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Kresta in the Afternoon – November 21, 2023 – Hour 1

It’s been 30 years since President Clinton signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. We look back at its significance with Dean John Czarnetzky of Ave Maria School of Law. Also, Tom Nash asks why our secular culture remains so fascinated with Exorcism movies and Al looks at some recent media missteps in religion news coverage.

 

Why do we have the Religious Freedom Restoration Act?

On November 16, 1993, President Clinton signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, commonly known as RFRA, into law. Why did Clinton feel the law was necessary at the time, and what is its significance today? Dean John Czarnetzky joins us.

Links for this Segment

Celebrating 30 Years of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act

Religious Freedom Day: An Important History, Given the Current Hostility

Ave Maria School of Law 

John Czarnetzky is Chief Executive Officer and Dean at the Ave Maria School of Law. He also serves as a legal adviser to the Holy See’s Mission to the United Nations, representing the Holy See in negotiations, including establishing the International Criminal Court and several international treaties, including one on the rights of persons with disabilities. Dean Czarnetzky is a lay member of the Dominican Order and a third-degree Knight of Columbus.

A Tale of Two Exorcisms

Al begins the segment with a quick review of some recent examples of the mainstream press misunderstanding religion stories. Also in this segment, despite its denial of God, our culture continues to be fascinated with the supernatural, which can be seen in the continued popularity of films that explore exorcisms and the demonic. The Exorcist: Believer was released last month as a direct sequel to The Exorcist to commemorate the original film’s 50th anniversary. We talk more about it with Tom Nash.

Links for this Segment

Important religion-news angles are everywhere, as Hamas triggers war with Israel

Dear Associated Press editors: The story of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter includes lots of faith

The Vatican’s statements on the German Synodal Way: a timeline

A Tale of Two Exorcisms

Exorcism in the Movies

Tom Nash has served the Church professionally for more than 35 years, including as a theology advisor for EWTN. He is a contributing apologist for Catholic Answers, and a contributing writer for both the National Catholic Register and Catholic World Report. Tom appears as a periodic guest host for Kresta in the Afternoon and has appeared as a regular guest apologist on Catholic Answers Live for more than a decade. Tom is the author of “The Biblical Roots of the Mass,” “What Did Jesus Do?: The Biblical Roots of the Catholic Church,” and “20 Answers: The Rosary.” He is also a contributing author to Catholic for a Reason: Scripture and the Mystery of the Mass, and Faith Facts: Answers to Catholic Questions, Vols. I and II. He is also a Regular Member of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars.
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