Category: Countries


Evan Haefeli on the Dutch Origins of Religious Tolerance

An often overlooked aspect of the rise of religious freedom in the 17th and 18th centuries was the role of Dutch toleration for religious dissent. Prof. Evan Haefeli of Columbia University documents the critical role that the Netherlands played in fostering religious tolerance in the Low Countries and how this translated across the Atlantic Ocean in the colonial territory they held in the Americas for a half century. He offers a surprising conclusion on what the political-religious landscape would have looked like in post-colonial America had the Dutch been able to retain possession of their territories into the 18th century.

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Matthew Franck on Hobby Lobby & Religious Freedom Jurisprudence

What is the history behind, and issues relevant to, the upcoming Supreme Court Case involving Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties that will decide whether the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is consistent with our understandings of religious liberty? Prof. Matthew Franck of the Witherspoon Institute details how this conflict emerged and summarizes the main issues involved and arguments to be made by both sides. He also reviews the relevant case law that sits in the background of this case. This podcast is a great way to beef up your understanding of what is coming down in our judicial system.

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Robert Priest on Witchcraft Accusations in Africa

Prof. Robert Priest of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School discusses the causes and consequences of the growing trend of witchcraft accusations against individuals in Africa. We survey the demographic patterns in these accusations, potential reasons for why such claims are brought about, what the consequences are for individuals, and what some people are trying to do to protect those facing such accusations.

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Jeremy Lott on the Religious Newsmakers of 2013

Jeremy Lott of RealClearPolitcs joins us to discuss the top religious newsmakers of 2013. We cover a significant ground ranging from the Boston Marathon bombers to Pope Francis. Along the way, we engage in discussions about the new direction of the Southern Baptist Convention, the issues surrounding various megachurch pastors such as Mark Driscoll and Rob Bell, the controversy surrounding religious gratuities (or lack thereof) at restaurants, and the last sermon of Billy Graham. And, of course, we get Jeremy’s thoughts on the first year (roughly) of Pope Francis’s reign.

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Chris Gehrz on The Crisis of Chistian Colleges

Picking up on an earlier theme from two other interviews we’ve conducted over the past several months, Prof. Chris Gehrz of Bethel University (MN) shares his thoughts on the financial problems facing many small Christian colleges and universities, and how the changing pedagogical landscape may affect these institutions as well. Chiming a more pessimistic note than some of our previous guests, though echoing many similar points, we discuss what role the Christian university has to play in higher education and how these schools can continue to influence students and the mission of their denominations.

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David Cortman on Religious Liberty Updates

We take a look at several issues on the religious liberty landscape, from Christmas songs in public schools to prayers at city council meetings to health care mandates. David Cortman, of the Alliance Defending Freedom, provides a review of these cases and addresses some of the challenges that Tony puts before him. This is a wide-ranging discussion that covers some of the more well-known court cases as well as some lesser known issues.

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Joel Fetzer on Confucianism and Democracy

Max Weber once argued that Confucianism did not lend itself to liberal democracy because of its allegiance to social hierarchy and harmony. Prof. Joel Fetzer of Pepperdine University examines this claim with evidence based upon the recent democratization of Taiwan. He argues that although Confucianism was not a cause of the recent democratization, the philosophy is flexible enough to allow for compatability with a variety of democratic norms including indigenous and women’s rights. We also examine the cases of South Korea, China, and Singapore.

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Bradley Murg on Russian Orthodoxy after the Soviet Union

Whereas the Soviet Union was noted for being a state that sought to repress all forms of religious expression, the Russian Orthodox Church continued to exist in a weakened form throughout Russia’s communist era. Following the collapse of the Soviet regime in 1991, Rusian Orthodoxy has re-emerged from its slumber to reassert itself in the nation’s culture and institutional structure. How has it fared over the past two decades? Bradley Murg, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Washington, explores this question revealing much about the nature of religion in Russian society as well as a thing or two about its evolving political structure.

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Andrea Molle on Spirituality and the Martial Arts

Sivis pacem, para bellum … if you want peace, prepare for war. Can the practice of marial arts be consistent with spiritual enlightenment and inner peace? We visit with Prof. Andrea Molle, a professor of political science at Chapman University, who has written about the connection between spirituality and martial arts, as well as being a black belt who is active in the Aikido community. Andrea explains how various martial arts enhances religiosity and how the connection between combat and spirituality developed over time. He also discusses his experience with teaching martial arts to youth at a Southern Californian Christian church.

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Melissa Matthes on Sermons after Tragedies

With the 12th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks upon us, we examine how clergy respond to national tragedies in their sermons. Prof. Melissa Matthes — associate professor at the US Coast Guard Academy — talks about a research project she is conducting that involves reading hundreds of sermons from a variety of priests and pastors following such tragic events as the attack on Pearl Harbor, the JFK and MLK assassinations, and the events of 9/11/01. We explore the content of these sermons and how they have changed over time.

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