLetter from a Birmingham Jail by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.Related Conversations:Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval LevinThe Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent BacoteThe Decadent Society with Ross DouthatScience, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis CollinsBeyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene RiversJustice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac PierHealing a Divided Culture with Arthur BrooksAfter Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan HaidtTrust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie KristianHope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt ThompsonTo listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum SocietySpecial thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.

This week, Clay Jenkinson interviews Bruce Ledewitz, the author of The Universe is On Our Side: Restoring Faith in American Public Life. Since Nietzsche's famous pronouncement that "God is dead," Euro-American culture has become profoundly secular--and it shows, according to Ledewitz. Without the great tradition of Christian culture, America has descended into radical individualism without any moral anchor for public or private behavior. Ledewitz rejects the Enlightenment's belief that secular culture is a sufficient restraining mechanism for humans who are, in the Enlightenment's formulation, capable of considerable perfectibility. Jefferson's belief in a "moral sense" is not enough to give American culture meaning or restraint. Ledewitz sees little hope for a restoration of a morally grounded American society.

According to Gary Bauer, there would not be an America without involved Christians. On today's edition of Family Talk, the senior vice president of public policy at the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute shares that despite the opposing views within secular culture, our Christian faith plays a significant role in the public square. Gary also points out the blueprints for our nation, designed by the Lord, that are embedded throughout our nation's capital and history, and warns that the threats to our religious freedom must not be ignored. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/707/29

According to Gary Bauer, there would not be an America without involved Christians. On today's edition of Family Talk, the senior vice president of public policy at the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute shares that despite the opposing views within secular culture, our Christian faith plays a significant role in the public square. Gary also points out the blueprints for our nation, designed by the Lord, that are embedded throughout our nation's capital and history, and warns that the threats to our religious freedom must not be ignored. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/707/29

Live every day like it's your last, or like it's the beginning of the rest of your life? The way we answer this question is closely tied to views on mortality, and how humans deal with the concept of their own impending demise. Death is the inevitable great leveler, and yet there are many different ways that humans think and live with the topic.Andrew Stark is a professor of Strategic Management at the University of Toronto. Andrew is also the author of several books. His latest is titled The Consolations of Mortality: Making Sense of Death and his other books include, Drawing the Line: Public and Private in America, The Limits of Medicine, and Conflict of Interest in American Public Life.Andrew and Greg discuss different views on death and mortality that have been present throughout history in different cultures and religions. They touch on the philosophies of Epicurus and of famous Stoics like Marcus Aurelius, and what more modern philosophers and literary figures have had to say about the subject of death, and explore how those more technologically-minded have set about to eliminate the threat of death and transform mortality almost completely. *unSILOed Podcast is produced by University FM.*Episode Quotes:On the resurgence of Buddhist and Stoic thinking26:57: If you're a Buddhist and you believe there is no such thing as the self, then there's nothing that can die, first of all, because there is no self to die. There is nothing that really has any attachments in the world such that you could be harmed if something happens to them. And so letting go is, if you can achieve it, something that might allow you to lead a life that's more tranquil, more realistic, and maybe more beautiful. Stoicism is similar. It doesn't say there is no self, but it says that we should put ourselves in a situation where the only things we care about are the things we can control. 29:28: Mortal or immortal, we'd still be temporal. We would still be creatures who lived in time, and time brings changes. Things are constantly changing in time. One implication of that is that even if we didn't die, we'd still have the motivation to get out of bed in the morning.Do we need to suppress some awareness of death to get the best out of us?37:17: My own hope is that we simply be aware that being mortal is better than any other option we might have had if we're going to live in time; that is, if we're going to be temporal creatures, which we have to be, then being mortal is better than being immortal.Even if we escape mortality, we're not going to escape time32:49: I see right now that the world is changing in all sorts of ways, and I'm not saying I disapprove or approve of them. They're strange to me. And even if I can acclimatize to them, it's not as if the changes are going to stop. They're going to keep going on and on. And if we think about that over hundreds of years, thousands of years, or tens of thousands of years, time is the problem, and even if we escape mortality, we're not going to escape time.Show Links:Recommended Resources:Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy for EpicurusPoetry Foundation page for Friedrich HolderlinWikipedia Page for the 27 ClubOzymandiasMarcus AureliusRamses VII“The Snows of Kilimanjaro” by Ernest HemmingwayDerek ParfitLeon KassHans JonasBernard WilliamsRay KurzweilMartin HeideggerNon-religious ConstellationsIt's a Wonderful LifeLife Is BeautifulGuest Profile:Faculty Profile University of Toronto-ScarboroughHis Work:The Consolations of Mortality: Making Sense of DeathDrawing the Line: Public and Private in America The Limits of Medicine Conflict of Interest in American Public Life

With Roe now overturned, the evangelical movement has achieved one of its decades-old political priorities. But for many evangelicals, this isn't the moment of celebration and unity it may have first appeared to be. In the wake of the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, Russell Moore — a former president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, the policy wing of the Southern Baptist Convention — described the state of evangelicalism as one of “disarray.” He argues that surface-level political allegiances paint over much deeper divisions within what has become an increasingly polarized movement. Understanding those divisions and what they portend for evangelicalism is deeply important, in large part because of the movement's immense power in American politics.Moore is the editor in chief of Christianity Today; the author of numerous books, including “Onward: Engaging the Culture Without Losing the Gospel”; and one of the most visible leaders in the evangelical movement right now. But he has also voiced some of the most stinging criticism of the movement's current direction. He believes that evangelicals' embrace of Donald Trump was a mistake and that the way many evangelicals are approaching the culture wars — with what Moore calls a “siege mentality” — is toxic for the faith. He encourages his fellow evangelicals to embrace their role as a “moral minority” in America instead of desperately clinging to political and cultural power. “The shaking of American culture is no sign that God has given up on American Christianity,” he writes in “Onward.” “In fact, it may be a sign that God is rescuing American Christianity from itself.”So this is a conversation about how evangelicalism morphed into the political identity we know it as today, why so many evangelicals have come to embrace apocalyptic thinking about politics and where the movement goes next now that Roe has been overturned.Mentioned“The Supreme Court Needs to Be Less Central to American Public Life” by Russell MooreBook RecommendationsThe Weight of Glory by C.S. LewisMere Christianity by C.S. LewisThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. LewisThe Resurrection of the Son of God by N.T. WrightThe Gilead Novels by Marilynne RobinsonThis episode was hosted by Jane Coaston, the host of “The Argument.” Previously, she was the senior politics reporter at Vox, with a focus on conservatism and the G.O.P. Her work has appeared on MSNBC, CNN and NPR and in National Review, The Washington Post, The Ringer and ESPN Magazine, among others.Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.​​“The Ezra Klein Show” is produced by Annie Galvin and Rogé Karma; fact-checking by Michelle Harris, Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair; original music by Isaac Jones; mixing by Sonia Herrero and Isaac Jones; audience strategy by Shannon Busta. Special thanks to Kristin Lin and Kristina Samulewski.

Dr. Michael Zuckert presents Lincoln's theory of democratic statesmanship and the reasoning behind his political propositions. Dr. Zucket also discusses the waves of praise and criticism that has been raised throughout the years. Dr. Zuckert is an accomplished author and the department chair of political science at the University of Notre Dame. A scholar of political philosophy and theory, American political thought, American constitutional history, and more, Zuckert co-authored and co-produced the public radio series Mr. Adams and Mr. Jefferson: A Nine Part Drama for the Radio, and was the senior advisor for the television series Liberty! And the senior advisor for the PBS series Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamilton. He is currently the head of the new Tocqueville Center for the Study of Religion in American Public Life.

Dr. Michael Zuckert presents Lincoln's theory of democratic statesmanship and the reasoning behind his political propositions. Dr. Zucket also discusses the waves of praise and criticism that has been raised throughout the years. Dr. Zuckert is an accomplished author and the department chair of political science at the University of Notre Dame. A scholar of political philosophy and theory, American political thought, American constitutional history, and more, Zuckert co-authored and co-produced the public radio series Mr. Adams and Mr. Jefferson: A Nine Part Drama for the Radio, and was the senior advisor for the television series Liberty! And the senior advisor for the PBS series Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamilton. He is currently the head of the new Tocqueville Center for the Study of Religion in American Public Life.

On this edition of Parallax Views, the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche famously declared "God is Dead". In doing so Nietzsche not necessarily celebrating the triumph of atheism, but rather raising the question of what comes next for society once religion is replaced by secularism. How do we make sense of things and find meaning in a secular world? In his new book The Universe Is On Our Side: Restoring Faith in American Public Life, Bruce Ledewitz, Professor of Law at Duquesne University Law School, attempts to tackle that question. He joins us on the first segment of the show to discuss the decline in trust of public institutions; the process theology of Alfred North Whitehead (and process theology popularizer Dr. David Ray Griffin); Jesuit theologian Bernard Lonergan's question "Is the universe on our side?"; the British philosopher John Gray and the idea that "no, the universe is not on our side", postmodernism; science as a social activity; the secularism of American Christianity; New Atheism and the failings of it; Nietzsche and the death of God as a catastrophe (even if it is true); the incompatibility of a wonder-working God in a secular world; making clear that Bruce's book is not an attack on those who have religious faith; the post-truth age; a lack of belief in the future; Martin Luther King's "the arc of the universe bends towards justice" quote; the Enlightenment and the mechanistic, materialistic worldview; David Hume and the idea that we can only gain knowledge through the senses; Carl Sagan and the Pale Blue Dot; and much, much more! In the second segment of the show, the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft's Ben Freeman & Nick Cleveland-Stout join us to discuss their recent piece at The Intercept entitled "Until Ukraine, Russia Lobbyists Successfully Blunted Sanctions After Foreign Adventurism". We also discuss their upcoming report on Ukraine lobbying in Washington, D.C., the Foreign Agent Registration Act, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, the public relations firm known as Ketchum, the need for transparency when it comes to foreign lobbying efforts, and much, much more!

My guest this week, Bruce Ledewitz, characterizes the era we are currently living in as the Age of Evasion.   In the Age of Evasion, irony replaces reason and passion replaces planning. And a lack of or even complete loss of faith.   As a man who grew up religious who now is atheist, Bruce has a unique perspective on this loss of faith and what it has meant to our society.   Yet interestingly enough, Bruce is also hopeful.   In his new book, The Universe is on Our Side: Restoring Faith in American Public Life, Bruce seeks to answer the question: Is the universe on our side?   To those of us who believe in a higher power, the answer is an easy one, but there needs to be a deliberate attempt to understand how and why others don't come to this same conclusion.   And as for the answer for people like Bruce, who don't believe in God, he actually makes the case that even so, yes, the universe is on our side.   And if the answer is yes no matter where you stand on the topic of God, it has huge implications for our ability to overcome our lack of significance, trust, and faith.   Connect with Bruce at bruceledewitz.com or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BLedewitz.   Connect with me at https://www.michaelashford.com, or you can always email me at michael@thefollowupquestion.com.

Professor, anti-death penalty legal advocate, and author Bruce Ledewitz stopped by the Jam Bunker for a very soberting conversation about his latest book, The Universe Is on Our Side: Restoring Faith in American Public Life. Bruce and Brad sit down to discuss whether the United States can build a humane society without religion at the center of life, and the similarities between religion and secularism. You know: just a nice holiday dinner conversation! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I interview Duquesne law professor Bruce Ledewitz about his new book The Universe Is on Our Side: Restoring Faith in American Public Life. Bruce is a secularist who nonetheless proposes that the current societal crisis in America (and perhaps the entire Western world) is rooted in the aftermath of what Neitzsche called "the Death of God." It's a controversial proposition, as is his prescription for a way forward. For more about Bruce visit BruceLedewitz.com or follow him on Twitter @bruceledewitz.  Buy a copy of The Universe Is on Our Side for yourself! Theme music courtesy of Body Found. Follow American Freethought on the intertubes: Website: AmericanFreethought.com  Twitter: @AMERFREETHOUGHT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/21523473365/ Libsyn Classic Feed: https://americanfreethought.libsyn.com/rss Contact: john@americanfreethought.com Support the Podcast: PayPal funds to sniderishere@gmail.com

In this episode of Partnering Leadership, Mahan Tavakoli speaks with Minal Bopaiah. Minal is the founder of Brevity & Wit, a strategy and design firm that helps organizations achieve the change they wish to see in the world through a unique approach that combines human-centered design, behavior change science, and the principles of inclusion diversity, equity, and accessibility. Minal Bopaiah discusses her book Equity: How to Design Organizations Where Everyone Thrives and shares frameworks and approaches for leading a more equitable organization.  Some highlights:- Minal Bopaiah on the tie-in between implicit bias and systemic issues faced in tackling inequity.  - How our biases impact algorithms, including those used by human resource departments for recruiting and hiring.  - Minal Bopaiah on the difference between equity and equality.- The role that design thinking can play in greater equity in organizations. - How leaders can redesign systems to ensure greater equity.    Mentioned:- Rajan Patel – Co-founder, CEO at Dent Education- Dan Heath and Chip Heath – Authors, Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard.- Johnnetta Betsch Cole – Author, Racism in American Public Life.- Valarie Kaur – Author, See No Stranger- Karen Armstrong – Author, The Spiral Staircase- Partnering Leadership Podcast Conversation with Howard Ross – Author, Everyday Bias Connect with Minal Bopaiah:Brevity & Wit on InstagramMinal Bopaiah on InstagramBrevity and Wit on TwitterMinal Bopaiah on TwitterMinal Bopaiah on LinkedIn Connect with Mahan Tavakoli:MahanTavakoli.com More information and resources available at the Partnering Leadership Podcast website: PartneringLeadership.com 

For a special edition celebrating the 100th episode of the Science of Politics, Matt talks with Ezra Klein about how well political science informs American politics and public policy. They discuss how political science has changed in the age of Twitter and the era of Trump and the roles of scholars and journalists using research in debates on climate, COVID, and race.Additional InformationScience of Politics PodcastMore shows from The Democracy Group

For a special edition celebrating the 100th episode of the Science of Politics, Matt talks with Ezra Klein about how well political science informs American politics and public policy. They discuss how political science has changed in the age of Twitter and the era of Trump and the roles of scholars and journalists using research in debates on climate, COVID, and race.

The post American Catholic, American Culture: A Conversation About Religion and American Public Life with Historian D. G. Hart appeared first on AlbertMohler.com.

Returning Mormon Stories Podcast guest, Roger Hendrix, is a former LDS Bishop, Mission President, and CES director, and was also called by Gorden B. Hinkley as a Trustee for the Deseret Trust Company for 18 years. And as if that weren't enough, Roger also worked as a business Management Consultant for 35 years, and did a syndicated daily radio commentary on social, political, and economic trends for nine years. Join Roger and myself today as we provide an analysis of the LDS church as a multi-billion-dollar corporation, and discuss "the future of Mormonism" - as Roger sees it. Books by Roger Hendrix: Bend, Create, and Plan Your Future, author Roger Hendrix Choosing the Dream, The future of Religion in American Public Life. Co- authored with Fred Gedicks Leverage Point, a novel written with Gerald Lund. The Idea Economy, Why your ideas will have to create personal wealth and hope in an age of uncertainty. Co- authored with Rob Brazell.

DOCUMENTATION AND ADDITIONAL READING PART 1 (0:0 - 10:59): ────────────────── Why Is Society Changing So Quickly? The Domination of Progressive Politics and Morality in American Public Life WALL STREET JOURNAL (THE EDITORIAL BOARD) The Biden Baseball League NEW YORK TIMES (DAVID GELLES) Delta and Coca-Cola Reverse Course on Georgia Voting Law, Stating ‘Crystal Clear’ Opposition NEW YORK TIMES (KEVIN DRAPER, JAMES WAGNER, REID J. EPSTEIN AND NICK CORASANITI) M.L.B. Pulls All-Star Game From Georgia in Response to Voting Law PART 2 (10:60 - 18:23): ────────────────── President Biden Brings His Moral Judgment Down on Georgia — Major League Baseball, Delta, and Coca-Cola Follow Suit WASHINGTON POST (CLEVE R. WOOTSON JR.) Biden wades into contentious Georgia boycott battle by voicing support for moving All-Star Game WASHINGTON POST (GLENN KESSLER) Biden falsely claims the new Georgia law ‘ends voting hours early’ WASHINGTON POST (HUGH HEWITT) Good luck with your fans, Major League Baseball PART 3 (18:24 - 23:55): ────────────────── What Does the Controversy about M.L.B.’s All-Star Game Tell Us About Who Is Driving Change in Society and Where the Society Is Headed? NEW YORK TIMES (JAMES WAGNER) Activism Was Unusual for Baseball, but Not for Sports

Online disinformation affects our national well being. It’s corrosive effect on democracy leads to greater mistrust and skepticism of our institutions. In this week’s episode, host Harvey Rishikof and guest Glenn Gerstell discuss the magnitude of the problem, its long term effects, and what lawyers should be thinking about in an effort to mitigate the problem. Glenn Gerstell is a senior advisor with CSIS’s International Security Program, and formerly served as the general counsel of the NSA. This episode references: - Section 230, Communications Decency Act: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/47/230 - Truth Decay: An Initial Exploration of the Diminishing Role of Facts and Analysis in American Public Life: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2314.html - Glenn Gerstell, "I Work for N.S.A We Cannot Afford to Lose the Digital Revolution." New York Times, Sep. 10, 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/10/opinion/nsa-privacy.html - Glenn Gerstell, "The National-Security Case for Fixing Social Media." New Yorker, Nov. 13, 2020. https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/the-national-security-case-for-fixing-social-media

DOCUMENTATION AND ADDITIONAL READING PART 1 (0:0 - 5:1): ────────────────── What Is a Moral Revolution? It’s Not Just a Change in One Area of Morality, It’s a Comprehensive Change of Society PART 2 (5:2 - 19:34): ────────────────── House Democrats Introduce the Equality Act, Celebrated by Biden Administration: The Greatest Threat to Religious Liberty in American Public Life in Decades WASHINGTON POST (SAMANTHA SCHMIDT) Equality Act introduced in House to provide sweeping LGBTQ protections WASHINGTON POST (THE EDITORIAL BOARD) Last year was good for LGBTQ rights. Congress can make this one even better. THE WHITE HOUSE Statement by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on the Introduction of the Equality Act in Congress PART 3 (19:35 - 25:46): ────────────────── There’s Nowhere Left to Hide on Issues of Sexuality: Christian, Are You Ready to Give an Answer about the Clear Teachings of Scripture? MAX LUCADO Letter to the Washington National Cathedral Community

In our season finale, we look to the future and the potential ways the Biden administration could impact religious liberty. Our guest for this episode is Melissa Rogers, former executive director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships during the Obama administration. Amanda, Holly and Melissa discuss the need for an administration to be organized at the outset and ready for issues that are going to impact religious liberty, both explicitly and implicitly. There is a key difference between an administration making unforced errors and actions that inflame the culture wars. Plus, the trio reviews the religious liberty impact of the Trump administration and the centuries of partnership between the government and religious organizations.     Segment 1: Why do we need priorities for the next administration? (Starting at 00:47) Melissa Rogers is the author of Faith in American Public Life, which is available wherever books are sold. The report for the Brookings Institution written by Melissa and E.J. Dionne is titled “A Time to Heal, a Time To Build.” You can read it online.  Melissa was previously on the BJC Podcast in 2019 alongside Rabbi David Saperstein and Holly Hollman during our series on the dangers of Christian nationalism. You can listen here and watch a video of the podcast here. Amanda and Holly talked about the Trump administration's record on religious liberty in episode 4 of this season.    Segment 2: What does the next administration need to keep in mind? (Starting at 21:29) Amanda mentioned this piece that Melissa wrote for The Washington Post: President Trump just unveiled a new White House ‘faith' office. It actually weakens religious freedom. Melissa mentioned the conversation BJC hosted in 2019 on an inclusive approach to religious liberty, featuring Amanda, Dr. Corey Walker, and Dr. Linda McKinnish Bridges. You can watch it at this link.   Join the BJC Advocacy Team: BJConline.org/subscribe. Join the BJC Book Club to participate in a group discussion as we read through Melissa's book Faith in American Public Life. We will be meeting on Tuesday nights in January, and it's free to join: BJConline.org/BookClub.   Segment 3: Thanks for a great year of Respecting Religion! (Starting at 45:02) Thank you, listeners, for joining us for 26 episodes of Respecting Religion as we've navigated the twists and turns of 2020. We hope that we've met our goal of highlighting some of the most important questions and topics respecting religion in the context of all that this year has thrown at us — a global pandemic, reckoning with systemic racism and white supremacy, hugely consequential presidential election, shifts in the Supreme Court and more. This year has taken us all on a wild ride, and we are glad we could slow down a bit and give these important stories their due.  Subscribe to the BJC Podcast on your favorite platform to keep up with what's next! We're on all the major providers: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, Amazon Music, Stitcher, and more.

In our season finale, we look to the future and the potential ways the Biden administration could impact religious liberty. Our guest for this episode is Melissa Rogers, former executive director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships during the Obama administration. Amanda, Holly and Melissa discuss the need for an administration to be organized at the outset and ready for issues that are going to impact religious liberty, both explicitly and implicitly. There is a key difference between an administration making unforced errors and actions that inflame the culture wars. Plus, the trio reviews the religious liberty impact of the Trump administration and the centuries of partnership between the government and religious organizations.     Show notes: Segment 1: Why do we need priorities for the next administration? (Starting at 00:47) Melissa Rogers is the author of Faith in American Public Life, which is available wherever books are sold. The report for the Brookings Institution written by Melissa and E.J. Dionne is titled A Time to Heal, a Time To Build. You can read it online.  Melissa was previously on the BJC Podcast in 2019 alongside Rabbi David Saperstein and Holly Hollman during our series on the dangers of Christian nationalism. You can listen here and watch a video of the podcast here. Amanda and Holly talked about the Trump administration’s record on religious liberty in episode 4 of this season.    Segment 2: What does the next administration need to keep in mind? (Starting at 21:29) Amanda mentioned this piece that Melissa wrote for The Washington Post: President Trump just unveiled a new White House ‘faith’ office. It actually weakens religious freedom. Melissa mentioned the conversation BJC hosted in 2019 on an inclusive approach to religious liberty, featuring Amanda, Dr. Corey Walker, and Dr. Linda McKinnish Bridges. You can watch it at this link.   Join the BJC Advocacy Team: BJConline.org/subscribe. Join the BJC Book Club to participate in a group discussion as we read through Melissa’s book Faith in American Public Life. We will be meeting on Tuesday nights in January, and it’s free to join: BJConline.org/BookClub.   Segment 3: Thanks for a great year of Respecting Religion! (Starting at 45:02) Thank you, listeners, for joining us for 26 episodes of Respecting Religion as we’ve navigated the twists and turns of 2020. We hope that we’ve met our goal of highlighting some of the most important questions and topics respecting religion in the context of all that this year has thrown at us -- a global pandemic, reckoning with systemic racism and white supremacy, hugely consequential presidential election, shifts in the Supreme Court and more. This year has taken us all on a wild ride, and we are glad we could slow down a bit and give these important stories their due.  Subscribe to the BJC Podcast on your favorite platform to keep up with what’s next! We’re on all the major providers: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, Amazon Music, Stitcher, and more.

Our guest this week is Jennifer Kavanagh, a senior political scientist at RAND corporation, a nonprofit global public policy think tank. Our host spoke to Kavanagh about a phenomenon she and her colleagues have dubbed “Truth Decay.” We wanted to know why truth has been under assault in recent years, why Americans are increasingly rejecting the expertise of institutions we used to hold in high esteem and what we can do about it? Kavanagh is the director of the Strategy, Doctrine, and Resources Program in the RAND Arroyo Center and a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation. Her research focuses on U.S. defense strategy, international conflict and military interventions, disinformation, and the relationship between U.S. political and media institutions. She co-authored Truth Decay: An Initial Exploration of the Diminishing Role of Facts and Analysis in American Public Life.Coming up: Join us on November 18 at 5:30 p.m. EST for our final episode, which we’ll be recording live on Zoom, featuring Jane Lytvynenko of BuzzFeed News, Joan Donovan of the Shorenstein Center at Harvard and Enrique Acevedo of 60 Minutes’ new show 60 in 6. Our panel of experts will offer insights about how mis-and dis-information impacted the election. For details, visit newslit.org.

Jeff Pickering and Chelsea Sobolik welcome Yuval Levin of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) to the roundtable to talk about the fractures in America public life and the way forward. Levin's work in recent years have been instrumental to many of us here at the ERLC in thinking well about what has gone wrong in the public square and to see clearly why now is a time to build toward renewal.This episode is sponsored by The Good Book Company, publisher of The Christmas We Didn't Expect by David Matthis. Find out more about this book at thegoodbook.com. Guest BiographyYuval Levin is the director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). He also holds the Beth and Ravenel Curry Chair in Public Policy. The founding and current editor of National Affairs, he is also a senior editor of The New Atlantis and a contributing editor to National Review. He holds an MA and PhD from the Committee on Social Thought at the University of Chicago. Dr. Levin served as a member of the White House domestic policy staff under President George W. Bush. He was also executive director of the President's Council on Bioethics and a congressional staffer at the member, committee, and leadership levels. In addition to frequent radio, television, and podcast appearances, Dr. Levin regularly publishes essays and articles in a range of outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and Commentary. He is the author of several books on political theory and public policy. And our conversation today is rooted in his most recent two books, most recently “A Time to Build: From Family and Community to Congress and the Campus, How Recommitting to Our Institutions Can Revive the American Dream” (Basic Books).Resources from the ConversationLearn more about Yuval Levin and his work at AEICheck out Levin's booksA Time to BuildThe Fractured RepublicDownload the Courage and Civility Church KitCheck out The Good Book CompanySubscribe to ERLC's Policy Newsletter

Although I have interviewed Melissa Rogers on her book, Faith in American Public Life, this episode will be the first in an ongoing conversation with The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, now called BJC. The purpose of this series is to do two things. First it is to keep before you that there have always been certain Baptists who have, since their beginnings, argued for/advocated for/championed religious liberty for all people and the separation of church and state. These Baptists have done so because of their fundamental conviction that 'soul freedom' is a gift from God that enables everyone to have an active relationship with God. For these Baptists, for faith to a true faith, it must be embraced without any coercion of any kind. Since governments and religious bodies have often been the source of coerced faith, these Baptists have insisted that there must be a separation from government and institutional religious bodies. The reason I want to keep before you the awareness of 'these certain Baptists' is for two reasons. The first is that many who are Baptist and, of course, most non-Baptists are unaware of the history of Baptist's contribution to and  advocacy for religious liberty for all and the separation of church and state. The second is that there are a growing number of Baptists who are a part of what is being called Christian Nationalism that have sought and continue to seek to undermine religious liberty for all and the separation of church and state. The second reason for this series is to make you aware and educate you on specific challenges to religious liberty in government. The BJC is an excellent source for keeping you apprised of these challenges. In addition, the BJC seeks to challenge and thwart these aggression on religious liberty by actions in The Supreme Court and in Congress. You can find the BJC at:   bjconline.org An excellent video introducing the BJC can be found on their website and here. My guest is Amanda Tyler. Amanda is the Executive Director of the BJC. She is a member of the Texas and United States Supreme Court Bar. After graduating with a degree in foreign service from Georgetown University, Amanda worked for the BJC as an assistant to the general counsel. She left the BJC to earn her law degree from the University of Texas. Before returning to the BJC, Amanda has worked in private practice, as a law clerk for a U.S. district court judge in Dallas, and on the staff of U.S. Representative Lloyd Dogget, where she severed as his district director and counsel for the Ways and Means Committee. In addition to the resources provided by the BJC about the history of Baptists' contribution to religious liberty and the separation of church and state, numerous links can be found by Googling 'Baptists and Religious Liberty.' An excellent link is Middle Tennessee State University's The Free Speech Center: First Amendment News and Insights from MTSU. One of the resources of The Free Speech Center is The First Amendment Encyclopedia that has an article on Baptist contributions to the first amendment. That article is found here.    

My guest for this episode is Dr. Melissa Rogers. Dr. Rogers was Associate General Counsel then General Counsel for the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty. Following this, she became Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships during the Obama administration and Special Assistant to President Obama. Questions about the place of religion in American public life are continuously being raised and debated. Confusion and misconceptions abound. A significant part of what divides us in the political and cultural situation in our nation at this time revolves around religious liberty and plurality. Dr. Rogers has provided an excellent resource to guide us on the confusing and complex issues relating to government and religion, religious liberty, and the separation of church and state in her recently published book, Faith in American Public Life (Baylor University Press, 2019). This book is the subject of my discussion with Dr. Rogers. My kind of Baptists have, since the time before the American Revolution, been advocates for and active in issues of religious liberty (I use the phrase, 'My kind of Baptists' because there are many different kinds of Baptists and not all support religious liberty, plurality, and the separation of church and state). The existence of the Baptist Joint Committee is a key example of that advocacy and activity. Even though Dr. Rogers is no longer with the BJC, this episode serves as the first in an ongoing series I will have with the BJC about religious liberty and the policies and laws constantly arising concerning it. Dr. Rogers is presently Visiting Professor at Wake Forest University and a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. The music for this episode is from a clip of a song called 'Father Let Your Kingdom Come' which is found on The Porter's Gate Worship Project Work Songs album and is used by permission by The Porter's Gate Worship Project. You can learn more about the album and the Worship Project at theportersgate.com.

DOCUMENTATION AND ADDITIONAL READING PART 1 (0:0 - 15:39): ────────────────── Political Spectacle in the Nation’s Capital: A Unique Moment in American Public Life WALL STREET JOURNAL (THE EDITORIAL BOARD) Don’t Call in the Troops PART 2 (15:40 - 19:5): ────────────────── Dictators Look to Seize Opportunity as Unrest Continues in U.S. — Attacks Against the Rule of Law Around the World WALL STREET JOURNAL (THE EDITORIAL BOARD) Dictators Smell Blood in the Water WALL STREET JOURNAL (WALTER RUSSELL MEAD) The World Waits Out Trump PART 3 (19:6 - 25:8): ────────────────── Law Prohibiting Adultery in Taiwan Is a “Violation of a Person’s Sexual Autonomy”? Do Humans Still Recognize the Evil of Adultery? NEW YORK TIMES (AMY QIN) Taiwan Court Strikes Down Law Criminalizing Adultery

Melissa Rogers, former executive director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships under President Barack Obama, talks with Word&Way Editor & President Brian Kaylor about current church-state issues. Topics include coronavirus church restrictions, government rules related to religious liberty, a recent Supreme Court hearing, and more. She also talks about her new book, Faith in American Public Life.  (This episode is sponsored in part by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.)

On Wednesday, Aril 15, for the third Virtual Coffee Night speaker series, Melissa Rogers, a leading expert and scholar on religion in American public life, gave a fascinating talk on how the First Amendment encompasses common ground, and for sharing insights on controversies about religion in public life. Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations. About the Speaker: Melissa Rogers is a nationally known expert on religion in American public life. Her areas of expertise include the United States Constitution’s religious liberty guarantees and the interplay of religion, law, policy, and politics. Rogers currently serves as Visiting Professor at Wake Forest University School of Divinity and as a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. Rogers previously served as Special Assistant to President Barack Obama and Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships (2013-2017), Chair of President Obama’s inaugural Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships (2009-2010), Director of the Center for Religion and Public Affairs at the Wake Forest University School of Divinity (2003 – 2013), Executive Director of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (2000 – 2003), and Associate Counsel/General Counsel of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty (1994 – 2000). Rogers is author of Faith in American Public Life (2019) and co-author of Religious Freedom and the Supreme Court (2008). She has received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from both Wake Forest University and the John Leland Center for Theological Studies. Rogers holds a J.D. from University of Pennsylvania Law School and a B.A. from Baylor University. In 2017, President Barack Obama appointed Rogers to serve as a member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. Baylor University awarded her its Pro Texana Medal of Service and the First Freedom Center gave Rogers its Virginia First Freedom Award. National Journal has recognized Rogers as one of the church-state experts “politicians will call on when they get serious about addressing an important public policy issue.”

This year, the Trump administration released proposed regulations impacting faith-based organizations that partner with the government. But, the story has gone largely unnoticed by the media, and it can have huge implications for people receiving government services. On this episode of Respecting Religion, Amanda Tyler and Holly Hollman discuss the history of government partnerships with faith-based groups – including “Charitable Choice” and the faith-based initiative office under President George W. Bush (6:07). They also explore the new Trump administration proposals and three major points of concern that could undermine the religious freedom rights of those who often receive government services (21:13).  In the final segment, Holly and Amanda discuss how religion has been discussed during the Democratic presidential primary and what this means about how religion is respected in our conversations (36:45). Show notes: Segment 1: The history of charitable choice, the faith-based initiative, and long-standing partnerships between the government and religious institutions (starting at 1:15) The White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives under the Bush administration was sometimes abbreviated “WHOFBCI,” which some pronounced as “Woof-book-ee.”   Segment 2: Comments on the proposed regulations and three major points of concern (starting at 15:30) You can read information about the final rule issued in 2016 that extends religious liberty protections to beneficiaries at this link. The book by Melissa Rogers that Holly recommended is Faith in American Public Life. Rogers served as the chair of the task force and later as the head of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships during the Obama administration. For more on BJC's comments on the proposed 2020 regulations, read this post on our website. Our comments for the various agencies are pretty similar – here is a direct link to our comments on the regulations in the Department of Veterans Affairs. For additional resources and commentary, visit BJConline.org/resources and click on the “Government Funding of Religious Organizations” category. Links to some of the comments discussed: Comments from the Coalition Against Religious Discrimination (CARD):  https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=HHS-OS-2020-0001-20893 Comments from Melissa Rogers: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=HHS-OS-2020-0001-22690 Comments filed by Christian Legal Society and National Association of Evangelicals: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=HHS-OS-2020-0001-21174   Segment 3: Where did we see religion in our world? The Democratic presidential primary campaign and religion (starting at 36:45) Each week, Amanda and Holly talk about where they see religion in the world around us and what they are reading. Amanda mentioned a Deseret News article by Kelsey Dallas titled “Why should the Democrats talk about faith if half of the country isn't listening?” Amanda mentioned this clip of Elizabeth Warren from a CNN Town Hall talking about religion that often circulated on Twitter. Amanda mentioned exit polling in New Hampshire regarding how frequency of church attendance correlated with who people voted for in the primary. Read more in this Religion News Service article by Jack Jenkins: “Klobuchar wins over New Hampshire voters who attend religious services” Amanda also mentioned Brian Kaylor, a researcher and Baptist journalist who has often written about these issues and decried the lack of polling data about religion on Super Tuesday. Read his recent Twitter thread here. Holly mentioned a Washington Post article by Sarah Pulliam Bailey titled “Buttigieg's candidacy made being openly gay and Christian normal, LGBT activists say.”

FR 20 - 04 - Faith In American Public Life - Melissa Rogers - Rel Date 01 - 25 - 20 by Church State Council

Producer Michael O'Connell is joined this week by Jennifer Kavanagh of RAND to discuss her new book, Truth Decay: An Initial Exploration of the Diminishing Role of Facts and Analysis in American Public Life, on the concerning loss of trust and recognition in facts and evidence among policy makers and citizens alike, as opinion gets louder and harder to discern in media. Keep up with the latest news about the It's All Journalism podcast, sign up for our weekly email newsletter.

'Tis the season to fight state/church violations. We talk about FFRF's full-page "Theocracy" ad in the New York Times, and a number of FFRF's solstice displays around the country to counter religious displays. FFRF attorney Chris Line tells us about Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt's outrageous attack on the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Then we hear from professor R. Laurence Moore, co-author (with Isaac Kramnick) of Godless Citizens in a Godly Republic: Atheists in American Public Life.

We welcome Richard M. Gamble, Professor of History, Anna Margaret Ross Alexander Chair in History and Politics at Hillsdale College, to speak about Julia Ward Howe's poem, which came to be know as "The Battle Hymn of the Republic." Gamble is the author of A Fiery Gospel: The Battle Hymn of the Republic and the Road to Righteous War (Religion and American Public Life), which discloses the history of the hymn as well as its position within an overall intellectual history of civil religion within the United States. Other Books by Richard M. Gamble The War for Righteousness: Progressive Christianity, the Great War, and the Rise of the Messianic Nation. Wilmington, DE: ISI Books, 2003. The Great Tradition: Classic Readings on What It Means to be an Educated Human Being. Wilmington, DE: ISI Books, 2007. In Search of the City on a Hill: The Making and Unmaking of an American Myth. New York: Continuum/Bloomsbury, 2012. https://vimeo.com/335044096/347d2cf550 From the Publisher Since its composition in Washington's Willard Hotel in 1861, Julia Ward Howe's "Battle Hymn of the Republic" has been used to make America and its wars sacred. Few Americans reflect on its violent and redemptive imagery, drawn freely from prophetic passages of the Old and New Testaments, and fewer still think about the implications of that apocalyptic language for how Americans interpret who they are and what they owe the world. In A Fiery Gospel, Richard M. Gamble describes how this camp-meeting tune, paired with Howe's evocative lyrics, became one of the most effective instruments of religious nationalism. He takes the reader back to the song's origins during the Civil War, and reveals how those political and military circumstances launched the song's incredible career in American public life. Gamble deftly considers the idea behind the song―humming the tune, reading the music for us―all while reveling in the multiplicity of meanings of and uses to which Howe's lyrics have been put. "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" has been versatile enough to match the needs of Civil Rights activists and conservative nationalists, war hawks and peaceniks, as well as Europeans and Americans. This varied career shows readers much about the shifting shape of American righteousness. Yet it is, argues Gamble, the creator of the song herself―her Abolitionist household, Unitarian theology, and Romantic and nationalist sensibilities―that is the true conductor of this most American of war songs. A Fiery Gospel depicts most vividly the surprising genealogy of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," and its sure and certain position as a cultural piece in the uncertain amalgam that was and is American civil religion.

FFRF urges the IRS to investigate President Trump’s “spiritual adviser” Paula White over illegal church politicking. Annie Laurie explains how Judge Kavanaugh’s alleged attempted rape mirrors biblical teachings. FFRF urges investigation into Catholic Church sexual crimes against children. After talking with FFRF attorney Ryan Jayne about a New Jersey county petitioning the Supreme Court to overturn our federal victory prohibiting tax dollars from repairing churches, we interview Cornell scholar R. Laurence Moore about the new book he co-authored with Isaac Kramnick called Godless Citizens in a Godly Republic: Atheists in American Public Life.

What role did the Bible play in the development of British North America and the early United States? How did the settlement of numerous religious groups in the thirteen American colonies affect the politics and religion of both the colonies and early United States? Today, we address these questions by exploring the place of the Bible in early America. Our guide for this exploration is Mark Noll, the Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame and the author of In the Beginning Was the Word The Bible in American Public Life, 1492-1783. Show Notes: http://www.benfranklinsworld.com/073   Helpful Show Links Help Support Ben Franklin's World Crowdfunding Campaign   Ask the Historian Ben Franklin's World Facebook Page Join the Ben Franklin's World Community Sign-up for the Franklin Gazette Newsletter Ben Franklin's World iOS App Ben Franklin's World Android App *Books purchased through this link will help support the production of Ben Franklin's World.

Mark A. Noll is the Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame. His book, In the Beginning was the Word: The Bible in American Public Life, 1492-1783 (Oxford University Press, 2015), offers a rich and deep examination of the place of the bible, both as an object and a source of ideas, in the public life of early America. Noll sets out to show the evolution of the colonial relationship with the bible in the context of Christendom, anti-Catholicism and the British empire in which it was understood. Noll offers innumerable examples and references of New England as thoroughly immersed in scripture in which a broad biblicalism saturated the imagination, culture, and politics. Both fervent and lukewarm believers took the authority of the bible for granted providing analogies for interpreting immediate events, inductive instruction, and inspiration for a vast number of political and cultural projects. But the bible was also a double edge sword that could both unite and divide friends and foe. Noll teases out the often-subtle difference in views of the bible that had significant political consequence. Dissenters and religious radicals believed that the bible stood against Christendom and church establishment. Other issues were not only about the bible itself, and whether it was the sole or final authority, but also who could read it and understand it. Slaves, women, and common people under the sweep of revivals, increased literacy, and the tool of a versified text began to interpret the bible for themselves rather than look to the clergy for guidance. This worked to undermine Christendom and created a uniquely American attitude towards the bible. What remained was a providential rhetoric that replaced the empire with the nation, and ongoing debates over scriptural mandates on the economy, slavery, and arguments for or against the Revolution. Noll has demonstrated that it is virtually impossible to understand the colonial society without understanding the place, significance, and prominence of scripture in private and public life.

Mark A. Noll is the Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame. His book, In the Beginning was the Word: The Bible in American Public Life, 1492-1783 (Oxford University Press, 2015), offers a rich and deep examination of the place of the bible, both as an object and a source of ideas, in the public life of early America. Noll sets out to show the evolution of the colonial relationship with the bible in the context of Christendom, anti-Catholicism and the British empire in which it was understood. Noll offers innumerable examples and references of New England as thoroughly immersed in scripture in which a broad biblicalism saturated the imagination, culture, and politics. Both fervent and lukewarm believers took the authority of the bible for granted providing analogies for interpreting immediate events, inductive instruction, and inspiration for a vast number of political and cultural projects. But the bible was also a double edge sword that could both unite and divide friends and foe. Noll teases out the often-subtle difference in views of the bible that had significant political consequence. Dissenters and religious radicals believed that the bible stood against Christendom and church establishment. Other issues were not only about the bible itself, and whether it was the sole or final authority, but also who could read it and understand it. Slaves, women, and common people under the sweep of revivals, increased literacy, and the tool of a versified text began to interpret the bible for themselves rather than look to the clergy for guidance. This worked to undermine Christendom and created a uniquely American attitude towards the bible. What remained was a providential rhetoric that replaced the empire with the nation, and ongoing debates over scriptural mandates on the economy, slavery, and arguments for or against the Revolution. Noll has demonstrated that it is virtually impossible to understand the colonial society without understanding the place, significance, and prominence of scripture in private and public life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark A. Noll is the Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame. His book, In the Beginning was the Word: The Bible in American Public Life, 1492-1783 (Oxford University Press, 2015), offers a rich and deep examination of the place of the bible, both as an object and a source of ideas, in the public life of early America. Noll sets out to show the evolution of the colonial relationship with the bible in the context of Christendom, anti-Catholicism and the British empire in which it was understood. Noll offers innumerable examples and references of New England as thoroughly immersed in scripture in which a broad biblicalism saturated the imagination, culture, and politics. Both fervent and lukewarm believers took the authority of the bible for granted providing analogies for interpreting immediate events, inductive instruction, and inspiration for a vast number of political and cultural projects. But the bible was also a double edge sword that could both unite and divide friends and foe. Noll teases out the often-subtle difference in views of the bible that had significant political consequence. Dissenters and religious radicals believed that the bible stood against Christendom and church establishment. Other issues were not only about the bible itself, and whether it was the sole or final authority, but also who could read it and understand it. Slaves, women, and common people under the sweep of revivals, increased literacy, and the tool of a versified text began to interpret the bible for themselves rather than look to the clergy for guidance. This worked to undermine Christendom and created a uniquely American attitude towards the bible. What remained was a providential rhetoric that replaced the empire with the nation, and ongoing debates over scriptural mandates on the economy, slavery, and arguments for or against the Revolution. Noll has demonstrated that it is virtually impossible to understand the colonial society without understanding the place, significance, and prominence of scripture in private and public life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark A. Noll is the Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame. His book, In the Beginning was the Word: The Bible in American Public Life, 1492-1783 (Oxford University Press, 2015), offers a rich and deep examination of the place of the bible, both as an object and a source of ideas, in the public life of early America. Noll sets out to show the evolution of the colonial relationship with the bible in the context of Christendom, anti-Catholicism and the British empire in which it was understood. Noll offers innumerable examples and references of New England as thoroughly immersed in scripture in which a broad biblicalism saturated the imagination, culture, and politics. Both fervent and lukewarm believers took the authority of the bible for granted providing analogies for interpreting immediate events, inductive instruction, and inspiration for a vast number of political and cultural projects. But the bible was also a double edge sword that could both unite and divide friends and foe. Noll teases out the often-subtle difference in views of the bible that had significant political consequence. Dissenters and religious radicals believed that the bible stood against Christendom and church establishment. Other issues were not only about the bible itself, and whether it was the sole or final authority, but also who could read it and understand it. Slaves, women, and common people under the sweep of revivals, increased literacy, and the tool of a versified text began to interpret the bible for themselves rather than look to the clergy for guidance. This worked to undermine Christendom and created a uniquely American attitude towards the bible. What remained was a providential rhetoric that replaced the empire with the nation, and ongoing debates over scriptural mandates on the economy, slavery, and arguments for or against the Revolution. Noll has demonstrated that it is virtually impossible to understand the colonial society without understanding the place, significance, and prominence of scripture in private and public life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark A. Noll is the Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame. His book, In the Beginning was the Word: The Bible in American Public Life, 1492-1783 (Oxford University Press, 2015), offers a rich and deep examination of the place of the bible, both as an object and a source of ideas, in the public life of early America. Noll sets out to show the evolution of the colonial relationship with the bible in the context of Christendom, anti-Catholicism and the British empire in which it was understood. Noll offers innumerable examples and references of New England as thoroughly immersed in scripture in which a broad biblicalism saturated the imagination, culture, and politics. Both fervent and lukewarm believers took the authority of the bible for granted providing analogies for interpreting immediate events, inductive instruction, and inspiration for a vast number of political and cultural projects. But the bible was also a double edge sword that could both unite and divide friends and foe. Noll teases out the often-subtle difference in views of the bible that had significant political consequence. Dissenters and religious radicals believed that the bible stood against Christendom and church establishment. Other issues were not only about the bible itself, and whether it was the sole or final authority, but also who could read it and understand it. Slaves, women, and common people under the sweep of revivals, increased literacy, and the tool of a versified text began to interpret the bible for themselves rather than look to the clergy for guidance. This worked to undermine Christendom and created a uniquely American attitude towards the bible. What remained was a providential rhetoric that replaced the empire with the nation, and ongoing debates over scriptural mandates on the economy, slavery, and arguments for or against the Revolution. Noll has demonstrated that it is virtually impossible to understand the colonial society without understanding the place, significance, and prominence of scripture in private and public life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark A. Noll is the Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame. His book, In the Beginning was the Word: The Bible in American Public Life, 1492-1783 (Oxford University Press, 2015), offers a rich and deep examination of the place of the bible, both as an object and a source of ideas, in the public life of early America. Noll sets out to show the evolution of the colonial relationship with the bible in the context of Christendom, anti-Catholicism and the British empire in which it was understood. Noll offers innumerable examples and references of New England as thoroughly immersed in scripture in which a broad biblicalism saturated the imagination, culture, and politics. Both fervent and lukewarm believers took the authority of the bible for granted providing analogies for interpreting immediate events, inductive instruction, and inspiration for a vast number of political and cultural projects. But the bible was also a double edge sword that could both unite and divide friends and foe. Noll teases out the often-subtle difference in views of the bible that had significant political consequence. Dissenters and religious radicals believed that the bible stood against Christendom and church establishment. Other issues were not only about the bible itself, and whether it was the sole or final authority, but also who could read it and understand it. Slaves, women, and common people under the sweep of revivals, increased literacy, and the tool of a versified text began to interpret the bible for themselves rather than look to the clergy for guidance. This worked to undermine Christendom and created a uniquely American attitude towards the bible. What remained was a providential rhetoric that replaced the empire with the nation, and ongoing debates over scriptural mandates on the economy, slavery, and arguments for or against the Revolution. Noll has demonstrated that it is virtually impossible to understand the colonial society without understanding the place, significance, and prominence of scripture in private and public life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark A. Noll is the Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame. His book, In the Beginning was the Word: The Bible in American Public Life, 1492-1783 (Oxford University Press, 2015), offers a rich and deep examination of the place of the bible, both as an object and a source of ideas, in the public life of early America. Noll sets out to show the evolution of the colonial relationship with the bible in the context of Christendom, anti-Catholicism and the British empire in which it was understood. Noll offers innumerable examples and references of New England as thoroughly immersed in scripture in which a broad biblicalism saturated the imagination, culture, and politics. Both fervent and lukewarm believers took the authority of the bible for granted providing analogies for interpreting immediate events, inductive instruction, and inspiration for a vast number of political and cultural projects. But the bible was also a double edge sword that could both unite and divide friends and foe. Noll teases out the often-subtle difference in views of the bible that had significant political consequence. Dissenters and religious radicals believed that the bible stood against Christendom and church establishment. Other issues were not only about the bible itself, and whether it was the sole or final authority, but also who could read it and understand it. Slaves, women, and common people under the sweep of revivals, increased literacy, and the tool of a versified text began to interpret the bible for themselves rather than look to the clergy for guidance. This worked to undermine Christendom and created a uniquely American attitude towards the bible. What remained was a providential rhetoric that replaced the empire with the nation, and ongoing debates over scriptural mandates on the economy, slavery, and arguments for or against the Revolution. Noll has demonstrated that it is virtually impossible to understand the colonial society without understanding the place, significance, and prominence of scripture in private and public life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah Gordon and Mark Silk look at how the U.S. has historically regulated religious institutions as well as accounted for an individual's religious liberty.

Sarah Gordon and Mark Silk look at how the U.S. has historically regulated religious institutions as well as accounted for an individual’s religious liberty. Experts Sarah Barringer Gordon Arlin M. Adams Professor of Constitutional Law and Professor of History Mark Silk Director, Leonard Greenberg Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life and Professor of Religion in Public Life, Trinity College Host Steven Barnes Host, Editor-in-Chief, Case in Point

Sarah Gordon and Mark Silk look at how the U.S. has historically regulated religious institutions as well as accounted for an individual’s religious liberty. Experts Sarah Barringer Gordon Arlin M. Adams Professor of Constitutional Law and Professor of History Mark Silk Director, Leonard Greenberg Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life and Professor of Religion in Public Life, Trinity College Host Steven Barnes Host, Editor-in-Chief, Case in Point

At the top of tonight's show Prof. Barbara McGraw, Director for the Center for Engaged Religious Pluralism, discusses The American Founders & the Role of Religious Pluralism in American Public Life, along with her book, Taking Religious Pluralism Seriously. In the second half of the show, we have returning to the show a favorite guest, Patrick McCollum, discussing religious tolerance and the lack there of in the public arena.  Patrick will update us on his work in the field on this important subject.

It is timely to haul this old PODCAzT out of cold storage.  In light of presidential candidate Rick Santorum’s comments about Pres. Kennedy and Catholicism and the public square, let’s review Archbp. Chaput’s outstanding address in Houston in 2010. This … Continue reading →

Jerry Sittser specializes in the History of Christianity, Christian Spirituality, and Religion in American Public Life.His course on the history and practice of Christian Spirituality meets over January Term in the wintry beauty of Tall Timber, a Christian camp located in a remote area of the Cascade mountain range.Students live together for three weeks, follow a modified Benedictine Rule, and explore various spiritual traditions that have emerged throughout the history of Christian spirituality. He is also chair of the MA in Theology program at Whitworth and director of the Certification in Ministry program. He has written seven books, too.He is currently doing research on the history of "catechesis," which refers to how the church has trained people in the faith over the past 2,000 years.

Dr. Miranda teaches courses in Theology, Practical Ministry and Leadership in the graduate MA in Leadership Studies (MALS) Program. He is the founder and director of the Jesse Miranda Center for Hispanic Leadership at Vanguard. He is also Co-Director of the Hispanic Churches in American Public Life research project as well as Founding and Current President of the Alianza de Ministerios Evangélicos Nacionales (AMEN), a multi-denominational association of Hispanic Protestant lay and clergy leaders in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico. AMEN fosters unity among religious leaders, churches and organizations, and promotes a central voice for Hispanic Protestants across the continent. He is the CEO of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference representing 18,000 Hispanic churches in the U.S.. At present he serves as an Executive Presbyter with the General Council of the Assemblies of God, being the first Latino to serve on the national board, as well as the first Latino to be keynote speaker at the 1985 General Council held in San Antonio, Texas.

Dr. Miranda teaches courses in Theology, Practical Ministry and Leadership in the graduate MA in Leadership Studies (MALS) Program. He is the founder and director of the Jesse Miranda Center for Hispanic Leadership at Vanguard. He is also Co-Director of the Hispanic Churches in American Public Life research project as well as Founding and Current President of the Alianza de Ministerios Evangélicos Nacionales (AMEN), a multi-denominational association of Hispanic Protestant lay and clergy leaders in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico. AMEN fosters unity among religious leaders, churches and organizations, and promotes a central voice for Hispanic Protestants across the continent. He is the CEO of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference representing 18,000 Hispanic churches in the U.S.. At present he serves as an Executive Presbyter with the General Council of the Assemblies of God, being the first Latino to serve on the national board, as well as the first Latino to be keynote speaker at the 1985 General Council held in San Antonio, Texas.

Gerald Sittser has taught at Whitworth since 1989. He specializes in the history of Christianity and American religion, though his most popular courses are Introduction to the Christian Faith and Christian Spirituality. Jerry Sittser specializes in the History of Christianity, Christian Spirituality, and Religion in American Public Life. He is also chair of the MA in Theology program at Whitworth and director of the Certification in Ministry program. He has written seven books, too. He is currently doing research on the history of "catechesis," which refers to how the church has trained people in the faith over the past 2,000 years. Sittser won the Hope College Distinguished Alumni Award in 2009. He has also been voted Most Influential Professor seven times by the Whitworth senior class

In his book Culture Wars (1992) Hunter "coined" the term that titled the book and it has been a staple within popular circulation ever since. He argued that America was in the midst of a "culture war" over "our most fundamental and cherished assumptions about how to order our lives." In 1998 Wolfe challenged this idea of a culture war in One Nation After All. He proposed the alternate thesis, that a majority of Americans were seeking a middle way, a blend of the traditional and the modern. With the nation seemingly polarized as ever these two distinguished scholars will discuss what this means for religion, society, and identity in America. James Davison Hunter is Labrosse-Levinson Distinguished Professor of Religion, Culture, and Social Theory at the University of Virginia and Executive Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture. His various works are centered around the problem of meaning and moral order in a time of political and cultural change in American life. His most recent book To Change the World: The Irony, Tragedy, and Possibility of Christianity in the Late Modern World. Alan Wolfe is Professor of Political Science and Director of the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life at Boston College. He is the author and editor of more than 20 books, most recently, The Future of Liberalism and his work has appeared in Commonwealth, The New York Times, Harper's, The Atlantic Monthly, The Washington Post.

On Monday evening, 1 March 2010, Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver gave a speech at Houston Baptist University called “The Vocation of Christians in American Public Life”. The lecture was presented in coordination with the Pope John Paul II Forum … Continue reading →