Respecting Religion

BJC
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What's at stake for faith freedom for all in our world today? Join the conversation on religion and the law, including the most significant cases concerning religion and religious liberty at the U.S. Supreme Court and the continuing impact of Christian nationalism. As lawyers and people of faith, BJC Executive Director Amanda Tyler and General Counsel Holly Hollman think these topics deserve respectful conversation -- something that we don't always hear in the public square or our social media feeds.

  1. Court update: Ten Commandments cases, Johnson Amendment dismissal, and SCOTUS actions

    2d ago

    Court update: Ten Commandments cases, Johnson Amendment dismissal, and SCOTUS actions

    Get caught up on all things court-related as Amanda and Holly run through some big decisions and changes over the past few months, including the multiple decisions in cases about posting the Ten Commandments, the dismissal of a legal challenge to the Johnson Amendment, and the Supreme Court's undermining of section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.  SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 00:35): A new decision undermining the Voting Rights Act The BJC Center for Faith, Justice and Reconciliation released a statement about the decision in  Louisiana v. Callais that undermined section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.   Segment 2 (starting at 09:26): Supreme Court updates: Landor wait, Chiles v. Salazar decision, and cert petitions We discussed the oral arguments in Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections on episode 5 of season 7: A religious freedom case flying under the radar We talked about Chiles v. Salazar briefly in the season premiere: The Supreme Court in a New Era   Segment 3 (starting at 21:23): Decisions – plural! – in some Ten Commandments cases BJC released a statement after the decision in Rabbi Nathan v. Alamo Heights, which allowed the state of Texas to require the posting of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms: First Amendment, pluralism both undermined in decision to uphold Ten Commandments mandate for Texas classrooms   Segment 4 (starting at 35:46): Johnson Amendment update See BJC's resource page on the Johnson Amendment at BJConline.org/JohnsonAmendment.   Do you want special emails about our show? Click here to sign up for our email list!  Video of our episodes are now on YouTube! Click here for the season 7 playlist. Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. You can keep these conversations ad-free with a gift to BJC.

    42 min
  2. Why is there an upswing in anti-Sharia laws?

    May 21

    Why is there an upswing in anti-Sharia laws?

    The "Christian nation" rhetoric and spectacle we're seeing is not just bad history – it's having real ramifications for religious freedom for all in our country today. Amanda is back from sabbatical, and she and Holly discuss recent developments, including an increase in anti-Sharia legislation and fear-mongering that goes with it. They fact-check last week's congressional hearing on the topic and share Amanda's testimony.   Plus, Amanda and Holly discuss the recent "Rededicate 250" event on the National Mall, which elevated common myths tied to Christian nationalism. People can gather to pray, and there have been public worship gatherings before – so, what made that event different?  SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 00:35): Christian nationalism, myths, and "Rededicate 250" Holly is quoted in this article from Religion News Service by Bob Smietana: A Christian nation? At 250, America is still fighting over what that means Amanda is quoted in this Washington Post article by Michelle Boorstein, Laura Meckler and Natalie Allison: White House to host 9-hour prayer festival focused on Christian roots of U.S. Amanda is also quoted in this Wall Street Journal article by By Meridith McGraw and Terell Wright: A 'Revival' on the National Mall: White House Puts Prayer at Center of Washington Amanda mentioned this wrap-up of the event – which includes some fact-checking – from Religion News Service by Jack Jenkins, Aleja Hertzler-McCain, and Adelle Banks: Trump allies lead thousands in prayer to 'rededicate' America to God on National Mall You can read Amanda's op-ed in Baptist News Global about the event: When Government Claims God   Segment 2 (starting at 14:45): The latest congressional hearing on anti-Sharia measures  For more on the tragic shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, here's a story from the Associated Press by Julie Watson, Michael Biesecker, and John  Seewer: San Diego mosque shooters met online and left writings expressing hate, FBI says BJC released a statement on the shooting, which you can read on our website.  The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitution and Limited Government held a hearing on May 13, 2026, titled "Sharia-Free America:Why Political Islam & Sharia Law are Incompatible with the U.S. Constitution: Part II." We played Amanda's opening statement, as well as a portion of the opening statement of Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md.  You can watch the entire hearing and learn more on the website of the House Judiciary Committee. You can read Amanda's written testimony at this link. Do you want special emails about our show? Click here to sign up for our email list!  Video of our episodes are on YouTube! Click here for the season 7 playlist.  Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. Your gift to BJC is tax-deductible, and you can keep these conversations ad-free with a gift to BJC.

    46 min
  3. New episodes return May 21!

    Season 7 Trailer ·  Video

    New episodes return May 21!

    Amanda is back from sabbatical, and Respecting Religion is returning with all-new episodes on Thursday, May 21. Tune in for analysis of various court decisions impacting religious freedom -- including the mulitple decisions about mandates to post the Ten Commandments. Plus, Holly and Amanda will discuss a disturbing trend in anti-Muslim sentiment and the rise of Christian nationalism tied to celebrations for America's 250th birthday.  Join us on Thursdays for these conversations and more in the coming weeks. See all episodes of Respecting Religion on our website: BJConline.org/respectingreligion

    1 min
  4. Best of: Were we founded as a 'Christian nation'?

    Apr 30

    Best of: Were we founded as a 'Christian nation'?

    What do people mean when they say we were founded as a "Christian nation"? Is that true?  Revisit this 2019 conversation on the political and religious history behind that idea. BJC Executive Director Amanda Tyler talks with Dr. Steven Green, author of Inventing a Christian America: The Myth of the Religious Founding, about the political history of this concept, including how, when and why it originated. They also discuss misguided claims that the Ten Commandments are the basis of our legal system. On the second half of the episode, we hear from church historian Bill Leonard on what religious leaders said and did during the founding of the United States and how that relates to the freedoms we have today. This conversation was part of our podcast series on the dangers of Christian nationalism, first released on August 14, 2019.    SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 02:22):  Steven Green on the political history of the idea This program originally aired August 14, 2019, as episode 3 in our 10-part BJC Podcast series on the dangers of Christian nationalism. Dr. Steven Green is the Fred H. Paulus Professor of Law and Affiliated Professor of History and Religious Studies at Willamette University. His most recent book – released in 2022 – is Separating Church and State. He is the author and co-author of several books, including Inventing a Christian America: The Myth of the Religious Founding; Religious Freedom and the Supreme Court; and The Third Disestablishment: Church, State, and American Culture, 1940-1975.   Segment 2 (starting at 21:18): Bill Leonard on the religious history of the idea The Rev. Dr. Bill Leonard is the founding dean at the Wake Forest University School of Divinity, who now holds the title of "professor of divinity emeritus." He has written some 25 books, and his research focuses on church history with particular attention to American religion, Baptist studies, and the Appalachian religion.  During the episode, Amanda Tyler mentions an article he wrote for Baptist News Global: Legislating 'In God We Trust': using the state to do the Church's work. To learn more about BJC's work countering Christian nationalism, visit ChristiansAgainstChristianNationalism.org or BJConline.org/ChristianNationalism. You can also access our discussion guide to go with this podcast series. Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

    37 min
  5. Best of: 'How to End Christian Nationalism'

    Apr 16

    Best of: 'How to End Christian Nationalism'

    Is the separation of church and state in the Constitution? How does Christian nationalism overlap with white supremacy? Why do we keep seeing so many proposals to post the Ten Commandments? In this wide-ranging conversation from 2024, Amanda Tyler talks about these issues and more as she discusses her book "How to End Christian Nationalism" with the Rev. Dr. Bill Leonard.  "How to End Christian Nationalism" is a vital companion for countering the dangerous ideology, and it is available from your favorite local bookseller.  This conversation was recorded Oct. 29, 2024, and was first released Nov. 7, 2024.   SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 01:30):  Amanda Tyler and Bill Leonard on "How to End Christian Nationalism" You can order Amanda's book, How to End Christian Nationalism, wherever you get your books. Visit EndChristianNationalism.com for more information. The Rev. Dr. Bill Leonard is the founding dean at the Wake Forest University School of Divinity, who now holds the title of "professor of divinity emeritus." He has written some 25 books, and his research focuses on church history with particular attention to American religion, Baptist studies, and the Appalachian religion.  You can watch a video recording of this conversation (and entire podcast) on BJC's YouTube channel. This event was a partnership between Knollwood Baptist Church, First Baptist on Fifth, and Ardmore Baptist Church – all three churches are located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

    48 min
  6. Best of: Inside the ReAwaken America tour

    Apr 2

    Best of: Inside the ReAwaken America tour

    Christian nationalism was on full display at the ReAwaken America tour, which was a series of conferences that fused Christian language and symbols with conspiracy theories and election denials. Amanda went inside a Miami event in 2023, and she shared her experiences in this podcast – from assembly-line baptisms to the reaction of the crowd as speakers moved seamlessly from religious worship songs to calls for political violence.  This episode originally aired May 18, 2023, and it is our most downloaded show of all time.   SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 01:18): The Christian nationalism of the ReAwaken America tour Amanda and Holly discussed the ReAwaken America tour in episode 5 of season 4: Christian nationalism and the midterm elections This conversation was originally Episode 22 of Season 4. Amanda and Holly mention this article about the ReAwaken Tour in The New York Times by Michelle Goldberg: Whose Version of Christian Nationalism Will Win in 2024? Amanda wrote a response to Michael Flynn's call for "one religion" in 2021, published by Baptist News Global: If you're paying attention to Christian nationalism, you won't be shocked by Michael Flynn's call for 'one religion under God'     Segment 2 (starting at 06:08): The Pastors for Trump event Amanda and Holly mentioned this article on the Pastors for Trump group by Peter Stone for The Guardian: Pro-Trump pastors rebuked for 'overt embrace of white Christian nationalism' During this segment, we played a clip of Pastor John Bennett speaking during the Pastors for Trump event in Miami.     Segment 3 (starting at 16:14): ReAwaken America, baptisms, and our counter-witness Amanda and Holly mentioned Brian Kaylor's reporting on the ReAwaken America tour. You can see his twitter thread with clips from Miami and read his piece in the A Public Witness newsletter, which is part of the Word&Way network: Michael Flynn's Soup for the Soulless For more about Baptism and different ways Christian denominations approach it, check out this story from 2001 by the PBS program Religion and Ethics Newsweekly. BJC and Faithful America created electronic billboards that were on trucks and a boat in Miami. See the video of the billboards in this post on the @EndChristianNationalism Instagram account. Visit ChristiansAgainstChristianNationalism.org to explore the resources provided by the Christians Against Christian Nationalism movement.  Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

    31 min
  7. Best of: A decision that continues to create misguided claims: Kennedy v. Bremerton

    Mar 19

    Best of: A decision that continues to create misguided claims: Kennedy v. Bremerton

    A 2022 decision from the Supreme Court continues to sow confusion and misguided claims four years later. Today, we're revisiting our conversation on the Kennedy v. Bremerton decision, where the Court ruled for a public school official and abandoned long-standing Establishment Clause protections in ways that harm the religious freedom rights of students. Hear Amanda and Holly react right after this decision and ponder just what, exactly, would actually constitute "coercion" for this Court. The Supreme Court did not overrule the previous school prayer cases with the decision, but it did gut some of the consensus that protects the religious liberty rights of everyone at public schools. This conversation was recorded in front of a live audience on June 29, 2022, and was first released July 7, 2022.  SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 02:57): Not solving a problem, but creating one: Kennedy v. Bremerton decision You can read the Bremerton opinion here, written by Justice Neil Gorsuch. Justice Sonia Sotomayor's dissenting opinion includes photos of the prayer practice at issue (see pages 9 and 10 of the dissent, which are on pages 49 and 50 of the opinion PDF document). We released three podcasts on this case:  We previewed the case in April 2022 in Episode 14 of Season 3 in an episode titled "#NoPrayToPlay." We recapped the oral arguments in Episode 15 of that same season: "The coach is the loudspeaker and the field is his classroom: Recapping the arguments in Kennedy v. Bremerton" We released this episode as our season 3 finale. The full episode is titled "Not solving a problem, but creating one: Dissecting the Kennedy v. Bremerton decision"   Segment 2 (starting at 26:51): Concluding thoughts For all of BJC's resources on this case, visit BJConline.org/Bremerton. Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

    29 min
  8. Best of: Rob Reiner and 'God and Country' director Dan Partland on Christian nationalism

    Mar 5

    Best of: Rob Reiner and 'God and Country' director Dan Partland on Christian nationalism

    What is the cost of speaking out against Christian nationalism? In 2024, Rob Reiner came on the podcast to talk about a film he produced, called "God & Country." In this episode from our archives, Amanda Tyler talks with Reiner and Dan Partland, the director of the film. "God & Country" discusses the dangers of Christian nationalism to the country, to the faith, and to pluralism.  This program originally aired January 18, 2024 SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 02:22): Rob Reiner and Dan Partland on Christian nationalism Released in February 2024, "God & Country" is available to watch on several streaming platforms. You can learn more at GodAndCountryTheMovie.com. About the guests: Dan Partland, the director of the movie, is a veteran documentary producer and director for film and television. His work includes several landmark nonfiction features and series over the past three decades, and he's a two-time Emmy winner for best nonfiction series. Rob Reiner was a producer of the film. He first came to fame as a two-time Emmy award winning actor in the landmark television series "All in the Family." He went on to become an acclaimed director of some of the most popular and influential motion pictures in American film history, and he remained a dedicated political activist until his death in 2025. The exact phrase "separation of church and state" is not in the U.S. Constitution, but the concept is laid out several times, including Article VI's prohibition on any religious test for office, the First Amendment's prohibition of a government establishment of religion, and the First Amendment's guarantee of the free exercise of religion. Read more in Brent Walker's "Top 5 Myths of the Separation of Church and State." Learn more about the Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign – a project BJC began in 2019 – by visiting ChristiansAgainstChristianNationalism.org.   Segment 2 (starting at 20:56): Post-screening Q&A with Partland and Reiner BJC and the Freedom From Religion Foundation released a comprehensive report on the role of Christian nationalism in the January 6 attack on the Capitol. You can access it here. Dan Partland mentioned The Power Worshippers, a book by Katherine Stewart on the rise of religious nationalism. It serves as a basis for the movie.    Segment 3 (starting at 40:39): Closing Michelle Boorstein covered the screening for The Washington Post in this article: 'God & Country' film spotlights Christian nationalism's threat to democracy Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

    42 min
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What's at stake for faith freedom for all in our world today? Join the conversation on religion and the law, including the most significant cases concerning religion and religious liberty at the U.S. Supreme Court and the continuing impact of Christian nationalism. As lawyers and people of faith, BJC Executive Director Amanda Tyler and General Counsel Holly Hollman think these topics deserve respectful conversation -- something that we don't always hear in the public square or our social media feeds.

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