S1 Ep19: "Christians are called to lay down our lives, not to take down other lives." - a podcast by Nish Weiseth and Amy Sullivan

Nish is away this week, so Amy is joined by guest co-host [Rachel Johnson](https://www.trcnyc.org/seniorstaff/), executive minister of communications at Riverside Church in New York City.

We had a wonderful conversation teasing out some tensions in American religion: religious institutions try to deal with sexual abuse allegations internally to protect their brand--but they're losing congregants precisely because they're not transparent.

Religious conservatives love to hold up "Christian America" as morally superior to the godless cousins over in Europe--and yet you're much more likely to find towns and cities limiting commerce on the Sabbath in Europe than in the U.S. (aside from Chik-fil-A…)

And white evangelicals are convinced that they are the most persecuted of religious groups despite--or perhaps because of--the fact that they have almost never been in any real physical risk in this country.

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Discussed This Week:

["Andy Savage resigns from Highpoint Church following investigation"](https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/2018/03/20/andy-savage-resigns-highpoint-church-following-investigation/441566002/) (Ron Maxey, USA Today Network)

["Update from Andy Savage"](http://www.highpointmemphis.com/important-updates/posts/update-from-andy-savage) (Highpoint Church in Memphis)

["Australian court hears public testimony in Cardinal Pell abuse case"](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/14/world/australia/george-pell-sexual-offenses.html) (Adam Baidawi, New York Times)

["We Need an Independent Investigation of Sovereign Grace Ministries"](http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2018/march-web-only/sovereign-grace-need-investigation-sgm-mahaney-denhollander.html) (Christianity Today)

["Streets deserted, airport closes for Bali's Day of Silence"](https://www.religionnews.com/2018/03/17/streets-deserted-airport-closes-for-balis-day-of-silence/) (Associated Press)

[Victoria](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/shows/victoria/) (Masterpiece Theater on PBS)

[](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhwktRDG_aQ)

[Won't You Be My Neighbor?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhwktRDG_aQ) (Trailer, Focus Features)

[TAG](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjC1zmZo30U) (Trailer, Warner Bros. Pictures)

[Be Still and Go](https://www.trcnyc.org/bestillandgo/) podcast (Riverside Church)

Further episodes of Impolite Company

Further podcasts by Nish Weiseth and Amy Sullivan

Website of Nish Weiseth and Amy Sullivan