Just Liberty

66: Divine Endorsements? Churches & the Johnson Amendment - w Todd McFarland & Orlan Johnson

The saga continues over the fate of the so-called Johnson Amendment—a provision in the U.S. tax code that prohibits tax-exempt houses of worship from endorsing political candidates. What would greater political involvement mean for American churches, and what are the potential benefits and risks? And why has the Seventh-day Adventist Church historically taken a somewhat different approach than many other Protestant denominations in the United States?
This episode was recorded Nov 25, 2025.
Explore More
Article | "Divine Endorsements," Liberty magazine (September-October 2025) https://www.libertymagazine.org//article/divine-endorsements Article | "Preaching Politics," Liberty magazine (January-February 2025) https://www.libertymagazine.org//article/preaching-politics 
Article | "The Johnson Amendment and the First Amendment--A No-Nonsense Protection" (January-February 2018) https://www.libertymagazine.org//article/the-johnson-amendment-and-the-first-amendment-a-no-nonsense-protection 
---
Guests:
Todd McFarland, General Counsel, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Orlan Johnson, Director, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty, Seventh-day Adventistst Church in North America

65: Burning Down the House: Interview with Katherine Stewart.

Christian nationalism is often dismissed as a loose ideology—but what if it’s something far more organized? We talk with a journalist who has spent more than a decade investigating individuals and groups working to reshape the relationship between faith and power in American politics.
This episode was recorded on Nov 25, 2025.
---
Explore More
Book | Katherine Stewart, Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy (Bloomsbury, 2025). https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/money-lies-and-god-9781635578546/
Article | Jennifer Woods, "Book Review: Burning Down the House," Liberty, March/April 2025. https://www.libertymagazine.org/article/burning-down-the-house
Website | Katherine Stewart https://katherinestewart.me 
---
Katherine Stewart, journalist and author
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/katherinestewart.bsky.social
Substack: https://substack.com/@katherinestewartbooks

64: Tilting the Scales of Liberty: Interview with Rob Boston.

What happens when the Supreme Court expands religious free exercise but sidelines the establishment clause? We talk with a veteran First Amendment advocate about rulings that have tilted the balance between the First Amendment religion clauses—and why that shift threatens genuine religious liberty. 
This episode was recorded on Nov 24, 2025.
---
Explore More
Article | "Disrupted Symmetry," by Steven K. Green Liberty, Nov/Dec 2023.  https://www.libertymagazine.org/article/disrupted-symmetry
Article | "A Step Too Far" by Nicholas Miller and Alan Reinach, Liberty, Jan/Feb 2023. https://www.libertymagazine.org/article/a-step-too-far
Book | Why the Religious Right Is Wrong About Separation of Church and State by Rob Boston (Prometheus, 2003). https://www.amazon.com/Religious-Right-Wrong-Separation-Church/dp/1591021146 
---
Guest: Rob Boston, Senior Advisor, Americans United for Separation of Church and State

63: Looking for a Holy War. Interview with Samuel Perry.

Based in the small town of Moscow, Idaho, the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches is quietly reshaping national debates about faith and power. In this episode, we trace the CREC’s origins, its ties to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and how a relatively small network of churches is influencing evangelical views on masculinity, education, and America’s founding.
This episode was recorded on Nov 24, 2025.
---
Explore More
Article | "What is CREC?" The Conversation, June 20, 2025. https://theconversation.com/what-is-crec-the-christian-nationalist-group-has-a-vision-for-america-and-defense-secretary-pete-hegseths-support-258273 
Article | "Doug Wilson: The New Right's Favorite Pastor," by Ian Ward, Politico, April 23, 2025. https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2025/05/23/doug-wilson-new-right-pastor-hegseth-trump-officials-00355376 

62: A Christian mandate to rule? The Seven Mountains Mandate with Matthew Boedy

The Seven Mountains Mandate calls for Christians to “take back” culture by capturing the pillars of power—government, media, education, and more. But when faith becomes a strategy for control, what happens to freedom, pluralism, and democracy itself?
Show Notes
Book | The Seven Mountains Mandate, by Matthew Boedy. https://www.wjkbooks.com/bookproduct/0664269214-the-seven-mountains-mandate/Website | Matthew Boedy https://www.matthewboedy.com
***
Guest:
Matthew Boedy, Author and Professor of Rhetoric, University of North Georgia
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProfessorBoedy
 

61: Made in the image of the algorithm? Interview with William Jones.

As artificial intelligence becomes more personal—and more powerful—it’s reshaping not just how we live, but how we understand what it means to be human. With the growing influence of algorithms on our moral and spiritual perceptions, how can faith communities respond, resist, and reimagine their place in an AI-shaped world?
Show Notes
Article | "Being Human," Liberty magazine (November-December 2025) https://www.libertymagazine.org
Website |  Future of Life Institute https://futureoflife.org 
***
Guest:
William Jones, Associate, Future of Life Institute
Twitter/X: @FutureOfLife
YouTube: @futureoflifeinstitute

60: From classrooms to courtrooms. Interview with Charles J. Russo.

Across the country, new laws are inviting religion back into America’s classrooms—reviving old debates about prayer, scripture, and the separation of church and state. The Supreme Court’s recent shift in interpreting the First Amendment has opened the door to sweeping change, reshaping how faith and freedom coexist in public education. What’s at stake for schools, students, and the future of religious liberty in a pluralistic democracy?
Show Notes
Article | "3 states push to put the Ten Commandments back in school" by Charles J. Russo and Lydia Artz, The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/3-states-push-to-put-the-ten-commandments-back-in-school-banking-on-new-guidance-at-the-supreme-court-264423
Article |  "Old Fights, New Fire in America's Classrooms" by Charles J. Russo and Lydia Artz, Liberty magazine.https://www.libertymagazine.org//author/entry/charles-j-russo
***
Guest:
Charles Russo, Professor of Law, Dayton University 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-russo-89849b7/
 

59: America's founding feud--and why it still matters. Interview with Jeffrey Rosen.

Long before America split into red and blue, it was divided by the visions of Hamilton and Jefferson. Their battle over power, liberty, and virtue helped define the nation’s character—and still shapes its conflicts today. This episode explores what their enduring feud reveals about democracy, leadership, and the fragile art of self-government.
Show Notes
Book | The Pursuit of Liberty by Jeffrey Rosen. https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Pursuit-of-Liberty/Jeffrey-Rosen/9781668053744 
Website |  National Constitution Center https://constitutioncenter.org 
Podcast | We the People https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/we-the-people/id83213431 
***
Guest: 
Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-rosen-1158829b/
YouTube, Insta, FB, X for National Constitution Center: @ConstitutionCtr 
 

58: A Toxic Embrace? State Favoritism of Religion. Interview with Dan Koev.

Does government support for religion strengthen it—or weaken it? New global research reveals counterintuitive consequences for both the favored faith and minority religions. What can these findings teach Americans as they navigate debates over how government should interact with majority Christianity?
Show Notes
Article | Dan Koev, "What Can Ceasar Render Unto God?" Liberty magazine, September/October 2025. https://www.libertymagazine.org/article/what-can-caesar-render-unto-god 
Website | https://dankoev.carrd.co 
***
Dan Koev, Department Chair; Professor, Government & Criminal Justice, Regent University.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-koev-59526263/ 
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/dankoev.bsky.social 

57: Omissions on the Religious Liberty Commission? Interview with Melissa Reid.

The Religious Liberty Commission, created by President Trump, has been hailed as a bold effort to protect faith. Whose voices are represented and is this body presenting a balanced view of America's constitutional, cultural, and religious heritage? This episode dives into the Commission’s hearings so far, and asks the question: how could its work shape the legal and policy landscape around religious liberty in coming years?
Show Notes
Website | Religious Liberty Commission/Department of Justice  https://www.justice.gov/religious-liberty-commission 
Website | Liberty magazine https://www.libertymagazine.org/ 
***
Melissa Reid, associate director, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty, Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America
FB, Insta, YouTube: @NADReligiousLiberty