Just Liberty

73. The Kingdom Comes to Capitol Hill: Dominionism in modern American politics - with André Gagné

A straightforward look at dominionism—what people mean by it, how it shows up in our politics, and why it matters. We talk through how some Christians think about influence and power, what’s changing, and what it could mean for America's tradition of religious pluralism. Guest: André Gagné, Professor and Chair, Theological Studies at Concordia University Special Host: Stephen Allred, Church State Council **** Article | "Remaking the Kingdom: Why understanding dominionist theology is key to making sense of contemporary American politics" by André Gagné | Liberty Magazine March/April 2026 - https://www.libertymagazine.org/article/remaking-the-kingdom [https://www.libertymagazine.org/article/remaking-the-kingdom]

72. Politics, Prophecy, and Israel: How some Christians turn Jews and Israel into props for the end times - with Alexander Bolotnikov

How does some Christian end-times thinking turn Jews and Israel into props, skew how people read conflicts like Iran, and blur the line between geopolitics and theological agendas? And, more importantly, what does a more biblically grounded approach look like? Guest: Alexander Bolotnikov, biblical scholar and Director, Hebrew Bible Institute *** Show Notes Website | Hebrew Bible Institute - https://www.learnhbi.com/home

71. A Graphic Witness: Artist Matt Yocum on the Life and Martyrdom of Shahbaz Bhatti - with Knox Thames

In a country where blasphemy can carry a death sentence, Pakistani politician Shahbaz Bhatti understood the cost of defending religious minorities—and ultimately paid it. Fifteen years after his assassination, his story is being retold through a creative medium aimed at engaging a new generation in the fight for religious freedom. Show Notes Book | Matt Yocum, Jordan Holt, Blood and Water: The Life and Martyrdom of Shahbaz Bhatti (Ignatius Press: February 2026). Article | Knox Thames, "A Pakistani Martyr for Religious Freedom," The Dispatch (March 1, 2026).  Article | Forthcoming, Céleste Perrino, "A Candle in the Darkness: The Life of Shahbaz Bhatti," Liberty magazine (May-June 2026). Website | www.mattyocum.com   Website | www.knoxthames.com

Religious freedom's "use-by date"? (Replay) - with Jaziah Masters

Religious freedom in America may be headed toward the edge of a cliff. Why? Because survey after survey shows that younger generations of Americans neither understand nor value the crucial role religious freedom plays in our democracy. What's behind this worrying trend? And can anything be done to rehabilitate the reputation of religious freedom in the eyes of Gen-Zs and Millennials? Interview with Jaziah B. Masters, Research Fellow, Center for Faith, Justice and Reconciliation, Baptist Joint Committee. Note: This is a replay with our Oct 3, 2023 interview with Jaziah Masters. The video version of this episode can be found on Youtube: Show Notes Article |  "A Religious Freedom Wake-up Call" - by Jaziah Masters for Liberty magazine: https://www.libertymagazine.org/article/a-religious-freedom-wake-up-call [https://www.libertymagazine.org/article/a-religious-freedom-wake-up-call]

The Bewitching of the American Mind (Replay) - with Molly Worthen

It's far more than simply charm, or rhetorical skill, or political savvy. Charisma is a powerful force that has shaped American public and religious life--for both good and ill--for more than four centuries. Could an undertanding of this phenomenon help us make better sense of our national story? And why does it seem that Americans of faith are particularly vulnerable to its allure? Interview with Molly Worthen, author of Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Purtians to Donald Trump. Note: This is a replay of our July 15, 2025 interview with Molly Worthen. The video version of this episode can be found on Youtube: Show Notes * Book | Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump, by Molly Worthen - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/746737/spellbound-by-molly-worthen/ [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/746737/spellbound-by-molly-worthen/] * Article | "Charisma Rules the World" by Molly Worthen, New York Times (June 16, 2025) -  https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/opinion/charisma-history-trump.html [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/16/opinion/charisma-history-trump.html]