Episodios

  • Best of: Inside the ReAwaken America tour

    Best of: Inside the ReAwaken America tour
    Apr 2 2026
    Christian nationalism was on full display at the ReAwaken America tour, which was a series of conferences that fused Christian language and symbols with conspiracy theories and election denials. Amanda went inside a Miami event in 2023, and she shared her experiences in this podcast – from assembly-line baptisms to the reaction of the crowd as speakers moved seamlessly from religious worship songs to calls for political violence. This episode originally aired May 18, 2023, and it is our most downloaded show of all time. SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 01:18): The Christian nationalism of the ReAwaken America tour Amanda and Holly discussed the ReAwaken America tour in episode 5 of season 4: Christian nationalism and the midterm elections This conversation was originally Episode 22 of Season 4. Amanda and Holly mention this article about the ReAwaken Tour in The New York Times by Michelle Goldberg: Whose Version of Christian Nationalism Will Win in 2024? Amanda wrote a response to Michael Flynn's call for "one religion" in 2021, published by Baptist News Global: If you're paying attention to Christian nationalism, you won't be shocked by Michael Flynn's call for 'one religion under God' Segment 2 (starting at 06:08): The Pastors for Trump event Amanda and Holly mentioned this article on the Pastors for Trump group by Peter Stone for The Guardian: Pro-Trump pastors rebuked for 'overt embrace of white Christian nationalism' During this segment, we played a clip of Pastor John Bennett speaking during the Pastors for Trump event in Miami. Segment 3 (starting at 16:14): ReAwaken America, baptisms, and our counter-witness Amanda and Holly mentioned Brian Kaylor's reporting on the ReAwaken America tour. You can see his twitter thread with clips from Miami and read his piece in the A Public Witness newsletter, which is part of the Word&Way network: Michael Flynn's Soup for the Soulless For more about Baptism and different ways Christian denominations approach it, check out this story from 2001 by the PBS program Religion and Ethics Newsweekly. BJC and Faithful America created electronic billboards that were on trucks and a boat in Miami. See the video of the billboards in this post on the @EndChristianNationalism Instagram account. Visit ChristiansAgainstChristianNationalism.org to explore the resources provided by the Christians Against Christian Nationalism movement. Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.
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    31 m
  • Best of: A decision that continues to create misguided claims: Kennedy v. Bremerton

    Best of: A decision that continues to create misguided claims: Kennedy v. Bremerton
    Mar 19 2026

    A 2022 decision from the Supreme Court continues to sow confusion and misguided claims four years later. Today, we're revisiting our conversation on the Kennedy v. Bremerton decision, where the Court ruled for a public school official and abandoned long-standing Establishment Clause protections in ways that harm the religious freedom rights of students. Hear Amanda and Holly react right after this decision and ponder just what, exactly, would actually constitute "coercion" for this Court. The Supreme Court did not overrule the previous school prayer cases with the decision, but it did gut some of the consensus that protects the religious liberty rights of everyone at public schools.

    This conversation was recorded in front of a live audience on June 29, 2022, and was first released July 7, 2022.


    SHOW NOTES

    Segment 1 (starting at 02:57): Not solving a problem, but creating one: Kennedy v. Bremerton decision

    You can read the Bremerton opinion here, written by Justice Neil Gorsuch. Justice Sonia Sotomayor's dissenting opinion includes photos of the prayer practice at issue (see pages 9 and 10 of the dissent, which are on pages 49 and 50 of the opinion PDF document).

    We released three podcasts on this case:

    • We previewed the case in April 2022 in Episode 14 of Season 3 in an episode titled "#NoPrayToPlay."

    • We recapped the oral arguments in Episode 15 of that same season: "The coach is the loudspeaker and the field is his classroom: Recapping the arguments in Kennedy v. Bremerton"

    • We released this episode as our season 3 finale. The full episode is titled "Not solving a problem, but creating one: Dissecting the Kennedy v. Bremerton decision"

    Segment 2 (starting at 26:51): Concluding thoughts

    For all of BJC's resources on this case, visit BJConline.org/Bremerton.

    Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.
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    29 m
  • Best of: Rob Reiner and 'God and Country' director Dan Partland on Christian nationalism

    Best of: Rob Reiner and 'God and Country' director Dan Partland on Christian nationalism
    Mar 5 2026

    What is the cost of speaking out against Christian nationalism? In 2024, Rob Reiner came on the podcast to talk about a film he produced, called "God & Country." In this episode from our archives, Amanda Tyler talks with Reiner and Dan Partland, the director of the film. "God & Country" discusses the dangers of Christian nationalism to the country, to the faith, and to pluralism.

    This program originally aired January 18, 2024

    SHOW NOTES

    Segment 1 (starting at 02:22): Rob Reiner and Dan Partland on Christian nationalism

    Released in February 2024, "God & Country" is available to watch on several streaming platforms. You can learn more at GodAndCountryTheMovie.com.

    About the guests:

    • Dan Partland, the director of the movie, is a veteran documentary producer and director for film and television. His work includes several landmark nonfiction features and series over the past three decades, and he's a two-time Emmy winner for best nonfiction series.
    • Rob Reiner was a producer of the film. He first came to fame as a two-time Emmy award winning actor in the landmark television series "All in the Family." He went on to become an acclaimed director of some of the most popular and influential motion pictures in American film history, and he remained a dedicated political activist until his death in 2025.

    The exact phrase "separation of church and state" is not in the U.S. Constitution, but the concept is laid out several times, including Article VI's prohibition on any religious test for office, the First Amendment's prohibition of a government establishment of religion, and the First Amendment's guarantee of the free exercise of religion. Read more in Brent Walker's "Top 5 Myths of the Separation of Church and State."

    Learn more about the Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign – a project BJC began in 2019 – by visiting ChristiansAgainstChristianNationalism.org.

    Segment 2 (starting at 20:56): Post-screening Q&A with Partland and Reiner

    BJC and the Freedom From Religion Foundation released a comprehensive report on the role of Christian nationalism in the January 6 attack on the Capitol. You can access it here.

    Dan Partland mentioned The Power Worshippers, a book by Katherine Stewart on the rise of religious nationalism. It serves as a basis for the movie.

    Segment 3 (starting at 40:39): Closing

    Michelle Boorstein covered the screening for The Washington Post in this article: 'God & Country' film spotlights Christian nationalism's threat to democracy

    Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.
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    42 m
  • Best of: But … is it Christian nationalism?

    Best of: But … is it Christian nationalism?
    Feb 19 2026
    Is an American flag in a church sanctuary an example of Christian nationalism? What about faith-based advocacy? Helping voters get to the polls? Saying the Constitution is "divinely inspired"? In this conversation from 2024, Amanda Tyler and Holly Hollman answer some common questions they hear about Christian nationalism, and they talk about the questions we all should be asking ourselves when evaluating the political ideology. This program originally aired March 21, 2024 SHOW NOTES: Segment 1 (starting at 01:25): What does it mean to determine the level of Christian nationalism? This podcast episode won the "Best in Class" award from the Religion Communicators Council in 2025. It was first released as episode 21 of season 5 on March 21, 2024. Learn more about the Christians Against Christian Nationalism movement and how you can get involved at ChristiansAgainstChristianNationalism.org. Segment 2 (starting at 09:09): Answering some political questions about Christian nationalism Amanda mentioned this op-ed by David French in The New York Times: What is Christian Nationalism, Exactly? Visit this link to access the report on Christian nationalism and the January 6 insurrection from BJC and the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Amanda mentioned this article by Steven Monacelli for the Daily Dot: A new social network built on a vision of Christian supremacy in America gains traction with GOP politicians Hear Amanda and Holly's reaction to President Trump's 2020 appearance at St. John's Church with a Bible in episode 15 of our first season: Protests, the president and the photo op with a Bible Segment 3 (starting at 29:56): Answering some church-related questions about Christian nationalism Read about the 2024 survey results from PRRI on the support for Christian nationalism at this link that Amanda mentioned during the podcast. UPDATE for the re-release of this episdoe: PRRI's most recent report on the topic was released in February 2025, which is available at this link. To learn more about Patriot Churches, read this 2020 article in The Washington Post by Sarah Pulliam Bailey: Seeking power in Jesus' name: Trump sparks a rise of Patriot Churches Segment 4 (starting at 39:40): History and civics questions about Christian nationalism Amanda and Holly spoke about some lawmakers sharing the idea that the Constitution is "divinely inspired" in episode 10 of season 4: A report, a prayer vigil, and a somber anniversary: Two years after January 6. It was also re-released as a "best of" episode in January 2026. Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.
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    48 m
  • Best of: Dr. Walter Brueggemann on Christian nationalism

    Best of: Dr. Walter Brueggemann on Christian nationalism
    Feb 5 2026

    SHOW NOTES:

    Segment one (02:45): Conversation with Dr. Walter Brueggemann

    This program originally aired August 21, 2019, as episode 4 in our 10-part BJC Podcast series on the dangers of Christian nationalism.

    One of the most influential Bible interpreters of our time, Dr. Walter Brueggemann was the author of more than 100 books, including The Prophetic Imagination. He passed away June 5, 2025. Visit his official website to learn more about his work and his legacy.

    This was the fourth episode in our 10-part series on Christian nationalism in 2019. Other episodes are available at this link or on the feed called "BJC Podcast" on Apple Podcasts (iTunes), SoundCloud, Spotify, and more.

    Amanda mentioned the Easter Monday message she sent in 2025, which quoted Dr. Brueggemann from this episode. Sign up for our email list to get more emails by visiting this link.

    To learn more about BJC's work countering Christian nationalism, visit ChristiansAgainstChristianNationalism.org or BJConline.org/ChristianNationalism.

    Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

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    25 m
  • Best of: The myth of American 'chosenness' with Dr. Catherine Brekus

    Best of: The myth of American 'chosenness' with Dr. Catherine Brekus
    Jan 22 2026

    How does the myth of America being a "chosen" nation lead to the religious nationalism we see today? In a presentation first aired in 2023, Harvard Divinity School's Dr. Catherine Brekus talks about how the myth is a complicated mixture of arrogance, exploitation, reform, racism and violence. She looks at the roots of this myth, how it has played out through our country's history, and how the recent surge of white Christian nationalism reflects a deep uneasiness about the loss of Christian privilege in this country.

    This program originally aired on June 1, 2023, in season 4 of Respecting Religion.

    SHOW NOTES

    This episode was originally broadcast as episode 23 of season 4 in 2023. To hear the panel presentation that follows, check out episode 24 of season 4.

    Segment one (01:39): Presentation from Dr. Catherine Brekus

    Read more about Dr. Brekus on Harvard Divinity School's website.

    This presentation was the 2023 Walter B. and Kay W. Shurden Lecture on Religious Liberty and Separation of Church and State, an annual lecture series sponsored by BJC. Dr. Brekus gave this presentation at Old North Church in Boston.

    Following her presentation, Dr. Brekus joined a panel discussion alongside The Rt. Rev. Carol Gallagher, Ph.D.; the Rev. Darrell Hamilton; and Dr. Michael Hober­man. It was moderated by the Rev. Dr. Jaimie Crumley. You can hear their conversation in episode 24.

    You can watch the full presentation online at this link, including the panel discussion that followed the talk.

    Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

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    39 m
  • Best of: A report, a prayer vigil, and a somber anniversary: Remembering the January 6 attack

    Best of: A report, a prayer vigil, and a somber anniversary: Remembering the January 6 attack
    Jan 8 2026
    As Amanda's sabbatical begins, we are revisiting previous episodes of the podcast. This week marked the 5th anniversary of the January 6 attack on the Capitol. In today's episode of Respecting Religion, hear a conversation two years after the attack. Amanda and Holly share their reactions to the report released by the January 6 Select Committee at the end of 2022, including the lack of any mention of Christian nationalism and why that matters. They also discuss the importance of Christian leaders providing an alternative witness in 2023 to the Christian nationalism exhibited during the attack on the Capitol. And, they review how the insurrection still shapes our world and how it – surprisingly – doesn't shape Capitol tours. This program originally aired on January 12, 2023, in season 4 of Respecting Religion. SHOW NOTES This episode was originally broadcast as episode 10 of season 4 in 2023. For another conversation about January 6 and Christian nationalism, check out S3, Ep. 12 from 2022. Segment 1 (starting at 01:06): The Select Committee Report Read the final report of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. We played a clip compiling three individuals' statements during the January 6 hearings claiming the Constitution was divinely inspired: Greg Jacob, Rusty Bowers, and Rep. Liz Cheney. See the video on Amanda's Twitter (now X) account. The comprehensive BJC/Freedom From Religion Foundation report on Christian nationalism and the January 6, 2021 insurrection is available online. Click here to read the letter organized by BJC and Christians from Christian Nationalism to the Select Committee, asking them to investigate how Christian nationalism motivated and intensified the attack. Watch Amanda's testimony about Christian nationalism before a House subcommittee in December 2022 at this link. Amanda and Holly discuss it in more detail in episode 9 of season 10. Amanda and Holly mentioned this article by Vera Bergengruen for TIME Magazine: Why a Group of Christians Is Fighting the Growing Threat of Christian Nationalism Additional media coverage on the absence of Christian nationalism from the final report: Despite ample evidence, Christian nationalism mostly absent from final Jan. 6 report by Jack Jenkins for Religion News ServiceChristian nationalism conspicuously absent from January 6 report, featuring an interview with Amanda Tyler and MSNBC's Alicia Menendez on the Alex Wagner Tonight program Segment 2 (starting at 21:01): Contrasting images on the 2nd anniversary of January 6 After this podcast was first released, BJC created a compilation of clips from the 2023 prayer vigil, which you can watch on BJC's YouTube channel. See BJC's photos of the prayer vigil in this Instagram post. There are also photos still online from Getty Images and Reuters at the vigil. Watch this short compilation of the two events on January 6, 2023, on the @EndChristianNationalism TikTok. You can follow the Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign on Instagram and TikTok at the handle @EndChristianNationalism. Segment 3 (starting at 29:29): Scrubbing the insurrection from Capitol tours Amanda and Holly discussed this story from The Washington Post by Joe Heim: Official U.S. Capitol tour guides told to only mention Jan. 6 if asked Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.
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    36 m
  • S7, Ep. 08: 'A vibrant and free civil society is core to religious liberty in our country'

    S7, Ep. 08: 'A vibrant and free civil society is core to religious liberty in our country'
    Dec 18 2025

    In our last show of 2025, Amanda and Holly talk about some of the news from the past week – including an expansion of the travel ban, devastating attacks around the world, and an appearance by Amanda before Congress to talk about the importance of protecting civil society. Plus, get an update on the podcast's plans for spring 2026 as Amanda embarks on her first sabbatical.

    SHOW NOTES

    Segment 1 (starting at 00:33): Amanda's most recent appearance before Congress

    You can hear Amanda's opening testimony at 06:37 in this podcast.

    You can watch it online at this link.

    Amanda and Holly mentioned the open letter from more than 3,000 nonprofits – including BJC – rejecting presidential attacks on nonprofit organizations. You can read it online.

    Segment 2 (starting at 19:42): A weekend of tragedy and a new travel ban

    Rob Reiner came on our podcast in 2024 to discuss his documentary "God and Country," which takes a look at white Christian nationalism. It is available on several streaming services.

    Read about the expansion of the travel ban in this story from The Washington Post by David Nakamura: Trump expands travel ban to 39 countries after shooting of Guard members

    Segment 3 (starting at 27:06): Amanda's upcoming sabbatical and podcast plans

    Read Amanda's column about her upcoming sabbatical in the winter edition of BJC's magazine, Report from the Capital: A season of rest and freedom

    Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. Your gift to BJC is tax-deductible, and you can keep these conversations ad-free with a gift to BJC. Consider making a gift before the end of 2025.

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    Video of our episodes are now on YouTube! Click here for the season 7 playlist.

    Have a show you really want us to air during Amanda's sabbatical? Let us know at RespectingReligion@BJConline.org.
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    34 m