Podcasts by Faith
The Roman Catholic Church's Ambassador to the Public Square in South Dakota
Further podcasts by Christopher J. Motz, Esq.
Podcast on the topic Christentum
All episodes
FFP P Episode 115: South Dakota’s Pivotal Moment on Abortion from 2023-05-30T21:08:18
South Dakota’s 2023 legislative session marked the first time that state lawmakers had gathered since the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its June 24, 2022 decision in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson W...
Listen
F&P Episode 114: Obscenity and the First Amendment from 2023-05-09T18:04:53
During the 2023 legislative session, South Dakota lawmakers introduced five different bills that sought to regulate the spread of obscenity, especially by limiting the access of minors to harmful m...
Listen
FFP P Episode 115: South Dakota’s Pivotal Moment on Abortion from 2023-04-18T17:54:55
In the year 2000 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug mifepristone (also known as RU-486 or Mifeprex) as part of a regimen for chemically induced abortions. But on April 7,...
Listen
F&P Episode 112: Marijuana, addiction, and South Dakota’s future from 2023-03-29T21:09:17
In 2022 voters rejected a measure to legalize recreational marijuana in South Dakota. Yet in the 2023 session of the state legislature, a dozen bills were introduced related to marijuana, and in 20...
Listen
F&P Episode 111: Sex, gender, and surgery: a Catholic doctor’s perspective from 2023-01-31T21:44:03
Host Michael Pauley is joined by Dr. Alfonso Oliva, a physician specializing in plastic and reconstructive surgery, and a member of the Executive Board of the Catholic Medical Association. Dr. Oliv...
Listen
F&P Episode 110: The abortion threat in South Dakota from 2022-11-08T21:29:42
Michael Pauley is joined by Jon Hansen for a discussion of a proposed amendment that would create a right to abortion in the South Dakota state constitution. Hansen is the Speaker Pro Tempore of th...
Listen
F&P Episode 109: Marijuana: Panacea or Poison? from 2022-11-01T20:00:49
Chris Motz and Michael Pauley welcome Dr. Bonnie Omdahl for a conversation about marijuana, Initiated Measure 27, and public health. Dr. Omdahl explores what medical science says about the effects ...
Listen
F&P Episode 108: Marijuana and Crime from 2022-09-27T21:16:42
Co-host Michael Pauley is joined by Pat West, Sheriff-elect of Meade County, for a discussion of marijuana and its association with criminal behavior. Michael and Pat examine a number of questions ...
Listen
F&P Episode 107: The Pitfalls of Legalizing Marijuana from 2022-08-30T16:00:21
Co-hosts Michael Pauley and Chris Motz welcome guest Emily Leedom, Executive Director of the Lourdes Center in the Diocese of Sioux Falls, for a discussion of Initiated Measure 27, a ballot measure...
Listen
F&P Episode 106: Catholics and the Two Cities from 2022-08-16T13:21:11
Michael Pauley welcomes Fr. Henry Stephan, O.P., of Notre Dame University to the program for a far-reaching conversation on how Catholics should engage with politics (the City of Man) without losin...
Listen
F&P Episode: 99 – Virtue, Law, and Community from 2022-03-29T17:00:56
Chris welcomes back Dr. Chris Burgwald. First, they discuss Pope Francis's recent invitation to the bishops of the world to join him in consecrating Ukraine and Russia to the Immaculate Heart of M...
Listen
F&P Episode: 98 – Hey, What’s the Problem?! from 2022-03-15T17:24:09
The Problem of Evil. Chris is joined again by Dr. John Schaff, Professor of Government and Director of the Center for Public History and Civic Engagement at Northern State University. They discus...
Listen
F&P Episode: 97 – Evangelicals&Catholics Together from 2022-03-08T18:00:43
On this episode, Chris welcomes back Norman Woods, executive director of the Family Heritage Alliance. Chris announces his departure from the helm of the Catholic Conference and gives Norman a boo...
Listen
F&P Episode: 96 – Catholic Microschools from 2022-03-01T18:00:25
On this episode, Chris is joined by Dr. Kevin Baxter, former superintendent of Catholic schools for the largest U.S. archdiocese, Chief Innovation Officer for the National Catholic Education Associ...
Listen
F&P Episode: 95 – Chris&Chris talk politics from 2022-02-15T18:00:28
Airing for this week's installment of F&P is a segment from Catholic Views, the weekly broadcast of the diocese of Sioux Falls. Guest host Dr. Chris Burgwald interviews SD Catholic Conference ...
Listen
F&P Episode: 94 – Marijuana Policy from 2022-02-08T18:00:09
Chris is joined by Luke Niforatos, Executive Vice President at Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM). Luke shares SAM's position on marijuana policy, unpacks who is driving the push to legalize marij...
Listen
F&P Episode: 93 – God, Country, and Grace from 2022-02-01T19:56:51
Chris gives a legislative update to open this episode, and then welcomes Fr. Joe Forcelle, a priest of the diocese of Sioux Falls. Fr. Forcelle recently directed a one-day retreat titled, "God and...
Listen
F&P Episode: 92 – Week 3 Legislative Update from 2022-01-25T12:00:31
Your road-weary host gets a chance to relax in the studio with Dr. Chris Burgwald, for a conversation on the moral implications of a number of bills currently in the legislative process. They discu...
Listen
F&P Episode: 91 – The Science of Chemical Abortions from 2022-01-17T18:00:42
This week, Chris is joined by Dr. Glenn Ridder a family practice doctor, medical director at the Alpha Center, state director of the Catholic Medical Association, and a permanent deacon for the dio...
Listen
F&P Episode: 90 – 2022 Legislative Preview from 2022-01-11T18:43:38
This episode, Chris is joined by Norman Woods, director of Family Heritage Alliance for a preview of the 2022 legislative session. They talk about sexual identity and compassion, pro-life, educatio...
Listen
F&P Episode: 89 – Family policy is what our nation needs from 2022-01-04T18:00:36
On this episode, Chris is joined by Dr. Scott Yenor, professor of political science at Boise State University, where he teaches political philosophy. He is the author of The Recovery of Family Lif...
Listen
F&P Episode: 88 – Vaccines and Bioethics from 2021-12-28T18:00
On this episode Chris is joined by Cameo Anders, a South Dakota lawyer and bioethicist, and Dr. John DiCamillo, a staff ethicist at the National Catholic Bioethics Center. They take up the topic of...
Listen
F&P Episode: 87 – Catholic Teaching&Parent Choice in Education Policy from 2021-12-21T18:36:21
Chris is joined this episode by Shawn Peterson, president of Catholic Education Partners, an organization founded by US bishops in 2017 in order to provide a Catholic voice in education choice poli...
Listen
F&P Episode: 86 – Strong Towns – Cultivating a Human Habitat from 2021-12-16T18:04:09
As Catholics, we know the importance of intentionality in church design. Beauty matters, layout matters, elements of proportionality and ratio matter. Taking this as a metaphor for city planning, t...
Listen
F&P Episode: 85 – Children’s Rights & Surrogacy from 2021-12-07T20:15:18
On this episode, Chris is joined by Katy Faust, Founder and Director of Them Before Us, an organization formed to advance and defend the primacy of children’s rights above adult desires. Chri...
Listen
F&P Episode: 84 – “Woke” Pseudo-Religion and Christianity from 2021-11-23T12:00:16
Regular guest Dr. Jon Schaff returns to the show to unpack a new address given by Archbishop Jose Gomez, president of the USCCB, titled, “Reflections on the Church and America’s New Rel...
Listen
F&P Episode: 83 – The Solemnity of Christ the King and Religious Liberty from 2021-11-16T14:30:08
On this episode, Chris is joined by past guest Dr. Aaron Weldon, program director for the USCCB Committee on Religious Liberty. Aaron explains why this great feast is linked to our religious freedo...
Listen
F&P Episode: 82 – Who was Fr. DeSmet? from 2021-11-09T19:28:29
Fr. John Paul Trask joins the show to share about the life of Fr. Pierre Jean DeSmet, a Belgian Jesuit who dedicated his life to mission among the native peoples of the west. Fr. DeSmet’s nin...
Listen
F&P Episode: 81 – South Dakota Pro-Life Litigation from 2021-10-26T21:34:27
On this episode, we get a front row seat to an interview by Dale Bartscher with Harold Cassidy, the attorney representing Alpha Center as intervenor in the state of South Dakota’s lawsuit wit...
Listen
F&P Episode: 80 – The South Dakota Right to Life Update from 2021-10-19T11:00:37
Chris is joined by Dale Bartscher, executive director of SD Right to Life. Dale recaps SDRTL’s recent 50th Anniversary Convention in Sioux Falls, shares about the process for reviewing legisl...
Listen
F&P Episode: 79 – Pro-Abortion Policies at Health and Human Services from 2021-10-12T17:00:09
On this episode, Chris is joined by Rachel Morrison, a lawyer from the Ethics and Public Policy Center and member of its HHS Accountability Project. Rachel unpacks recent moves by the federal HHS d...
Listen
F&P Episode: 78 – Respect Life Month: Alpha Center from 2021-10-05T18:20:41
On this episode, Chris is joined by Leslee Unruh, founder of Alpha Center, a pregnancy help center based in Sioux Falls. Leslee shares Alpha’s mission to “clear the confusion with a mes...
Listen
F&P Episode: 77 – The Formative Power of Music from 2021-09-28T14:01:57
On this episode, Chris is joined by music-lover, Fr. Tony Klein. They discuss the South Dakota state anthem, singing the Mass, how to discern beauty in music, music’s role in shaping the hear...
Listen
F&P Episode: 76 – F&P Mini from 2021-09-21T11:00:56
Chris Motz gives a news round-up (SD education policy, federal “Women’s Health Protection Act,” and call to prayer on the Dobbs case) and shares “Doing the Truth,” an ...
Listen
F&P Episode: 75 – A Spiritual Biography of Marx from 2021-09-14T19:07:55
On this episode, Chris is joined by Dr. Paul Kengor, Senior Director and Chief Academic Fellow for The Institute for Faith & Freedom and Professor of Political Science at Grove City College. Th...
Listen
F&P Episode: 74 – Individualism & Unity from 2021-09-10T19:10:04
On this episode, Chris is joined by thinker and writer Jack Gist (ft. on Ep. 25, Disputatio and the 1619 Project) to discuss a new essay from Jack, “Individualism, relativism, and the most ex...
Listen
F&P Episode: 73 – The Political Path Forward: Get Married and Have Kids from 2021-08-31T20:21:49
On this episode, Chris is joined once again by Dr. Jon Schaff, professor of political science at Northern State University. Dr. Schaff unpacks the traditional teaching on the conditions for a just ...
Listen
F&P Episode: 72 – The Political Path Forward: Get Married and Have Kids from 2021-08-24T19:25:23
Jessica Kramer joins the show to discuss a recent article she authored on politics and family formation. After briefly sharing her conversion story, she shares her observations from a recent policy...
Listen
F&P Episode: 71 – Unpacking Fulton, and a Half Page of Trouble in the Infrastructure Bill from 2021-08-17T17:00:38
Cameo Anders a graduate of the Ave Maria School of Law, has a Masters in Theology and a certificate in Bioethics, joins us this week to take on this hot topic of religious exemptions surrounding th...
Listen
F&P Episode: 70 – Unpacking Fulton, and a Half Page of Trouble in the Infrastructure Bill from 2021-08-03T20:27:25
Chris is joined on this episode by David Trimble, Vice President for Public Policy and Director of the Center for Religious Freedom Education at the Religious Freedom Institute. David breaks down t...
Listen
F&P Episode: 69 – Catholic Adoption in South Dakota from 2021-08-03T20:27:25
This episode, Chris is joined by Kelli Whartman, the executive director of Trinity Pregnancy and Adoption, a Catholic agency serving the whole state. Kelli shares her own witness to faith and pass...
Listen
F&P Episode: 68 – Individualism, the Decline of Institutions, and Friendship from 2021-07-27T20:44:12
On this episode, Chris is joined by Fr. Justin Brophy, O.P., professor of political science at Providence College, Rhode Island. In a short diagnosis of our present moment as Americans, Fr. Brophy ...
Listen
F&P Episode: 67 – Taxpayer Funded Abortions? What??! from 2021-07-20T18:21:16
On this episode, Chris is joined by Kat Talalas, the associate director for communications at the Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities at the USCCB. For those who haven’t been closely followin...
Listen
F&P Episode: 66 – 2020 SD Abortion Report from 2021-07-12T17:00:57
Chris is joined by Dale Bartscher, executive director of South Dakota Right to Life, to discuss the state Department of Health’s annual abortion report, published on July 1. They also recap t...
Listen
F&P Episode: 65 – Sacrificial Love: Adoption & Foster Parenting from 2021-07-06T18:47:18
Chris is joined by Jeff Wald, a Minnesota-based lawyer and writer (but who is quick to tell us he’s a North Dakotan). Jeff shares about his and his wife Jackie’s journey with adoption a...
Listen
F&P Episode: 64- What is the Purpose of Government? from 2021-06-29T17:00:17
Host Chris Motz is joined this week by Dr. Chad Pecknold, professor of theology at Catholic University of America (and prolific tweeter — @ccpecknold). Chris tosses a listener question to the...
Listen
F&P Episode: 63 – Religious Freedom Jurisprudence and Fulton v. Philadelphia from 2021-06-22T19:16:19
On this episode, Chris is joined by Christopher Dodson, J.D., executive director of the North Dakota Catholic Conference. Christopher unpacks the development of Free Exercise clause cases in the 2...
Listen
F&P Episode: 62 – St. Thomas More Society from 2021-06-15T19:14:11
On this episode, Chris is joined by Nick Michels, a Catholic attorney in South Dakota, who is starting a St. Thomas More Society — an organization for Catholic lawyers and politicians. With t...
Listen
F&P Episode: 61 – Distributism from 2021-06-08T18:36:50
On this episode, Chris and regular guest Dr. Jon Schaff unpack an economic and social idea known as distributism. Rooted in the social teaching of Pope Leo XIII, Pope Pius XI, and others, distribut...
Listen
F&P Episode: 60 – Stop Taxpayer-funded Abortions from 2021-06-01T14:44:45
Chris Motz is joined by Greg Schleppenbach, the associate director of the Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities at the USCCB to discuss current threats to the Hyde Amendment, which for 45 years has k...
Listen
F&P Episode: 59 – Catholic Health Insurance and Catholic Identity from 2021-05-25T17:00:06
On this episode, Chris is joined by Doug Wilson, CEO of Catholic Benefits Association, an membership-based organization that facilitates health insurance for Catholic entities. Doug describes the b...
Listen
F&P Episode: 58 – The Harms of Surrogacy from 2021-05-18T17:00:24
On this episode, Chris is joined by Grace Melton, author of a recent article titled How Surrogacy Harms Women and Children, published at the National Interest. After Chris recaps the recent histor...
Listen
F&P Episode: 57 – An Organic Farmer shares about Laudato Si’ from 2021-05-11T18:52:03
On this episode, Chris is joined by Dan Denis, a Catholic father and farmer from the Saskatchewan prairie. Inspired by the social teaching of the Church, including Laudato Si’, several years...
Listen
F&P Episode: 56 – Political Philosophy from 2021-05-04T19:51:45
On this episode Chris is joined by Prof. Joe Rutten, director of the Benedictine Leadership Institute at Mount Marty University. Chris and Joe discuss faith and reason, talking about hard topics wi...
Listen
F&P Episode: 55 – Gender Ideology and the Law from 2021-04-27T17:09:07
Chris is joined on this episode by Mary Rice Hasson, the Kate O’Beirne Fellow in Catholic Studies at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. Mary also directs the Catholic Women’s ...
Listen
F&P Episode: 54 – Race & Racism from 2021-04-20T19:32:02
On this episode, Chris is joined again by Dr. Jon Schaff, professor of political science at Northern State University. Chris and Dr. Schaff discuss race and racism, a topic on the minds of many Am...
Listen
F&P Episode: 53 – National Child Abuse Prevention Month from 2021-04-13T13:00:09
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Bishop Donald DeGrood joins us in studio to talk about some of the woundedness that the church has and still experiences.
Listen
F&P Episode: 52 – Green Thomism from 2021-03-30T19:41:25
On this episode, Chris is joined by Dr. Christopher Thompson, professor of theology at St. Paul Seminary, to talk about his book, The Joyful Mystery: Field Notes Toward a Green Thomism. Dr. Thompso...
Listen
F&P Episode: 51 – Gender Dysphoria & the Theology of the Body from 2021-03-23T18:48:54
On this episode, Chris is joined by Dr. Andrew Sodergren, a Catholic clinical psychologist with experience with gender dysphoria. Dr. Sodergren unpacks the Theology of the Body, gender dysphoria, g...
Listen
F&P Episode: 50 – Freedom and the Equality Act from 2021-03-16T18:25:34
This episode contains content on loan from the podcast Leedom to Life. The host of that show, Emily Leedom, interviews Faith & Politics host Chris Motz on the meaning of freedom and the substa...
Listen
F&P Episode: 49 – Pro-Life Legislative Recap from 2021-03-09T17:05:24
As the 2021 South Dakota legislative session winds down, Chris Motz is joined by SD Right to Life Executive Director Dale Bartscher. Chris and Dale run through the list of pro-life legislation cons...
Listen
F&P Episode: 48 – Americans United for Life and Rights of Medical Conscience from 2021-02-23T19:50:56
On this episode, Chris is joined by Americans United for Life Government Relations Counsel, Katie Glenn. Katie recently testified in support of South Dakota House Bill 1247, known as the Medical C...
Listen
F&P Episode: 47 – Religious Freedom from 2021-02-16T21:30:07
Chris is joined once more by political science professor, Dr. Jon Schaff. On this episode, they tackle the legal background of religious freedom in the United States, and the ways in which religiou...
Listen
F&P Episode: 46 – 2021 Session update from 2021-02-09T20:07:47
On this episode SD Catholic Conference director is joined by Norman Woods, executive director of Family Heritage Alliance. Chris and Norman give a full run down of all the SD Catholic Conference-su...
Listen
F&P Episode: 45 – Parents as Primary Educators from 2021-02-02T21:28:02
On this episode, Chris gives an update on several pending bills, and then is joined by Julie Chrisitan to talk about the Church’s teachings on education , how these teachings can apply to hom...
Listen
F&P Episode: 44 – Legislative Session Bill Update from 2021-01-26T21:10:59
On this episode, Chris is joined by Deacon Denny Davis to discuss support for Senate Bill 98, a bill to ban capital punishment in most cases in South Dakota. Chris is then joined by Dr. Chris Burgw...
Listen
Faith & Politics – Primordial Justice Owed by Man to God from 2021-01-19T20:55:19
On this episode, Chris Motz is joined by Brandon McGinley, co-author with Dr. Scott Hahn of a new book titled It is Right and Just: Why the Future of Civilization Depends on True Religion. Timely a...
Listen
Faith & Politics – Jan. 6 at the Capitol, and the road ahead from 2021-01-12T18:09:53
Chris is joined again by Prof. Jon Schaff, professor of political science at Northern State University. They discuss the scenes of chaos and violence in the nation’s capitol last week,...
Listen
Faith & Politics – Them Before Us from 2021-01-04T22:03:05
On this episode, Chris is joined by Katy Faust, Founder and Director of Them Before Us, an organization seeking to put children’s rights before adult desires. Them Before Us has flippe...
Listen
Faith & Politics – Religious Freedom and Rights of Conscience in Health Care from 2020-12-29T15:00:39
On this episode, Chris is joined by Louis Brown, Executive Director of Christ Medicus, an organization focused on sharing Jesus Christ’s healing love in health care, building authentically C...
Listen
Faith & Politics – St. Benedict & St. Francis de Sales from 2020-12-21T22:06:02
On this episode, Chris is joined by regular guest Dr. Jon Schaff, professor of political science at Northern State University. Chris and Prof. Schaff reflect on some of the problems technolo...
Listen
Faith & Politics – COVID Vaccines and Catholic Ethics from 2020-12-15T21:16:49
COVID Vaccines and Catholic ethics. On this episode, Chris is joined by National Catholic Bioethics Center-trained ethicist Cameo Anders. They discuss the development and rollout of...
Listen
Faith & Politics – The study of Political Science, English, and liberal arts — AND working for a Senator right after college from 2020-12-08T19:49:05
In this episode, Chris is joined by Aberdeen native Dylan Kessler, who shares about his studies at Hillsdale College, working for a South Dakota Senator after graduating, and more.
Listen
Faith & Politics – First Educators: Empowering parents to direct the education of their children from 2020-11-23T20:45:44
Chris is joined by Shawn Peterson, South Dakota native and executive director of Catholic Education Partners, a bishops-founded organization that works to share the Catholic teaching in favor of pa...
Listen