Author, minister and scholar Jonathan Augustine suggests replacing the “melting pot” metaphor for American religion and society with one taken from a stew famous in his hometown of New Orleans. “I think about the ability of people to be like…
National Prayer Breakfast gets new sponsorship but still looks like government-sponsored religion, BJC leaders say
Congressional leaders say they have split the National Prayer Breakfast from its longtime organizer to bring clarity and healing to the annual event, but constitutional experts Amanda Tyler and Holly Hollman believe government leaders should get out of the prayer…
What happens when church and state merge? Look to Nazi Germany for answers
The potential consequences of a merger of church and state sought by Christian nationalists are frighteningly apparent in the history of Nazi Germany, according to Dietrich Bonhoeffer expert John Matthews. Matthews, a Lutheran minister and member of the International Bonhoeffer…
Religious liberty advocates applaud Biden administration rollback of Trump policies allowing faith-based discrimination
Traditional religious liberty advocates applauded a move by the Biden administration to undo rules created by the Trump administration that allowed faith-based organizations receiving federal fundings to discriminate against clients. Due to the complex nature of changing federal policies —…
Sunrise vigil features prayers to commemorate January 6 anniversary
Christian leaders gathered for a sunrise prayer vigil at the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6 to commemorate the two-year anniversary of the 2021 insurrection and to seek divine guidance and protection in the struggle against the ideology of Christian nationalism. Event…
Amanda Tyler testifies before Congress against Christian nationalism
For an ever-so-brief moment Dec. 13, a congressional hearing on the rise of anti-democratic extremism morphed into a Sunday school lesson as Amanda Tyler, executive director of Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, fielded questions on the history of Baptists…
BJC leaders say religious liberty fears about Respect for Marriage Act are overdrawn
Conservative Christian leaders opposed to the Respect for Marriage Act are engaged in cancel-culture fear mongering that frames marriage equality as a threat to their religious liberty, Amanda Tyler said in a recent episode of the “Respecting Religion” podcast. “For…
Bill to protect same-sex and interracial marriage now appears likely to become law
In a rare example of bipartisan cooperation, the U.S. Senate advanced the Respect for Marriage Act Nov. 16, clearing the way for likely passage of a bill that would protect same-sex marriage beyond future court challenges. By a 62-to-37 vote,…
Next up: Abortion rights cases based on religious liberty claims
Expect a proliferation of religious liberty cases for abortion access as the issue of reproductive rights moves to the states, predicts Holly Hollman, general counsel and associate executive director of Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty. While legal claims that…
Measure your political ideology against the life and witness of Jesus, Bishop Curry advises
Don’t be fooled by the “Christian” in Christian nationalism, warns Michael Curry, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. “What we’re actually describing is an ideology that’s not really a religion, but it looks like a religion and uses and invokes…
‘Christian nation’ myth is fundamental to Christian nationalism, speakers warn
One of the scariest things about Christian nationalism — especially for a Black Baptist minister— is its symbiotic relationship with white supremacy expressed through the myth that America was founded as a Christian nation, Christopher McKee Jr. explained to an…
Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty Announces BJC Fellows Class of 2022
Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty has named 10 young professionals to its 2022 class of BJC Fellows, the seventh class since the program began in 2015, bringing the total number of BJC Fellows to 68. BJC Fellows are selected…