Across the country, new laws are inviting religion back into America’s classrooms—reviving old debates about prayer, scripture, and the separation of church and state. The Supreme Court’s recent shift in interpreting the First Amendment has opened the door to sweeping change, reshaping how faith and freedom coexist in public education. What’s at stake for schools, students, and the future of religious liberty in a pluralistic democracy?

Show Notes

Article | "3 states push to put the Ten Commandments back in school" by Charles J. Russo and Lydia Artz, The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/3-states-push-to-put-the-ten-commandments-back-in-school-banking-on-new-guidance-at-the-supreme-court-264423

Article |  "Old Fights, New Fire in America's Classrooms" by Charles J. Russo and Lydia Artz, Liberty magazine.https://www.libertymagazine.org//author/entry/charles-j-russo

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Guest:

Charles Russo, Professor of Law, Dayton University 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-russo-89849b7/

Long before America split into red and blue, it was divided by the visions of Hamilton and Jefferson. Their battle over power, liberty, and virtue helped define the nation’s character—and still shapes its conflicts today. This episode explores what their enduring feud reveals about democracy, leadership, and the fragile art of self-government.

Show Notes

Book | The Pursuit of Liberty by Jeffrey Rosen. https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Pursuit-of-Liberty/Jeffrey-Rosen/9781668053744 

Website |  National Constitution Center https://constitutioncenter.org 

Podcast | We the People https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/we-the-people/id83213431 

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Guest: 

Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-rosen-1158829b/

YouTube, Insta, FB, X for National Constitution Center: @ConstitutionCtr 

Does government support for religion strengthen it—or weaken it? New global research reveals counterintuitive consequences for both the favored faith and minority religions. What can these findings teach Americans as they navigate debates over how government should interact with majority Christianity?

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Dan Koev, Department Chair; Professor, Government & Criminal Justice, Regent University.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-koev-59526263/ 

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/dankoev.bsky.social 

The Religious Liberty Commission, created by President Trump, has been hailed as a bold effort to protect faith. Whose voices are represented and is this body presenting a balanced view of America's constitutional, cultural, and religious heritage? This episode dives into the Commission’s hearings so far, and asks the question: how could its work shape the legal and policy landscape around religious liberty in coming years?

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Melissa Reid, associate director, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty, Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America

FB, Insta, YouTube: @NADReligiousLiberty

Should churches endorse political candidates from the pulpit? For decades, the Johnson Amendment has drawn a legal line: churches can speak prophetically on justice and policy, but they can’t back individual candidates. Critics call it censorship. Supporters say it protects the mission of faith communities from partisan capture. In this episode of Just Liberty, we explore what’s at stake for both churches and democracy if that boundary disappears.

Show Notes

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Chris Butler, Senior Pastor, Ambassador Church, Chicago, and Director of Christian Civic Formation at the Center for Christianity and Public Life.

FB: https://www.facebook.com/pastorchrisbutler

X: @Christhecitizen

International religious freedom is under pressure worldwide—and U.S. leadership is wavering. Knox Thames, veteran advocate and author of Ending Persecution, joins Just Liberty to discuss urgent global crises, the limits of traditional diplomacy, and practical strategies to reinvigorate the movement for conscience rights.

Show Notes

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Knox Thames, Senior Fellow at Pepperdine University

X: @KnoxThames

Linked: https://www.linkedin.com/in/knox-thames-7b46193/

Should a street preacher in Brandon, Mississippi, be allowed to challenge the constitutionality of a local ordinance that was used to silence his message? The Supreme Court has agreed to hear Olivier v. City of Brandon, a case that brings together core civil liberties: the freedom of speech, the free exercise of religion, and the fundamental right of individuals to access the courts. At stake is whether citizens can meaningfully challenge government actions that suppress religious expression in public spaces.

Show Notes

Article | "Supreme Court to consider reviving Mississippi evangelist’s challenge to protest ordinance," by Ella Lee. https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5383473-supreme-court-evangelists-challenge/

Case description | https://firstliberty.org/cases/gabriel-olivier/#simple1

Cert Petition | First Liberty brief asking Supreme Court to review Olivier v. City of Brandon. https://firstliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Olivier-Cert.-Petition_Redacted.pdf

Website | First Liberty Institute https://firstliberty.org

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Nate Kellum, Senior Counsel for First Liberty Institute

FB: https://www.facebook.com/firstlibertyinstitute

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/firstlibertyinstitute/

X: https://x.com/1stLiberty

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FirstLibertyInstitute

What legal recourse does a Rastafarian inmate have when prison officials forcibly shave his head, violating his religious beliefs? The Supreme Court is preparing to weigh in on Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections, a case that could clarify whether government officials can be held personally liable for violating religious liberty rights—even behind bars. The outcome could have lasting implications for people of faith well beyond the prison walls.

Show Notes

Article | "Court to decide whether government officials can be held personally liable for violating inmate’s religious liberty," by Amy Howe. //www.scotusblog.com/2025/06/court-to-decide-whether-government-officials-can-be-held-personally-liable-for-violating-inmates-religious-liberty/

Case description | https://www.christianlegalsociety.org/case/landor-v-louisiana-department-of-corrections-public-safety/

Amicus brief | Christian Legal Society brief in support of Damon Landor. https://www.christianlegalsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CLS-Landor-brief-filed.pdf

Website | Christian Legal Society https://www.christianlegalsociety.org

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Steve McFarland is the director of the Center for Law & Religious Freedom, Christian Legal Society.

Todd McFarland is the deputy general counsel, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

FB: https://www.facebook.com/clsnet/

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/christian_legal_society/

Does a parent’s right to direct their child’s religious upbringing end at the classroom door? As debates over public school curricula intensify across the country, a recent Supreme Court decision offers new insight into how far school districts must go to respect the religious freedom rights of parents. In this episode, we explore the legal landscape surrounding parental authority in education—and what this ruling could mean for the future of faith, family, and public schooling.

Show Notes

Article | "Pride and Prejudice" by Celeste Perrino. https://www.libertymagazine.org/article/pride-and-prejudice

Article | "When Inclusion Becomes Compulsion" by Asma Uddin. https://www.scotusblog.com/2025/07/when-inclusion-becomes-compulsion-mahmoud-v-taylor-pluralism-and-public-education/

Supreme Court decision | Mahmoud v. Taylor https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/24-297_4f14.pdf

Website | Becket Fund for Religious Liberty www.becketfund.org

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William J. Haun is Senior Counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and a Nonresident Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

X: https://x.com/becketfund

FB: https://www.facebook.com/becketfund

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/BecketFundVideo

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/becketfund/

It's far more than simply charm, or rhetorical skill, or political savvy. Charisma is a powerful force that has shaped American public and religious life--for both good and ill--for more than four centuries. Could an undertanding of this phenomenon help us make better sense of our national story? And why does it seem that Americans of faith are particularly vulnerable to its allure? 

Show Notes