The Supreme Court announced today that it will not hear cases involving ‘Choose Life’ license plates in Illinois, a church property dispute in California, and an appeal to keep sexual abuse case documents sealed in Connecticut.
When journalist Tim Alberta attended his father’s funeral, he expected people to speak words of comfort. What he didn’t expect was a confrontation. And yet, just a short walk away from the casket, someone approached a grieving Alberta to critique his writing on Trumpism.
On a new episode of The Russell Moore Show, Moore welcomes Alberta, a writer for The Atlantic and the author of The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism to discuss how American culture has reached the point where people feel compelled to argue politics at all times. Alberta and Moore talk about the ways that politics have invaded the church in recent years. He and Moore talk about what fear has done to the state of evangelicalism, the rise of secularism, and the differences in conversations between white and multiethnic congregations. They consider ways that demographics affect political and religious perspectives, how pastors have engaged QAnon, and the variances in generational perspectives on American politics.
Tune in for a conversation that sheds light on America’s history and ponders what its future could be.
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism by Tim Alberta
Blinded by Might: Can the Religious Right Save America? by Cal Thomas
“The Religious Right and the Abortion Myth” by Randall Balmer
“Russell Moore Wants Us To Be Strange (But Not Crazy)” on the Good Faith podcast
The “Against Trump” issue of National Review
High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out by Amanda Ripley
Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to questions@russellmoore.com.
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“The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today
Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper
Host: Russell Moore
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Video producer: Abby Egan
Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton
The court rejected a free-speech claim from Choose Life Illinois Inc., which gathered more than 25,000 signatures from people who wanted a “Choose Life” plate.
State officials refused to create the plate, saying the state did not want to appear to be taking a position on abortion.
According to the Tribune, 24 states offer “Choose Life” license plates, and there are efforts to gain approval in 14 more states.
The high court also declined to hear an appeal from St. James Anglican Church, which split from the Episcopal Church in 2004 and is now aligned with with the conservative Anglican Church of North America. California’s Supreme Court had ruled that St. James could not take its property.
Finally, the court rejected a request by a Connecticut diocese to delay the release of court documents related to sexually abusive clergy. Four newspapers sued for access to court records and depositions, which Connecticut courts have ruled should be open to the public. The diocese released a statement, saying the court order threatens all churches’ First Amendment rights.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear Salazar v. Buono regarding a cross in the Mojave National Preserve in California.
