Faith and Law

Civil-military relations have often been tense and the current age of high political polarization poses particular challenges to maintaining healthy civil-military relations. Dr. Peter Feaver, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy at Duke University and former Special Advisor on the National Security Council during both the Clinton and Bush administrations, joined us to review best practices in civilian control of the military in light of recent controversies and ongoing political divisions.

Support the show

More than one in three adults in the U.S. have a criminal record. These individuals face over 44,000 government-imposed barriers to work, housing, education, and civil rights that limit their efforts to become responsible stewards of their families and communities. How can churches, businesses, law enforcement, and policymakers better unlock second chances for Americans who have paid their debt to society? What can our society do to reduce cycles of recidivism, addiction, and unemployment among individuals leaving our nation's prisons and jails? 

Prison Fellowship joined us for a conversation about the importance of fostering a culture that promotes second chances.

Speakers:

• Stanley Ball, Vice President and Chief Litigation Counsel at Eaton Corporation
• Ja’Ron Smith, Partner at Dentons Global Advisors Government Relations
• Jermaine Wilson, Regional Director at Prison Fellowship and Mayor of Leavenworth, Kansas
• Kate Trammell, Esq., Vice President of Advocacy at Prison Fellowship

Support the show

Anxiety seeps into everything–into our own individual lives, relationships, and even our politics. As Christians, how might a transformed view of anxiety change the way we participate in politics? Curtis Chang demonstrates how anxiety is not a sin that should be prayed away, but how it is an opportunity to invite God into our individual and political lives in new and exciting ways. 

If you would like to learn more about how Christians are invited to experience anxiety differently, you can pre-purchase Curtis's upcoming book, The Anxiety Opportunity: How Worry is the Doorway to Your Best Self (May 15 release date).

For additional content on anxiety and other topics highly relevant to the Faith and Law community, you can subscribe to Redeeming Babel (Curtis's non-profit) at this link. Members of Redeeming Babel receive their monthly newsletter, access to member-only events, member level participation in Curtis's weekly Good Faith podcast, and other special resources.

Support the show

Faith and Law Executive Director, Lauren Noyes was joined by special guest panelists Russell Moore and David French for a discussion on some of the issues of deepest concern to the Faith and Law community, including, life, religious liberty, and building unity in today's polarized political environment. 

Support the show

When it comes to religious freedom, should Christians support diversity or are there any limits to religious freedom? If so, what are those limits and how do we determine them in a diverse society? 

Stanley Carlson-Thies, Senior Director at the Center for Public Justice, Lauren Baas Residential Program Coordinator for the American Studies Program and Emily Fromke, Program Director at the Center for Public Justice joined us to discuss how Religious Freedom is Vital for the Common Good.

Support the show

Every day, police officers step up to fill an irreplaceable role in the community, responding to neighbors in crisis. However, access to important and lifesaving training for officers is often limited—increasing the risk of excessive use of force and undermining officer well-being. How can federal, state, and local leaders foster more effective and ethical policing and crisis response strategies?

Featured panelists included:

• Ernie Stevens, Deputy Division Director of Law Enforcement, The Council of State Governments
• Dr. Quintin Williams, Program Officer, Gun Violence Prevention and Justice Reform
  The Joyce Foundation
• Kate Trammell, Esq., Vice President, Advocacy, Prison Fellowship

Ernie & Joe: Crisis Cops follows two Texas officers who are changing the way law enforcement responds to mental health calls. Ernie and Joe have unique insight into that crisis response as part of the San Antonio Police Department’s Mental Health Unit. This film examines Ernie and Joe’s daily encounters with people grappling with mental and behavioral health challenges. The full-version of ERNIE & JOE CRISIS COPSis available on HBO for streaming. The film is also available free to all U.S. law enforcement and public safety personnel thru 2024. For more information, visit www.ernieandjoethefilm.com.

Prison Fellowship’s recently published, “Building Blocks of Trust”, complete with illustrations and data, this report looks at the history of police training, current training requirements, challenges of modern policing, and community-oriented solutions that promote public safety. To learn more, visit www.prisonfellowship.org/policetraining.

Support the show

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