S6, Ep. 14: The blockbuster SCOTUS case over religious charter schools
Respecting Religion
The most consequential church-state case of this Supreme Court term involves whether the government could – or even must – fund religious charter schools. Amanda and Holly examine key moments in the oral arguments from Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board, et al. v. Drummond, playing clips from the courtroom and looking at how the justices may apply recent precedent to shape future law. As BJC noted in the brief we filed, if the government funds religious charter schools, it will drag our government deeper into questions it is unfit to answer on matters of doctrine and church...
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S6, Ep. 13: Active citizenship: A conversation with Melissa Rogers about promoting religious freedom and the common good
Respecting Religion
Melissa Rogers joins the podcast for a conversation about how each of us can take steps to promote religious freedom and the common good in the United States today. After leading the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships in the Obama and Biden administrations, she shares her inside perspective on government, where we are right now, and how people can truly make an impact. Our religious freedom protects everyone’s right to bring their faith to the public square, and you won’t want to miss this conversation about opportunities we have as Americans to engage...
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Special Episode: Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia and the rule of law
Respecting Religion
On this special bonus episode of the Respecting Religion podcast, we are featuring a conversation that could not wait until our normal release date. In this still-developing story, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia was mistakenly removed by the U.S. government from Maryland to El Salvador. His case and series of injustices are not just things that move all of us as people of faith, but there are also profound ramifications of this situation on due process, the rule of law and freedom for everyone living in our country. Our next full episode of Respecting Religion will feature a conversation with...
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S6, Ep. 12: Back to SCOTUS: Regular business in disturbing times
Respecting Religion
There has been no shortage of news from all three branches of government in Washington, D.C., but one thing hasn’t changed: the U.S. Supreme Court continues to be interested in religious liberty cases. On today’s show, Amanda and Holly review the recent oral arguments in Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin, which focuses on a religious exemption in the state’s unemployment compensation laws. There are big questions being asked in this case, such as where one draws the lines, how can “religion” be defined, and what is meant – exactly – by the term “proselytization.”...
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S6, Ep. 11: African Americans and Religious Freedom
Respecting Religion
African Americans’ knowledge traditions, religious practices, political cultures and ideas are rich resources that facilitate new concepts of religious freedom. On this episode of Respecting Religion, Dr. Sabrina E. Dent and Dr. Corey D. B. Walker join Amanda and Holly to discuss the book they co-edited, African Americans and Religious Freedom: New Perspectives for Congregations and Communities. It’s a collection of essays that provide novel interpretations of religious freedom informed by African American experiences, which are essential for a full public discourse about the...
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S6, Ep. 10: March Madness: Department of Education, school vouchers, and a Supreme Court preview
Respecting Religion
Actions and rumors of actions in Washington, D.C., are continuing to dominate the news cycle and keep people on edge. On this episode of Respecting Religion, Amanda and Holly discuss the devastation of dismantling the Department of Education and the problematic push for a nationwide school voucher program. They also look at the latest in the battle between faith communities and the Trump administration to protect sensitive locations from immigration raids, and they preview the three religious liberty cases on the Supreme Court’s docket this term. SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at...
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S6, Ep. 09: Threats to religious freedom from the Trump administration and a look at the growing resistance
Respecting Religion
In our second show of the second Trump administration, Amanda and Holly run through a list of recent events that point to a gross misunderstanding of what “religious freedom” means. They review the policy announcements made during the National Prayer Breakfast – including the creation of a task force to “eradicate anti-Christian bias” – and they look at how this administration’s accusations and actions are limiting the religious freedom of several Christian groups who serve others. They also discuss the growing resistance, including court challenges and two opportunities for...
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S6, Ep. 08: Ten Commandments and Trump’s first week
Respecting Religion
In this week’s show, Amanda and Holly discuss the problems with government mandates to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms, focusing on a case out of Louisiana. BJC and other Christian groups filed a brief in that case to explain why, as Christians, we oppose the Louisiana law and how the government’s decision to choose a religious text to display in a public school setting not only cheapens our faith but also puts the government in a role it is not called to play. Plus, Amanda and Holly talk through President Donald Trump’s first week back in the White House, sharing where they saw...
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S6, Ep. 07: Jimmy Carter: Baptist, president, servant leader
Respecting Religion
President Jimmy Carter introduced millions of people to what it means to be a Baptist. In this episode, Amanda and Holly reflect on what he meant to our country and to both of them, as fellow Baptists, as well as his impact on faith freedom for all. They share how he is a shining example of the diversity of Baptists in our country as well as what it looks like to live out one’s faith freely and fully without forcing it on others. SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 00:38): A look back at the life of Jimmy Carter and his funeral service The New York Times has an extensive obituary...
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S6, Ep. 06: Oral arguments in U.S. v. Skrmetti: Medical care for transgender youth and the Equal Protection Clause
Respecting Religion
A Supreme Court case on medical care for transgender youth could have major ramifications – not only for children who have gender dysphoria and their families but also for how other statutes are reviewed under the Equal Protection Clause. In this episode, Amanda and Holly examine the oral arguments in U.S. v. Skrmetti, breaking down key moments in the heated courtroom exchanges, examining the specific constitutional question in this case, and discussing the broader implications of the possible ruling. While the specific question in this case involves the Equal Protection Clause of the...
info_outlineTo kick off season 6 of Respecting Religion, Amanda Tyler and Holly Hollman take stock of the Supreme Court. There is no religion case on the docket – yet – for this term, but there are several cases that do impact religion. They review the most important things we saw out of last year’s term – from the “Trump docket” to the abortion cases – and they talk about how the Rahimi decision about a gun regulation illustrates the trouble with the Court’s new “history and tradition” test. Plus, this is the last episode before the release of Amanda’s book How to End Christian Nationalism, and they preview the upcoming book tour and how you can participate.
Segment 1 (starting at 00:37): Back together after a tumultuous summer
Amanda talked with Ava Kofman for her feature article in the New York Times Magazine: How Two Billionaire Preachers Remade Texas Politics
Amanda mentioned an article by Russell Gold for Texas Monthly, titled The Billionaire Bully Who Wants to Turn Texas Into a Christian Theocracy
Segment 2 (starting at 08:02): The Supreme Court is back, but why are people still talking about the past term?
Amanda and Holly mentioned the upcoming case of U.S. v. Skrmetti, which will examine gender-affirming care. They talked about previous cases involving the definition of “sex” in Episode 17 of season 1, titled “A landmark case for LGBTQ rights: What’s next for religious liberty?”
Amanda and Holly discussed the intersection of religion and the law in the two abortion cases in Episode 28 of season 5, titled “Conscience protections in SCOTUS abortion cases.”
Read Holly’s column in BJC’s fall magazine, which discusses the impact of the Rahimi case: The Court at a crossroads
Amanda and Holly discussed the Supreme Court’s obsession with history in the context of legislative prayer in the Greece v. Galloway decision in Episode 3 of season 5, titled “SCOTUS is fixated on history. What’s prayer got to do with it?”
Segment 3 (starting 37:37): Come see Amanda in a city near you!
How to End Christian Nationalism is the new book by Amanda Tyler. It releases on October 22, and you can pre-order it now from Amazon, your local bookstore, or anywhere you buy books.
Visit EndChristianNationalism.com for more information on the book and on the book tour, which includes stops in California, Minnesota, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Virginia, Texas, and more.
Learn more about BJC’s Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign at ChristiansAgainstChristianNationalism.org.
Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC’s generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.