S5, Ep. 07: Barbara Jordan’s 1986 speech on church-state separation resonates today

Respecting Religion

American trailblazer Barbara Jordan delivered a powerful speech on the role of churches in shaping public policy at a BJC event in 1986. We’re bringing you this special presentation because her words resonate for our political climate today. Congresswoman Jordan notes that the institutional separation of church and state must be maintained, but that doesn’t mean the two can’t interact. She gives a strong case for Christian citizenship and being active in the policy realm. Plus, her wide-ranging Q&A covers nuclear conflicts, the “wall of separation” metaphor, and more.

SHOW NOTESSegment 1 (starting at 00:34): Barbara Jordan’s 1986 speech on the church and public policy

Barbara Jordan’s speech is from BJC’s 20th National Religious Liberty Conference, held in October 1986.

Learn more about Barbara Jordan from the following sources:

Biography from the Barbara Jordan Center

Biography from the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Article about Barabara Jordan written by William Broyles and published by Texas Monthly (1976)

Barbara Jordan’s obituary in The New York Times, written by Francis X. Clines (1996)

During her speech, Congresswoman Jordan mentions the letter from Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptists (1802). You can read it on the website of the Library of Congress.

Segment 2 (starting at 23:26): Q&A on nuclear conflict, the “wall of separation,” advocacy, and more

The audience members who asked questions did not have microphones, so we just shared the host’s repetition of questions in this segment. In two instances, Barbara Jordan repeated the question herself (at 32:22 and 33:58).

Segment 3 (starting at 40:29): Wrapping up today’s show

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