Respecting Religion

• S6, Ep. 18: End of term roundup

  On our season 6 finale, Amanda Tyler and Holly Hollman explore some of the consequential decisions from the final days of the Supreme Court term, including Mahmoud v. Taylor – which involves parents who want to opt their children out of curriculum they find in conflict with their religious beliefs – and U.S. v. Skrmetti, which focuses on access to medical care for transgender youth. They discuss the real world implications of these and other recent rulings. Amanda and Holly also celebrate a decision from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals striking down Louisiana’s law requiring the posting of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom and share why this case might find its way up to the Supreme Court before too long.     SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 00:38): Recent activities and news For the latest on the budget reconciliation bill and ways to make your voice known, visit BJConline.org/budgetbill2025   Segment 2 (starting at 07:01): A federal court decision and a Supreme Court case with far-reaching implications Roake v. Brumley is the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals case that struck down the Louisiana law mandating the posting of the Ten Commandments in classrooms. Read more about the decision and BJC’s brief on our website: Federal appeals court finds Louisiana’s Ten Commandments law unconstitutional as Texas enacts a similar measure Trump v. CASA is the case often called the “birthright citizenship” case that is about national injunctions. Amanda and Holly recommended listening to the oral arguments and reading the decision and the dissent. All are available on the Supreme Court’s website.    Segment 3 (starting at 19:07): The decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor and its potential impact Amanda and Holly discussed oral arguments in Mahmoud v. Taylor in episode 15 of season 6. You can read the decision and the dissent on the Supreme Court’s website. Holly mentioned this piece on the case from Religion News Service: ‘We were called book burners’: Families react to SCOTUS LGBTQ+ books decision   Segment 4 (starting 46:13): U.S. v. Skrmetti and what’s ahead for the Court Amanda and Holly discussed U.S. v. Skrmetti in episode 6 of season 6. You can read the decision and the dissent on the Supreme Court’s website. For more on the case involving the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act that the Supreme Court will hear this fall, read this piece by Adam Liptak for The New York Times: Supreme Court to Hear Rastafarian Prisoner’s Suit Over Shaved Dreadlocks Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC’s generous donors. Your gift to BJC is tax-deductible, and you can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

  --------  

  55:51

  --------

  55:51
• S6, Ep. 17: Christian nationalism and the Texas public sphere

  What’s the difference between religious privilege and religious freedom? How does Christian nationalism spread? Why do so many ideas that start in Texas expand to other parts of the country? On this podcast, we bring you a special panel discussion on Christian nationalism in the Texas public sphere, recorded live on April 8. It features BJC Executive Director (and Respecting Religion co-host) Amanda Tyler, scholar David Brockman, professor Mark Chancey, and journalist Robert Downen. Moderated by Jack Jenkins, it was part of an all-day event focused on telling the story of religion in Texas through journalism, hosted by the Texas Tribune in partnership with Religion News Service, the Institute for Diversity and Civic Life, and Southern Methodist University’s Religious Studies department.   SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 00:33): Introducing today’s show and the panelists Learn more about the Texas Tribune’s April 8 event titled “Telling the story of religion in Texas through journalism” on the website of the Texas Tribune. The website page dedicated to the event includes YouTube videos of each speaker and panel presentation.  The day-long event was held in partnership with the Texas Tribune, Religion News Service, the Institute for Diversity and Civic Life, and Southern Methodist University’s Religious Studies department.   Segment 2 (starting at 02:51): Panel presentation You can watch a video of this presentation on YouTube, including a Q&A following the conversation. The panelists are: Amanda Tyler, executive director of BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty), lead organizer of Christians Against Christian Nationalism, and co-host of this podcast Dr. David Brockman, a non-resident scholar in religion and public policy at Rice University’s Baker Institute who also serves as an adjunct professor at Texas Christian University Dr. Mark Chancey, professor of religious studies at SMU Robert Downen, senior writer at “Texas Monthly”  The moderator is Jack Jenkins, national reporter at Religion News Service. NOTE: After this panel was recorded, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott did sign legislation requiring every Texas public school classroom to display the Ten Commandments. Read more in this piece by Sameea Kamal for the Texas Tribune: Texas will require public school classrooms to display Ten Commandments under bill signed by governor Amanda and Holly talked about the Texas Bible curriculum in episode 2 of this season: Oklahoma and Texas try to force Bible teaching in public schools Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC’s generous donors. Your gift to BJC is tax-deductible, and you can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

  --------  

  52:15

  --------

  52:15
• S6, Ep. 16: What’s going on with the Supreme Court, a new travel ban, and the military in L.A.?

  With decisions from the Supreme Court, a new travel ban, and a federally militarized presence in Los Angeles, there are many activities in our world that deserve attention. Amanda and Holly discuss several current events in this episode, including the revival of one of the ugliest policies of the first Trump administration. Plus, they review the unanimous decision in a Supreme Court case about religious exemptions to employment law and discuss the Court’s decision not to hear a case involving the protection of sacred land.    SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 00:37): Recent and still-developing news Holly and Amanda discussed changes in policy about sensitive locations in S6, Episode 10. We discussed the case of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia in a special episode released April 21 with Melissa Rogers.  We discussed the harmful school voucher provision in the “big beautiful bill” during their live episode, released May 27. Hear the episode at this link or in your podcast feed, or watch it on YouTube. Join BJC for a webinar on the problems with the budget reconciliation bill on Monday, June 16, at 2:30 p.m. Click here to register for the event, which is hosted by BJC, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, and Bread for the World. Read more about the fallout from Rep. Mary Miller referring to a Sikh prayer leader as a “Muslim” and erroneously claiming our country was founded as a “Christian nation” in this article by Andrew Solender for Axios: Rep. Mary Miller faces bipartisan fury over “ignorant” Sikh comment In memory of Dr. Walter Brueggemann, listen to his 2019 conversation with Amanda on our podcast series exploring the dangers of Christian nationalism: Theological view of Christian nationalism with Walter Brueggemann   Segment 2 (starting at 13:17): The new travel ban After President Trump issued his new travel ban on June 4, Amanda released a statement you can read on BJC’s website: BJC condemns new travel ban as ‘state-sanctioned discrimination’ Visit BJC’s website to read more about the case of Trump v. Hawaii and the history of the travel ban. Support the NO BAN Act: Click here to use BJC’s form to contact your members of Congress about the legislation.   Segment 3 (starting 20:09): The decision in Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin Labor & Industry Review Commission Supreme Court decisions we are waiting for include: Mahmoud v. Taylor (Hear a discussion of oral arguments in S6, Ep. 15) U.S. v. Skrmetti (Hear a discussion of oral arguments in S6, Ep. 06) The case Apache Stronghold v. U.S. involves the sacred land of Chí’chil Biłdagoteel — loosely translated in English as “Oak Flat.” Read more about the denial of cert on BJC’s website: U.S. Supreme Court declines Oak Flat petition, allows for federal transfer of sacred land to mining company. Amanda and Holly talked about this issue on a podcast back in 2022: S3, Ep. 17: Religious freedom and our Indigenous neighbors: Save Oak Flat. Amanda and Holly talked about the oral arguments in Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin in Ep. 12: Back to SCOTUS: Regular business in disturbing times Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC’s generous donors. Your gift to BJC is tax-deductible, and you can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

  --------  

  37:58

  --------

  37:58
• S6, Ep. 15: Religious objections and curriculum opt-outs: Oral arguments in Mahmoud v. Taylor

  A case with a thin record is raising plenty of questions at the Supreme Court. In this episode, Amanda and Holly examine the case of Mahmoud v. Taylor, which involves parents who want to opt their children out of public school curriculum they say conflicts with their religious beliefs. But, what’s the difference between expected exposure and unconstitutional coercion? Does age matter? What happens when opt-out options become too burdensome and overwhelming to accommodate? Amanda and Holly examine the issues in this case as well as the challenges for the school district and for the parents. They also share what the oral arguments revealed about the justices’ interest in the books and discussions outside of the courtroom.     SHOW NOTES Segment 1 (starting at 01:50): Remembering Justice David Souter Amanda and Holly released a live mini-episode on Tuesday, May 27, to review the Supreme Court decision in the religious charter school case, the voucher proposal in the budget reconciliation bill, and a court decision halting the dismantling of the Department of Education. Hear the episode at this link or in your podcast feed, or watch it on YouTube. Amanda and Holly mention the other two church-state cases this term addressed in previous episodes: Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin in Ep. 12: Back to SCOTUS: Regular business in disturbing times Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board, et al. v. Drummond in Ep. 14: The blockbuster SCOTUS case over religious charter schools BJC Executive Director Emeritus J. Brent Walker wrote a reflection piece on Justice David Souter when the justice retired in 2009: Walker reflects on Souter’s Supreme Court tenure Amy Howe wrote a piece on Justice Souter for SCOTUSblog: David Souter, retired Supreme Court justice, dies at 85   Segment 2 (starting at 06:58): The facts (that we know) in the case and what’s at stake BJC has a post on our website describing Mahmoud v. Taylor: In oral argument, U.S. Supreme Court wrestles with the limits of public school parents’ opt-out rights The U.S. Supreme Court has a transcript of oral arguments and the audio recording of oral arguments in Mahmoud v. Taylor available on its website.   Segment 3 (starting 25:54): The two big substantive points from the oral argument We played two clips from the oral argument in this segment: Justice Elena Kagan and Eric Baxter, who argued on behalf of the group of parents (the petitioners)  Justice Samuel Alito and Eric Baxter Amanda and Holly talked about the Texas Bible curriculum in episode 2 of this season: Oklahoma and Texas try to force Bible teaching in public schools Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC’s generous donors. Your gift to BJC is tax-deductible, and you can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

  --------  

  40:30

  --------

  40:30
• Special LIVE Episode: Vouchers in the budget bill, SCOTUS stops religious charter schools, and new decision on the Dept. of Education

  In a conversation broadcast live on May 27, Amanda and Holly provide updates on a day of big news in the religious liberty world. They first look at the surprising 4-4 deadlock from the U.S. Supreme Court in the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board, et al. v. Drummond case, which preserves a religious liberty principle by stopping the creation of the nation’s first religious charter school. They also discuss the troubling school voucher proposal that was slipped into the budget reconciliation bill that the U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed on May 22, offering tips on how you can help stop it as it goes to the Senate. Plus, they give an update on last week’s court order stopping President Trump’s dismantling of the Department of Education and share why that’s good news for public education and religious freedom. Show notes: You can watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/i8S3xcBTs14?feature=shared Holly read the entire two sentence decision in the Drummond case, which is available on the Supreme Court’s website. You can also read Holly’s statement released the day of the Oklahoma v. Drummond decision on BJC’s website.  The discussion of the budget reconciliation bill starts at 8:23. BJC has a website page with the latest on the bill and the actions you can take to stop it in the Senate. Visit BJConline.org/budgetbill2025 for more, including tips on finding a town hall to attend so you can connect with your lawmaker in person. Click here to directly contact your U.S. Senators about the voucher provision, using our simple form. Want to send us a video or an audio recording about why this budget bill would harm your community? Click here! On May 22 – the same day the House passed the budget bill and the Supreme Court released its Drummond decision – U.S. District Judge Myong Joun granted a preliminary injunction stopping the Trump administration from dismantling the Department of Education. The conversation about this begins at 15:04. Want to make sure you don’t miss future live episodes of the podcast? Subscribe to our email list to be notified of future shows, and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Bluesky, X, or LinkedIn. Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC’s generous donors. Your gift to BJC is tax-deductible, and you can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

  --------  

  22:06

  --------

  22:06

More News podcasts

Trending News podcasts

About Respecting Religion