The Do Justice Podcast

Judy Wu Dominick is a writer, cross-cultural bridge builder, and an advocate for marginalized people. She dispenses a lot of wisdom in this conversation as we discuss racism in the church, social media, how to bring about change, and the way forward for followers of Jesus Christ. Ms. Dominick writes at LifeReconsidered.com and ChristianityToday.com.

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Greg Hamilton, President of the Northwest Religious Liberty Association, talks about the his work advocating for religious freedom, the newly-introduced Fairness For All Act, and how Christians ought to be inclusive with all.

Should Christians believe in social justice? Andy Im, formerly a college professor, and currently the communications director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Michigan, joins us to tackle this controversial topic. We discuss social justice as it relates to the Bible, whether social justice is the ultimate answer to the world's problems, and how Christians can live in the tension of looking forward to the second advent of Jesus while doing justice in the here and now.

Attorney Zanah Ghalawanji is a staff attorney at the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights organization in Washington, D.C. In this interview, we talk about the core tenets of Islam, whether Islam as a religion condones terrorism, and what it’s like to live as a Muslim in post 9/11 America. As an American citizen, Muslim, and practicing civil rights attorney, Ms. Ghalawanji is eminently qualified to shed light on these issues and the challenges Muslims face in today’s world.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dojusticenow.substack.com/subscribe

In this first episode of our Justice for All series, we examine a minority faith with adherents numbering around 500,000 in the United States. While many Americans may be ignorant of this faith tradition, Sikhism has had a presence here since the late 19th century. In this episode I interview my friend Jaideep Dhillon, an Indian-American who follows the Sikh faith, and ask him about his personal experience with Sikhism and what it’s like to be part of a minority faith in America. Harsimran Kaur, Senior Counsel for the Sikh Coalition, then joins me to talk about hate crimes against Sikhs and the work of the Sikh Coalition in fighting for civil rights.

Art as a catalyst for justice…and injustice? Alexander Carpenter, professor at Pacific Union College, Adventist Forum/Spectrum board member, and Pacific Union Conference Communication Advisory Board member, discusses the many ways art can further justice, as well as the fascinating connections between art and spirituality.

Rondel Trevino, founder and director of The Immigration Coalition, has described himself as "too conservative for progressives and too progressive for conservatives." In this episode, he lays out his plan to tackle the current immigration problems in America.

Alan Reinach, general counsel and executive director of the Church State Council, talks with me about grace vs. coercion, assault weapons and mass shootings, prayer in public schools, the state of our country's politics, and more.

Rev. Sharon Risher’s mother was murdered in the Charleston massacre on June 17, 2015, when a young white supremacist killed her and 8 others at the Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Pastor Risher shares her journey to forgive the killer, and how she is now a national advocate for gun law reform and a spokesperson for Everytown Survivor Network and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. Pastor Risher has appeared on CNN, BBC Radio, Good Morning America, the Today Show, and CBS and has been interviewed or written for numerous publications. Her book is entitled For Such a Time as This: Hope and Forgiveness after the Charleston Massacre.

Rev. Dr. Helen T. Boursier is my guest on this episode of the Do Justice podcast. She is an eyewitness to the refugee crisis on the southern border of the United States. An ordained Presbyterian minister and a professor at College of St. Scholastica, she has been a volunteer chaplain with refugee families seeking asylum since 2014. Dr. Boursier is also the author of two books: The Ethics of Hospitality: An Interfaith Response to US Immigration Policies, and forthcoming November 2019 with Rowman & Littlefield: Desperately Seeking Asylum: Testimonies of Trauma, Courage and Love.