Faith and Law

Joseph Capizzi, Ph.D. in Theology, is the Executive Director of the Institute for Human Ecology and an Ordinary Professor of Moral Theology at The Catholic University of America. He has published widely on just war theory, bioethics, the history of moral theology, and political liberalism. Dr. Capizzi worked as a research fellow at the VADM James B. Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership at the U.S. Naval Academy from 2013 to 2014.Bradley Lewis, Ph.D. is Associate Dean and Associate Professor at the School of Philosophy at The Catholic University of America. Dr. Lewis specializes in political and legal philosophy, especially in classical Greek political thought and in the theory of natural law. He holds a B.A. from the University of Maryland and a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame. He has published scholarly articles in Polity, History of Political Thought, the Southern Journal of Philosophy, Philosophy and Rhetoric, Communio, the Josephinum Journal of Theology, the Pepperdine Law Review, the Oxford Journal of Law and Religion, and the Proceedings of the American Catholic Philosophical Association, as well as chapters in a number of books. He is currently working on a book project provisionally titled “The Common Good and the Modern State.” He is also a fellow of the Institute for Human Ecology and serves as associate editor of the American Journal of Jurisprudence.Support the show

Faith and Law will host a panel of Capitol Hill veterans to explore ethical issues encountered by Hill staff, especially as they reach senior leadership positions. Panelists will share their stories of success and failure as they navigated the complicated ethical waters of the Hill. Discussion will be moderated by John Palafoutas, co-founder of Faith and Law.Panelists include:Mark Epley, Partner at Arnold & Porter. Epley previously served as Senior Advisor and General Counsel, Office of the Speaker of the US House of Representatives. He also served as General Counsel of the House Ways and Means Committee and Chief Oversight Counsel.Melika Willoughby McKinnis worked in political strategy and communications for nearly the last decade. She held senior positions in both the House and Senate, was Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, served at the State Department, and was Communications Director for Kansas Governor Sam Brownback—a job she first tackled at 24 years old. She holds a B.A. in Politics with honors from Hillsdale College. Ms. McKinnis lives in Washington, DC with her husband Seth, now spending her days with the most intensive and rewarding principal of her career, their infant son, Brennan.Bill Wichterman, Senior Advisor in Covington’s Public Policy practice. Prior to joining Covington, Bill served as Special Assistant to President George W. Bush and as the President’s personal liaison to the conservative movement.  Before serving in the White House, he held a number of senior staff-level positions on Capitol Hill, including as Policy Advisor to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, and Chief of Staff to Congressman Joe Pitts and Congressman Bill Baker.Support the show

Ronald Reagan’s strategy for a peaceful victory in the Cold War combined military, economic, information, and political pressure with diplomatic outreach – all undergirded by Reagan's Christian faith. Dr. William Inboden, Executive Director and William Powers, Jr. Chair at the Clements Center for National Security at the University of Texas-Austin joined us to discuss how Reagan’s strategy to defeat Soviet communism holds important lessons for America’s competition with China today.Support the show

Crossing the aisle has never been easy in politics, but in recent years it has been increasingly seen as an act of betrayal rather than an act of bridge-building. Unfortunately, the same is true of disagreements in many non-political realms. Polarization has found its way into our churches, communities, and even our families. In today's argument culture, is there any hope for restoring civil discourse? Dr. Tim Muehlhoff and Dr. Rick Langer, co-directors of the Winsome Conviction Project, offer practical steps—rooted in communication theory, ancient wisdom literature, and philosophy—to help move away from destructive polarization to constructive dialogue.Support the show

We are at a crossroads in the US on many fronts, including the intersection of sound logic with pressing concerns. Throughout our history we have had men and women with tremendous influence speak into contemporary issues through their thought, whether manifest in writing or speaking. We are navigating an era in which many have tried to discard the law of noncontradiction. The very humanities basis for life’s important questions is considered suspect as educational institutions are under pressure. We indeed can learn from the steps of public intellectuals with transferable lessons for such a time as this. Dr. Jerry Pattengale’s recent book, Public Intellectuals and the Common Good, is one glimpse of these lessons, accenting his decade long project and book in progress, Borrowed Intelligence: Learning in the Shadows of Geniuses.Support the show

It is difficult to know when to share information with others, especially when that information damages another person's reputation. The challenge is especially acute for those who work on the Hill, where information is currency. In this talk, Dr. Anderson developed an 'ethics of gossip' that both challenges our tendency toward "loose lips" and guides us toward knowing when and how to share damaging information about third parties.Support the show

From the private to the public sectors, there is consensus that modern slavery exists and that it is wrong; yet around the world, prosecutions, victim identification, and quality victims services are all in decline. It is an urgent problem and demands our attention and action—but how do we solve human trafficking and other human rights issues today? Ambassador John Cotton Richmond joined us for a conversation on modern slavery and current trends. He spoke about why cultivating a deep understanding of inherent human dignity provides common ground and hope for policymakers collaborating across the political aisle in advancing human rights, stopping perpetrators, and protecting victims through thoughtful and wise actions and policies.Support the show

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