S6, Ep. 16: What’s going on with the Supreme Court, a new travel ban, and the military in L.A.?
Release Date: 06/12/2025
Best of: The myth of American ‘chosenness’ with Dr. Catherine Brekus
Respecting Religion
How does the myth of America being a “chosen” nation lead to the religious nationalism we see today? In a presentation first aired in 2023, 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 how the recent surge of white Christian nationalism reflects a deep uneasiness about the loss of Christian privilege in this country. This program originally aired on June 1, 2023, in season 4 of...
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Best of: A report, a prayer vigil, and a somber anniversary: Remembering the January 6 attack
Respecting Religion
As Amanda’s sabbatical begins, we are revisiting previous episodes of the podcast. This week marked the 5th anniversary of the January 6 attack on the Capitol. In today’s episode of Respecting Religion, hear a conversation two years after the attack. 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. They also discuss the importance of Christian leaders providing an alternative witness in 2023 to the Christian nationalism exhibited during the...
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S7, Ep. 08: ‘A vibrant and free civil society is core to religious liberty in our country’
Respecting Religion
In our last show of 2025, Amanda and Holly talk about some of the news from the past week – including an expansion of the travel ban, devastating attacks around the world, and an appearance by Amanda before Congress to talk about the importance of protecting civil society. Plus, get an update on the podcast’s plans for spring 2026 as Amanda embarks on her first sabbatical. SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 00:33): Amanda’s most recent appearance before Congress You can hear Amanda’s opening testimony at 06:37 in this podcast. You can watch it online . Amanda and Holly...
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S7, Ep. 07: Religion in the military and the latest from Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission
Respecting Religion
The Trump administration created a “Religious Liberty Commission” in May, and it seems to be a mix of performative posturing and grievance airing, with some policy substance thrown in. Amanda and Holly discuss what this commission has – and hasn’t – done so far, and they look more closely at this week’s hearing on religion in the military. Littered with celebrities, many of the hearings are privileging certain religious views over others, often furthering “Christian nation” mythology and sharing general misinformation. SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 00:33): What...
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S7, Ep. 06: Updates on Oak Flat, the Johnson Amendment, and efforts to post the Ten Commandments
Respecting Religion
Hear Amanda and Holly react live to some breaking developments in today’s Respecting Religion podcast. One day after new legislation was introduced in Congress to save sacred Indigenous land, they discuss the history of and need for the Save Oak Flat from Foreign Mining Act. Plus, they talk about a brand-new class action lawsuit in Texas trying to halt the unconstitutional posting of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, and they share an update on the latest court activity regarding efforts to protect the Johnson Amendment. This conversation aired live on social media on BJC’s...
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S7, Ep. 05: A religious freedom case flying under the radar: SCOTUS hears Landor v. Louisiana Dept. of Corrections
Respecting Religion
One religious freedom case at the Supreme Court isn’t getting the sort of attention as others, despite how it’s uniting groups that often disagree. So, why did the justices sound so skeptical in the courtroom? Amanda and Holly review this week’s oral arguments in Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections, which involves the remedy available to a man whose religious freedom rights were violated when he was in prison. The violation isn’t in question, so why is the remedy? Amanda and Holly review the details in this case, play audio from key moments in the courtroom, and...
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S7, Ep. 04: Criminalizing Mercy: Sanctuary and Government Repression of Migrant Justice
Respecting Religion
Today, we are bringing you a special presentation on the contested issue of “sanctuary,” which continues to cut into the immigration debates in our country. Dr. Sergio M. González traces the sanctuary movement to its roots in the 1980s and examines how we arrived at a moment where mercy is met with repression. This presentation was given on the campus of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn., on Oct. 22, 2025, as part of BJC’s annual Walter B. and Kay W. Shurden Lectures on Religious Liberty and Separation of Church and State. SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting...
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S7, Ep. 03: Why is the Johnson Amendment under attack again?
Respecting Religion
We hear a lot of misinformation about a long-standing part of the tax code that protects the nonprofit sector, and it’s newly under attack in a questionable manner. On this episode, Amanda and Holly discuss the Johnson Amendment, what it does and doesn’t do, and the concerning way the Trump administration is trying to undo it without going through a normal process. They also provide reminders of what all nonprofits – including houses of worship – can do without jeopardizing their 501(c)(3) status under that current law. It’s a curious case – politicians say no one wants this part...
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S7, Ep. 02: Amanda and Holly LIVE on peaceful protests, the impact of the government shutdown, and more
Respecting Religion
In this LIVE conversation, Amanda and Holly take a moment to catch up and review some of the recent news since last week’s program. They discuss how religious leaders have been engaging in peaceful protests of immigration raids, how the ongoing government shutdown is impacting court cases, a change in Oklahoma regarding Bible teaching in public schools, and more. This show first aired live on Thursday, October 23, at 11 a.m. Eastern Time on BJC’s YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram channels. SHOW NOTES: Do you want special emails about the show, including notifications...
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S7, Ep. 01: The Supreme Court in a new era
Respecting Religion
As the Supreme Court begins a new term, we can’t ignore what else is going on in our country – attacks on the rule of law, weaponization of the Department of Justice, the militarization of American cities, disruptive and chaotic immigration enforcement, and a government shutdown. Amanda Tyler and Holly Hollman are back for a new season of Respecting Religion to bring thoughtful conversations to these issues and more at the intersection of religion and the law. In the season 7 premiere, they focus on the current Supreme Court term, including a case with an egregious violation of a...
info_outlineWith decisions from the Supreme Court, a new travel ban, and a federally militarized presence in Los Angeles, there are many activities in our world that deserve attention. Amanda and Holly discuss several current events in this episode, including the revival of one of the ugliest policies of the first Trump administration. Plus, they review the unanimous decision in a Supreme Court case about religious exemptions to employment law and discuss the Court’s decision not to hear a case involving the protection of sacred land.
SHOW NOTES
Segment 1 (starting at 00:37): Recent and still-developing news
Holly and Amanda discussed changes in policy about sensitive locations in S6, Episode 10.
We discussed the case of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia in a special episode released April 21 with Melissa Rogers.
We discussed the harmful school voucher provision in the “big beautiful bill” during their live episode, released May 27. Hear the episode at this link or in your podcast feed, or watch it on YouTube.
Join BJC for a webinar on the problems with the budget reconciliation bill on Monday, June 16, at 2:30 p.m. Click here to register for the event, which is hosted by BJC, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, and Bread for the World.
Read more about the fallout from Rep. Mary Miller referring to a Sikh prayer leader as a “Muslim” and erroneously claiming our country was founded as a “Christian nation” in this article by Andrew Solender for Axios: Rep. Mary Miller faces bipartisan fury over “ignorant” Sikh comment
In memory of Dr. Walter Brueggemann, listen to his 2019 conversation with Amanda on our podcast series exploring the dangers of Christian nationalism: Theological view of Christian nationalism with Walter Brueggemann
Segment 2 (starting at 13:17): The new travel ban
After President Trump issued his new travel ban on June 4, Amanda released a statement you can read on BJC’s website: BJC condemns new travel ban as ‘state-sanctioned discrimination’
Visit BJC’s website to read more about the case of Trump v. Hawaii and the history of the travel ban.
Support the NO BAN Act: Click here to use BJC’s form to contact your members of Congress about the legislation.
Segment 3 (starting 20:09): The decision in Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin Labor & Industry Review Commission
Supreme Court decisions we are waiting for include:
- Mahmoud v. Taylor (Hear a discussion of oral arguments in S6, Ep. 15)
- U.S. v. Skrmetti (Hear a discussion of oral arguments in S6, Ep. 06)
The case Apache Stronghold v. U.S. involves the sacred land of Chí’chil Biłdagoteel — loosely translated in English as “Oak Flat.” Read more about the denial of cert on BJC’s website: U.S. Supreme Court declines Oak Flat petition, allows for federal transfer of sacred land to mining company. Amanda and Holly talked about this issue on a podcast back in 2022: S3, Ep. 17: Religious freedom and our Indigenous neighbors: Save Oak Flat.
Amanda and Holly talked about the oral arguments in Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin in Ep. 12: Back to SCOTUS: Regular business in disturbing times
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