Respecting Religion

It happens in pretty much every administration, but what do you know about federal guidelines on religion in public schools? Holly and Amanda discuss the new release from the Biden administration outlining the different rights of students and teachers, and they share how some are misinterpreting the  Kennedy v. Bremerton  decision to open the door to more government-sponsored religious exercises....

What does the myth of American "chosenness" mean for different communities and the rise of Christian nationalism? Episcopal Bishop and Cherokee nation member  Carol Gallagher , Baptist minister Rev.  Darrell Hamilton , and Dr.  Michael Hober­man , a scholar of early American Jewish literature and culture, engage in a conversation moderated by the Rev. Dr.  Jaimie Crumley , a minister and professor...

How does the myth of America being a "chosen" nation lead to the religious nationalism we see today? Harvard Divinity School's Dr. Catherine Brekus talks about how the myth is a complicated mixture of arrogance, exploitation, reform, racism and violence. She looks at the roots of this myth, how it has played out through our country's history, and the ways that the recent surge of white Christian n...

Christian nationalism is on full display at stops of the ReAwaken America tour – conferences that fuse Christian language and symbols with conspiracy theories and election denials. Amanda went inside the most recent one at a Trump property in Miami, and she shares her experiences in this podcast – from assembly-line baptisms to the reaction of the crowd as speakers moved seamlessly from religious...

The Texas legislature meets once every two years, and they are spending a great deal of this session on bills that would advance religion. We return to our conversation on the Ten Commandments bill in Texas, as we saw a groundswell of opposition to the bill when it headed to the state House. Amanda and Holly take a look at some viral moments, and we share an exclusive conversation with Texas state...

Texas is taking matters into its own hands, going full-on cowboy as it leads the nation in abandoning long-held religious liberty protections. Amanda and Holly review a troubling bill in Texas that would mandate the posting of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms, and they share how some are trying to use the  Kennedy v. Bremerton  decision – and removal of the  Lemon  test – to justif...

The Supreme Court seemed less divided by ideological lines during the  Groff v. DeJoy  oral arguments, as justices searched for common ground to clarify a standard from a 1977 decision that no advocate seems to be fully supporting. Amanda and Holly share their thoughts from the day, playing key moments from the courtroom in their breakdown of the legal issues and sticking points in the case. What,...

Media reports about Christian nationalism are often tied to topline takeaways from research on the political ideology. Amanda and Holly review various definitions of the term "Christian nationalism," look at its connection to – and distinctiveness from – the Christian faith, and talk about why sociological research on this topic matters. SHOW NOTES: Segment 1: Definitions of Christian nationalism...

A spring Supreme Court case is bringing together some unlikely allies. Amanda and Holly preview  Groff v. DeJoy , which examines the federal statutory protection against religious discrimination in the workplace. They review the facts of the case, which involves a postal worker who has a religious belief he cannot work on the Sabbath, and they share why a " de minimis  standard" set in a 1977 case...

Schoolhouse Rock left out a key way laws are made: The regulatory process. Amanda and Holly discuss the federal regulatory and rulemaking process and review some recent proposals and final rules from the Biden administration, including a proposed rule from nine different agencies and a final rule from the Department of Labor. They also review how these rules have changed through the Bush, Obama an...

From New York City Mayor Eric Adams to several individuals at CPAC, we've recently heard new, troubling comments from public leaders that show – once again – the prominence of Christian nationalism and the dangers it poses to public debate. Amanda and Holly provide some "Separation of Church and State 101" in this episode to clear up confusion about the term and what it really means. They also sha...

From curriculum debates to the posting of "In God We Trust," we're seeing the political ideology of Christian nationalism impacting religious freedom in our public schools.  During Public Schools Week, Amanda and Holly review recent controversies and discuss the important role our nation's public schools play in serving all people and educating 90% of American schoolchildren. They also discuss why...

How can we best understand the overlap of white supremacy and Christian nationalism? The Rev. Dr. Jonathan C. "Jay" Augustine joins Amanda and Holly for a wide-ranging conversation during Black History Month as we explore the way Christian nationalism devalues Blackness in our country. A pastor, preacher, lawyer and author, Dr. Augustine shares the differences between racial discrimination and eth...

Accusations of antisemitism and Islamophobia tend to spark and exacerbate divisions in our world. Amanda and Holly discuss two recent controversies that featured accusations of religious bias: The removal of Rep. Ilhan Omar from a congressional committee and a depiction of the Prophet Muhammad shown in an art history class. They look at the under-discussed parts of these controversies, implication...

On February 2, we'll see the 71st installment of an event that always raises eyebrows and makes news. The National Prayer Breakfast has been around since 1953, but what is it? Does it promote religious freedom, or is it yet another example of Christian nationalism? Amanda and Holly explore the legitimate questions it raises about faith in public life and the relationship between the institutions o...

Last week, our country marked the second anniversary of the January 6 insurrection. On today's podcast, Amanda and Holly share their reactions to the report released by the January 6 Select Committee at the end of 2022, including the lack of any mention of Christian nationalism and why that matters. Amanda and Holly also discuss the importance of Christian leaders providing an alternative witness...

Why hasn't Congress addressed the dangers of Christian nationalism before now? Amanda and Holly talk about a crucial hearing this week, which included testimony from Amanda on how Christian nationalism overlaps with and provides cover for white supremacy and racial subjugation. They look at the challenges facing Congress in addressing the rise in violence in our country, and they share some bipart...

Amanda and Holly review this week's Supreme Court arguments in  303 Creative v. Elenis , a free speech challenge to a Colorado law that prohibits discrimination in the commercial marketplace. They look at how this case came to be, how it relates to 2018's  Masterpiece Cakeshop  case, and the difficulty in deciding weighty matters of free speech and nondiscrimination for a wedding website design bu...

Can marriage equality and religious liberty co-exist? Amanda and Holly discuss the Respect for Marriage Act, including what led to this bill's creation, the legislative wrangling to get it passed in an election year, and the bevy of amendments full of political posturing. They also discuss the important distinctions between marriage as a civil institution and marriage as a religious institution. L...

Where did we see religion and religious liberty have an impact during the midterm elections? Amanda and Holly break down election results in this podcast, including a look at how extremism fared at the ballot box. Plus, they review the implications of former president Donald Trump's return as a candidate when it comes to Christian nationalism. SHOW NOTES: Segment 1 (starting at 00:51): A quick ove...

Christian nationalism's influence continues to permeate so many facets of our world, particularly as we approach the midterm elections. Holly and Amanda look at the headline-grabbing ReAwaken America tour events happening across the country, including how Michael Flynn and others are exploiting Christian nationalism in those arenas for political gain. Plus, they review new research about Americans...

Debates about access to abortion are often intertwined with religion, and the conversation is changing in light of the Supreme Court's decision in  Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization , which overturned  Roe v. Wade  and the federal constitutional right to an abortion. Amanda and Holly review some of the public and academic commentaries on  the intersection of abortion and religion, and t...

It's been three years since the launch of the Christians Against Christian Nationalism initiative. In this episode, Amanda and Holly discuss what we've learned since convening that project and how the conversation is changing today. They share about accusations we've heard over the project's lifetime, why we are seeing this topic in the media more often, and the odd ways the public discourse is sh...

What are Amanda and Holly watching in the new Supreme Court term? They preview  303 v. Elenis , a case involving a woman who says she doesn't want to design wedding websites for same-sex couples, and compare it to the  Masterpiece Cakeshop  case, in which the Court avoided the main question. Amanda and Holly also discuss an order from the Court's "shadow docket" involving Yeshiva University's refu...

The Supreme Court opened its new term this week, and Amanda and Holly look at where its last decisions are leading us. They provide updates on high-profile decisions, including the praying coach in Washington state who hasn't returned to work yet and the dilemmas facing religious schools in Maine. Amanda and Holly lament how this Court ignores the distinctiveness of religion, despite religion's sp...