religious liberty

The mission entrusted to the ERLC by the Southern Baptist Convention includes applying Christian principles to moral and social problems and questions of public policy and promoting religious liberty. One of the ways we do this is through our public policy advocacy, both in Washington, D.C., and throughout individual states. 

Every year, we compile and release a public policy agenda, highlighting the key pieces of federal legislation our staff is watching and working on within our four categories of priority: life, religious liberty, marriage and family, and human dignity.  More recently, we’ve also started assembling a state policy agenda, focusing on our cooperation with Baptist state conventions in advocating at the state level. 

On today’s episode, you’ll hear from Hannah Daniel, our director of public policy who is based in D.C., and Brent Leatherwood, president of the ERLC. They’ll explain the importance of our policy agendas and highlight major pieces of legislation that matter to Southern Baptists. 

The ERLC podcast is a production of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.

It is produced by Lindsay Nicolet and Elizabeth Bristow.

Technical production is provided by Owens Productions. 

It is edited and mixed by Mark Owens.

In a thought-provoking episode of the Faithful Politics Podcast, co-hosts Will Wright and Pastor Josh Bertram engage with Lucien Greaves, spokesman and co-founder of the Satanic Temple. Greaves delves into the misconceptions about the Satanic Temple, emphasizing its role as a non-theistic religious organization committed to political activism against theocratic impositions. The discussion illuminates the Temple's advocacy for religious liberty, separation of church and state, and societal pluralism. Greaves articulates the Satanic Temple's unique approach to religious and cultural issues, highlighting its commitment to rational discourse, science, and ethical values. The conversation also explores the Temple's stand on controversial issues like abortion and its differentiation from other satanic groups. This episode offers deep insights into the complex interplay of religion, politics, and society, showcasing the Satanic Temple's role in advocating for a more inclusive and rational public discourse.

Guest Bio:
Lucien Greaves is the co-founder and spokesperson of the Satanic Temple, a non-theistic religious and activist organization. With a background that melds intellectual rigor with advocacy, Greaves has become a prominent figure in the fight for religious freedom, separation of church and state, and rational public policy.

Greaves holds a degree in neuroscience and has been an active participant in socio-political discourse, focusing on issues related to religious pluralism and cultural diversity. Under his leadership, the Satanic Temple has gained recognition for its unique approach to activism, employing satirical religious rituals and symbols to challenge theocratic policies and to promote secular values.

Greaves is known for his articulate and reasoned approach to controversial topics, advocating for a rational and ethical worldview that respects individual freedom and collective responsibility. His work with the Satanic Temple extends beyond mere political activism, delving into realms of art, literature, and social commentary, thereby fostering a comprehensive cultural movement.

As a spokesperson for the Satanic Temple, Lucien Greaves has been featured in various media outlets, contributing a fresh perspective on the role of unconventional religions in contemporary society. His commitment to upholding the principles of free expression and secularism has positioned him as a unique voice in modern discussions about the intersection of religion, politics, and human rights.

To learn more about the show, contact our hosts, or recommend future guests, click on the links below:

• Website: https://www.faithfulpoliticspodcast.com/
• Faithful Host: Josh@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com
• Political Host: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.com
• Twitter: @FaithfulPolitik
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Adam White is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and the Co-Director of the C. Boyden Gray Center for the Study of the Administrative State at George Mason University. He also leads seminars with the Hertog Foundation, one of which I had the chance to attend this summer. 

Today we talk about the American judicial system, from its structure to its founding to its role in American society. We address whether courts function differently today than we have in the past, looking at the issues debated like court-packing and precedent. 

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This episode is our second installment in a two-part series looking at “integralism”, which holds that the State should recognize Catholicism as true and ought to unite with the Church as body to her soul.

In Part 1 of our attempt to give integralism a fair hearing, we were treated to a critique of the theory.  In this second half, we give the floor to one of the leading intellectual voices and proponents in the integralist movement, Dr. Thomas Pink.

Dr. Pink argues that integralism is first and foremost what the Catholic Church has taught for centuries about the proper ordering of Church and State.  In addition, our guest makes the case that integralism delivers a more realistic view of how states actually function and the true nature of legal authority.

Regardless of whether this two-part series leaves you feeling more or less inclined to accept integralism, we hope that you’ll find this exploration to be a rich and meaningful examination of this critically important tradition within Church teaching.

Dr. Thomas Pink is Professor of Philosophy at King’s College in London, England. He’s written extensively on ethics, metaphysics, free well, political and legal philosophy, and on the history of these subjects.

Don’t forget to subscribe to Crown and Crozier, and be the first to know when a new episode drops on Church, State and faithful citizenship!


Resources

Dr. Thomas Pink (official bio)

@thomaspink1

Thomas Pink, Papal Authority and the Limits of Official Theology, The Lamp (December 2022)

Reconciling integralism, the magisterium, and the modern world, The Pillar (September 2022)

Thomas Pink, Integralism, Political Philosophy, and the State, Public Discourse (May 2020)

Thomas Pink, In Defence of Catholic Integralism, Public Discourse (August 2018)

Thomas Pink, Dignitatis Humanae: continuity after Leo XIII

Pope Paul VI, Declaration on Religious Freedom: Dignitatis Humanae (December 7, 1965)

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twitter.com/crownandcrozier

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

We’ve been working behind the scenes and are excited to announce an all new ERLC Podcast. While the format is new, our goal for the podcast remains the same. The ERLC seeks to help you think biblically about today’s cultural issues.

We’ve been listening to you to better understand the questions you’re facing and how the ERLC can help on matters related to marriage and family, life, religious liberty, and human dignity. 

On this updated format of the ERLC Podcast, we want to give you brief, informed, practical, and biblically-based answers to important cultural issues.

You are not the only one asking these questions. Just like you, we want to hold fast to the teachings of Scripture as we seek to raise our families, serve our churches, and love our neighbors in an ever-evolving and often challenging cultural landscape. 

Join us starting in September as we look to the Bible for wisdom, hear from trusted voices, and break down complex issues so that we can live in the world, but not of it—all for the sake of the gospel.

In this episode, we turn attention to one of the greatest statesmen in Canadian history.

Thomas D’Arcy McGee was a father of Canadian confederation, a champion of minority rights, and the principal architect of the unique constitutional protections afforded to Catholic schools in Canadian provinces - protections which are arguably unprecedented and unrivaled among Western democratic nations.

Although overlooked in the history books of the Great White North, McGee exerted enormous influence on the founding of Canada and has many things to teach us in a present-day context defined by polarized political debates. Sadly, one of those lessons stems from the untimely death he encountered courtesy of an assassin’s bullet.

Our guest is Dr. David Wilson of the History Department and Celtic Studies Program at the University of Toronto. Wilson is the author of the two-volume authoritative biography of D’Arcy McGee, which won the Canadian Historical Association prize for political history. His fields of expertise include the Irish in North America, revolutionary movements, as well as religion and nationalism.


Resources

Dr. David Wilson (biography)

David Wilson, Thomas D'Arcy McGee, Volume 1: Passion, Reason, and Politics, 1825-1857

David Wilson, Thomas D'Arcy McGee, Volume 2: The Extreme Moderate, 1857-1868

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

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