Faith and Law

Western civilization is said to be the most powerful civilization the world has ever seen, because of its truly global impact. But two things are now obvious. The West has dominated the world for the past 500 years, and a mounting chorus of voices are now saying the West is in decline. Not only is the Christian faith at the heart of the understanding of this ‘civilizational moment, but the crisis of the West is the wider context in which we need to understand the present challenges within America.Author and Social Critic Os Guinness joined us for a Friday Forum Lecture. Support the show

In light of the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and our ongoing challenge to continue pushing for policies that protect and uphold the lives of mothers and of their born and pre-born children, should Christians all the more support (rightly designed) federal subsidies for child care and preK?Stanley Carlson-Thies, founder and senior director of the Institutional Religious Freedom Alliance, and Stephanie Summers, CEO of the Center for Public Justice joined us to discuss when and how—if ever—should faith-based organizations accept government support to serve their neighbors? Support the show

U.S companies are the driving force behind global innovation and the advancement of emerging technologies. A deeper understanding of God’s creativity and our roles as image-bearers can help Christians working on Capitol Hill shape policy that will encourage ingenuity and maintain America's technological cutting-edge while protecting intellectual property.Phoebe Miles, co-founder of the Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention and daughter of the inventor of Gatorade and Dr. James Edwards, former Hill staffer and consultant on intellectual property discussed how the Creation Mandate and Common Grace relate to human innovation and human flourishing.Support the show

Many Americans frame frictions with China not only as a set of conflicting interests to be managed, but as a decisive battle between Democracy and Autocracy, between Good and Evil. In this formulation, our interests are often equated with the maintenance of our power and our power is viewed in millenarian terms. This tendency is baffling not only to our adversaries, but to our allies as well. Why do we lean on normative language whenever we feel threatened? And how can we make convincing arguments about the threat of Chinese Communist Party governance in a complex, skeptical world that does not view the United States as a moral exemplar and or the last hope of Christendom?Robert Daly, Director of the Kissinger Institute on China and the United States at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars joined us to discuss this timely topic.Support the show

The toxic divisions, cancel culture and partisan hatred that continue to grip America are a challenge not just for our country but for our faith. Many churches are divided, while many Christians are selecting out of churches they've been a part of for a long time to find a church that more fully lines up with their political views. More than a third of pastors have considered quitting their ministries. But faith is also the answer to our polarization.Andrew Hanauer, President and CEO of the One America Movement joined us to discuss this timely and important topic.Support the show

There is much public outcry about the Supreme Court's leaked draft majority opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health. Passions are high on both sides of this issue, further fracturing an already divided nation. However, there is one thing that both proponents and opponents of Roe can agree on -- women and children deserve to be empowered with real options and comprehensive care.Studies have shown that approximately 75% of pregnant women seeking abortion would prefer to parent if their circumstances were different. We partnered with Human Coalition to discuss pro-birth and pro-life solutions that can help make abortion unnecessary and unthinkable.Support the show

Many have missed the deep religious significance of Russia’s recent wars, from the “holy war” against ISIS in Syria to recovery of sacred spaces in the Crimea. Dr. Eric Patterson of the Religious Freedom Institutewill identify key features of Russia’s religious diplomacy across the Orthodox world and key religious aspects of Russia’s geo-politics, from Purim’s necklace to Ukrainian denominationalism.Support the show

For much of American history, our country had no formally established church but it did have a soft religious establishment -- Protestant at first and then Judeo-Christian -- that shaped and grounded our national debates. In the 1960s and 1970s, the collapse of the Protestant Mainline dissolved that center, and our culture wars should be understood as the attempts by different forces to fill that void: Evangelicals and Catholics in the George W. Bush era, "awokened" progressivism today. Even in a supposedly secularized society, our conflicts remain religious, reflecting a quest for a moral and metaphysical consensus that, for now, eludes our grasp.We were joined by Ross Douthat, New York Times opinion columnist.Support the show

Religious liberty is having another significant year at the Supreme Court. Luke Goodrich is VP & senior counsel at Becket, where he represents religious organizations and individuals in religious liberty disputes in courts across the country, including in the Supreme Court.  Mr Goodrich broke down the religious liberty cases at SCOTUS this term--from school choice (Carson v. Makin), to public prayer (Kennedy v. Bremerton School District) to religious symbols on government property (Shurtleff v. Boston), to free speech and LGBTQ rights (303 Creative v. Elenis). He also discussed religious liberty cases from the Court’s rocket docket and emergency docket, such as chaplain prayer in the execution chamber (Ramirez v. Collier) and religious exemptions to COVID vaccine mandates. Support the show

In celebration of Second Chance Month, we partnered with Prison Fellowship to gather a panel of experts, law enforcement leaders, and directly impacted voices for a discussion around improving outcomes among the one in three American adults with a criminal record. We are excited for this opportunity to dive into ways to advance second chances, thoughtful alternatives to incarceration, and success in reentry.Support the show