BJC Executive Director speaks at Grace Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia
Amanda Tyler will speak at Grace Baptist Church May 22, 2022.
Amanda Tyler will speak at Grace Baptist Church May 22, 2022.
The BJC Executive Director will speak with Congressional Freethought Caucus.
How do we tell a more inclusive and more critical narrative of religious liberty? How do we recognize and spotlight those who have been left out of the conversation, whether intentionally or not? This week, Amanda and Holly talk about the concept of religious freedom for all, exploring the intersections of race and religious freedom. From the racial divides among Baptist denominations to how BJC is interrogating its own history to BJC’s new Project on Race and Religious Freedom, they highlight resources from BJC and our partners.
This idea — that we preserve freedom by protecting it for all and not just the privileged few — is at the heart of BJC’s calling to advocate for everyone’s faith freedom. We advocate for freedom built on “we” and not just “I.”
Even in these divided times, many onlookers — including prominent Christian conservative leaders — were shocked and condemned such a brazen call from Michael Flynn to unite America under a single religion.
This week, Amanda and Holly explore questions swirling around vaccine mandates and religious exemptions related to COVID-19. Is there a newfound religious awakening that is leading to new requests? Are people gaming the system? Dive into the issue that is on the mind of employers, government officials and individuals across the country. Amanda and Holly discuss the religious liberty rationale for religious exemptions, the compelling government interest in mandating vaccines and how those values have been balanced in the past and in dealing with the present pandemic. They also talk about some of the difficult decisions employers are facing as they try to keep their workforce safe, healthy and productive. In the third segment, they look at the broader impact of COVID-19, including new reports on the trustworthiness of clergy when it comes to this topic.
Amanda and Holly discuss the big cases the Supreme Court will hear this term, and they break down the decision in Fulton v. Philadelphia, sharing why it’s not as sweeping a decision as the 9-0 outcome might make it seem.
BJC’s Jaziah Masters and Charles Watson Jr. lead an advocacy session during “Reimagining Religious Freedom: Moving from Education to Advocacy.”
We as Americans are not united by our faith or religion. What draws us together is our commitment to standing up for each person’s religious freedom as we would our own.
Eight young professionals gathered in Colonial Williamsburg in July 2021 for the 6th BJC Fellows Seminar, learning from historical interpreters as well as BJC staff members and other experts about the historical, legal and theological underpinnings of religious liberty.
Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis asks us to imagine a world with new essential ways of doing church.