Just Liberty

19: Politics as a Spiritual Discipline? Interview with Chris Butler

Are there practical ways for Christians to innoculate themselves against the toxicity of today's politics? Can Christians be politically active--whether as Republicans or Democracts--without compromising their higher allegience to God?
Chris Butler, lead pastor of Chicago Embassy Church Network and cofounder of the AND Campaign, brings his years of experience in community organizing and politics--including a recent run for a seat in Congress--to this conversation about faithful civic engagement.
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Follow Chris Butler:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pastorchrisbutler
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AND Campaign website: https://andcampaign.org/about/
Book: Compassion (&) Conviction: The AND Campaign's Guide to Faithful Civic Engagement https://www.amazon.com/Compassion-Conviction-Campaigns-Faithful-Engagement/dp/083084810X

18: History--It's not just about the past. Interview with Warren Throckmorton

Could historical mis-readings of America's founding be helping fuel today's political polarization? What difference does it make what we believe about Thomas Jefferson's religious views or his attitude toward slavery? We talk with Warren Throckmorton, a psychologist, podcaster, and co-author of the book, Getting Jefferson Right: Fact-checking Claims About Our Third President.
An interview with Warren Throckmorton. 
Show Notes:
The "Telling Jefferson Lies" podcast hosted by Dr. Throckmorton: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/telling-jefferson-lies/id1720424853 Book: Getting Jefferson Right by Warren Throckmorton and Michael Coulter https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Jefferson-Right-Fact-Checking-Claims/dp/0974670626/
Where to find Warren Throckmorton
X: @wthrockmortonFB: https://www.facebook.com/wthrockmorton

17: It's time to tear up the script about faith in American politics with Michael Wear.

Mixing faith and politics? It's always a dangerous brew--at least, that's what common wisdom says. But is there a more productive way for Christians to engage with politics? And could Christian values actually help heal our country's widening political divisions?
A veteran political strategist thinks the answer to these questions is "Yes," but suggests the place for Christians to start is with their own spiritual life.
Interview with Michael Wear.
Show Notes
The Center for Christianity and Public Life https://www.ccpubliclife.org
Book: The Spirit of Our Politics by Michael Wear https://www.zondervan.com/9780310367239/the-spirit-of-our-politics/;

16: Deadly words: The global fight against blasphemy laws with Kola Alapinni

In America, we have the luxury of debating religious freedom questions that don't have life-or-death consequences attached. In many other countries, though, the price of freedom is extraordinarily high. Every year, from Pakistan to Iran to Saudi Arabia, men and women are imprisoned or sentenced to death for the so-called crime of blasphemy.
We talk with a Nigerian lawyer who risks his own safety to advocate in court for those accused of blasphemy, and who has become a eloquent voice on the international stage against these repressive laws.
Interview with Kola Alapinni.
Show Notes
Information about the Yahaya Sharif-Aminu blasphemy case: https://www.uscirf.gov/religious-prisoners-conscience/yahaya-sharif-aminu
Fact sheet about blasphemy laws internationally: https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2020%20Legislation%20Factsheet%20-%20Blasphemy%20April%202020.pdf

15: Punching above its weight: The Adventist Church and religious freedom advocacy with Michael Campbell

On paper, the Seventh-day Adventist Church is one of America's smallest protestant Christian denominations. Yet through the years, it's had a surprisingly outsized influence on the national discourse around religious freedom issues. How and why did this happen?
We unpack the fascinating and little-known history of Adventist advocacy with one of the church's foremost historians.
Interview with Michael Campbell.
Show Notes
Short history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church's religious freedom advocacy: https://www.religiousliberty.info/history
Liberty magazine, started by Seventh-day Adventists in 1906, is the world's oldest, continually published magazine of religious freedom: https://www.libertymagazine.org/

14: The Church State Council: Six decades of advocacy and change with Alan Reinach

This week, podcast host Alan Reinach sits in the interview hot seat. As executive director of one of America's oldest religious freedom advocacy organizations, he's seen decades of evolution and turmoil in both the law and culture when it comes to how America protects religious liberty.
We take a look back at the Church State Council's 60 years of advocacy for people of all faiths and none. What's changed? And what could the future bring?
Show Notes
Church State Council website https://www.churchstate.org
News release about the Supreme Court decision in Groff v. Dejoy https://www.churchstate.org/religious-liberty-updates/GroffvDeJoy
Liberty magazine article by Alan Reinach about Groff v. Dejoy https://www.libertymagazine.org//article/religious-freedom-delivered

13: Power worshipping and Christian nationalism with Katherine Stewart

An investigative journalist spent years exploring the politicization of American Christianity. Her work resulted in not just two best-selling books, but also a documentary, God & Country, which was produced by Hollywood actor and producer Rob Reiner.
What first sparked her interest in this topic, and what lessons has she learned about the dangers of Christian nationalism?
Interview with Katherine Stewart. 
Show Notes
Katherine Stewart's website: https://katherinestewart.me/
Movie trailer: God & Country https://godandcountrythemovie.com

12: In God we trust? The crumbling church-state wall. Interview with Frank Ravitch

It's been a roller-coaster ride over the past few years for those who've been following the current Supreme Court's interpretation of the First Amendment's religion clauses. Decades of jurisprudence has been upended, encouraging states to pass laws that push the constitutional boundaries when it comes to endorsing religious messages.
Is there a way to make sense of recent free exercise and establishment clause Supreme Court decisions? And where could the Court ultimately be taking us?
Frank S. Ravitch, Professor of Law, Michigan State University.
Show Notes
Article by Prof. Ravitch for Liberty magazine about Louisiana's new "In God We Trust" law -  https://www.libertymagazine.org/article/pushing-the-boundaries

11: Too much protection for religion? Understanding the "ministerial exception." Interview with Charles Russo

Too much, too little, or just right? Has American law found the "Goldilocks point" when it comes to protecting the autonomy of religious institutions, while also protecting other important community interests?
The so-called ministerial exception is seen by some Americans as a tool that allows religious organizations to discriminate with impunity. However, others claim it's essential for protecting the religious identity of faith-based institutions in a society that's growing hostile to traditional faith. Who's right?
Interview with Charles J. Russo, Professor of Law, University of Dayton.
Show Notes
Article by Prof. Russo for Liberty magazine about the ministerial exception - https://www.libertymagazine.org/article/reckoning-with-the-reach-of-the-ministerial-exception

10: American propaganda and the making of a civil religion. Interview with Andrew Polk

No--"In God We Trust" wasn't inscribed on our currency during the founding era. And the motto "One Nation Under God" has a more recent origin than many might suspect.
We take a fascinating journey into a little-known era of American history; a time when the government was in the business of creating an "American religion."
Interview with Andrew R. Polk, Associate Professor and Director of History Education, Middle Tennessee State University.
Show Notes
Book: Faith in Freedom: Propaganda, Presidential Politics, and the Making of an American Religion by Andrew Polk - https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501759222/faith-in-freedom/
Liberty magazine article by Andrew Polk - https://www.libertymagazine.org/article/religious-propaganda-and-the-making-of-an-american-religion;