Faithful Politics Podcast
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Church, State, and the Courts: Rachel Laser on the Fight for Religious Freedom
Posted
March 17, 2026
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38
March 17, 2026
38
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In this episode of Faithful Politics, Will Wright and Pastor Josh Burtram speak with Rachel Laser, President and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, about the growing legal and political battles over religion in American public life. Laser argues the country is in a “code red” moment for church-state separation as court rulings and policy efforts increasingly blur the lines between religious belief and government authority.
The conversation explores recent controversies including efforts to post the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms, parental rights claims affecting school curriculum, and religious freedom challenges to abortion laws. Laser explains how these cases reflect deeper tensions in a religiously diverse country where different faith traditions often interpret moral and legal questions very differently.
Throughout the discussion, the hosts examine how these conflicts are shaping debates over religious liberty, public education, and constitutional protections, while asking whether church-state separation remains the best framework for protecting both faith and pluralism in American democracy.
Guest Bio
Rachel Laser is the President and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to defending religious freedom and ensuring that religion and government remain separate. She has spent her career working in civil rights advocacy and public policy, including leadership roles at the Open Society Foundations and other national organizations focused on democracy and human rights.
Resources and Links
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Summit for Religious Freedom
Support Sarah Stankorb’s work and preorder Damned If She DoesWhy Women Quit Church and What It Means for the Future of Religion, Releases September 15, 2026. Bookshop.org
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