Podcast appearances and mentions of Melissa Rogers

The most consequential church-state case of this Supreme Court term involves whether the government could – or even must – fund religious charter schools. Amanda and Holly examine key moments in the oral arguments from Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board, et al. v. Drummond, playing clips from the courtroom and looking at how the justices may apply recent precedent to shape future law. As BJC noted in the brief we filed, if the government funds religious charter schools, it will drag our government deeper into questions it is unfit to answer on matters of doctrine and church composition. That's not government neutrality toward religion – that's religious preference repackaged as educational choice.   SHOW NOTESSegment 1 (starting at 01:53): Developments since our previous show Amanda and Holly talked about the Catholic Charities/Wisconsin case in episode 12: Back to SCOTUS: Regular business in disturbing times We released our episode with Melissa Rogers to coincide with the first 100 days of the Trump administration. It is episode 13 of season 6: Active citizenship: A conversation with Melissa Rogers about promoting religious freedom and the common good President Donald Trump issued a proclamation on the National Day of Prayer and he signed an executive order on the same day establishing the Religious Liberty Commission.  The American Bar Association has a website page dedicated to National Law Day You can click this link to read President Donald Trump's proclamation on “Loyalty Day and Law Day.” The Respecting Religion podcast won a 2025 “Best in Class” award from the Religion Communicators Council's DeRose-Hinkhouse Awards for our episode titled: “But … is it Christian nationalism?” from season 5.   Segment 2 (starting at 09:51): Oral arguments in Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board, et al. v. Drummond Holly mentioned this article from The Washington Post by Justin Jouvenal and Laura Meckler that provides an overview of the case: How religious public schools went from a long shot to the Supreme Court Holly and Amanda discussed these cases as they worked their way through the courts in episode 16 of season 5: The trouble with *religious* charter schools BJC filed an amicus brief in Oklahoma v. Drummond, along with other Christian organizations as well as Jewish, Muslim and interfaith groups. Click here to read our brief. We played four clips in this segment from the oral arguments in Oklahoma v. Drummond. You can visit the Supreme Court's website for a transcript of the arguments and an audio recording of the arguments.  Clip #1: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson & Solicitor General John Sauer Clip #2: Chief Justice John Roberts  Clip #3: Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson  Clip #4: Justice Elena Kagan & Michael McGinley Amanda and Holly mentioned three decisions authored by Chief Justice John Roberts that developed a new way of understanding the Free Exercise Clause. They are:  Trinity Lutheran v. Comer (2017) Espinoza v. Montana Dept. of Revenue (2020) Carson v. Makin (2022) Holly's 2017 column on the Trinity Lutheran decision is titled “Decidedly narrow, deeply troubling.”   Segment 3 (starting 37:12): What do we expect? We played one clip from the oral argument in this segment: The opening statement of Greg Garre, who argued the case for the attorney general of Oklahoma. 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.

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.

Martha Lou Gholson Brown Holland passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 24, 2025. She was surrounded by loved ones. Martha Lou loved playing and listening to old hymns and instrumental piano. She was well-versed in genealogy research and even wrote a book about her Gholson ancestors. She loved history. She was a food connoisseur and loved going out to eat. She collected over 100 Beanie babies and Santas. She loved Christmas! Visitation will be Monday, April 28, 2025 from 6-8 PM at Pecan Grove Funeral Home, Waco Texas.Funeral services will be Tuesday, April 29, 2025 at 10 AM at Meadowbrook Baptist Church in Robinson with burial immediately following at Oakwood Cemetery in Waco, Texas.Martha Lou was born in Marlin, Texas on July 30, 1938 to George T. Gholson and Elizabeth Latimer Gholson. She was active in band and student council while in high school. She married Mabry Lewis Brown on August 20, 1954 in Marlin, Texas at her parents' home. They were married for 35 years until his death in 1989. She then married Fred Holland in October, 1990. They were married for 32 years.She attended Baylor University for advanced classes. She received her Associates Degree from McLennan Community College.Martha Lou was a lifetime member of the Daughters of the Nile, where she was a past queen and a 50 year plus member. She was a member of McLennan Chapter No. 639 Order of the Eastern Star. She was also a member of the Elizabeth Gordon Bradley National Society of the American Revolution (DAR). She was a member of Meadowbrook Baptist for over 50 years. She was the organist, in the choir and in a Sunday class.Martha Lou worked for various credit unions and banks in Marlin and Mexia. She then moved to Waco and worked at Parker E. Ressler, CPA; Bayly Corporation; Manley and CO. and was also an accountant for Raytheon/CTAS, from which she retired. After retirement, she was an advocate for the elderly and guardianship at Friends for Life and attorneys in Temple, TX.Martha Lou was preceded in death by her parents, George and Elizabeth Gholson, spouses Mabry Lewis Brown and Fred Holland.She is survived by her children: Jimmy Brown and wife, Becky; Cynthia Owen and husband, Dell; and Diane Rogers and husband, James (Red). Grandchildren: Aaron Schnizer and fiancé, Melissa; Therese Kurtz and spouse, Kerry; Andy Schnizer and spouse, Allison; Justin Sanderson and spouse, Leslie; Danny Brown and spouse, Emily; Jennifer Oliver and spouse, JR; Jessica Hinton and spouse, Joel; Tara Payne and spouse, Kevin; and Melissa Rogers. Great- Grandchildren: Brynn and Kyle Schnizer; Kaden and Carter Kurtz, Kaylee King and spouse, Jake, Kenzi Gassaway and spouse, Darren, Kinley Schnizer, Scarlett Battles, Addy, Evan and Mazzie Black, Wyatt, Jett and River Schnizer; Hattie, Harper, Hunter and Hollis Sanderson; Jacob, Josh, and Mason Brown; Jewl, Kimberlyn and Kannon Oliver; Sawyer, Peyton, Landry, Mabry and Delaney Hinton, and Addyson, Addilynn, and Annzley Payne. Great great-grandchildren: Blaze, Jase, and Hadley King. She is also survived by her brother John Thomas Gholson, Sr. and spouse, Becky; nephew John Thomas Gholson, Jr, and spouse, Jenny; and niece Beth Roth and spouse, Randy; as well as several nieces and nephew, and many friends.We would like to extend special thanks to the staff at Wesley Woods Rehabilitation and Healthcare. Mom loved these people, and they took amazing care of her. We also want to thank the beautiful friends she made while at Wesley Woods. In addition, we would like to thank Amedisys Home Healthcare Services, who took wonderful care of her during her transition.Memorials may be made to Meadowbrook Baptist Church at 1207 N. Old Robinson Rd., Waco, Texas 76706.

On this special bonus episode of the Respecting Religion podcast, we are featuring a conversation that could not wait until our normal release date. In this still-developing story, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia was mistakenly removed by the U.S. government from Maryland to El Salvador. His case and series of injustices are not just things that move all of us as people of faith, but there are also profound ramifications of this situation on due process, the rule of law and freedom for everyone living in our country. Our next full episode of Respecting Religion will feature a conversation with Melissa Rogers, a lawyer who served in two different presidential administrations leading the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. While recording that episode, the conversation turned to this ongoing injustice, and we decided that part of our conversation couldn't wait until our normal release date.   SHOW NOTES Articles with additional information:  Timeline: Wrongful deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador (ABC News) Video: Jennifer Vasquez making her statement supporting her husband (ABC News) Article: Democrats Land in El Salvador, Seeking Release of Maryland Resident (New York Times)   Interested in calling your congressional representatives about this issue? 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

Today's topic is Dating with Daddy Issues in honor of Father's Day. Here's to all of the amazing dad's out there who are showing up for their children with interest, affection, tenderness and consistency. You are changing worlds and preventing attachment issues. We applaud you! Today's episode focuses on the wounds we carry with us when we have unmet needs from our own fathers' rejection, disinterest, criticism, infidelity, disappearance… All of these unmet needs affect our adult relationships and influence who we are attracted to. The first part of this episode, Doug and Dr. Talia talk about the attachment issues that can arise from our father wounds. Then we invite Melissa Rogers, expert matchmaker from our most listened to episode from last June 2023, Let's F#*%ing Date, into our conversation. She shares her experience as expert and dater. What are daddy issues? How do we know if we have them? How do our unresolved issues affect us in dating? What are the different wounding father archetypes and how do they affect our attachment style?We're Not Fine Family, join our Patreon Memberships starting at $1/month. For our free tier, you have access to our informative and fun newsletter, it's worth it to join.https://www.patreon.com/werenotfine?utm_campaign=creatorshare_creatorWe're Not Finehttps://werenotfine.comShop the Pod: https://werenotfine.com/shopInstagram: @werenotfinepod Doug JensenProfile: https://werenotfine.com/our-team/Email: contact@werenotfine.comIG: douglasljensenTwitter: dougjensen4CsDr. Talia JacksonProfile: https://werenotfine.com/our-team/Email: contact@werenotfine.comIG: @drtaliajacksonTwitter: @Talia.Jackson77This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

LGBTQ rights and religious freedom are often pitted against one another, but they are not mutually exclusive. This episode of Respecting Religion looks at the recent decision by the United Methodist Church to repeal its ban on LGBTQ clergy and same-sex weddings as well as the broader conversation. Holly Hollman is joined by guest co-host Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, BJC Communications Director. He shares some of his personal story, then he and Holly reflect on work bridging differences between LGBTQ rights advocacy and religious groups that oppose LGBTQ protections. They highlight the Respect for Marriage Act as one hallmark of bipartisan consensus building that achieves civil rights protections and safeguards religious liberty.    SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 1:23): The changing landscape of LGBTQ rights and religious freedom Learn more about Guthrie Graves-Fitzimmons in his BJC bio. Find more resources on religious liberty and the LGBTQ community on BJC's website.  For in-depth information about public opinion on LGBTQ rights among different religious groups, visit the Public Religion Research Institute's website at this link.     Segment 2 (starting at 5:20): The United Methodist Church lifts ban on LGBTQ clergy Read coverage from Ruth Graham of The New York Times: United Methodist Church Reverses Ban on Practicing Gay Clergy Read Guthrie's MSNBC column: “Why United Methodists' historic vote means so much to gay Christians like me.”   Segment 3 (starting 16:33): Bridging differences  Holly and Guthrie discussed the 2020 Brookings Institution report “A Time to Heal, A Time to Build,” by E.J. Dionne Jr. and Melissa Rogers.  Respecting Religion has devoted several episodes to the topics discussed in this episode. Listen to Season 4, Episode 7 for more on the Respect for Marriage Act, Season 4, Episode 26 for more on 303 Creative v. Elenis, and Season 1, Episode 17 for more on Bostock v. Clayton County.   Read more about BJC's reaction to the Obergefell decision in 2015 in this column from Holly Hollman: Obergefell decision does not remove the separation of church and state. You can also access a 2-page resource with frequently asked questions about the decision. Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

In this episode I sit down with the dynamic Melissa Rogers, a professional matchmaker and dating coach with a decade of experience in creating lasting connections. Melissa shares her unique journey from psychology to matchmaking, offering invaluable insights into the art and science of love in today's digital age. Melissa also shares her thoughts on the power of connection, the importance of being open to love, and her optimistic outlook on the future of matchmaking. The Therapy Show with Lisa Mustard is sponsored by TherapyNotes! Why not find out what more than 100,000 mental health professionals already know, and try TherapyNotes for 2 months, absolutely free. Click here: www.lisamustard.com/therapynotes or enter promo code “Lisa” at www.TherapyNotes.com. Get my FREE guided meditations and hypnosis recordings here. What You'll Learn: Introduction to Melissa Rogers The Role of a Matchmaker Dating Advice for Single Parents Success Stories The Impact of Technology on Dating Personal Growth and Self-Discovery  Interested in learning more about matchmaking or seeking Melissa's services? Visit her social media profiles linked above to get started on your journey to finding love. Connect with Melissa: Melissa Rogers' Social Media:  @Melissa Rogers, Matchmaker (@matchedbymlr) • Instagram photos and videos  and Melissa Limberg Rogers (@the_mlr) • Instagram photos and videos Create Your Free Profile | Three Day Rule Matchmaking Resources: Transforming Your Relationship With Anxiety Course - Click HERE to get a FREE course on transforming your relationship with anxiety from Mindfulness.com (affiliate link) Learn about the Psychcraft network Home - PsychCraft Network If you are ready to start your podcast or take your current podcast to the next level, the Psychcraft Network can help. Let's start the conversation - apply today! PsychCraft Podcast Network  Need continuing education contact hours (approved by NBCC)?If so, then be sure to check out my Podcourses. Check out the other CE courses - Holistic Counseling Bundle, the Art of Breathwork and How to Resolve the Parent Trap! Please remember that The Therapy Show with Lisa Mustard is for informational and entertainment purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice. Connect with Lisa: Website Production Credits: Edited and engineered by Chelsea Weaver. For podcast editing services, visit http://chelseaweaverpodcasting.com. Thank you for tuning into The Therapy Show. Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform to never miss an episode.    

WARNING! CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE Guest: Mikaela Duffy Episode Name: Crafting Worlds and  Stories with  Mikaela  Duffy [NANOWRIMO Day 28] Episode Number: 231 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ About the guest Mikaela Duffy is an award-winning Brooklyn-based author and playwright. She is ecstatic to bring art into the world through as many mediums as she can. Through meticulous efforts, she has found a passion in writing the stories that need to be told, creating characters that need to be seen, and giving voice to what needs to be heard. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Listen to author Mikaela Duffy share her journey in crafting "The Mistport Guardians," a fantasy series born from a tabletop role-playing game. Mikaela discusses her organic writing process, the influence of choices made during gaming sessions, and the importance of serving the narrative in story decisions. She provides insights into her editing approach, emphasizing collaboration with beta readers and editor Melissa Rogers. Mikaela reflects on the collaborative nature of the creative process, drawing parallels to historical writer groups like J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. Throughout, the episode underscores the significance of a supportive community in the writing journey, urging aspiring authors to embrace collaboration, connect with fellow writers, and celebrate the collective effort in bringing stories to life.  _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Additional Resources Website - www.blackheartedstudios.com  Patreon Link - https://bit.ly/h2bpatreon Freebie link - https://bit.ly/h2bebook Massiel Email - massiel@blackheartedstudios.com Massiel's Coach.Me site - https://www.coach.me/massielwrites Instagram - www.instagram.com/massielwrites LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/massiel-valenzuela-castaneda/ Facebook  - www.facebook.com/howtowriteabookpodcast ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Are you feeling overwhelmed by your never-ending to-do list? Check out Paula, the Ultimate VA! https://pearlzconsulting11.wixsite.com/pearlz-va-services Discover the ultimate solution for regaining control with Paula, your dedicated virtual assistant. She'll help you manage your calendar, handle email, conduct research, and even mix and stitch together your podcast episodes. Don't let your to-do list overwhelm you any longer. Get started today! ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Follow Mikaela Mikaela Duffy's website - https://www.mikaeladuffy.com/ Mikaela Duffy's Instagram - www.instagram.com/mikaeladuffywrites ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Like, share, or leave a review on Apple Podcasts and subscribe to our YouTube channel (Blackhearted Studios) 

Buy Kevin Richberg's New Batch of Honey!  Amanda Tyler is executive director of BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty), leading the organization as it upholds the historic Baptist principle of religious liberty: defending the free exercise of religion and protecting against its establishment by government. She is the lead organizer of BJC's Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign and co-host of BJC's Respecting Religion podcast. Tyler's constitutional law analysis and advocacy for faith freedom for all have been featured by major news outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, CBS News, ABC News, CNN, and MSNBC. Religion News Service named Tyler one of “2022's rising stars in religion,” and she regularly preaches in Baptist churches, speaks at denominational gatherings, and leads sessions on college campuses and with community groups of all sizes. A member of the Texas and U.S. Supreme Court Bar, Tyler has experience working in Congress, in a private legal practice, and serving as a law clerk for a federal judge. She testified before Congress in 2022 about the ways in which Christian nationalism proves cover for white supremacy and in 2018 about threats to religious liberty around the world. Originally from Austin, Texas, Tyler grew up hearing about the cherished Baptist principles of religious liberty and the separation of church and state as a member of Highland Park Baptist Church. Because she was committed to these principles, Tyler sought out BJC when she moved to Washington to attend Georgetown University, and she began volunteering in the office. Tyler graduated from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University with a bachelor's degree in foreign service, magna cum laude. She was hired by BJC to serve as assistant to the general counsel, working closely with Brent Walker, James Dunn, Melissa Rogers and Holly Hollman. During this time, she wrote columns for Report from the Capital, drafted statements on religious liberty issues, presented educational programs, and coordinated the broad coalition in support of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. Tyler left BJC to enroll in The University of Texas School of Law, where she received her J.D. with honors. In 2019, the school named her their “Outstanding Young Alumna.” Following law school, Tyler worked in private practice and served as a law clerk for a U.S. district court judge in Dallas, Texas. She later joined the staff of U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett in Austin and Washington, D.C. In Austin, Tyler served as the congressman's district director, leading the staff in the development and execution of an outreach agenda for a 7-county congressional district, as well as serving as a spokesperson for his office. She later served as Rep. Doggett's counsel for the Ways and Means Committee. Tyler was named executive director of BJC in 2016, and she began her tenure in January 2017. She lives in Dallas with her husband, Robert Behrendt, and their son. You can follow her on X: @AmandaTylerBJC. Learn more about Amanda in her BJC staff Q&A.    Pete on Tik Tok Pete on YouTube  Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page Stand Up with Pete FB page All things Jon Carroll  Follow and Support Pete Coe      

Have you ever wondered about matchmaking services? Do you have app fatigue? Unrealistic expectations? Old trauma or low self-esteem getting in the way of your “yes mindset” in dating? Tune in to our conversation with Melissa Rogers, a professional Matchmaker, as she walks us through different ways to change your outlook to enhance your dating experience whether or not you choose to outsource this important part of your journey. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

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. She currently serves as Visiting Professor at Wake Forest University School of Divinity and as a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, and has previously served as Special Assistant to President Barack Obama, Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, and as Chair of President Obama's inaugural Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

It's been one year since President Joe Biden took office. What have we seen from his administration in regards to religious liberty? From executive actions to court cases to appointments, Amanda and Holly take a look at this administration's actions that impact faith freedom for all. In segment three, they talk about how President Biden has continued to practice his private faith in a very public role over the past year.   SHOW NOTES: Segment one: Setting the tone: Executive orders, court cases, and legislation (starting at 01:14) Amanda and Holly previewed the incoming Biden administration at the end of 2020 with Melissa Rogers in season 2, episode 6: What's next? The Biden administration and religious liberty. They also looked at the Trump administration's record in season 2, episode 4: Grading the Trump administration on religious freedom.  Click here for President Joe Biden's signing statement when he repealed the Muslim and African travel ban. Amanda and Holly discussed the complicated relationship between vaccine mandates and religious exemptions on episode 3 of this season: What's going on with religious exemptions to COVID-19 vaccine mandates?  Amanda and Holly discussed the oral arguments in Carson v. Makin in episode 7 of this season, and they previewed the case in episode 5.  Amanda and Holly discussed Ramirez v. Collier in episode 2 and episode 4 of this season. For more on Chí'chil Biłdagoteel (which is translated into English as “Oak Flat”) and its sacred importance to the San Carlos Apache Tribe and other tribes, read this article from Chairman Terry Rambler: Save our church from destruction.   Segment two: Presidential appointments and commissions: Substantively and symbolically important (starting at 17:35) Amanda and Holly mention this article on the diversity in President Biden's appointments, written by Yonat Shimron and published in the Washington Post: Two faiths dominate Biden's cabinet picks   Segment three: Setting a tone and sharing personal faith (starting at 28:25) Amanda and Holly discussed President Donald Trump's photo op with a Bible in front of St. John's Church in 2020 in season 1, episode 15: Protests, the president and the photo op with a Bible Amanda and Holly recommended this article from Politico magazine by Ruby Cramer: A Private Matter: Joe Biden's Very Public Clast with this Own Church    Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC. 

For this week's Monday Devotional, Melissa Rogers shares some advice on how to find peace and rest through worship music.

 In this episode we sit down with Melissa Rogers.https://melissaroserogers.com/We discuss how Melissa became an Avram fan. We  listen to “What Strange Stars and Skies” and discuss the story. Originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, December 1963.For more information see www.avramdavidson.com     

The final year of the Trump administration and the beginning of the Biden administration has seen a flurry of issues bearing on religious liberty. There were two cases before the Supreme Court, one, Tanzin vs Tanvir, upon which the court ruled and another, Fulton vs The City of Philadelphia, the ruling of which is still pending. There was a new justice, Amy Barrett, appointed to the Supreme Court after the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The riot on the capital on Jan. 6th exposed a rooting in and connection with Christian Nationalism. On the first day of the Biden administration, President Biden issued an executive order ending the travel ban of Muslims and Africans, and since taking office, President Biden has reestablished the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships and reappointed Melissa Rogers as its Director. My guest, Jennifer Hawks helps us understand each of these issues and also helps us understand more clearly the ongoing work and efforts of the BJC. Jennifer Hawks, a native of Germantown, Tennessee, is the associate general counsel at BJC. She provides legal analysis on church-state issues that arise before Congress, the courts and administrative agencies. Hawks also assists in education efforts and responds to pastors and other constituents who have questions about church-state matters. Before coming to BJC, Hawks was the director of advocacy and outreach services for the Family Abuse Center in Waco, Texas, where she conducted a legal clinic and led educational programs. She previously worked for two judges in the state of Mississippi and served as a staff attorney for the Mississippi Department of Human Services. Hawks also served in both paid and volunteer ministry positions in Tennessee, Mississippi and Texas. She has published papers in the journal of the Texas Baptist Historical Society and Baptist History & Heritage Journal. A graduate of Mississippi College and the University of Mississippi School of Law, Hawks earned a Master of Divinity degree from George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University. She is a member of the U.S. Supreme Court, Texas and Mississippi bars, and she was ordained into the Gospel ministry by McLean Baptist Church in McLean, Virginia. How learn more about the BJC and how you and your church can be involved go to bjconline.org. To read and, hopefully, sign the statement on Christians against Christian Nationalism go to chrisitansagainstchristiannationalism.org. 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.

Melissa Rogers seeks to encourage local and state governments to mindfully navigate church-state boundaries as they form relationships with faith leaders.

Public theologian Matthew Hawkins talks about Biden's executive order re-establishing the White House office of Faith Initiatives and its head Melissa Rogers.  Theolatte's Dan DeWitt reflects on how moments of boredom by C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien led to some great works of literature.

Public theologian Matthew Hawkins talks about Biden's executive order re-establishing the White House office of Faith Initiatives and its head Melissa Rogers.  Theolatte's Dan DeWitt reflects on how moments of boredom by C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien led to some great works of literature.

In an October 2020 op-ed for the Christian Post, Joe Biden wrote: “My Catholic faith drilled into me a core truth—that every person on earth is equal in rights and dignity, because we are all beloved children of God.” As president, he continued, “These are the principles that will shape all that I do, and my faith will continue to serve as my anchor, as it has my entire life.”I’m Jonathan Beasley, and this is a special pop-up episode of the Harvard Religion Beat. Today, I’m chatting with E. J. Dionne, who many of you likely know as a journalist, author, and political commentator. He also teaches at Georgetown and here at Harvard and HDS. And just before the election he co-authored the report "A Time to Heal, A Time to Build," with Melissa Rogers for the Brookings Institution, where he is a senior fellow in Governance Studies.I wanted to speak with E. J. to get his insight into how Joe Biden’s Catholicism will shape the way he governs as president, and how his faith will serve as a road map for how his administration will tackle economic injustices, equal rights, religious freedom, and racial justice—all while trying to heal a very divided nation.Music credit: InSpectr, "After the Border" (Free Music Archive)

In an October 2020 op-ed for the Christian Post, Joe Biden wrote: “My Catholic faith drilled into me a core truth—that every person on earth is equal in rights and dignity, because we are all beloved children of God.” As president, he continued, “These are the principles that will shape all that I do, and my faith will continue to serve as my anchor, as it has my entire life.” I’m Jonathan Beasley, and this is a special pop-up episode of the Harvard Religion Beat. Today, I’m chatting with E. J. Dionne, who many of you likely know as a journalist, author, and political commentator. He also teaches at Georgetown and here at Harvard and HDS. And just before the election he co-authored the report "A Time to Heal, A Time to Build," with Melissa Rogers for the Brookings Institution, where he is a senior fellow in Governance Studies. I wanted to speak with E. J. to get his insight into how Joe Biden’s Catholicism will shape the way he governs as president, and how his faith will serve as a road map for how his administration will tackle economic injustices, equal rights, religious freedom, and racial justice—all while trying to heal a very divided nation. Full transcript here: https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2021/1/19/how-joe-bidens-faith-will-shape-his-presidency Music credit: InSpectr, "After the Border" (Free Music Archive)

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.

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.    

Webinar recording from June 9, 2020. The discussion focused on how scholars of religion can share work related to the study of religion and this election season. Co-presenters were David Campbell, professor at the University of Notre Dame; Iva E. Carruthers, general secretary of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference; Robert P. Jones, CEO and founder of the Public Religion Research Institute; Terrence Johnson, associate professor of religion and politics at Georgetown University; Vincent Lloyd, associate professor of theology and religious studies at Villanova University; and Melissa Rogers, visiting professor at Wake Forest University Divinity School. The webinar included a presentation and extended Q&A. This webinar was hosted by the Public Scholars Project, a joint initiative of the Public Understanding of Religion Committee of the American Academy of Religion and the Religious Freedom Center of the Freedom Forum. Webinars feature scholars and practitioners who can provide tools, resources and recommendations for presenting in a variety of settings (e.g., social media, news, public events and community gatherings) about a range of topics. The Public Scholars Project created this webinar series to help scholars hone their skills at communicating with a variety of publics. To view the complete webinar schedule for the 2019-20 academic year, including recordings of previous webinars, please visit our webpage: https://www.religiousfreedomcenter.org/resources/psp/

How do you balance the sometimes competing demands of religion and democracy? Religious and legal scholar Melissa Rogers talks with Rev. Jim Wallis on about the fine line that is sometimes hard to distinguish when examining our duty to our religion and our government.Rogers says, "You think about this pandemic and the way that government and all institutions, including religious institutions had to turn on a dime. ...We need to be both able to partner with government for good. And we need to also be prophetic interrogators ofgovernment too... So I think it's that dual role of cooperating and challenging that we need to perform when we're dealing with government.

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.

Support for transgender rights has increased in recent years, but the path from overall support to legal action has not been as seamless. A 2019 survey by PRRI found that 62% of Americans said they have become more supportive of transgender rights in the last five years. Majorities of every major religious group additionally reported that they had become more supportive of transgender rights over the last five years, including evangelicals.   Ahead of Pride Month, we're doing something a little different on the podcast this week. This episode will feature an interview from 2019 with Melissa Rogers, author and expert on religion in American public life, about the then-new PRRI survey on LGBT nondiscrimination protections. We explored what the report of 1,100 Americans told us about where the nation stood on LGBT equality, the issue of religiously based service refusals, and the gap in support between LGBT rights and legal action. 

"The Trump administration is promoting new proposed rules on social service partnerships with faith-based organizations under the banner of religious freedom. A closer look, however, reveals that the proposals would actually eliminate certain religious liberty protections for social service beneficiaries, and that none of the Trump administration's justifications for its actions holds water..." Melissa Rogers is author of Faith in American Public Life (Baylor University Press 2019). A Baptist and a lawyer, Rogers served as special assistant to President Barack Obama and as executive director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships from 2013-2017. You can read her additional comments on the Trump administration's notices of proposed rulemaking on these issues https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=HHS-OS-2020-0001-22690 (here) and https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=HUD-2020-0017-0503 (here). https://cslr.law.emory.edu/scholarship/cslrbooks2016-2021.pdf (Browse) our book brochure.

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.”

The Coronavirus has played havoc with my interviewing schedule. Melissa Rogers was to be my next episode, and she may be my next guest, but I had to cancel her interview due to the travel restrictions caused by the virus. So, while I am regrouping and rescheduling and had the ideas in this episode on my mind, I decided to present them now. Solving the pandemic and ending the deaths of people caused by the coronavirus is the major problem facing our globe at the present, but this problem has created a second dire problem, which is the threat of the collapse of national economies. These two problems have created a division within the United States over which is the primary problem to solve. Some fear that the collapse of the economy could be worse than the effects of the virus. We need a way forward that helps us solve both problems. In this episode I offer my thoughts on two sets of resources that I believe can help us more forward more productively. They are Glen Stassen's seven steps to peacemaking and the creative thinking tools of such people as Edward de Bono, Michael Michalko, and the ideas of William McDonough and Michael Braungart.

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.”

Melissa Rogers and Megan Debora have let ninja redefine their lives for the better. These two women are moms in their 40's, best friends, and incredible ninjas. They are coaching ninja, started a new business, and proving that you can achieve anything you set your mind to. Happy Valentine's Day ninjababes!  Check out the deals from our amazing sponsors!  Recover and refuel with protein and BCAAs from PropelloLife and use code NINJABABES for 10% off  SLEEP like a ninja and feel amazing the next day with SleepOvation Use code NINJABABES for 20% off.

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

This week on OA on Air, we speak with Melissa Rogers, former special assistant to President Obama and executive director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. In 3-2-1 GO with Cosmo and Cayenne, they are joined by Brett Arends of Marketwatch to discuss using astrology signs to help make investments. In addition, they talk about actor Tom Hanks and why he's probably the nicest man in the world and the largest milk producer in the country becoming bankrupt. In 2 Minutes with Tom, Tom talks Deval Patrick joining the Presidential race.

In light of our conversations about Christian nationalism, this podcast takes a broader view of work in the church-state realm. BJC Executive Director Amanda Tyler is joined by Rabbi Ambassador David Saperstein, Melissa Rogers and BJC General Counsel Holly Hollman to look at the challenges to our constitutional commitment to religious liberty for all people. As they note, disagreement on the proper application of the First Amendment’s religion clauses is not necessarily evidence of Christian nationalism. Hear them discuss the complexity in this area of the law, the role of religion in public life, the dangers of government promotion of religion, how the Supreme Court tends to interpret the religion clauses, the protections provided by the separation of church and state, and more. The post Ep. 09: Religious freedom, church-state law and Christian nationalism appeared first on BJC.

Sponsors: Fuller Seminary, The Center for Congregational Health, and CBF General Assembly. Music by Nicolai Heidlas from HookSounds.com

How can the church and government work together for the common good, meanwhile keeping the separation between church and state? George and Melissa Rogers, the former executive director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, discuss this and more on this weeks episode of Good God.

On May 3, 2018, President Trump signed an executive order establishing a White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative and amending an existing executive order setting forth fundamental principles and policymaking criteria regarding partnerships the federal government forms with faith-based and community organizations to serve people in need. In his executive order, President Trump struck provisions of this earlier executive order that required religious providers to refer social service beneficiaries to an alternative provider if the beneficiary objects to the religious character of the organization, and also required that written notice be given to beneficiaries regarding such protections. Stanley Carlson-Thies and Melissa Rogers will provide background on the work of previous administrations on these issues and analysis of President Trump's executive order. Featuring:Melissa Rogers, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Governance Studies, The Brookings Institution Stanley Carlson-Thies, Founder & Senior Director, Institutional Religious Freedom Alliance Teleforum calls are open to all dues paying members of the Federalist Society. To become a member, sign up here. As a member, you should receive email announcements of upcoming Teleforum calls which contain the conference call phone number. If you are not receiving those email announcements, please contact us at 202-822-8138.

On May 3, 2018, President Trump signed an executive order establishing a White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative and amending an existing executive order setting forth fundamental principles and policymaking criteria regarding partnerships the federal government forms with faith-based and community organizations to serve people in need. In his executive order, President Trump struck provisions of this earlier executive order that required religious providers to refer social service beneficiaries to an alternative provider if the beneficiary objects to the religious character of the organization, and also required that written notice be given to beneficiaries regarding such protections. Stanley Carlson-Thies and Melissa Rogers will provide background on the work of previous administrations on these issues and analysis of President Trump's executive order. Featuring:Melissa Rogers, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Governance Studies, The Brookings Institution Stanley Carlson-Thies, Founder & Senior Director, Institutional Religious Freedom Alliance Teleforum calls are open to all dues paying members of the Federalist Society. To become a member, sign up here. As a member, you should receive email announcements of upcoming Teleforum calls which contain the conference call phone number. If you are not receiving those email announcements, please contact us at 202-822-8138.

We’re excited to share our conversation with Melissa Rogers. Melissa recently served as special assistant to the president and executive director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, during the Obama administration, and is currently a nonresident senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. She has also served as executive director of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life and is an expert on things like the First Amendment’s religion clauses, religion in American public life, and the interplay of religion, policy, and politics.We caught up with her by phone a few months back and had a great conversation about religion and politics. Yes, it is possible to do! More than that, it’s probably more important than ever to have conversations like these as we seek to build stronger, more connected communities.Learn more about Melissa and her current work at The Brookings Institution.

This week we talk about what led Melissa Rogers to create her own professional organizing business and ask her when can she come to our houses? We also catch up on the latest military spouse news with Amy and what’s new on NextGen MilSpouse. This Week’s Guest: Melissa Rogers, Modified by Melissa Melissa Rogers, owner […]

Last week, the US Senate confirmed Sam Brownback as America’s next ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. The appointment came six months after President Trump had nominated the former Kansas Republican governor. Brown’s position is part of the Office of International Religious Freedom (IRF), a State Department office which monitors persecution and discrimination on a global scale. Created during the Clinton administration in 1998, the IRF exists as part of a larger American foreign policy strategy of promoting international religious freedom. “It’s not only the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do,” said Melissa Rogers, who previously served as the executive director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships in the Obama administration. “We find that when societies embrace religious liberty for all, they reap all kinds of benefits like building a more peaceful, just, stable, and more productive society. It makes the world a more peaceful and productive place.” Rogers joined associate digital media producer Morgan Lee and editor in chief Mark Galli to discuss the US strategies for advocating for religious freedom, why Western Christians’ speaking up for religious minorities in their own nation helps the persecuted church overseas, and if this office is just another way America imposes its values on other countries.

This week, we take a look at the ramifications of Trump's decision to scale back two national monuments in Utah, particularly for Native American tribes and their spiritual lives.  We also discuss the resurrection of Martin Luther King's "Poor People's Campaign," now being led by Rev. Dr. William Barber and Rev. Liz Theoharis, and how this new campaign could ignite the religious left.  For our deep dive, we discuss the hotly-contested Supreme Court case, Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. What is this case, what are the implications, and what does this mean for religious liberty cases moving forward? To give us more insight, Amy talks to Melissa Rogers, a church/state lawyer, a fellow at the Brookings Institute, and former Executive Director of the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships under President Barack Obama.  We also made a Spotify Christmas playlist for you! 

At both the federal and state levels, bureaucrats wield power to make decisions that substantially impact the exercise of religion. From interpreting and enforcing public accommodations laws to administering vast regulatory regimes and deciding how all of these laws interact with RFRAs, agencies headed by political appointees are often charged with determining --- at least in the first instance --- the extent to which generally applicable law will impinge on religious freedom. Who will be required to provide contraceptive coverage; how will religious accommodations be extended, and to whom? Must bakers and photographers with religious objections service gay weddings? Must doctors perform surgeries on patients that violate their faith and medical judgment? Even without a change in legislation, the answers to such questions often flip after new administrations appoint new agency heads. This panel will discuss whether the administrative state places religious freedom in too precarious a position, and if so, what can and should be done about it.Prof. William P. Marshall, William Rand Kenan, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Law, University of North Carolina School of LawMr. Mark L. Rienzi, Senior Counsel, The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and Professor of Law, Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of AmericaMs. Melissa Rogers, Nonresident Senior Fellow in Governance Studies, The Brookings InstituteMr. Roger Severino, Director, Office for Civil Rights, United States Department of Health and Human ServicesModerator: Hon. Diarmuid O'Scannlain, United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

At both the federal and state levels, bureaucrats wield power to make decisions that substantially impact the exercise of religion. From interpreting and enforcing public accommodations laws to administering vast regulatory regimes and deciding how all of these laws interact with RFRAs, agencies headed by political appointees are often charged with determining --- at least in the first instance --- the extent to which generally applicable law will impinge on religious freedom. Who will be required to provide contraceptive coverage; how will religious accommodations be extended, and to whom? Must bakers and photographers with religious objections service gay weddings? Must doctors perform surgeries on patients that violate their faith and medical judgment? Even without a change in legislation, the answers to such questions often flip after new administrations appoint new agency heads. This panel will discuss whether the administrative state places religious freedom in too precarious a position, and if so, what can and should be done about it.Prof. William P. Marshall, William Rand Kenan, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Law, University of North Carolina School of LawMr. Mark L. Rienzi, Senior Counsel, The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and Professor of Law, Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of AmericaMs. Melissa Rogers, Nonresident Senior Fellow in Governance Studies, The Brookings InstituteMr. Roger Severino, Director, Office for Civil Rights, United States Department of Health and Human ServicesModerator: Hon. Diarmuid O'Scannlain, United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

Episode Sponsored by the Baptist Theological Seminary of Richmond (BTSR) & CBF Reference and Referral. Visit www.cbfchurchstarts.net or "CBF New Church Starts" on Facebook. Music composed by Nicolai Heidlas from HookSounds.com

Paul Carraro with International Realty Plus Tampa Bay and Melissa Rogers and Dan Menikheim with SEC Inspections share the knowledge and experience in regards to condos.

This week Liz and Melissa come on the podcast to talk about Stone Soup Films, a non-profit media production organization that provides media strategy consulting and produces short documentaries, on a pro bono basis to other non-profits. They share stories about the filmmaking process, how the organization has grown in recent years, and how professionals or others interested in production can volunteer to help. For more information visit: stonesoupfilms.org Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes: https://itun.es/i6Y94Lt For past episodes visit: waitwhatpro.com Like me on Facebook.com/MediaOnTheRadio and Tweet me @MediaOnRadio Media on the Radio is produced through the facilities of Arlington Independent Media. For more information visit arlingtonmedia.org.

Michelle Fern welcomes Dr. Adelia Ritchie, creator of DERMagic all natural skin care for animals. DERMagic is a breakthrough in the treatment of animal dermatitis. The products instantly relieve itching and redness, promote rapid healing and regrowth of lost hair or fur, and restore good skin condition. In the second segment Michelle speaks with Melissa Rogers of shoo!TAG. shoo!TAG is a completely natural insect repellent for people, animals and pets. Combining cutting-edge science and technology, shoo!bug uses electromagnetic frequencies to create a chemical-free protective barrier from mosquitoes, ticks and other pests that lasts up to four months. More details on this episode MP3 Podcast - DERMagic and shoo!TAG with Michelle Fern Enter the code: BFP10 and get 10% off your order + Free shipping at Shoebuy.com!

New media is changing the face, pace, and language of the election-what does it mean? Bill Moyers get perspective on the impact of the Web-blogs, YouTube, and social networking-on the election with Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center. And with pastor and denominational leader Mike Huckabee, surging in the polls and Mitt Romney giving a widely anticipated speech on his Mormon faith, Moyers and Jamieson are joined by scholar Melissa Rogers for a discussion of religion in politics. Rogers is visiting professor of Religion and Public Policy at Wake Forest University Divinity School.

With pastor and denominational leader Mike Huckabee, surging in the polls and Mitt Romney giving a widely anticipated speech on his Mormon faith, Moyers and Jamieson are joined by scholar Melissa Rogers for a discussion of religion in politics.