Special Episode: "Peacemakers Needed" -- Landmark address by Russell M. Nelson, former world-renowned heart surgeon, now serving as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Josh Sabo: An unexpected spiritual journey led him to becoming a pastor, followed by a spiritual restlessness leading to an equally unexpected path to serve a broader community as the executive director of Heartland HOUSED, devoted to achieving functional zero homelessness in Springfield, Illinois, through a housing first strategy of collective impact.

In this continuation of a conversation begun in Episode 12, host David Risley and University of Illinois Professor Robin Fretwell Wison are joined by University of Illinois Student Toby George to discuss "Tolerance Means Dialogues" in both principle and practice.

Tolerance Means Dialogues website: https://www.tolerancemeans.com/

Robin Fretwell Wilson website: https://robinfretwellwilson.com/

God Unites website: https://GodUnites.com

#peacemakers #tolerance #lgbt #lgbtq

Professor Robin Fretwell Wilson of the University of Illinois discusses reconciling freedom of religion and sometimes competing civil liberties, including nondiscrimination.

Professor Wilson discusses how the "Utah Compromise" is an example of how lawmakers can work together across political and social divides to find ways to both protect and harmonize the basic civil liberties of freedom of religion, nondiscrimination, child welfare, and other interests.

Professor Wilson asserts that younger people, including her own students, can lead the way forward in finding peace and harmony in the midst of diversity. She notes that many older people see and therefore fuel contention where there it need not exist, while many younger people find ways to allow others with differing perspectives and values to be accepted while still remaining true to their authentic selves. She emphasizes the importance of young adults who are already leading in their communities and highlights the inspiring essays on the "Tolerance Means Dialogue" website to showcase their leadership.

That thread is continued in Episode 13, in which University of Illinois student Toby George joins the discussion.

Robin Fretwell Wilson website: https://robinfretwellwilson.com/

Tolerance Means Dialogues website: https://www.tolerancemeans.com/

News article about Utah Compromise: https://www.deseret.com/2021/5/4/22417652/meeting-in-the-middle-religious-freedom-lgbtq-rights-fairness-for-all-equality-act

God Unites website: https://GodUnites.com

#GodUnites #robinfretwellwilson #freedomofreligion #religiousliberty #utahcompromise #nondiscrimination #lbgt #lgbtq

Lisa Daniels found healing when she forgave her son's killer. She now leads the Darren B. Easterling Center for Restorative Practices. Through her work, Lisa lives out Jesus's teachings on forgiveness from the Sermon on the Mount. Her story shows restorative justice principles in action.

Confronting System Failures

Lisa shares her direct experience with the criminal justice system. She found that officials often ignore or minimize victims' interests and views. This happens even when they claim to seek justice for victims. Her insights come from personal loss, not theoretical understanding.

Informed by Experience

Lisa brings a realistic perspective to her work. Her clarity comes from both her personal journey and professional experience. Until recently, she served on the Illinois Prisoner Review Board. There, she reviewed applications from people serving long sentences for serious crimes.

Restorative Justice Principles

In the latter part of this episode, Lisa moves beyond her personal story. She explains the basic principles of restorative justice that now drive her life's work. These principles focus on healing for all involved parties rather than punishment alone.

Scott Reeder, journalist and man of faith, shares four stories of his faith journey and the power of prayer: (1) beginnings; (2) forgiveness and praying for years for an enemy, with unexpected results for both men; (3) prayers to find and marry a wife that were answered 18 years later in a surprising and yet unmistakable manner; and (4) his ministry to people incarcerated in prison who are united by God and with God.

Podcast website: https://GodUnites.com
Companion podcast: https://JusticeVoices.org

Arthur Stern had no thought of becoming Rabbi Stern while pursuing a successful career in business, certainly not while living in a homeless shelter during a period when his life came apart due to addiction to alcohol and other drugs. Even when the voice unexpectedly came to him to become a rabbi – a message that seemed to be from God – he struggled with accepting it as actually a message from God. But, after a series of events confirming that was the direction God wanted him to go, and even though he was again working full time as a business executive, Arthur Stern went to rabbinical school and became Rabbi Stern.

President Dallin H. Oaks of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints speaks on religious freedom and nondiscrimination in giving the 2021 Joseph Smith Lecture on Religious Liberty at the University of Virginia. (Republished with permission.) (Link to transcript below.)

As host David Risley says in the introduction to this episode, "I worry that freedom of religion is getting a bad name, coming to be regarded by many as little more than a claimed justification for discrimination against disfavored groups, sometimes even those with differing religious beliefs and beliefs about religion."

This episode is different than most because it features a prerecorded lecture, rather than a live guest. The lecture is far more dense with substance and value than could be packed into a conversation. It is foundational to discourse on this topic and will be a point of reference in future discussions on religious freedom.

The speaker, Dallin H. Oaks, is formerly a law professor at the University of Chicago Law School, former President of Brigham Young University and Utah Supreme Court Justice, now President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. President Oaks has become a widely recognized voice of reason on the subject of freedom of religion.

Link to transcript: https://mormonst.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-JSL-Transcript.pdf

University of Virginia 2021 Joseph Smith Lecture on Religious Freedom: https://mormonstudies.as.virginia.edu/event/dallin-h-oaks-going-forward-with-religious-freedom-nondiscrimination/

God Unites website: https://GodUnites.com