ERLC Podcast

In recent years, the issue of mental health has been more widely recognized and talked about. Whereas it was stigmatized in the past—and still is in some ways— conversations within the Church are turning toward how to help those who struggle with their mental health and how our mental health affects our spiritual health.  As an article we posted on erlc.com notes, “a report by Lifeway Research rev...

Since 2016, the name that has been synonymous with our current political environment is President Donald Trump. However, within the Trump administration is a name with which we should be familiar and should want to know more about: Vice President Mike Pence.  In a special episode, we’re featuring a conversation between Vice President Mike Pence and ERLC President Brent Leatherwood that we hosted a...

Are you tired of our country’s partisan and divisive approach to politics? We are too.  We believe there is a better way. Like you, we want our nation to be a place where the vulnerable are protected, religious liberty is defended, families can flourish, and the gospel is proclaimed. We believe that Christians have a critical role to play this year and every year in the public square.  Today, in t...

Are you weary as you think about politics in our country? Is it hard to know what to say and do during an election year as you lead your church, talk to your family, interact in your community, and go to the voting booth? We feel those tensions, too, and want to provide encouragement as you seek to bring a distinctly Christian hope to the public square.  In a special two-part series, ERLC Presiden...

The ERLC's Jason Thacker, Miles Mullin, and Alex Ward discuss the 40th anniversary of the book The Naked Public Square: Religion and Democracy in America by Richard John Neuhaus and how it can inform our understanding of bringing our faith into the public square.  Listen to more episodes of The ERLC Podcast at erlc.com/podcast .

Political chaos and noisy rhetoric are hard to escape during an election season. So, it’s no surprise that even well-meaning Christians get caught up in the fray. Some withdraw from political engagement, feeling as if their voices couldn’t possibly be loud enough to make a difference. Others give in to the temptation to vilify those with whom they disagree. Neither is the most constructive way to...

Many of us sense that politics are contentious and messy. They often leave us feeling weary about the future of our country and its leaders. This was certainly the case in the 2020 presidential race. As our nation prepares for yet another presidential election in November, it’s helpful for us to be aware of what’s happening in our culture and have clear expectations for the season ahead so that, a...

Are you weary from the current state of American politics? Does the noisy rhetoric by some political candidates and the lack of meaningful action leave you tempted to retreat from political engagement altogether? Know you’re not alone. Like you, we feel these tensions and want to explore ways that we can bring hope to the public square, together. And, we believe this starts in our own communities,...

2024 is a big year for politics. If you ask any person you pass on the street why this is the case, their answer would likely be because of the presidential election; one that, sadly, looks like it will be a contentious repeat of 2020. And they wouldn’t be wrong. Federal politics are important.  But, most Americans don’t give much thought to political issues beyond the national level. This causes...

Do you sense that American politics is in trouble? Are you frustrated by our inability, even as Christians, to dialogue and disagree across party lines and other differences? In 2019, the ERLC, the Fetzer Institute, and LifeWay Research conducted a study on civility in the public square. The study found that “the single most common adjective” evangelical leaders used to describe the current politi...

The reproductive medical technology known as in vitro fertilization, or IVF, has been in the news lately because of a crucial decision by the Alabama Supreme Court that clearly affirmed the personhood of human embryos. IVF is the procedure through which a woman’s egg and a man’s sperm are harvested and then fertilized outside of the womb. An embryo is created and implanted into the woman’s womb in...

Psalm 139:14 says that each life is “fearfully and wonderfully made” by God. Out of all of his creation, Genesis tells us that human life alone is made in His image. Because of this truth, we bear a responsibility to help preserve and protect all lives. This is why the work of pregnancy resource centers across the country and abroad is vital. The individuals in these centers commit themselves to t...

As part of the ERLC Podcast, we will feature special episodes from the Research team from time to time to help equip you to think deeply about the most pressing questions we face in the public square.   As we continue our series on life, the Research team is bringing you a special interview today with Scott Klusendorf, the author of The Case for Life . Scott is a respected pro-life speaker and adv...

We believe it’s clear in God’s Word that his perfect design is for many people to eventually unite as one man and one woman in a lifetime of marriage. That marriage, in many cases, leads to the blessing of children and establishes a family that glorifies God and benefits society. Unfortunately, in a fallen world, reality is messy. Marriage is put off and misunderstood. Families are broken and diff...

The mission entrusted to the ERLC by the Southern Baptist Convention includes applying Christian principles to moral and social problems and questions of public policy and promoting religious liberty. One of the ways we do this is through our public policy advocacy, both in Washington, D.C., and throughout individual states.  Every year, we compile and release a public policy agenda, highlighting...

God’s Word, from the very beginning, affirms the dignity of all human life. Genesis 1 tells us that at the end of the creation process, “God said, ’Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.' … 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” This reveals to us that every person is made in the imago Dei, the image of God. And...

Throughout this series, we’ve been seeking biblical answers and practical wisdom to apply to questions of gender and sexuality swirling around in our culture, our churches, and in our hearts. It’s been a joy to explore these issues with you and spur one another on to hold fast to Christ and love our neighbors. On this last episode in our series, we’re going to focus more on pastors and how they ca...

We began our gender and sexuality series by examining what the Bible teaches us about these important topics. And as we close out this series with two more episodes, we’re going to concentrate on the Church and how pastors and leaders can disciple their members to wrestle with and hold fast to God’s good design for us. Because gender confusion has disproportionately affected younger generations, w...

On our previous episode about gender and sexuality, we looked at the family and how parents can approach these important topics with their children. Today, we’re turning our attention to an issue that has caused anxiety for some parents: gender and sexuality in schools and how to direct our children as they are confronted with teaching and examples that contradict what the Bible says.  As we discu...

So far in our gender and sexuality series, we’ve learned what the Bible teaches about God’s design, we’ve traced the sexual revolution in our society, and we’ve heard a powerful testimony of honoring God in the midst of a struggle with sexual sin. Today, we’re going to talk about the family.  As we discuss these important topics, you might have additional questions. We’d love to hear from you. Ple...

So far in this series, we’ve learned what the Bible teaches about gender and sexuality, how the fall affects our perception of ourselves and God, and what role the sexual revolution played in where we are today as a culture.  Today, we will hear an incredible testimony from a man who has learned to honor God with his sexuality. We’re also going to hear how we can respond when someone we love strug...

On Oct. 7, we woke up to the news that Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist group, launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing 1,400 people in what has been referred to as Israel’s 9/11. In the days following, we have seen the horrendous images, heard the horrifying stories, and learned more about the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.  To help us understand these events and how we can think clearl...

A few weeks ago, we learned that Genesis 1 teaches God created us male and female in his image. Because we’re created, God gets to set the boundaries for our lives. But, the fall and our sin nature affects how we view ourselves and our bodies. We also heard about the sexual revolution and how it feeds us the same lie the serpent did in the garden: Did God really say?  Today’s discussion is going t...

Many of our listeners have expressed a desire to better understand the ERLC’s public policy work. September is the perfect time to share about this area of our ministry assignment because it’s an important month in our nation’s Capitol and a busy time for our D.C. team, specifically. Hannah Daniel, our ERLC policy manager who works in our nation’s capital, and our president Brent Leatherwood will...

  During this episode, you will hear from expert voices about: What it means to be made in the image of God; God’s good design for all people; How the world was corrupted by the fall in Genesis 3; and How to live out countercultural beliefs about gender and sexuality. The ERLC podcast is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. It is produced by Jill Waggoner, Lindsay Nicolet,...