Just Liberty

Charlie Kirk's book on the Sabbath, released posthumously, has created quite a stir. We explore the push for a national shared day of rest and why it’s more complicated than it sounds. We get into the religious meaning of Sabbath, the history of blue laws, and what happens when the government gets involved in something that isn’t just about taking a break. Guest: Jonathan Cherne, author, attorney...

A straightforward look at dominionism—what people mean by it, how it shows up in our politics, and why it matters. We talk through how some Christians think about influence and power, what’s changing, and what it could mean for America's tradition of religious pluralism. Guest: André Gagné, Professor and Chair, Theological Studies at Concordia University Special Host: Stephen Allred, Church State...

How does some Christian end-times thinking turn Jews and Israel into props, skew how people read conflicts like Iran, and blur the line between geopolitics and theological agendas? And, more importantly, what does a more biblically grounded approach look like? Guest: Alexander Bolotnikov, biblical scholar and Director, Hebrew Bible Institute *** Show Notes Website | Hebrew Bible Institute - https:...

In a country where blasphemy can carry a death sentence, Pakistani politician Shahbaz Bhatti understood the cost of defending religious minorities—and ultimately paid it. Fifteen years after his assassination, his story is being retold through a creative medium aimed at engaging a new generation in the fight for religious freedom. Show Notes Book | Matt Yocum, Jordan Holt, Blood and Water: The Lif...

Religious freedom in America may be headed toward the edge of a cliff. Why? Because survey after survey shows that younger generations of Americans neither understand nor value the crucial role religious freedom plays in our democracy. What's behind this worrying trend? And can anything be done to rehabilitate the reputation of religious freedom in the eyes of Gen-Zs and Millennials? Interview wit...

It's far more than simply charm, or rhetorical skill, or political savvy. Charisma is a powerful force that has shaped American public and religious life--for both good and ill--for more than four centuries. Could an undertanding of this phenomenon help us make better sense of our national story? And why does it seem that Americans of faith are particularly vulnerable to its allure? Interview with...

Replay: 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 ori...

How can we make sense of competing visions for the role of religion in American governance? We can start by following the paper trail left by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Interview originally recorded March 27, 2025, and released in Episode 46: Skeptics of church-state separation versus the historical record" on April 29, 2025. Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/2DWjEjg5vrg ___ Guest: Steve...

Replay: 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." Guest: Andrew R. Polk, Associate Professor and Director of History...

Many Christians are exhausted by politics—caught between culture wars, partisan pressure, and a sense that something vital has been lost. This episode explores a healthier vision of public faith, drawing on the Black church’s tradition to ask how moral clarity, spiritual depth, and faithful witness can take us beyond "politics as usual." This episode was recorded on January 14, 2026. ___ Guest: Ju...

Foreign aid and refugee policy rarely stay in the headlines—but their consequences can be life-or-death. This episode looks at the quiet dismantling of U.S. humanitarian aid, sweeping changes to refugee policy, and how decisions made in Washington are reshaping care for the world’s most vulnerable, with profound moral and religious implications. This episode was recorded on January 14, 2026. Explo...

When ISIS left northern Iraq eight years ago, the headlines moved on. But for some of Christianity’s oldest communities the trauma and danger remain. In this episode we discuss the fight to defend religious freedom and rebuild destroyed churches in a region where Christians face immense economic and legal challenges. Can these ancient Christian communities survive?  This interview was recorded on...

The religion clauses of the First Amendment didn’t arrive with fireworks or fanfare. In this episode, we explore the surprising evolution of the American idea of religious freedom from constitutional afterthought to culture war battleground. What exactly did America's founders mean when they talked about "religious free exercise"? This episode was recorded on January 14, 2026. Show Notes Article |...

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 man...

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...

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 Stev...

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...

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...

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 20...

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 relig...

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 Ro...

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/Oct...

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 religio...

Should churches endorse political candidates from the pulpit? For decades, the Johnson Amendment has drawn a legal line: churches can speak prophetically on justice and policy, but they can’t back individual candidates. Critics call it censorship. Supporters say it protects the mission of faith communities from partisan capture. In this episode of Just Liberty, we explore what’s at stake for both...

International religious freedom is under pressure worldwide—and U.S. leadership is wavering. Knox Thames, veteran advocate and author of Ending Persecution, joins Just Liberty to discuss urgent global crises, the limits of traditional diplomacy, and practical strategies to reinvigorate the movement for conscience rights. Show Notes Book | Ending Persecution: Charting the Path to Global Religious F...