Kresta in the Afternoon

In their dissenting opinion, Justices Breyer, Sotomayor and Kagan wrote that “people did not ratify the Fourteenth Amendment, men did.” They say this led to men overlooking the importance of women’s reproductive rights. They also claim that the decision “consigns women to second class citizenship.” Stephen Mikochik weighs in.

Chief Justice John Roberts did not join the majority opinion on Dobbs; instead, he authored his own opinion in which he upheld Mississippi’s prohibition of abortion after 15 weeks, but declined to overturn Roe. Will his attempt to find a middle ground be effective? Jason Negri is our guest.

In his concurring opinion, Justice Kavanaugh writes that Roe had significant negative consequences because  it “gravely distorted the Nation’s understanding of this Court’s proper constitutional role,” damaging the Court as an institution. Carter Snead explains.

In his concurring opinion, Justice Thomas writes that “we should reconsider all of this Court’s substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell.” Some have used this passage to stoke fears that gay marriage and access to contraception could also be struck down in future court decisions. John Czarnetzky gives us his analysis.

The majority opinion in Dobbs was authored by Justice Samuel Alito, joined by Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett. In his opinion, Alito directly attacks the infamous passage from Planned Parenthood v Casey, when Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote that “at the heart of liberty is the right to defend one’s own concept of existence.” Professor Lee Strang explains more about Alito’s majority opinion.

Abraham Lincoln wrote countless notes to himself over the course of his adult life. As they were meant for his eyes only, he never signed or dated them – but they provide us with a fascinating insight to his private debates on the issues of the time. We take a look with Ron White.

What did Thomas Jefferson when he wrote "we hold these truth?" Al looks at this and other iconic passages in a special Independence Day commentary.

When most of us think of Benjamin Franklin, we think of flying kites in thunderstorms, Poor Richard’s Almanack, and his diplomatic efforts during the Revolution. But did you know he also published more works on religion than any other 18th-century layman? Though he abandoned the Christianity of his childhood for deism, his faith was more complex than that. We take a look with Thomas Kidd.

Were the Founding Fathers agnostic? Deist? Or something else? One thing we know is that their writings were heavily influenced by Scripture. Al looks at the religious lives of the founding fathers as we prepare to talk with Thomas Kidd.

On Wednesday Pope Francis released a new apostolic letter entitled Desiderio Desideravi, in which he addresses the “Liturgical formation of the people of God.” We take a look at the letter and how it is being received with Matthew Bunson.