Race and religion are topics at the forefront of the U.S. Senate race in Georgia between Sen. Kelly Loeffler and the Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock. On this bonus episode of Respecting Religion, we bring you a conversation between BJC Director of Education Charles Watson Jr. and Executive Director Amanda Tyler about what happens when ministers become candidates. In this dialogue broadcast live on December 2, they go beyond partisan politics and dive into the sensitive topics, discussing the implications of using sermons in attack ads, the power structure of whiteness, Christian nationalism, liberation theology, double standards and how you can’t ignore the racial components at play right now.Plus, they ask a serious question: How do the attacks against the Rev. Warnock compare to similar attacks on the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during his time?
How did Christian nationalism show up on the campaign trail and at the ballot box? What is the possibility for religion to be a positive and unifying force for our politically divided country? How did President-elect Joe Biden talk about religion in his acceptance speech? Amanda and Holly look at religion and politics this election season — the good, the bad and the confusing.
BJC Executive Director Amanda Tyler is speaking on a panel about religious freedom and Christian nationalism at the first-ever Americans United 2020 National Advocacy Summit.
After President Trump publicly addressed the unrest following the killing of George Floyd, peaceful protesters were violently dispersed and the president posed for a photo holding a Bible in front of a church. This week, Amanda Tyler and Holly Hollman talk about the photo op and what it means in terms of religious liberty and Christian nationalism. They also review the most recent legal developments related to houses of worship and the coronavirus, including a late-night Supreme Court order and an unexplained change on the CDC’s guidance for houses of worship. In the third segment, Amanda and Holly answer listener questions and share important books for self-reflection and action to take a stand against systemic racial injustice.
The rhetoric surrounding the new guidance, which sounded a false alarm about the status of prayer in public school, echoing the claims of Christian nationalism, was far more troubling than the guidance itself.
Don Byrd takes a look at the top nine religious liberty stories of 2019 — from Christian nationalism to Supreme Court decisions.
What’s the antidote to Christian nationalism? To conclude our podcast series, we take a look at what it means to embrace civic pluralism with Eboo Patel, the founder and president of Interfaith Youth Core. He talks with BJC Executive Director Amanda Tyler about the difference in religious and civic pluralism, the origins of the term “Judeo-Christian,” connections between anti-Muslim bigotry and anti-Catholic bigotry, and how we can create a “potluck nation,” where everyone brings their unique contributions to the table.
Executive Director Amanda Tyler provides the latest BJC updates: a new look for the website, the new initiative Christians Against Christian Nationalism and more.
BJC Executive Director Amanda Tyler preaches a sermon titled “The Temptation of Christian Nationalism: Power Brokers over Prophets,” at Perkins Chapel at SMU, in an event sponsored by the Baptist House of Studies.
What happens when bills influenced by Christian nationalism appear in state legislatures? Minnesota State Sen. John Marty discusses his experience standing against legislation from the “Project Blitz” playbook in this episode of our podcast series. He talks about how his Christian faith influences his work defending the rights of all people, and he shares stories about the pushback and accusations he received as he worked to make sure his faith isn’t used to crush others. This is episode six in our 10-week series on Christian nationalism.
“Project Blitz,” a coordinated effort to draft and pass bills informed by Christian nationalism, is showing up in state legislatures across the country. What is this effort, and what are its goals? Frederick Clarkson, the writer who broke the story about Project Blitz, discusses its origins, motivations and definitions of success.
This is episode five of our 10-week podcast series on Christian nationalism. Visit BJConline.org/ChristianNationalism for more on the series and the Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign.
Get the tools and resources you need to make a difference in your community. Join BJC staff for an advocacy training, which will equip you to effectively share your concerns with lawmakers and brief you on the major issues related to Christian nationalism and religious liberty.
