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
S7, Ep. 13: Supreme Court preview and farewell to Holly
Respecting Religion
We return for a bonus episode of season 7, as we look to the new Supreme Court term and say farewell to our co-host, Holly Hollman. Before she leaves, Holly joins Amanda to preview two religious liberty cases the court will hear in the next few months. And, after 25 years of filing briefs with BJC, Holly reflects on some of the big moments during her time here as she heads toward a new chapter in life.
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S7, Ep. 12: A disappointing religious freedom decision to end the SCOTUS term
Respecting Religion
What remedies does a person have if their religious freedom rights are violated in a state prison? In our season 7 finale, Amanda and Holly go in-depth on the disappointing Supreme Court decision in Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections – the justices make new law that impacts religious freedom rights and potentially congressional power more broadly. Amanda and Holly also look at ways people are protecting rights in Texas, as the fight continues against mandated Bible readings in public school. Plus, they share a quick rundown of the big Supreme Court decisions in the past two...
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S7, Ep. 11: Immigration is a religious freedom issue
Respecting Religion
How is increased immigration enforcement impacting the right to religious freedom? Should some “sensitive” locations be treated differently? Get an update on the twists and turns of this legal issue that has real world consequences for religious freedom, houses of worship, schools, hospitals, and other key places in our community. Holly and Amanda discuss the change in policy from the Trump administration, and they go in-depth on the legal and policy response – including long-term strategies and short-term solutions. SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 00:35): A new policy that...
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S7, Ep. 10: Court update: Ten Commandments cases, Johnson Amendment dismissal, and SCOTUS actions
Respecting Religion
Get caught up on all things court-related as Amanda and Holly run through some big decisions and changes over the past few months, including the multiple decisions in cases about posting the Ten Commandments, the dismissal of a legal challenge to the Johnson Amendment, and the Supreme Court’s undermining of section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 00:35): A new decision undermining the Voting Rights Act The BJC Center for Faith, Justice and Reconciliation that undermined section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Segment 2 (starting at 09:26): Supreme...
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S7, Ep. 09: Why is there an upswing in anti-Sharia laws?
Respecting Religion
The “Christian nation” rhetoric and spectacle we’re seeing is not just bad history – it’s having real ramifications for religious freedom for all in our country today. Amanda is back from sabbatical, and she and Holly discuss recent developments, including an increase in anti-Sharia legislation and fear-mongering that goes with it. They fact-check last week’s congressional hearing on the topic and share Amanda’s testimony. Plus, Amanda and Holly discuss the recent “Rededicate 250” event on the National Mall, which elevated common myths tied to Christian...
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New episodes return May 21!
Respecting Religion
Amanda is back from sabbatical, and Respecting Religion is returning with all-new episodes on Thursday, May 21. Tune in for analysis of various court decisions impacting religious freedom -- including the mulitple decisions about mandates to post the Ten Commandments. Plus, Holly and Amanda will discuss a disturbing trend in anti-Muslim sentiment and the rise of Christian nationalism tied to celebrations for America's 250th birthday. Join us on Thursdays for these conversations and more in the coming weeks. See all episodes of Respecting Religion on our website:
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Best of: Were we founded as a ‘Christian nation’?
Respecting Religion
What do people mean when they say we were founded as a “Christian nation”? Is that true? Revisit this 2019 conversation on the political and religious history behind that idea. BJC Executive Director Amanda Tyler talks with Dr. Steven Green, author of Inventing a Christian America: The Myth of the Religious Founding, about the political history of this concept, including how, when and why it originated. They also discuss misguided claims that the Ten Commandments are the basis of our legal system. On the second half of the episode, we hear from church historian Bill Leonard on...
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Best of: ‘How to End Christian Nationalism’
Respecting Religion
Is the separation of church and state in the Constitution? How does Christian nationalism overlap with white supremacy? Why do we keep seeing so many proposals to post the Ten Commandments? In this wide-ranging conversation from 2024, Amanda Tyler talks about these issues and more as she discusses her book “How to End Christian Nationalism” with the Rev. Dr. Bill Leonard. “How to End Christian Nationalism” is a vital companion for countering the dangerous ideology, and it is available from your favorite local bookseller. This conversation was recorded Oct. 29, 2024, and was...
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Best of: Inside the ReAwaken America tour
Respecting Religion
Christian nationalism was on full display at the ReAwaken America tour, which was a series of conferences that fused Christian language and symbols with conspiracy theories and election denials. Amanda went inside a Miami event in 2023, and she shared her experiences in this podcast – from assembly-line baptisms to the reaction of the crowd as speakers moved seamlessly from religious worship songs to calls for political violence. This episode originally aired May 18, 2023, and it is our most downloaded show of all time. SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 01:18): The Christian...
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Best of: A decision that continues to create misguided claims: Kennedy v. Bremerton
Respecting Religion
A 2022 decision from the Supreme Court continues to sow confusion and misguided claims four years later. Today, we’re revisiting our conversation on the Kennedy v. Bremerton decision, where the Court ruled for a public school official and abandoned long-standing Establishment Clause protections in ways that harm the religious freedom rights of students. Hear Amanda and Holly react right after this decision and ponder just what, exactly, would actually constitute “coercion” for this Court. The Supreme Court did not overrule the previous school prayer cases with the decision, but it did...
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
Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC’s generous donors. Your gift to BJC is tax-deductible, and you can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.