There is a movement of people who grew up in evangelical Christianity out of those circles. These are ex-evangelicals or "exvangelicals."  Now Sarah McCammon, a politics reporter for NPR, has given us the first book-length treatment of this movement and the individuals within it.  In this interview we talk about her very evangelical upbringing (and wax nostalgic about growing up in the 90s along the way). She tells us her thoughts about what's leading to this disillusionment with evangelicalism. We talk about how race affects people differently within and outside evangelicalism. And she tells us what it's like to be a journalist in these politically tenuous times.  Order "The Exvangelicals" here.  Buy my books: JemarTisby.com/Books  Subscribe to my Substack: JemarTisby.Substack.com  Get your merch: JusticeTakesSides.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I have often said, "White Christian nationalism is the greatest threat to democracy and the witness of the church in the United States today." Now there's a documentary showing and telling why this is true.  I talk to Dan Partland, the director of "God & Country" a feature-length documentary film that "takes a closer look at the dangerous implications and explores how a base of Christians has radically stoked a movement erasing the line between Church and State."  Partland explains how he approached the delicate tension of truth-telling while still engaging a potentially skeptical audience. He describes how film can be a uniquely effective medium for opening people to dialogue. And we explore the controversy that has already surrounded the film.  See the "God & Country" trailer here.  By my books: JemarTisby.com/Books  Subscribe to my Substack: JemarTisby.Substack.com  Get your merch: JusticeTakesSides.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Wear is the author of The Spirit of Our Politics. It's a book that takes a fresh approach to how faith and politics should interact. Instead of beginning with policies, pundits, or politicians, Wear encourages us to begin with our own spiritual formation.  We talk about everything from our similar conversion stories in evangelical contexts to how to engage people with radically different political persuasions.  Order The Spirit of Our Politics HERE.  Be sure to subscribe to my Substack: JemarTisby.Substack.com  Get your merch here: JusticeTakesSides.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Finally, finally, finally you can pre-order my latest book The Spirit of Justice: Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance! This is a book for all those who are weary and heavy-laden. It encourages you by telling the true stories of people who found reservoirs of strength—what I call the spirit of justice—to resist oppression and keep on keeping on. If you pre-order the book you get several bonuses. You get exclusive access to the first chapter of the book. You get access to my keynote message from “The Color of Compromise 5-Year Anniversary Event” where I give a talk titled: Three Characteristics of Historical Truth-Seekers. Finally, you get 30% off when you order from ChristianBook.com or the guaranteed lowest price when you order from Amazon. Plus, pre-orders help put the book on the radar for other bookstores so it can be distributed widely, and they are a huge part of helping a book get on bestseller lists. So tell everyone! Tell you local library, indie bookstore, church, seminary, college, and more to get copies of the book. Share this message on social media and with your friends. Pre-orders are now OPEN!!!  Remember to support historical truth-telling and racial justice: Subscribe to JemarTisby.Substack.com Get your racial justice merch! JusticeTakesSides.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I went to Northern Ireland as part of an endeavor hosted by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and the Telos Group. We were looking at justice and peacemaking in the context of worship. To that end we visited places such as Corrymeela, Derry, Giant’s Causeway, Clonard Monastery, and Stormont just to name a few. In this very special episode of Footnotes, I offer some of my reflections about the trip. The journey deeply impacted me, and I hope this is not my last trip to Northern Ireland! Read more HERE. Be sure to subscribe to JemarTisby.Substack.com And get your merch at JusticeTakesSides.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode I talk with first-time author Ronald Olivier whose life is a movie...or at least a book. He wrote "27 Summers: My Journey to Freedom, Forgiveness, and Redemption During My Time in Angola Prison." As a historian and racial justice advocate, I've made incarceration one of my primary areas of focus in terms of action and raising awareness. That's why I was honored and excited to talk to Ronald about his experiences in Angola Prison and what he has share with us now that he's on the other side. You'll fee like you could listen to Ronald tell stories all day. Especially because of his mellifluous Louisiana accent. You will also be inspired by the depth and richness of his faith. He's sincere when he says he lives by the motto: "Don't tell me what God can't do!" Support Ronald's Work: Get the Book: 27 Summers Follow Ronald on IG: @RonaldSlim75 Follow Ronald on FB: Ronald Olivier Support Jemar's Work Subscribe + Rate + Review the Footnotes podcast Subscribe to my Substack: JemarTisby.Substack.com  Get your merch: JusticeTakesSide.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Racism, white supremacy, and the attempt to control Black bodies didn't go away after the Civil War. As I often say, "Racism never goes away, it adapts." One of the ways racism persists is through our criminal legal system, especially the death penalty.  Joia Erin Thornton is the founder and executive director of the faith leaders of color coalition (flocc). Through her organization she works toward eliminating capital punishment in the carceral system. She talks about her journey into this work and why faith leaders need to be involved.  Episode Highlights:  How growing up in the South (Memphis and New Orleans) influenced her ideas of justice How her parents taught her mother predicted Joia would grow up to be a "changemaker"  Why ending the death penalty is a bipartisan political issue The role of hope in justice work and ending the death penalty  Visit the flocc website ------ Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review this podcast.  Get your "Justice Takes Sides" merch: justicetakessides.com  Keep up with my latest work at JemarTisby.Substack.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you keep the flame of justice burning in the midst of so much misery and disappointment? A new book, Heart on Fire: 100 Meditations on Loving Your Neighbor Well, is just what you need.  In this episode I get to interview first-time author and long-time artist, Dani Coke Balfour. We talk about how art relates to activism and how all of us have a role to play in doing "good work."  Be sure to grab your copy of Heart on Fire wherever books are sold!  Buy the Book On Amazon Bookshop Episode Highlights:  The difference between "equity" and "equality"  Why it's better to have "conscious optimism" rather than "cautious optimism" Why imagination is indispensable to justice  Ten Pillars of Good Work  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Footnotes, join me as I delve into an enlightening conversation with the esteemed author Rev. Dr. Esau McCaulley, discussing his highly anticipated new book "How Far to the Promised Land."  Episode Highlights:  We talk about how Black Christians in white evangelical spaces get "pushed out, burned out, or sell out" and how McCaulley has endured in his place of work  How he thinks about his interracial marriage in view of the historic and ongoing Black experience with racism  What he teaches his biracial children about racial identity and the role of police in the midst of anti-Black police brutality  McCaulley gets on his soapbox about an issue that's at the forefront of his attention right now My endorsement: In his latest book, How Far to the Promised Land, Rev. Dr. Esau McCaulley says we are people made of "trauma and miracles." In this memoir you will see evidence of both as he relates the difficulties of his childhood alongside the resilient and caring community that ushers him into his destiny. A brisk and engaging narrative full of practical and spiritual wisdom, How Far to the Promised Land is a revelatory look at the U.S. South, race, poverty, and the strength needed not only to live with one's past but make peace with it. Get the book: How Far to the Promised Land Subscribe to my Substack: JemarTisby.Substack.com  Get your merch: JusticeTakesSide.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

According to a Psychology Today article, racial and ethnic minorities represent 30 percent of the population, yet 83.6 percent of mental health professionals identify as non-Hispanic White. And only about 5 percent of students enrolled in graduate level psychology programs are Black.  Adebisi Gbadamosi is a Black woman therapist who specializes in addressing racial and religious trauma. She specializes in working with peo[le of color to process racial trauma, Christians to process faith-related trauma, and women wanting to work through any aspect of life. In this episode she talks about her journey into mental health care, her painful experiences with race and white evangelical churches, and general coping skills for those who have endured trauma of various sorts.  Learn more about "Bisi" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The United States has five percent of the world's population but 25 percent of its incarcerated individuals. But the statistics only tell part of the story. Behind the numbers are real people.  Stanley Frankart is someone who made it out of the prison system and is now helping others to do the same.  Through the nonprofit he co-founded, Young Christian Professionals, Frankart and his team offer character education and professional development to reduce rates of recidivism.  Learn More:  -Young Chrisitan Professionals: youngchristianprofessionals.org -Vera Institute: vera.org  -Prison Policy Initiative: prisonpolicy.org -The Witness Foundation: thewitnessfoundation.co  FIGHTING RACISM is a miniseries powered by FOOTNOTES WITH JEMAR TISBY and is made in collaboration with the RELIGION NEWS SERVICE. Our producer for the show is Beau York with special thanks to Kathryn Post, Paul O'Donnell, Roxanne Stone, and Adelle Banks. Our sponsor for the series is Zondervan Reflective, publishers of How to Fight Racism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Racism is not an ideology invented by people of African descent—people of European descent who are considered white hold that dubious distinction. So what is the role of white people in fighting racism?  In part four of the Fighting Racism series, I talk with Shelley and David Park. They are the transracial adoptive parents of a son who is Black. They also composed a curriculum called “Let's Talk Race: A Beginners Guide to Conversations about Race.” In this 5-week course they talk to other white people about race.  Delve into the definition of an ally and how white people can act in solidarity with Black people and other people of color.  LINKS Let's Talk Race - Shelley and David Park Subscribe to JemarTisby.Substack.com so you'll never miss a new episode. Grab your copy of How to Fight Racism HERE. FIGHTING RACISM is a miniseries powered by FOOTNOTES WITH JEMAR TISBY and is made in collaboration with the RELIGION NEWS SERVICE. Our producer for the show is Beau York with special thanks to Kathryn Post, Paul O'Donnell, Roxanne Stone, and Adelle Banks. Our sponsor for the series is Zondervan Reflective, publishers of How to Fight Racism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode we are going to talk with someone who knows all too well the challenges of environmental racism externally and the challenges of fighting for racial and ethnic diversity internally at a company.  We are joined by Abigail Oduaol. She works for an organization called Earthjustice which employs more than 500 people. She serves as a senior development office but has also taken it upon herself to spearhead the company's antiracist initiatives and their efforts to make the workplace more responsive to the needs and concerns of its Black employees. This is an informative interview that will challenge and inspire you.  To learn more about Abigail Oduol and her work, click HERE Article: Creating Psychological Safety for Black Women at Your Company Article: Environmental Justice Must Lie at the Heart of Climate Action Article: How St. Louis Churches Are Revealing the Disparities in the Air We Breathe Article: Pew Research, Workplace Diversity 2023 Subscribe to JemarTisby.Substack.com so you'll never miss a new episode. Grab your copy of How to Fight Racism HERE. FIGHTING RACISM is a miniseries powered by FOOTNOTES WITH JEMAR TISBY and is made in collaboration with the RELIGION NEWS SERVICE. Our producer for the show is Beau York with special thanks to Kathryn Post, Paul O'Donnell, Roxanne Stone, and Adelle Banks. Our sponsor for the series is Zondervan Reflective, publishers of How to Fight Racism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode we hear what one homeschooling parent, Brytni McNeil is doing to create a more racially inclusive and honest culture in homeschooling. Brytni is so graciously vulnerable in sharing her story of coming from a colorblind approach to race to becoming color-conscious. She talks about the challenges of being a Black homeschooling parent and how she is working to make homeschooling families more aware of racial dynamics. Learn more about her work HERE. Subscribe to JemarTisby.Substack.com so you'll never miss a new episode.  Grab your copy of How to Fight Racism HERE. FIGHTING RACISM is a miniseries powered by FOOTNOTES WITH JEMAR TISBY and is made in collaboration with the RELIGION NEWS SERVICE. Our producer for the show is Beau York with special thanks to Kathryn Post, Paul O'Donnell, Roxanne Stone, and Adelle Banks. Our sponsor for the series is Zondervan Reflective, publishers of How to Fight Racism.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Welcome to the FIGHTING RACISM series, a project that explores how real people just like you are fighting racism in their everyday lives. My name is Dr. Jemar Tisby. I'm a historian, an author, a speaker, and a professor of history at Simmons College of Kentucky, and I will be your host and guide throughout this series. In this episode I unpack the ARC of Racial Justice and tell you how this series came about and what to expect. See below for the upcoming episode themes. Fighting Racism Series Real Stories from Real People - Jemar Tisby, PhD Confronting Racism in Homeschooling - Brynti McNeil Racial Justice at Work and in the Environment - Abigail Oduol How White Allies Can Talk to Other White People about Racism - Shelley & David Park Giving the Formerly Incarcerated a Chance at True Freedom - Stanley Frankart Addressing Racial and Religious Trauma through Mental Health Care - Adebisi Gbadamosi Subscribe to JemarTisby.Substack.com so you'll never miss a new episode.  Grab your copy of How to Fight Racism HERE. FIGHTING RACISM is a miniseries powered by FOOTNOTES WITH JEMAR TISBY and is made in collaboration with the RELIGION NEWS SERVICE. Our producer for the show is Beau York with special thanks to Kathryn Post, Paul O'Donnell, Roxanne Stone, and Adelle Banks. Our sponsor for the series is Zondervan Reflective, publishers of How to Fight Racism.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"Critical Race Theory has become a lightning rod in contemporary American politics and evangelical Christianity. This irenic book offers a critical but constructive and sympathetic introduction written from a perspective rooted in Scripture and Christian Theology." I sit down with the co-authors Dr. Robert Chao Romero and Dr. Jeff Liou to talk about the need for this book and the intersection between Christianity and Critical Race Theory.  Buy the book "Christianity and Critical Race Theory HERE.  Subscribe to my Substack and never miss an episode: JemarTisby.Substack.com  Subscribe to my YouTube! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In his new book, "More Than I Imagined: What a Black Man Discovered About the White Mother He Never Knew", CNN journalist John Blake shares an intimate story of his journey with race, faith, and forgiveness.  In this interview we talk about racial identity, the usefulness of the term "racial reconciliation," and a bit about The Wire.  John's book is now AVAILABLE!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jordan Neely used to dress up and do Michael Jackson impersonations. But on May 1, 2023, a Marine veteran on a subway train put him in a chokehold that led to his death. Neely had allegedly been shouting on the train about how he was thirsty, hungry, and tired of his situation. Neely should not have been killed. He suffered from homelessness and mental illness and the system failed him, we failed him, long before the day of his death.  We talk about why attacks against the houseless population should be classified as hate crimes, why we need better mental health care for this group, and how to have meaningful proximity to people who are unhoused.  Check out Dr. Lester's organization: Love Beyond Walls  And his latest book: All God's Children Follow on IG x Twitter: @IamTerenceLester  Be sure to subscribe to my Substack to support this work! JemarTisby.Substack.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices