The Church, The Court & The Culture

Last week Pete Hegseth kicked off his “Send Me” tour, referring to Isaiah 6 when the prophet answers the call from God asking who to send, and he says “Here I am send me.” This episode discusses why this is problematic.

Also, I look at why Christian Nationalists are resistant to embracing the Bible’s call for us to love others.

Finally, I share new music with the release of Jordan Welch’s song “Throne” the HBCU version!

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This week I discuss the list posted by the national faith advisory board of the president’s “150 Victories for People of Faith.” On that list of celebration is that erasure of DEI. The implication is that DEI is somehow antithetical to people of faith, particularly Christian. I explain why this is very problematic.

Finally, I discuss the new Netflix docuseries “Death of a Preacher’s Wife” and how it shows the perpetuation of harmful theology and what we as the church must do to address it.

The Church, The Court & The Culture is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

*Trump appointed Paula White to be head of the White House Faith Office not the National Faith Advisory Board. White founded

What if some multicultural churches are less about diversity and more about assimilation? What happens when biblical texts are used to support military action, one person claims the right to vote for an entire household, and faith becomes a public performance at 30,000 feet? This week, we're talking about religion, power, culture, and who gets to define faith in America.

The Church, The Court & The Culture is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This week’s episode is a special discussion I had with my father, Attorney and Pastor, Jerry Girley. We discuss some of the Supreme Court’s recent cases like birthright citizenship (Trump v. Barbara) and the Voting Rights Act (Louisiana v. Callais), and breakdown what they mean for Black people. We also discuss what we can do to combat the erosion of civil rights.

In this episode, I discuss Rev. Dr. William Barber’s claim that Christian nationalism has not only become a force in American politics but has also infiltrated portions of the Black Church. Barber argues that some churches have abandoned their historic commitment to justice and have embraced political and cultural agendas that prioritize power over prophetic witness.

I explore whether Barber may be right and what this debate reveals about the state of the Black church.

I also examine the controversy involving Sam Rivera, TRIBL Records, and Norman Gyamfi, focusing on the legal issues that often arise in business and entertainment disputes. Importantly, I discuss why individuals with potential legal claims may choose not to sue: litigation is often expensive, time-consuming, and emotionally draining, even when someone believes they have a strong case

This episode examines the renewed debate over the meaning of “separation of church and state” following comments by Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick that the phrase is not found in the United States Constitution. We explore the historical origins of the concept, how courts have used it in interpreting the First Amendment, and what contemporary conflicts reveal about religion’s place in American public life.

We also discuss the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections and Public Safety and consider the broader cultural questions raised by the case. Finally, we examine Texas’s recent efforts to incorporate Bible reading into public school instruction and what these developments may signal for the future of church-state relations.

Joel Webbon, a prominent white Christian nationalist podcaster, has stated that the Black church needs to be dismantled and that Black Christians should come under the spiritual authority of white pastors. It’s a statement that is as theologically reckless as it is racially charged — and it deserves a serious, informed response.

In this episode of The Church, The Court & The Culture, I’m joined by my father Jerry, a pastor and attorney, to do exactly that. Together we trace the roots of Webbon’s ideology, situate it within the long and troubling history of racial hierarchy in American Christianity, and examine its real-world implications for Black faith communities. We also pull back the lens to examine what is driving the radicalization of young white men in America — from online echo chambers to theologically distorted content — and what legal, pastoral, and cultural tools exist to push back.

🎧 Listen on YouTube | Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Follow Attorney Jerry Girley on social media: @freedomandjusticeinstitute

Purchase Attorney Girley’s book Slavery by Other Means

This Week on the Podcast:

This episode dives into the complicated intersections of church drama, constitutional law, and Black history, unpacking three stories shaping conversations in faith spaces, courtrooms, and culture.

⛪ Church: The Growing Bethel Scandal & Selective Outrage

We begin with the escalating Bethel Church scandal involving Sean Bolz and the broader questions it raises about accountability within charismatic Christian movements.From there, we turn to the white pastor who chose to protest outside New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, led by Pastor Jamal Bryant. Despite his disruptive behavior, he was not arrested under the FACE Act—a stark contrast to how Pam Bondi oversaw the arrest of Don Lemon under similar conditions.

⚖️ Court: Fifth Circuit Reviews Texas Ten Commandments Case

Next, we examine the en banc hearing in Rabbi Nathan v. Alamo Heights Independent School District, part of Texas’s ongoing push to mandate Ten Commandments displays in public schools.

We explore why this case matters, the constitutional tensions at stake, and how this hearing fits into larger national battles over religious expression in public education.

🎬 Culture: It’s Black History Month — Go Watch This

Finally, for Black History Month, I spotlight Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s new documentary: Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven History.

Links Mentioned in the Show

Bethel Letter: https://www.bethel.com/news/an-important-letter-from-bill-kris-and-dann-on-behalf-of-bethel-leadership

PBS “Black and Jewish America” Docu-Series: https://www.pbs.org/video/episode-1-let-my-people-go-m3hnvj/

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This week on the show I discuss the hypocrisy over the religious right's outrage about the protestors disrupting the church service but silence about ICE being able to enter houses of worship to kidnap people.Finally I review the new song by Jonathan McReynolds and Jamal Roberts, "Still."Books Referenced:1. "Religious Freedom: A Contested History of an American Idea" by Tisa Wenger2. "White Christian Privilege:The Illusion of Religious Equality in America" by Khyati JoshiRead more about the protest: https://palookesworld.substack.com/p/protesters-disrupt-st-paul-church

Summary

In this episode of The Church, the Court & the Culture, we explore three headline‑making moments shaping conversations about faith, justice, and representation in the Black church: Yolanda Adams’ remarks about welcoming the LGBTQ community into the church, the explosive lawsuit against Donnie McClurkin, and Druski’s viral megachurch satire vide. What do these stories reveal about theology, power, accountability, and the future of the church?

Special thanks to my production assistant Bianca Boles!

Druski video: