The Trump Administration has released a massive new report from its “Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias,” arguing that conservative Christians were targeted by the federal government under President Biden.

The report frames conflicts over abortion, LGBTQ rights, education, COVID policies, and workplace protections as evidence of anti-Christian discrimination.

In this episode of The Justice Briefing, Dr. Jemar Tisby examines the report’s arguments, historical claims, and political implications. He explores how white Christian nationalism uses grievance politics, why some Christians conflate losing cultural dominance with losing religious freedom, and what happens when Christianity becomes closely aligned with state power.

This episode also asks a deeper question: What kind of faith are we cultivating if Christianity requires political dominance to feel secure?

• Trump’s “Anti-Christian Bias Task Force” and Executive Order 14202
• Why the report focuses heavily on abortion, gender, and sexuality
• The difference between religious freedom and religious privilege
• How grievance politics fuels white Christian nationalism
• Why “Christian America” rhetoric pushes certain groups to the margins
• The relationship between Christianity and state power throughout history
• How pluralism gets reframed as hostility toward Christianity
• Why true faith does not depend on cultural dominance to survive

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If you value historically grounded analysis on faith, politics, and justice, support The Justice Briefing by becoming a paid subscriber at JemarTisby.Substack.com.

Conservatives on the Supreme Court dealt what amounts to a “death blow” to the Voting Rights Act.

But you don’t have to be a legal scholar to understand what really matters here.

The effect is to dilute the voting power of Black people and other people of color who tend to vote Democratic.

But the entire decision rests on a faulty understanding of racism and how to address it.

This assumption has a name: colorblindness. It is not a virtue.

If race caused the inequality, then race must be named in order to create equity.

• What the Supreme Court just did to the Voting Rights Act and why some are calling it a “death blow”
• How shifting from discriminatory impact to intent makes voting rights cases nearly impossible to win
• Why this decision could dilute Black voting power while appearing race-neutral
• The long history of voting rights—from Dred Scott v. Sandford to the Fifteenth Amendment to the Voting Rights Act of 1965
• How racism adapts over time and why “race-neutral” laws can still produce unequal outcomes
• The flawed logic of colorblindness and why ignoring race doesn’t solve racial inequality
• Why many churches are ill-equipped to respond to this moment—and how that happened
• Practical ways to mobilize, dissent, and take action—from local engagement to national advocacy

The best way to support The Justice Briefing is to become a paid subscriber: JemarTisby.Substack.com

Book a screening of our short documentary: Jesus Was a Migrant

In this episode of The Justice Briefing, Jemar Tisby examines the recent spotlight on Douglas Wilson—and why his influence is not new, just newly visible.

For years, Black Christians and other truth-tellers warned about Wilson’s theology, his views on race and gender, and his vision for a theocratic society. Those warnings were largely ignored. Now, as his ideas gain wider attention, the consequences are becoming harder to dismiss.

Tisby explores who Douglas Wilson is, how his influence spread through evangelical institutions, and what this moment reveals about the church’s failure to heed earlier warnings. This episode is a call to discernment, accountability, and a renewed commitment to protecting the vulnerable.

Summary article on Church Leaders

Sons of Patriarchy

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In this episode of The Justice Briefing, Dr. Jemar Tisby makes a clear and urgent case: stop trying to persuade white Christian nationalists. After nearly a decade of hardened political and theological divisions, the question is no longer who is confused—it’s what we do with the clarity we now have.

Drawing on history, current events, and a powerful re-reading of Mark 6, this episode reframes faithfulness not as endless argument, but as discernment, boundaries, and strategic action. If you’ve felt drained by unproductive debates, this conversation will help you reclaim your time—and your mission.

In this episode:

• Why this is a moment of moral clarity, not confusion
• The limits of persuasion in polarized media ecosystems
• The anatomy of white Christian nationalism
• How the church has weaponized “unity”
• A biblical case for setting boundaries (Mark 6)
• Why Jesus instructs his followers to move on
• Where to invest your energy for real impact

Study cited in episode: "When Fox News viewers flip to CNN, their opinions shift too, study finds" https://news.berkeley.edu/2022/04/07/when-fox-news-viewers-flip-to-cnn-their-opinions-shift-too-study-finds/

Book your screening of our short documentary "Jesus Was a Migrant": jesuswasamigrant.com

The best way to support The Justice Briefing and our indie film studio, Tisby Studios, is by becoming a paid subscriber: JemarTisby.Substack.com

People keep asking me, “How did it go?”

And I understand the question.

But there’s actually a better question.

The better question is, “What did last night signal?”

What happened last night was more than just a sold-out film premiere.

It was a signal. A shift. A glimpse of what the future of Christian storytelling could be.

This film is the first official production of Tisby Studios.

It’s proof that there is an audience for what I call Transformational faith films—stories that don’t just resolve tension, but channel it into action.

This is not a one-off project.

It’s the beginning of a pipeline.

Take Action

If this reflection with you—if it challenged you, unsettled you, or stayed with you—here are a few ways to take the next step:

1. Become a paid subscriber

Most of the support for this film came from this community.

If you want to see more projects like this—films that tell honest stories about faith, history, and justice—become a paid subscriber to Footnotes. Or upgrade to our FOUNDING TIER.

That’s how we keep building.

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2. Host a screening in your community

This film is meant to be experienced together.

Not alone on a screen, but in a room where people can turn to one another at the end and ask:

“What are we going to do?”

If you want to bring Jesus Was a Migrant to your church, school, or organization, start here:

👉🏾 jesuswasamigrant.com

3. Share this post

If this vision resonates with you, share it.

This is how movements grow—person to person, room to room.

If last night showed us anything, it’s this:

The future of Christian storytelling won’t be safe, simple, or sentimental—it will be truthful, communal, and transformational.

And the question now isn’t what we watched.

It’s: What are we going to do next?

P.S. Mark your calendar for a LIVE ONLINE SCREENING of Jesus Was a Migrant.

April 16, 7:30 pm ET. (registration details forthcoming)

Book a screening: JesusWasAMigrant.com

Support transformational faith films: JemarTisby.Substack.com

Right now the Christian film industry is dominated by what I’ve called “Devotional” films.

These films are often produced by people promoting a conservative—even fundamentalist—and heavily right-leaning version of Christianity.

Not every film needs to do everything. And each type of film has its place.

But we need more films in the Transformational category.

Too many stop with personal piety and holiness. Which is not bad but it’s incomplete.

Not enough films show how faith turns worldly logic upside down.

Not enough Christian films show how the heavenly Kingdom confronts earthly kingdoms.

Not enough Christian films interrogate laws, policies, and institutions.

This is the work of Tisby Studios and our first production--Jesus Was a Migrant.

Watch the trailer: HERE

Host a screening: HERE

Support more Christians films in the transformational category. Become a paid subscriber today: JemarTisby.Substack.com

Watch: How to Watch a Movie (As a Christian)

Watch: Homestead Movie Review

The scariest thing about the movies Get Out and Sinners isn’t the body-snatching or the blood-sucking. It’s how accurately they show us what whiteness does.

These films are not just horror stories. They are commentaries on extraction, exploitation, and colonization.

In this episode, Dr. Jemar compares the two films and the use of horror to convey deeper social truths.

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What role should the church play in a moment of rising authoritarianism and political instability?

In this episode of The Justice Briefing, Jemar Tisby sits down with Rev. Michael McBride—pastor, organizer, and executive director of Live Free USA—to explore why democracy depends on moral vision, collective action, and faith communities willing to show up.

This conversation goes beyond politics. It’s about the spiritual stakes of this moment—and what it means to practice a faith that actively pursues justice.

In this episode:

• Why democracy cannot survive without a moral foundation
• How faith is being distorted and weaponized today
• The historic role of the Black church in expanding democracy
• What “public theology” looks like in practice
• A real-world model for organizing: Live Free Love Free
• Why passive faith is not an option in this moment

If you’ve been wondering what faithfulness looks like in a time like this—this episode is for you.

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