S5, Ep. 17: The presidency and Christian nationalism
02/22/24 • 37 min
Presidents have made broad appeals to our country without dividing along religious belief throughout American history. Amanda Tyler and Holly Hollman look at presidential leadership and talk about how our country’s founding documents set up our system of government that does not create a “Christian nation” in any sort of legal sense – rather, it ensures freedom of religion and freedom from a state establishment of religion. They also talk about why people like to claim we are a “Christian nation” and the reasons that is a problematic statement.
Segment 1 (starting at 00:38): Religious freedom at the founding
Learn more about the celebration of the holiday known as Washington’s Birthday from the National Archives.
Amanda and Holly mentioned this article by Peter Smith for the Associated Press: Many believe the founders wanted a Christian America. Some want the government to declare one now. He also wrote this piece with some frequently asked questions.
Amanda mentioned a book she is writing that will come out later this year, which is titled How to End Christian Nationalism.
Watch Holly’s video answering the question “Is America a Christian nation?” at this link.
The Rev. Jennifer Hawks wrote this piece about Article VI for Baptist News Global: How the Constitution’s original religious freedom guarantee almost didn’t happen
Amanda spoke with historian Steven Green in 2019 for this episode of our podcast series on the dangers of Christian nationalism: We were founded as a Christian nation?
Michael Meyerson is the author of Endowed by our Creator: The Birth of Religious Freedom in America. You can read more about his 2014 lectures – given for the Walter B. and Kay W. Shurden Lectures on Religious Liberty and the Separation of Church and State – in this recap.
The BJC Fellows Program is open to all young professionals interested in deepening their historical, legal and theological understanding of religious liberty. The deadline to apply for the 2024 class is March 1 – visit BJConline.org/Fellows to learn more and apply.
Segment 2 (starting at 24:21): Words from previous presidents
Click here to visit BJC’s website page with a few quotes from Founders, presidents, and Baptists about the relationship between church and state. The quotes include links or citations to the original source material.
Segment 3 (starting at 33:20): What now?
Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC’s generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.
Presidents have made broad appeals to our country without dividing along religious belief throughout American history. Amanda Tyler and Holly Hollman look at presidential leadership and talk about how our country’s founding documents set up our system of government that does not create a “Christian nation” in any sort of legal sense – rather, it ensures freedom of religion and freedom from a state establishment of religion. They also talk about why people like to claim we are a “Christian nation” and the reasons that is a problematic statement.
Segment 1 (starting at 00:38): Religious freedom at the founding
Learn more about the celebration of the holiday known as Washington’s Birthday from the National Archives.
Amanda and Holly mentioned this article by Peter Smith for the Associated Press: Many believe the founders wanted a Christian America. Some want the government to declare one now. He also wrote this piece with some frequently asked questions.
Amanda mentioned a book she is writing that will come out later this year, which is titled How to End Christian Nationalism.
Watch Holly’s video answering the question “Is America a Christian nation?” at this link.
The Rev. Jennifer Hawks wrote this piece about Article VI for Baptist News Global: How the Constitution’s original religious freedom guarantee almost didn’t happen
Amanda spoke with historian Steven Green in 2019 for this episode of our podcast series on the dangers of Christian nationalism: We were founded as a Christian nation?
Michael Meyerson is the author of Endowed by our Creator: The Birth of Religious Freedom in America. You can read more about his 2014 lectures – given for the Walter B. and Kay W. Shurden Lectures on Religious Liberty and the Separation of Church and State – in this recap.
The BJC Fellows Program is open to all young professionals interested in deepening their historical, legal and theological understanding of religious liberty. The deadline to apply for the 2024 class is March 1 – visit BJConline.org/Fellows to learn more and apply.
Segment 2 (starting at 24:21): Words from previous presidents
Click here to visit BJC’s website page with a few quotes from Founders, presidents, and Baptists about the relationship between church and state. The quotes include links or citations to the original source material.
Segment 3 (starting at 33:20): What now?
Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC’s generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.
Previous Episode
S5, Ep. 16: The trouble with *religious* charter schools
There is a novel – and concerning – development in public education and the relationship between the institutions of church and state: Oklahoma and Guam have proposed religious charter schools. Litigation has already started. But, what is a religious charter school, and why is the idea such a problem? Amanda Tyler and Holly Hollman say they are illegal and that they challenge some basic assumptions.
Segment 1 (starting at 00:38): What are religious charter schools, and what’s the problem?
Holly and Amanda discussed the trouble with school vouchers in episode 8 and episode 9 of this season.
In an order on his way out the door, former Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor issued an opinion that said religious charter schools were ok, but then new Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond reversed that guidance. Read Don Byrd’s article for BJC’s website about the Oklahoma and Guam charter schools: Guam joins Oklahoma in approving government-funded religious charter schools after legislature overrides governor’s veto
Segment 2 (starting at 12:39): The lawsuits in Oklahoma trying to stop this action
You can download the petition for the lawsuit by Oklahoma Attorney General Genter Drummond in the Oklahoma Supreme Court at this link on the website of the Oklahoma State Courts Network.
The lawsuit brought by the ACLU, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and others is called OKPLAC, Inc. v. Statewide Virtual Charter School Board. Read the Complaint and learn more on the websites of the ACLU and of Americans United. OKPLAC is the “Oklahoma Parent Legislative Advocacy Coalition.”
Segment 3 (starting at 18:43): State and constitutional questions about charter schools
Visit this resource from the U.S. Department of Education to learn more about charter schools.
The trinity of recent Supreme Court cases mentioned were: Trinity Lutheran v. Comer (2017) Espinoza v. Montana Dept. of Revenue (2020) Carson v. Makin (2022)
Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC’s generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.
Next Episode
S5, Ep. 18: A chief justice or chief theologian for Alabama?
An alarming ruling from the Alabama Supreme Court is leading to the shutdown of in vitro fertilization clinics, and the concurrence’s use of Scripture and Christian theology is causing additional concerns. Amanda Tyler and Holly Hollman look at this troubling ruling, the various religious views on life, and why it’s an issue for a justice to cite the Bible in an opinion.
SHOW NOTES: Segment 1 (starting at 00:38): What is the Alabama case about?
The Alabama Supreme Court case is called LePage v. Center for Reproductive Medicine. You can read the decision and the concurrence here.
For additional information on the case, listen to the NPR interview with law professor Mary Ziegler in this story: How Alabama’s ruling that frozen embryos are ‘children’ could impact IVF
Amanda and Holly discussed the Dobbs decision in episode 4 of season 4.
Segment 2 (starting at 13:18): The decision and even more-troubling concurrence
Listen to the “On the Media” interview with Matthew D. Taylor: Christian Nationalism is Reshaping Fertility Rights, and Books Dominate at the Oscars
Amanda talked about her experience at the ReAwaken America tour in episode 22 of season 4 of Respecting Religion.
Segment 3 (starting at 31:15): Additional reactions to the opinion
Read the entire piece by Noah Feldman for Bloomberg at this link: Embryos Are Now Children in Alabama. Blame the Supreme Court.
Amanda and Holly discussed the Kennedy v. Bremerton decision in episode 21 of season 3.
Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC’s generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.
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