church and state

Pastor Josh McPherson is back with a recap of the Glenn Beck Podcast experience and a teaching on the foundation and story of Paul’s dissidence in Romans 13 and Acts 22. 

Thanks for listening!
visit www.gracecitychurch.com for more content.

Religion declared “non-essential.”  Skeptical voices censored.  The elderly dying alone.  Christmas in lockdown.

These are just a few examples from the lengthy hit-list of government violations of Canadians’ civil liberties during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our guests for this episode are co-authors of Pandemic Panic: How Canadian Government Responses to COVID-19 Changed Civil Liberties Forever.  The book attempts to ensure that the implications of government overreach aren’t simply lost down the memory hole forever.

We also discuss our guests making international headlines after a federal judge in Canada ruled in favour of their court challenge against the Federal government’s use of emergency authority in response to the Freedom Convoy protests in 2022.

Joanna Baron and Christine Van Geyn are the Executive Director and Litigation Director for the Canadian Constitution Foundation.  The CCF is a national non-profit charity committed to defending the constitutionally-protected rights and freedoms of Canadians.

Resources

Joanna Baron and Christine Van Geyn (official CCF biographies)

Canadian Constitution Foundation

@CDNConstFound

Joanna Baron and Christine Van Geyn, Pandemic Panic: How Canadian Government Responses to COVID-19 Changed Civil Liberties Forever (2023)

“Ottawa's use of Emergencies Act against convoy protests was unreasonable, violated Charter, court rules”, CBC (January 2024)

Joanna Baron and Christine Van Geyn, “The government violated Canadians’ rights during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now the courts are giving them a pass”, The Hub (November 2023)

Emily Oster, “Let’s declare a pandemic amnesty”, The Atlantic (October 2022)

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Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Former evangelical minister Bruce Gerencser joins us to unravel a legal tangle where religious freedom clashes with municipal zoning laws. We dissect the contentious situation surrounding Pastor Chris Avell, a friend of Bruce's, who's currently embroiled in a federal lawsuit against the city of Bryan, Ohio. We dissect the merits of Avell's decision to transform his church into a 24/7 sanctuary for the homeless. With Christian Nationalists making this a national story and the First Liberty Insitute being involved, we see a repeat of a pattern where there is a claim of perscution that is actually just incovience and friendly courts help the religious avoid laws and regulations that apply to everyone else.

We take a deeper look at the ramifications of homelessness in rural communities, particularly how small churches like Dad's Place are caught in the crossfire of wanting to help and being hindered by red tape. We question the consistency and impact of health and safety laws on church start-ups operating in repurposed buildings. By examining the struggle to navigate outdated codes and the lack of political momentum to tackle the homelessness crisis, this conversation aims to shine a light on the poignant narrative of small churches wrestling with their role in social outreach amid legal constraints. We agree with Bruce that Pastor Avell needs to follow the law while the city needs to do better to help the homeless.

Show Notes

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In this episode, Dr. Yuval Levin offers a spirited defense of capitalism on moral grounds, recognizing that the most serious criticisms against capitalism aren’t necessarily about prosperity and wealth, but about the perceived moral failings of the economic system.

This approach is actually consistent with the original case for capitalism, articulated by Adam Smith himself, who was first and foremost a moral philosopher.

Along the way, we talk about the essential virtues within Smith’s philosophy; who coined the term “capitalism”; the need for social institutions like families and churches to temper economic appetites; the breadth of common ground between Adam Smith and Catholic social teaching; buying and selling as moral actions; and the enduring truth that man does not live by bread alone.

Dr. Levin is the Director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute - one of the leading conservative think tanks in Washington, DC.

He is also the founder and editor of National Affairs, senior editor at The New Atlantis, a contributing editor at National Review, and an opinion writer at The New York Times.

In addition, he served as a member of the White House domestic policy staff under President George W. Bush, and as the executive director of the President’s Council on Bioethics.

Resources

Yuval Levin (official AEI biography)

American Enterprise Institute, The Morality of Markets

Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations (Britannica.com summary)

Pope John Paul II, Centesimus Annus (1991)

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www.crownandcrozier.com
twitter.com/crownandcrozier

Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Discover the compelling reasons that led our church in Elk River to remove the American flag from our sanctuary, sparking a profound discussion about the intersection of faith and national identity. In this episode, I, Ryan, invite you to contemplate the delicate balance between patriotism and the Christian call to be citizens of God's kingdom first and foremost. Through scriptural insights, we explore the values of inclusivity and extending care to outsiders—principles that can sometimes run counter to the exclusivity of nationalism. 

Join our conversation as we reconcile our love for our country with our spiritual mandate as followers of Jesus, finding harmony in our treatment of neighbors from every nation. In keeping with the tradition of blessing the foreigner, we examine how embracing our role as people of the cross allows us to fulfill the command to love our neighbors and make disciples across the globe. It's an invitation to honor the beautiful tributes paid to our veterans while striving to live as inclusive followers of Christ. Tune in for a thought-provoking journey through patriotism, identity, and faith at Reflections.

Join us! Facebook | Instagram | www.clcelkriver.org

What is a nation?  What is a Christian nation?  Is nationalism virtuous?  What does it mean to practice "complacent" love, which is the natural expression of a greater affinity for those closest to us?  How can we expect to renew our society and civilization in the absence of committing ourselves as persons and as a nation to Christ?  And is a Capitol Hill rioter from January 6, 2021 the archetype or the caricature of a Christian nationalist?

We explore these and other questions with our guest, Dr. Stephen Wolfe, author of The Case for Christian Nationalism.

Dr. Wolfe has a PhD in political philosophy and is a country scholar based in North Carolina.  He’s the co-host of the Ars Politica podcast and is a contributor to numerous U.S.-based Christian publications.


Resources

@PerfInjust (X / Twitter)

Stephen Wolfe, The Case for Christian Nationalism (2022)

Stephen Wolfe, “No Christian Nation, No Christian Family”, American Reformer (November 27, 2023)

Daniel Sillman, “Christian nationalism debates expose clashing views of power”, Christianity Today (October 31, 2022)

Ars Politica (podcast)

podcast@crownandcrozier.com
www.crownandcrozier.com
twitter.com/crownandcrozier

Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.

Humanists International just released their 2023 Freedom of Thought Report that documents the efforts to protect or not protect religious freedom in all the countries in the world. The US government created the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom in 1998 to call out countries that violate religious freedom.

One of these efforts is trying to hold the powerful accountable for religious freedom and the other is a bad faith attempt to privilege Christianity using the power of the state.

We examine the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom and ask why haven't any atheists been appointed yet several Christian Nationalists have been.

Finally we hear clips of comments made at the Humanists International press conference about the newest report. We hear from Reps. Jaime Raskin and Jared Huffman from the Congressional Freethought Caucus and others about the importance of the report and religious freedom for all.

00:40 Introduction of the 2023 Freedom of Thought Report
05:04 Why The Freedom Of Thought Report Came Into Existence
10:06 Bad Faith Religious Freedom Protection
16:57 No Atheists On The United States Commission On International Religious Freedom
20:00 Selected Clips From The Humanist International Press Conference.

Full Show Notes

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Join us as we revisit the highs and lows of 2023!

We glance back at major stories like the Synod on Synodality, demotions of high-profile prelates, discovery of the incorrupt remains of an African-American nun who loved the ancient liturgy, U.S. federal law enforcement targeting “radical traditionalists”, and Canada’s Parliament enjoying a moment of clarity in determining that Christmas is, in fact, not a discriminatory holiday.

In true Crown and Crozier style, we don’t just dwell on current events. Along the way, we take some scenic detours into reflections on suffering, grace, gratitude, beauty and apocalyptic unveilings.

Our guest is fellow Canadian and Catholic commentator, Kennedy Hall, host of The Kennedy Report (thekennedyreport.com) and author of SSPX: The Defence.

(N.B. this podcast was recorded in early December, prior to the release of Fiducia Supplicans on December 18).

Resources

The Kennedy Report (website)

The Kennedy Report (YouTube)

@kennedyhall

Kennedy Hall, Mere Tradition (Substack)

Kennedy Hall, SSPX: The Defence (2023)

Should I Join the SSPX? (YouTube interview between Brian Holdsworth and Kennedy Hall)

podcast@crownandcrozier.com
www.crownandcrozier.com
twitter.com/crownandcrozier

Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.