What exactly happened following the Supreme Court’s decisions outlawing prayer and devotional Bible readings in public schools, as well as the outlawing of racial segregation? Leslie Beth Ribovich, author of Without a Prayer: Religion and Race in New York City Public Schools, joins us to discuss public school secularization and desegregation, and the legacies of these monumental Supreme Court decisions. How did religion continue to appear in public schools? How did communities of color put forth their own visions for how to educate children? And, given the many battles over public education today, how does this history shed light on the ongoing debates about what can be taught in America’s public schools right now?

For the past few decades, several Black Christian denominations have seen a significant decline in religious affiliation and church attendance. Jason Shelton, author of The Contemporary Black Church: The New Dynamics of African American Religion, joins us to discuss what has contributed to these changes and how the Black church’s decline is altering Black life more broadly in the United States. How are Black religious leaders responding to these challenges, and why are their efforts to win over younger Black Americans not particularly successful? Why is the fastest growing denomination of Black Christians seeing an increase in people voting for Republicans? And, how are Black churches responding to today’s political and social issues?

What role did the substantial movement of Charismatic Christians play in January 6, and how are they shaping today’s Christian nationalism? Matthew D. Taylor, author of The Violent Take It by Force: The Christian Movement That is Threatening Our Democracy, joins us to discuss Charismatic Christianity, its prominent growth, and its place in the Republican Party. How have Charismatic Christians moved from the periphery of the Christian Right into the center? How do their beliefs influence their politics? And what should we expect from them and other Christian nationalist supporters following the election if Harris wins or if Trump wins?

For our 50th episode, we’re discussing American Jews who participate in activism to support justice for Palestinians. What has taken place over the past decade or so that has pushed many American Jews, especially younger Jews, to criticize Israel and to express solidarity with Palestinians? Oren Kroll-Zeldin, author of Unsettled: American Jews and the Movement for Justice in Palestine, joins us to discuss how Jewish activists infuse Jewish teachings and customs into their pro-Palestinian protests, why the visible presence of Jews at the college and university protests against Israel’s war in Gaza this spring was crucial, and what to expect this fall as students return to campus and as the situation in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank is far from resolved.

For what reasons do some people express shock when they learn that celebrities like Zac Efron and Drake are Jewish? What does their surprise say about people’s assumptions about Jewish identity and race? Jonathan Branfman, author of Millennial Jewish Stars: Navigating Racial Antisemitism, Masculinity, and White Supremacy, joins us to discuss stereotypes of Jews in the media and how some celebrities navigate them. We discuss the public personas of people like Seth Rogen, Lil Dicky, Ilana Glazer, and Abbi Jacobson. How do they attempt to address antisemitism but sometimes reinforce other things like misogyny? And what important lessons do representations of Jews in the media reveal about antisemitism and racism today?

Elisabeth Elliot was a longtime leader and icon within evangelical Christian communities who taught about marriage, sexuality, and gender roles. Liz Charlotte Grant, author of The Revealer article “Elisabeth Elliot, Flawed Queen of Purity Culture, and Her Disturbing Third Marriage” joins us to discuss her article about Elliot that went viral as soon as we published it. What were Elliot’s teachings about marriage and gender? What was taking place within her third marriage as she taught countless audiences about the supposed ideal Christian marriage? And how have evangelicals and others responded to our viral article about Elliot’s disconcerting life with her third husband?

With workplace raids, family separation, detention centers, and deportations, how are religious communities responding to issues facing Latinos in the United States? Gina Pérez, author of Sanctuary People: Faith-Based Organizing in Latina/o Communities, joins us to discuss faith-based activism within Latino communities and the New Sanctuary Movement. We discuss the religious roots of the sanctuary movement and how some religious communities are working to protect immigrants, how they’re helping families after workplace raids and deportations, and what the possibility of Donald Trump’s reelection portends for Latinos in the United States.

How have media depictions of Muslims been changing in recent years? Rosemary Pennington, author of the new book Pop Islam: Seeing American Muslims in Popular Media, joins us to discuss the place of Islam in American media. We discuss how Muslims have turned to pop culture to broaden ideas about Islam, how some Muslim performers have used humor to present a more robust picture of Muslim life, what we should make of the depictions of Muslims in shows like Ms. Marvel and Ramy, and what the place of Muslims in pop culture reveals about Islam in the United States today.

LGBTQ Republicans and LGBTQ conservatives are more common than many people may realize. Neil Young, author of Coming Out Republican: A History of the Gay Right, joins us to discuss LGBTQ conservatives and their place within the Republican Party. We discuss how gay Republicans responded to the rise of the anti-queer religious right in the GOP, how they worked to convince church-going Americans that it is okay to be gay, how they are responding to the current barrage of anti-trans legislation, and what they want for America as we head into the 2024 election.

What are the religious and political messages the massive Contemporary Christian Music industry broadcasts? Leah Payne, author of God Gave Rock and Roll to You: A History of Contemporary Christian Music, joins us to discuss why evangelical leaders invested so heavily in this industry and why they especially wanted it to resonate with teenagers. We discuss the racial, religious, and nationalistic ideas this music promotes, the music’s messaging about gender, and what Christian pop culture reveals about what evangelicals, Pentecostals, and other conservative Protestants envision for the United States and what they want in the 2024 election.