Tuesday Talk: Church and State at the Nation’s 250th Birthday, Part 2

Tuesday Talk: Church and State at the Nation’s 250th Birthday, Part 2 with Tony Robinson

Tuesday, July 14

12:00PM – 1:00PM

Part 1 of this conversation drew a strong turnout and sparked thoughtful discussion, and so we’re pleased to invite Tony Robinson back to continue the series for Part 2.

Join author, teacher, pastor, and theologian Tony Robinson as we continue exploring the First Amendment and the evolving relationship between church and state in the United States.

Tony will briefly review key ideas from Part 1, including the founders’ motivations and intentions, before moving into a contemporary discussion of the church–state boundary today. Drawing on Brookings Institution scholar Jonathan Rauch and his recent book Crossed Purposes: Christianity’s Broken Bargain with Democracy, he will consider how faith and democracy continue to shape—and challenge—one another.

The session will also revisit questions raised in Part 1, including: Why are young people turning to the Catholic Church? What is the difference between “religion” and “spirituality”? And what happens when religion or church becomes a source of division within families?

The goal of this conversation is not to heighten tension in already polarized times, but to bring clarity and thoughtful perspective to complex and important issues in our shared civic and spiritual life.

Free to the public.  All are welcome!  We’ll have coffee and tea!

Tony Robinson is the author of Transforming Congregational Culture, Common Grace: How to Be a Person, and What’s Theology Got To Do With It?.