October 18, 2017

Xenophobia and Antisemitism in the Age of Donald Trump | SUNY New Paltz

Dr. Michaelson reviews the data on increased xenophobia in the Trump era, and calls for a richer understanding of antisemitism and its relationship to nationalist populism.  [Click here to watch]

June 26, 2017

SCOTUS Puts Travel Ban on Life Support | MSNBC

Jay Michaelson discusses the Trump travel ban on the Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell [Click here to watch]

May 12, 2017

Retreat or Resist? Dharma Practice in the Age of Trump

This talk was given by Rabbi Dr. Jay Michaelson on May 2, 2017, at the Mindful Reflection Community of Unity Temple in Oak Park, Chicago.

May 7, 2017

Religious Liberty and LGBT Equality at the Supreme Court | NPR

Jay is interviewed on public radio's State of Belief show.

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February 8, 2017

Religious Liberty, Civil Rights, And Public Policy | Pitt Law School

Dr. Jay Michaelson and Prof. Ira Karoll debate liberal vs. conservative understandings of religious liberty.

July 26, 2016

Religion and the Democrats | State of Belief

Live from the Democratic National Convention, July 2016

July 19, 2016

Warren for VP? | CNN

Should Hillary Clinton choose Elizabeth Warren as her running mate?

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April 3, 2016

The Supreme Court Nomination of Judge Merrick Garland |Charlie Rose Show

A discussion about President Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland the Supreme Court. Charlie is joined by Jan Crawford of CBS News, Adam Liptak of the New York Times, and Jay Michaelson of The Daily Beast [click here to watch].

October 16, 2015

Newsmax Now: How social media has impacted the Israel-Palestine conflict

The contributing editor at The Daily Beast and author of "Evolving Dharma" and "God vs. Gay?" discusses how social media has impacted the Israel-Palestine conflict.

August 13, 2015

The Prosecutor Problem | The Daily Beast Podcast

Daily Beast reporter Jay Michaelson digs into the problem of prosecutorial misconduct across the country and some of the reforms needed to repair the judicial system.

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July 2, 2015

The Religious Divide Over Same-Sex Marriage | NPR Interfaith Voices

Will the landmark decision to legalize gay marriage nationwide spark a showdown between gay rights and religious freedom? A Rabbi Jay Michaelson and a conservative Christian weigh in.

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April 26, 2015

Religious Freedom and LGBT Rights | HuffPost Religion

Jay Michaelson is among the guests speaking about the continuing battle around the American protection and definition of religious liberty.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:50 — 15.0MB)

April 2, 2015

What’s Changed Since The First Religious Liberty Law Was Passed In 1993?

Jay participates in a National Public Radio piece on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

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March 24, 2015

Prayer Breakfast Dispute: Christianity and the Crusades | Meet the Press

Dr. Michaelson's work discussed in conversation with Random House editor Jon Meacham on President Obama's speech.

Watch here.

March 24, 2015

Marriage Equality and the National Prayer Breakfast | State of Belief

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March 24, 2015

Gays Under Attack Over Ebola | MSNBC

The underreported story you wanted to hear more about. We talk to Jay Michaelson of The Daily Beast about a disturbing development in Liberia where some are blaming the Ebola outbreak on the LGBT community.

May 24, 2014

Gay Rights and Religious Freedom | Newseum

Is common ground possible?

May 19, 2014

Queer Theology & Social Transformation | Pacific School of Religion

Dr. Jay Michaelson delivered the Seventh Annual CLGS John. E Boswell lecture on Thursday, April 24, 2014 at Pacific School of Religion.

Queer theology holds forth the promise of reinventing theological discourse in the light of LGBTQ experience, queer theory, and a hermeneutic informed by marginalized voices and outsider discourse. But how does the queer theological enterprise intersect with queer activism? What are the possibilities, and perils, of translating between theology and activist practice? What forms of political discourse are informed by queer theology, and what are undermined?

March 24, 2014

State of Belief: The Folly of Hobby Lobby

As the US Supreme Court hears oral arguments in the Hobby Lobby case, opening the door to finding constitutional protections for corporations' "religious consciences," Dr. Jay Michaelson talks about what's at stake in this very important trial.

February 25, 2014

Amid Controversy, ‘Right To Refuse’ Bill Hits Governor’s Desk |NPR

Arizona's Republican Governor Jan Brewer is being pressured to veto a bill that would allow business owners in the state to deny service to gays and lesbians. Jay Michaelson speaks with NPR's Ted Robbins.

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February 20, 2014

Religious Freedom Legislation is Really Anti-LGBT

Jay Michaelson and Saeed Jones talk to Fusion.net about the motivations behind "religious freedom" laws.

February 11, 2014

Russia’s Anti-Gay Crackdown | WNPR

Jay speaks on The Colin McEnroe Show about Russia's LGBT community and anti-gay laws.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 49:29 — 11.3MB)

January 24, 2014

Religious Refusals: The New Front in the Culture War | Yale Law School

Lecture given at Yale Law School in January 2014

January 11, 2014

When The Right To Religion Conflicts With A Changing Society | NPR All Things Considered

Jay Michaelson, a fellow at the liberal Political Research Associates, wrote a report on "redefining religious liberty."

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July 1, 2013

God vs. Gay | NPR RadioWest

Jay Michaelson talks about religion and sexual diversity on NPR RadioWest

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June 3, 2013

Homophobia | State of Belief Radio

Jay Michaelson discusses homophobia: what it is, how it is created, and what impact it has on Queer People and on our larger culture. He also talks about the concept of "internalized homophobia."

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:34 — 14.0MB)

March 25, 2013

Redefining Religious Liberty: The Covert Campaign Against Civil Rights

Jay Michaelson speaks with Gretchen Borchelt of the National Women’s Law Center and Rob Boston of Americans United in a conference briefing for his new report, Redefining Religious Liberty: The Covert Campaign Against Civil Rights.

March 23, 2013

Religious Liberty | State of Belief

Religious Liberty used to mean freedom from persecution and even death—and still does in many parts of the world. But how did this powerful phrase come to represent the interests of conservative Christians in this country? How did oppression get redefined to mean not being able to impose one's own beliefs on others? An explosive new report from Political Research Associates explains how we got here, and how high the stakes are if things keep moving in this direction. Author Jay Michaelson is with us.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:47 — 10.4MB)

March 23, 2013

On the History of Religious Liberty | State of Belief Radio

Jay Michaelson speaks about a new report from Political Research Associates about the history of religious liberty.

Religious Liberty used to mean freedom from persecution and even death—and still does in many parts of the world. But how did this powerful phrase come to represent the interests of conservative Christians in this country? How did oppression get redefined to mean not being able to impose one’s own beliefs on others? An explosive new report from Political Research Associates explains how we got here, and how high the stakes are if things keep moving in this direction.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:47 — )

December 11, 2012

State of Belief: The End is Near

What is it about the idea of impending doom that seems to hold an attraction for so many of us? Whether it's the Maya prediction, the "fiscal cliff" rhetoric, Y2k, or some other version of "the end is near," the concept seems to hold a perverse appeal