The religion clauses of the First Amendment didn’t arrive with fireworks or fanfare. In this episode, we explore the surprising evolution of the American idea of religious freedom from constitutional afterthought to culture war battleground. What exactly did America's founders mean when they talked about "religious free exercise"?

This episode was recorded on January 14, 2026.

Show Notes

The saga continues over the fate of the so-called Johnson Amendment—a provision in the U.S. tax code that prohibits tax-exempt houses of worship from endorsing political candidates. What would greater political involvement mean for American churches, and what are the potential benefits and risks? And why has the Seventh-day Adventist Church historically taken a somewhat different approach than many other Protestant denominations in the United States?

This episode was recorded Nov 25, 2025.

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Article | "Divine Endorsements," Liberty magazine (September-October 2025) https://www.libertymagazine.org//article/divine-endorsements

Article | "The Johnson Amendment and the First Amendment--A No-Nonsense Protection" (January-February 2018) https://www.libertymagazine.org//article/the-johnson-amendment-and-the-first-amendment-a-no-nonsense-protection 

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Guests:

Christian nationalism is often dismissed as a loose ideology—but what if it’s something far more organized? We talk with a journalist who has spent more than a decade investigating individuals and groups working to reshape the relationship between faith and power in American politics.

This episode was recorded on Nov 25, 2025.

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Book | Katherine Stewart, Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy (Bloomsbury, 2025). https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/money-lies-and-god-9781635578546/

Article | Jennifer Woods, "Book Review: Burning Down the House," Liberty, March/April 2025. https://www.libertymagazine.org/article/burning-down-the-house

Website | Katherine Stewart https://katherinestewart.me 

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Katherine Stewart, journalist and author

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/katherinestewart.bsky.social

Substack: https://substack.com/@katherinestewartbooks

What happens when the Supreme Court expands religious free exercise but sidelines the establishment clause? We talk with a veteran First Amendment advocate about rulings that have tilted the balance between the First Amendment religion clauses—and why that shift threatens genuine religious liberty. 

This episode was recorded on Nov 24, 2025.

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Guest: Rob Boston, Senior Advisor, Americans United for Separation of Church and State

Based in the small town of Moscow, Idaho, the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches is quietly reshaping national debates about faith and power. In this episode, we trace the CREC’s origins, its ties to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and how a relatively small network of churches is influencing evangelical views on masculinity, education, and America’s founding.

This episode was recorded on Nov 24, 2025.

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The Seven Mountains Mandate calls for Christians to “take back” culture by capturing the pillars of power—government, media, education, and more. But when faith becomes a strategy for control, what happens to freedom, pluralism, and democracy itself?

Show Notes

Book | The Seven Mountains Mandate, by Matthew Boedy. https://www.wjkbooks.com/bookproduct/0664269214-the-seven-mountains-mandate/

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Guest:

Matthew Boedy, Author and Professor of Rhetoric, University of North Georgia

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProfessorBoedy

As artificial intelligence becomes more personal—and more powerful—it’s reshaping not just how we live, but how we understand what it means to be human. With the growing influence of algorithms on our moral and spiritual perceptions, how can faith communities respond, resist, and reimagine their place in an AI-shaped world?

Show Notes

Article | "Being Human," Liberty magazine (November-December 2025) https://www.libertymagazine.org

Website |  Future of Life Institute https://futureoflife.org 

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Guest:

William Jones, Associate, Future of Life Institute

Twitter/X: @FutureOfLife

YouTube: @futureoflifeinstitute

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?

Show Notes

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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