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We live in a polarized time. People with whom we disagree are not just wrong, but evil – or so we (and they) often think. John Inazu thinks that posture towards those with whom we disagree is neither helpful nor biblical. He thinks empathy, curiosity, and love – both loving our neighbors but also loving our enemies – is both a biblical approach, and an approach that is more likely to change hearts and minds. John Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis. His latest book, the one we're discussing today, is Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect (Zondervan, 2024). Inazu is also the author of Liberty's Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly (Yale University Press, 2012) and Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference (University of Chicago Press, 2016). He is co-editor (with Tim Keller) of Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference (Thomas Nelson, 2020). Inazu is the founder of The Carver Project and the Legal Vocation Fellowship, a Senior Fellow with the Trinity Forum, and a Senior Fellow with Interfaith America, where he co-directs (with Eboo Patel) the Newbigin Fellows. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.
Send us a Text Message.In this episode of the Faithful Politics podcast, Josh Burtram and Will Wright interview John Inazu, the Callie D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis. Inazu discusses his new book, Learning to Disagree, which explores the importance of understanding and navigating disagreements in a pluralistic society. The book, structured around an academic calendar, combines memoir and practical advice, aiming to help readers handle disagreements constructively in their daily lives.Inazu emphasizes the importance of empathy, patience, and forgiveness in managing disagreements, noting that these skills are crucial in both personal and societal contexts. He argues that the best lawyers win cases by deeply understanding the opposing side, and similarly, individuals can manage conflicts better by genuinely listening and trying to understand others' perspectives. Inazu also discusses the challenges of engaging in hard conversations, particularly those involving deeply personal or moral issues like LGBTQ rights.The discussion touches on the role of law in ensuring fairness and protecting civil liberties, highlighting how legal frameworks help manage societal disagreements without resorting to violence. Inazu also critiques the current state of political discourse, exacerbated by media partisanship, and suggests practical strategies for individuals to diversify their news sources and engage in more constructive conversations.Finally, Inazu advises focusing on long-term relationships and investing in institutions that facilitate ongoing dialogue and understanding, stressing that meaningful change and deeper understanding require sustained effort and commitment.Buy the book: Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect https://a.co/d/etmnvrgGuest Bio:John Inazu's scholarship focuses on the First Amendment freedoms of speech, assembly, and religion, and related questions of legal and political theory. His books include Liberty's Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly (Yale University Press, 2012) and Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference (University of Chicago Press, 2016; paperback 2018). Inazu is the special editor of a volume on law and theology published in Law and Contemporary Problems and co-editor (with Tim Keller) of Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference (Thomas Nelson, 2020). His articles have appeared in a number of law reviews and specialty journals, and he has written broadly for mainstream audiences in publications including the Atlantic, USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, and the Washington Post. Prior to law teaching, Inazu clerked for Judge Roger L. Wollman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and served for four years as an associate general counsel with the Department of the Air Force at the Pentagon.Support the Show.To learn more about the show, contact our hosts, or recommend future guests, click on the links below: Website: https://www.faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/ Faithful Host: Josh@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com Political Host: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com Twitter: @FaithfulPolitik Instagram: faithful_politics Facebook: FaithfulPoliticsPodcast LinkedIn: faithfulpolitics Subscribe to our Substack: https://faithfulpolitics.substack.com/
In his recently published book, Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect, John Inazu reflects on his experiences as a law professor and considers how we can build bridges with our neighbors, coworkers, and loved ones. Dr. Inazu talks with Aaron about the unique approach he takes in this book and what we can learn about how to disagree better.
In our divisive culture, is it possible to disagree respectfully without compromising your convictions? John Inazu reveals a better way to manage discord in his book Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect. John Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis. He is also the author of Liberty’s Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly (Yale University Press, 2012) and Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference (University of Chicago Press, 2016), and co-editor (with Tim Keller) of Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference (Thomas Nelson, 2020). Inazu is the founder of The Carver Project and the Legal Vocation Fellowship and a Senior Fellow at Interfaith America and the Trinity Forum. He holds a B.S.E. and J.D. from Duke University and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. To wrap up the third hour, Keely Brooke Keith has a conversation with Dawn about her new book Unchartered Peace. This is book thirteen in The Unchartered Series. Keely is the author of the beloved Uncharted series. Her books are best described as inspirational frontier-style fiction with a futuristic twist. Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, Keely was a tree-climbing, baseball-loving 80s kid. She grew up in a family who moved often, which fueled her dreams of faraway lands. When she isn’t writing, Keely enjoys gardening and is slowly learning how to not kill plants. Keely, her husband, and their daughter live on a hilltop south of Nashville, Tennessee. She is a member of ACFW.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Interested in being trained within the Reformed & Confessional Classical Theistic tradition? Check out Davenant Hall. Use code gggtrinity24 for $25 off Trinity Term! Make a one-time or recurring donation on our Donor Box profile here. Join us in the mission of introducing Reformed Theology across the world! Please help support the show on our Patreon Page! WELCOME TO BOOK CLUB! John Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis. He is the author of Liberty's Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly (Yale University Press, 2012) and Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference (University of Chicago Press, 2016). He has written broadly for mainstream audiences in publications including USA Today, The Atlantic, and The Washington Post. You can learn more about John at johninazu.com. We want to thank Zondervan for their help in setting up this interview and providing us with the necessary materials for this interview with Dr. Inazu! Purchase the book(s) here: Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect Have Feedback or Questions? Email us at: guiltgracepod@gmail.com Find us on Instagram: @guiltgracepod Follow us on Twitter: @guiltgracepod Find us on YouTube: Guilt Grace Gratitude Podcast Please rate and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform you use! Looking for a Reformed Church? North American Presbyterian & Reformed Churches --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gggpodcast/support
In this episode of the Writing Room podcast, Bob and Kim are joined by John Inazu, a law professor and author of an upcoming release, "Learning to Disagree". Join this trio of storytellers as they explore the intersection of law, life, and writing, inviting listeners into a space where understanding triumphs over division. If you're seeking inspiration to infuse empathy into your narratives, this episode promises a wealth of insights and practical wisdom. John Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis. Inazu is also the author of Liberty's Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly and Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference. He is co-editor (with Tim Keller) of Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference. Inazu is also the founder of The Carver Project and the Legal Vocation Fellowship and a Senior Fellow with Interfaith America, where he co-directs (with Eboo Patel) the Newbigin Fellows. Connect with John: @johninazu Connect with Bob: @bobgoff Connect with Kim: @kimberly.stuart.writes Join Bob and Kim for the next Writer's Workshop at The Oaks: April 22-24 Learn more about Writing Coaching with Bob and Kim
In this episode of the Writing Room podcast, Bob and Kim are joined by John Inazu, a law professor and author of an upcoming release, "Learning to Disagree". Join this trio of storytellers as they explore the intersection of law, life, and writing, inviting listeners into a space where understanding triumphs over division. If you're seeking inspiration to infuse empathy into your narratives, this episode promises a wealth of insights and practical wisdom. John Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis. Inazu is also the author of Liberty's Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly and Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference. He is co-editor (with Tim Keller) of Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference. Inazu is also the founder of The Carver Project and the Legal Vocation Fellowship and a Senior Fellow with Interfaith America, where he co-directs (with Eboo Patel) the Newbigin Fellows. Connect with John: @johninazu Connect with Bob: @bobgoff Connect with Kim: @kimberly.stuart.writes Join Bob and Kim for the next Writer's Workshop at The Oaks: April 22-24 Learn more about Writing Coaching with Bob and Kim
In this episode of the Writing Room podcast, Bob and Kim are joined by John Inazu, a law professor and author of an upcoming release, "Learning to Disagree". Join this trio of storytellers as they explore the intersection of law, life, and writing, inviting listeners into a space where understanding triumphs over division. If you're seeking inspiration to infuse empathy into your narratives, this episode promises a wealth of insights and practical wisdom. John Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis. Inazu is also the author of Liberty's Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly and Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference. He is co-editor (with Tim Keller) of Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference. Inazu is also the founder of The Carver Project and the Legal Vocation Fellowship and a Senior Fellow with Interfaith America, where he co-directs (with Eboo Patel) the Newbigin Fellows. Connect with John: @johninazu Connect with Bob: @bobgoff Connect with Kim: @kimberly.stuart.writes Join Bob and Kim for the next Writer's Workshop at The Oaks: April 22-24 Learn more about Writing Coaching with Bob and Kim
Washington University professor John Inazu tells us how we can make peace inside a raging culture war. What explains the high levels of political polarization in American society today? To writer and law professor John Inazu, the answer is not necessarily that the media has become more biased — there has always been bias in the news, after all. The more likely answer is that the “volume” of the information we encounter has been turned way up, thanks to technology. For example, while we used to have limited access to the news through the newspaper and nightly broadcasts, we can now get constant updates on social media, email, and news apps. Often, the result is that we seek out information that confirms our beliefs and we have trouble connecting with people whose opinions differ from our own. Inazu suggests we can break out of our ideological bubbles through “confident pluralism,” which he describes as a framework that uses the values of tolerance, patience, and humility to help people better engage with each other. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ About John Inazu: John Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis. He teaches criminal law, law and religion, and various First Amendment seminars. His scholarship focuses on the First Amendment freedoms of speech, assembly, and religion, and related questions of legal and political theory. He is the author of Liberty's Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly (Yale University Press, 2012) and Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference (University of Chicago Press, 2016), and co-editor (with Tim Keller) of Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference (Thomas Nelson, 2020). Inazu holds a B.S.E. and J.D. from Duke University and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He clerked for Judge Roger L. Wollman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit and served for four years as an associate general counsel with the Department of the Air Force at the Pentagon. About Big Think | Smarter Faster™ ► Big Think The leading source of expert-driven, educational content. With thousands of videos, featuring experts ranging from Bill Clinton to Bill Nye, Big Think helps you get smarter, faster by exploring the big ideas and core skills that define knowledge in the 21st century. ► Big Think+ Make your business smarter, faster: https://bigthink.com/plus/ Get Smarter, Faster With Interviews From The Worlds Biggest Thinkers. Follow This Podcast And Turn On The Notifications Rate Us With 5 Stars Share This Episode.... --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bigthink/message Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Prominent law and religion professor John Inazu discusses the political flip-flop of conservative Christians in America, the role of evangelical Christians in creating safe spaces, and the importance of navigating differences with empathy and respect. Guest Bio: John Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion and holds a joint appointment in the Washington University Law School and the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics. Inazu's scholarship focuses on the First Amendment freedoms of speech, assembly, and religion and related legal and political theory questions. Inazu is the special editor of a volume on law and theology published in Law and Contemporary Problems, and his articles have appeared in several law reviews and specialty journals. He has written broadly for mainstream audiences in publications including USA Today, Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post. You can tune in to all episodes on our website, Apple, Spotify, and wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. New episodes drop every Tuesday at 5 a.m. CST.
Dr. John Inazu is a Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis and a Senior Fellow with Interfaith America. He is also an author and Founder of The Carver Project, a non-profit that connects students and faculty to community engagement through their Christian faith. Professor Inazu's scholarship focuses on the First Amendment freedoms of speech, assembly, and religion, and related questions of legal and political theory. In this episode, Dr. Inazu joins Eric Reiter and Bethany Copeland, of the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement, to discuss authentic relationship building, how law affects activism, and the value of bringing faith identities into public discourse.
In this episode Jeff and Emily are joined by Dr. Kristen Deede Johnson and Dr. John Inazu to discuss public discourse and what we can learn about how to get along in a pluralistic society in such a divided time. How can we understand our unique point in history and how do we faithfully follow Christ and live that out in the world in our time and place? We talk about questions of political philosophy, formation, and practices for how we interact together. Kristen Deede Johnson is the Professor of Theology and Christian Formation at Western Theological Seminary. She is the author of Theology, Political Theory, and Pluralism and Justice Calling. John Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis, and the executive director of The Carver Project. Inazu is the author of Liberty's Refuge and Confident Pluralism. Inazu is also the co-editor (with Tim Keller) of Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference in which Johnson has an essay.
In this eleventh installment of a series on liberalism, Benjamin Klutsey, the director of academic outreach at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, sits down with John Inazu to discuss what changes in constitutional rules and inter-personal norms can be more effective at better fostering environments of patient, tolerant, and intellectually humble conversations. Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law & Religion and Professor of Political Science at Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. He specializes in First Amendment freedoms of speech, assembly, and religion, and related questions of legal and political theory. His books include Liberty's Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly and Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference. He's also the executive director of The Carver Project, an organization that empowers Christian faculty and students to serve and connect university, church, and society. For a full transcript of this conversation, visit DiscourseMagazine.com. Love the show? Give us a rating on Apple Podcasts or on your favorite podcast app. It helps other podcast listeners find the show. Resources: John Inazu, Liberty's Refuge, the Forgotten Freedom of Assembly, https://www.jinazu.com/libertys-refuge John Inazu, Confident Pluralism, Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference, https://www.jinazu.com/confident-pluralism John Inazu and Tim Keller, Uncommon Ground, Living Faithfully in a World of Difference, https://www.jinazu.com/uncommon-ground Carver Project, https://www.carverstl.org/ Ben Klutsey and Danielle Allen, A Matter of Trust, https://www.discoursemagazine.com/culture-and-society/2020/12/04/a-matter-of-trust/ Danielle Allen, Talking to Strangers, https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/T/bo3636037.html James Boyd White, Living Speech, https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691138374/living-speech John Inazu, The Purpose (and Limits) of the University, https://dc.law.utah.edu/ulr/vol2018/iss5/1/ Alasdair Macintyre, Three Rival Versions of Moral Inquiry, https://undpress.nd.edu/9780268018771/three-rival-versions-of-moral-enquiry/ James Davison Hunter, Faithful Presence, https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199730803.001.0001/acprof-9780199730803-chapter-18
For years, one of the primary ways that people experienced Donald Trump was through his tweets. All of that changed on January 8, when, in the aftermath of the capitol insurrection, Twitter banned @realDonaldTrump. “Due to the ongoing tensions in the United States, and an uptick in the global conversation in regards to the people who violently stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021, these two tweets must be read in the context of broader events in the country and the ways in which the President’s statements can be mobilized by different audiences, including to incite violence, as well as in the context of the pattern of behavior from this account in recent weeks,” read the statement, which included the text of the tweets. “After assessing the language in these Tweets against our Glorification of Violence policy, we have determined that these Tweets are in violation of the Glorification of Violence Policy and the user @realDonaldTrump should be immediately permanently suspended from the service.” Twitter was not the only social media service to crack down on Trump. Snapchat banned him permanently. Facebook banned Trump's account through the remainder of his term and suggested it could ban "indefinitely." Last week, YouTube suspended Trump for a week because they said he violated a violence policy. This flurry of tech moves has raised questions about free speech and left some Christians wondering how well their First Amendment rights will be protected in the midst of this. John Inazu is a professor of law and religion at the Washington University Law School. He is the author of Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving through Deep Difference and more recently, with Tim Keller, Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference. Inazu joined global media manager Morgan Lee and editorial director Ted Olsen to discuss the complexity of defining “free speech,” what people misunderstand about the First Amendment, and the blind spots that Christians can have when advocating for free speech. What is Quick to Listen? Read more Rate Quick to Listen on Apple Podcasts Follow the podcast on Twitter Follow our hosts on Twitter: Morgan Lee and Ted Olsen Follow our guest on Twitter: John Inazu Some of Whitehead and Perry’s Christian nationalism numbers Music by Sweeps Quick to Listen is produced by Morgan Lee and Matt Linder The transcript is edited by Yvonne Su and Bunmi Ishola Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
John Inazu, law professor at Washington University in St. Louis, addresses the debates over free speech, hate speech, and inciting violence that is currently dominating our headlines. Among the topics discussed are whether there are (or should be) any limits on political speech and whether the First Amendment applies in the private marketplace, including on social media. Dr. Inazu provides perspective on the legal and ethical issues involved.
Lauren Inazu isn't your average 13-year-old girl. When she was 8, she recruited friends to sell and market her lemonade stand, Lauren's Sweet Treats. In 5th grade, she started a school newspaper. And now, she recently launched a cottage food business. Lauren lives in St. Louis, MO and sells all sorts of baked goods with her new business, Count It All Joy. Between school, homework, piano lessons, sports, youth group, clubs, and Bible study, Lauren is somehow finding time to fulfill baking orders. Sometimes she likes to surprise her classmates with that fact: "I think it's always kind of fun to be like, 'Oh yeah, I just have to go make four dozen cookies tonight for an order.' And they're like, 'An order?'" Lauren may be one of the most ambitious and mature 13-year-olds I have ever met, but she is not unique in wanting to make a little dough from her baked goods. Many kids reach out to me to ask if it is legal for them to sell their creations. In this episode, Lauren shares what she's learned about legally starting her cottage food business as a 13-year-old, in hopes of inspiring other young entrepreneurs to try it out as well.Get full show notes and transcript here: https://forrager.com/podcast/23
This week, we sat down with Professor Paul Lim, Associate Professor of the History of Christianity. Professor Lim is an award-winning historian of Reformation- and post-Reformation Europe. His latest book, Mystery Unveiled: The Crisis of the Trinity in Early Modern England (Oxford, 2012), won the 2013 Roland H. Bainton Prize as the best book in history/theology by the Sixteenth Century Society and Conference. He has published two other books in that area: The Cambridge Companion to Puritanism (Cambridge, 2008); and In Pursuit of Purity, Unity, and Liberty: Richard Baxter’s Puritan Ecclesiology in Context (Brill, 2004). In addition, history of evangelicalism and global Christianities are his other foci of research. Currently, he is writing a book on the transformation of global evangelical attitudes toward and endeavors on eradication of human trafficking and structural poverty. Professor Lim holds a B.A. from Yale University (1990), an M.Div. from the Biblical Theological Seminary (1995), a Th.M. from Princeton Theological Seminary (1997), and a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge (2001). This is the final episode of The Carver Cast, Season 1. Please stay tuned for Season 2, anticipated in 2021! In the meantime, our team continues to engage with Christian faculty, and you can visit us at www.carverstl.org for updates and other resources. -- The Carver Cast engages with Christian faculty in higher education and highlights the work of those faculty to bridge connections between university, church, and society. In doing so, it seeks to disrupt the perceptions that Christians are “anti-intellectual” and that higher education is “anti-Christian.” Tune in for a wide-ranging discussion with faculty around the country, with mediocre production quality but excellent content! Penina Laker and John Inazu are Carver Project faculty fellows and members of the faculty at Washington University in St. Louis, where Laker is assistant professor of communication design and Inazu is a professor of law and religion.
This week, we sat down with Washington University Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Jill Pasteris, to talk about living out her faith in her scientific field. Professor Pasteris’ research interests include Biomineralization and Raman spectroscopy of Geological Materials. She holds a PhD from Yale University. Pasteris collaborates with chemists and materials scientists to compare Raman and infrared (IR) spectra of biological apatite (a calcium phosphate mineral) and its synthetic analogs. The current goal is to understand better how the carbonate ion is incorporated into biological apatite. She also currently is collaborating with colleagues from the School of Engineering to enhance the growth of lead-bearing minerals to form protective mineral scales on the inner walls of lead pipes. The aim is to eliminate the cause of lead poisoning due to the historical use of lead service pipes to bring drinking water into homes in the US. -- The Carver Cast engages with Christian faculty in higher education and highlights the work of those faculty to bridge connections between university, church, and society. In doing so, it seeks to disrupt the perceptions that Christians are “anti-intellectual” and that higher education is “anti-Christian.” Tune in for a wide-ranging discussion with faculty around the country, with mediocre production quality but excellent content! Penina Laker and John Inazu are Carver Project faculty fellows and members of the faculty at Washington University in St. Louis, where Laker is assistant professor of communication design and Inazu is a professor of law and religion.
This episode, we talked with Professor Abram Van Engen, Associate Professor of English at Washington University in St. Louis, about his research on religion and literature. His research focuses especially on seventeenth-century Puritans and the way they have been remembered and remade in American culture. Van Engen began his career with a study of sympathy in seventeenth-century Puritanism, drawing together abiding interests in the history of emotions, theology, imagined communities, and literary form. Those interests led to his first book, Sympathetic Puritans, and numerous related articles on early American religion and literature. Beginning with these concerns, Van Engen has moved from a study of the Puritans in their own place and context to an interest in the way Puritans have been recollected and re-used by later generations. Studying the life of texts and the effects of collective memory, Van Engen has produced a second book, The Meaning of America, along with several other publications that together study the creation and curation of American exceptionalism. Work on his second project was furthered by participation in the Humanities Digital Workshop at Washington University in St. Louis, where Van Engen has been leading a team to study the concept and creation of American exceptionalism through a history of the phrase “city on a hill.” That work has led to multiple related digital projects, all in teams with undergraduate and graduate researchers. Collaboration remains essential to his work, with co-edited journal issues, co-written articles, co-taught courses and working groups that bring together literature, history, religion, politics, and psychology. Van Engen’s undergraduate courses have included Literature, Spirituality, and Religion (a freshman seminar); Early Texts and Contexts; American Literature to 1865; Natives and Newcomers in Early America; City on a Hill (for American Culture Studies); and Morality and Markets (co-taught with the Business School). Graduate seminars have included Puritanism, Literature and Religion, Intro to Graduate Studies, and Marilynne Robinson. Van Engen is also the Director of English Graduate Studies as well as an Associate Professor of Religion and Politics (by courtesy). He received his PhD from Northwestern University in 2010. -- The Carver Cast engages with Christian faculty in higher education and highlights the work of those faculty to bridge connections between university, church, and society. In doing so, it seeks to disrupt the perceptions that Christians are “anti-intellectual” and that higher education is “anti-Christian.” Tune in for a wide-ranging discussion with faculty around the country, with mediocre production quality but excellent content! Penina Laker and John Inazu are Carver Project faculty fellows and members of the faculty at Washington University in St. Louis, where Laker is assistant professor of communication design and Inazu is a professor of law and religion.
This week, we sat down with Ruth Lopez Turley, professor of sociology at Rice University. She founded the Houston Education Research Consortium (HERC), a research-practice partnership between Rice University and several Houston area school districts, including the Houston Independent School District. Turley also founded the National Network of Education Research-Practice Partnerships (NNERPP), which supports and develops partnerships between research institutions and education agencies throughout the country. Turley has served in various elected and appointed positions in local, state, and national levels. Nationally, she has served in leadership positions in the American Sociological Association (ASA), the American Educational Research Association (AERA), the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness (SREE), and the National Research Council of the National Academies, as well as the editorial boards of Sociology of Education and Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. Locally, she has served as a Mayor’s Appointee in the Harvey Relief Fund Advisory Board, tasked with disseminating $100M, and is also serving on the Texas State Board of Education’s Long-Range Plan for Public Education Steering Committee. Turley completed her undergraduate work at Stanford University (1996) and received her Ph.D. in Sociology from Harvard University (2001), where she was a doctoral fellow at the Kennedy School of Government’s Multidisciplinary Program in Inequality and Social Policy. Prior to coming to Rice, she was an assistant and associate professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where she was a faculty affiliate of the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER), the Interdisciplinary Training Program in Education Sciences (ITP), and the Institute for Research on Poverty (IRP). In 2004, she was a National Academy of Education Postdoctoral Fellow. -- The Carver Cast engages with Christian faculty in higher education and highlights the work of those faculty to bridge connections between university, church, and society. In doing so, it seeks to disrupt the perceptions that Christians are “anti-intellectual” and that higher education is “anti-Christian.” Tune in for a wide-ranging discussion with faculty around the country, with mediocre production quality but excellent content! Penina Laker and John Inazu are Carver Project faculty fellows and members of the faculty at Washington University in St. Louis, where Laker is assistant professor of communication design and Inazu is a professor of law and religion.
In this episode of the Carver Cast, we interview Professor Peter Feaver (Ph.D., Harvard, 1990), a Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at Duke University. Peter is Director of the Duke Program in American Grand Strategy. He is most recently the author of Armed Servants: Agency, Oversight, and Civil-Military Relations (Harvard Press, 2003) and of Guarding the Guardians: Civilian Control of Nuclear Weapons in the United States (Cornell University Press, 1992). He has published numerous monographs, scholarly articles, book chapters, and policy pieces on grand strategy, American foreign policy, public opinion, nuclear proliferation, civil-military relations, and cybersecurity. From June 2005 to July 2007, Feaver served as Special Advisor for Strategic Planning and Institutional Reform on the National Security Council Staff at the White House where his responsibilities included the national security strategy, regional strategy reviews, and other political-military issues. In 1993-94, Feaver served as Director for Defense Policy and Arms Control on the National Security Council at the White House where his responsibilities included the national security strategy review, counterproliferation policy, regional nuclear arms control, and other defense policy issues. He is an emeritus member of the Aspen Strategy Group, blogs at “Elephants in the Room” at ForeignPolicy.com, and is a Contributing Editor to Foreign Policy magazine. -- The Carver Cast engages with Christian faculty in higher education and highlights the work of those faculty to bridge connections between university, church, and society. In doing so, it seeks to disrupt the perceptions that Christians are “anti-intellectual” and that higher education is “anti-Christian.” Tune in for a wide-ranging discussion with faculty around the country, with mediocre production quality but excellent content! Penina Laker and John Inazu are Carver Project faculty fellows and members of the faculty at Washington University in St. Louis, where Laker is assistant professor of communication design and Inazu is a professor of law and religion.
Today, we connected with Pablo Tarazaga, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Virginia Tech. His research focuses on the general areas of structural dynamics, vibration, control, testing, adaptive structures and smart materials. Professor Tarazaga received his B.S.M.E. from the University of Puerto Rico in 2002, his M.S. from Virginia Tech in 2004, and his Ph.D. from Virginia Tech in 2009. -- The Carver Cast engages with Christian faculty in higher education and highlights the work of those faculty to bridge connections between university, church, and society. In doing so, it seeks to disrupt the perceptions that Christians are “anti-intellectual” and that higher education is “anti-Christian.” Tune in for a wide-ranging discussion with faculty around the country, with mediocre production quality but excellent content! Penina Laker and John Inazu are Carver Project faculty fellows and members of the faculty at Washington University in St. Louis, where Laker is assistant professor of communication design and Inazu is a professor of law and religion.
In this episode of the Carver Cast, we interviewed Francis Su, Benediktsson-Karwa Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College. Francis Su writes about the dignity of human beings and the wonder of mathematical teaching. He is the Benediktsson-Karwa Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College and a former president of the Mathematical Association of America. In 2013, he received the Haimo Award, a nationwide teaching prize for college math faculty, and in 2018 he won the Halmos-Ford writing award for a speech that inspired his book Mathematics for Human Flourishing (2020). His work has been featured in Quanta Magazine, Wired, and the New York Times. -- The Carver Cast engages with Christian faculty in higher education and highlights the work of those faculty to bridge connections between university, church, and society. In doing so, it seeks to disrupt the perceptions that Christians are “anti-intellectual” and that higher education is “anti-Christian.” Tune in for a wide-ranging discussion with faculty around the country, with mediocre production quality but excellent content! Penina Laker and John Inazu are Carver Project faculty fellows and members of the faculty at Washington University in St. Louis, where Laker is assistant professor of communication design and Inazu is a professor of law and religion.
This week's episode features Heidi Kolk, assistant professor at the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts and Assistant Vice Provost of Academic Assessment. Professor Kolk holds an MA and PhD in English and American Literature from Washington University in St. Louis, and a BA in fine arts from Hope College. She serves as a faculty fellow for the Carver Project. -- The Carver Cast engages with Christian faculty in higher education and highlights the work of those faculty to bridge connections between university, church, and society. In doing so, it seeks to disrupt simultaneously perceptions that Christians are “anti-intellectual” and that higher education is “anti-Christian.” Tune in for a wide-ranging discussion with faculty around the country, with mediocre production quality but excellent content! Penina Laker and John Inazu are Carver Project faculty fellows and members of the faculty at Washington University in St. Louis, where Laker is assistant professor of communication design and Inazu is a professor of law and religion.
This week's episode features Catherine Crouch, a professor of physics at Swarthmore College and a member of The Carver Project’s Academic Advisory Committee. -- The Carver Cast engages with Christian faculty in higher education and highlights the work of those faculty to bridge connections between university, church, and society. In doing so, it seeks to disrupt simultaneously perceptions that Christians are “anti-intellectual” and that higher education is “anti-Christian.” Tune in for a wide-ranging discussion with faculty around the country, with mediocre production quality but excellent content! Penina Laker and John Inazu are Carver Project faculty fellows and members of the faculty at Washington University in St. Louis, where Laker is assistant professor of communication design and Inazu is a professor of law and religion.
Our inaugural episode of the Carver Cast features Dr. Nii Addy, associate professor psychiatry and of cellular and molecular physiology at the Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Addy received his B.S. in Biology from Duke University and his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Yale University. At Yale, Dr. Addy directs a federally funded research program, where he and his staff use rodent models to investigate the neurobiological bases of substance abuse, depression and anxiety. Dr. Addy is also involved in graduate student and post-graduate training, faculty mentoring, and university-wide diversity and inclusion initiatives at Yale. He serves on the journal editorial board of Biological Psychiatry, Nicotine & Tobacco Research, and Neuropharmacology, and serves as a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health’s Center for Scientific Review (CSR). He has presented scientific lectures at universities throughout the United States and Europe, and in Japan. Dr. Addy has also participated in Veritas Forums and community forums on the intersection of mental health, faith, culture and neuroscience. His research and community work have been featured by National Public Radio (NPR), Newsday, the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), The Source Magazine, Chuck Norris, BoldTV, Legitimate Matters, and Relevant Magazine. -- The Carver Cast engages with Christian faculty in higher education and highlights the work of those faculty to bridge connections between university, church, and society. In doing so, it seeks to disrupt simultaneously perceptions that Christians are “anti-intellectual” and that higher education is “anti-Christian.” Tune in for a wide-ranging discussion with faculty around the country, with mediocre production quality but excellent content! Penina Laker and John Inazu are Carver Project faculty fellows and members of the faculty at Washington University in St. Louis, where Laker is assistant professor of communication design and Inazu is a professor of law and religion.
In this episode of Liberty Law Talk, I discuss with Professor John Inazu his new book Liberty’s Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly. Inazu offers his thoughts on resurrecting this most important constitutional doctrine from the doldrums where it languishes as a result of Court rulings. Consequently, Inazu argues that the freedom of assembly is […]
In this episode, we bring you an interview with Professor John Inazu, the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University St. Louis. Professor Inazu sat down with Center Executive Director Jennifer K. Thompson to discuss his book, Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference. Their conversation explored how we can work across ideological divides and protect the free and open exchange of ideas in America. To learn more about Dr. Inazu's work, visit www.jinazu.com. To learn more about the Center for the Study of Liberty, visit www.studyliberty.org. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive announcements about upcoming events, resources, and more.
John Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis. He writes and speaks frequently to general audiences on topics of pluralism, assembly, free speech, religious freedom, and other issues. Dr. Inazu joins NexGenMed to share his ideas on thriving in society with deep differences. https://www.jinazu.com/ Amazon: Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving through Deep Difference
We live in a society with a plurality of views. This can be a good thing, but, as we've all been observing lately in the realm of politics, this is most certainly a challenging thing. How should we, Christians and non-Christians alike,
Christians were left scratching their heads about Bernie Sanders’s grasp of their theology at a political hearing last week. Last year, Wheaton alumnus Russell Vought, President Donald Trump’s pick for deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, had written about his own faith last year after a professor at his alma mater was suspended for beliefs about Islam. Drawing on Vought’s statement, Sanders accused Vought of being Islamophobic and making statements that were “indefensible” and “hateful” and challenged his conviction that salvation was secured through Christ alone. “I don’t know how many Muslims there are in America. I really don’t know, probably a couple million. Are you suggesting that all of those people stand condemned? What about Jews? Do they stand condemned too?” said Sanders, a secular Jew. While some suggested that Sanders’s statements were essentially a religious test, John Inazu, the author of Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference, wasn’t so sure. “On the charitable reading of this, it’s important to ask nominees questions about whether they are going to treat people of different religions fairly or not,” said Inazu, a professor at Washington University School of Law. Sanders’s comments raise questions about what Christians expect non-Christians to know about the fundamentals of their faith and how they should express the nuances of their theology to an increasingly pluralistic and non-religious country. “It was a reminder that baseline level of knowledge is not that deep when it comes to more elite members of the Democratic Party and also other members of society,” Inazu said. Inazu joined assistant editor Morgan Lee and editor in chief Mark Galli to discuss if Sanders’s questions pose a future significant religious liberty issue, how Christians should communicate their beliefs to the public, and the extent to which we should assume that the public is eavesdropping on our conversations.
John Inazu's book, Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference (Univ Chicago 2016), "is an argument for mutual respect and coexistence" as we live, work, and speak in the world. In Inazu's words, "shared existence is not only possible, but also necessary." Right now, our country seems to be more polarized than ever. Whether in debates over homosexual rights, in challenges to religious liberty, or in recent tensions between law enforcement and minority communities, we live in deep disagreement on fundamental issues. Confident Pluralism, in Inazu's words, "suggests a modest possibility: that we can live together in our 'many-ness.'" Join host Mike Schutt and Dr. Inazu as they discuss Confident Pluralism and its two-fold prescription for a robust and hopeful shared existence. The book is divided into two main parts: Constitutional Commitments (the "legal dimension") and Civic Practices (the "personal dimesion"). First, the "legal dimension" of Confident Pluralism focuses on: (1) protecting the voluntary groups of civil society through the rights of assembly and association; (2) facilitating dissent and disagreement in public forums; and (3) ensuring that generally available government funding is not limited by government orthodoxy. Second, the "personal dimension" of Confident Pluralism aspires toward tolerance, humility, and patience in three civic practices: (1) our speech; (2) our collective action (including protests, strikes, and boycotts); and (3) our relationships across difference. Listen in for some conversation around these issues and a taste of Professor Inazu's hopeful vision. John Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis and a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture at the University of Virginia. He teaches courses in criminal law, law and religion, and the First Amendment. His scholarship focuses on the First Amendment freedoms of speech, assembly, and religion, and related issues of political and legal theory. John’s first book is Liberty's Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly (Yale 2012). He has written broadly for mainstream audiences in publications including USA Today, CNN, The Hedgehog Review, The Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post. He received his academic training at Duke (BSE and JD) and UNC-Chapel Hill (PhD), but he remains an avid Duke fan. Watch Dr. Inazu's Q Talk here. Browse of list of his shorter pieces on pluralism here. Visit JohnInazu.com for more information and links to his scholarly work. Pick up a copy of Confident Pluralism from Hearts & Minds Books. Mike Schutt is the host of Cross & Gavel audio, and an Associate Professor at Regent University School of Law, where he has taught Professional Responsibility and Torts, among other things. He is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law. He currently teaches American Legal Thought in the Regent MA program and directs Attorney Ministries for the Christian Legal Society. Contact him at mschutt@clsnet.org.
During the past decade, courts have struggled to reconcile anti-discrimination statutes with claims by private organizations to First Amendment protection for decisions regarding their missions and membership. Can the Boy Scouts expel a gay Scoutmaster? (Boy Scouts of America v. Dale) Can a state law school deny official recognition to a religious club that requires members to affirm certain beliefs regarding homosexuality? (Christian Legal Society v. Martinez) In resolving these questions courts have frequently invoked the freedom of "expressive association," a phrase that appears nowhere in the text of the First Amendment but has been a part of modern judicial doctrine. -- In Liberty’s Refuge, Professor Inazu argues that this "expressive association" mode of analysis is at least in part responsible for what he argues is inadequate protection for associational autonomy--and that a return to the more textually and historically grounded "right of the people peaceably to assemble" is necessary to recapture the benefits of a meaningful pluralism. The Constitution contemplated forcefully dissenting political and expressive groups that would serve as a check on majority rule’s tendency to turn into a force for stifling nonconformity. To maintain an environment in which these groups will flourish, Inazu contends, our First Amendment jurisprudence must recover a more robust conception of associational autonomy grounded in a better understanding of the centrality and breadth of the assembly right. -- John Inazu, a professor at Washington University Law School, is joined by critical commenter Michael McConnell, the Richard & Frances Mallery Professor and Director of the Constitutional Law Center at Stanford Law School, as well as Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, to discuss the book.