The Justice Briefing with Dr. Jemar Tisby

The scariest thing about the movies Get Out and Sinners isn’t the body-snatching or the blood-sucking. It’s how accurately they show us what whiteness does.These films are not just horror stories. They are commentaries on extraction, exploitation, and colonization.In this episode, Dr. Jemar compares the two films and the use of horror to convey deeper social truths. --------Learn about new short documentary and schedule a screening: jesuswasamigrant.comInvest in truth-telling at the intersection of faith, history, and justice: JemarTisby.Substack.com

What role should the church play in a moment of rising authoritarianism and political instability?In this episode of The Justice Briefing, Jemar Tisby sits down with Rev. Michael McBride—pastor, organizer, and executive director of Live Free USA—to explore why democracy depends on moral vision, collective action, and faith communities willing to show up.This conversation goes beyond politics. It’s about the spiritual stakes of this moment—and what it means to practice a faith that actively pursues justice.In this episode:Why democracy cannot survive without a moral foundationHow faith is being distorted and weaponized todayThe historic role of the Black church in expanding democracyWhat “public theology” looks like in practiceA real-world model for organizing: Live Free Love FreeWhy passive faith is not an option in this momentIf you’ve been wondering what faithfulness looks like in a time like this—this episode is for you.Invest inThe Justice Briefing. Become a paid subscriber.Share this with someone who needs a hopeful, grounded perspective#JusticeBriefing #Democracy #Christianity #Faith #History #Justice

Something strange happens whenever a certain kind of white Christian politician speaks about justice in public.Suddenly commentators act like they’ve discovered a brand-new species: the Christian who actually sounds like Jesus.David French wrote that James Talarico is “one of the few openly Christian politicians in the United States who acts like a Christian.”You can really only write a sentence like that if you have one kind of Christian in mind.Because if the Black church is in your imagination, that sentence simply doesn’t make sense.----Invest in The Justice Briefing by becoming a paid subscriber at JemarTisby.Substack.com.

In this episode of The Justice Briefing podcast, I talk about Iran, Armageddon, and End Times Prophecy.We get into:Dispensationalism as explained by John Nelson DarbyJames I. Scofield’s reference Biblethe Left Behind book and film seriesHow end times theology shapes U.S. foreign relations with Israel and the Middle EastTake Action:Subscribe on YouTubeLeave a review on Apple podcastsShare this episodeI leave you with this thought:A theology that excuses violence does not glorify God.A faith that ignores injustice does not serve humanity.And a church that trades its prophetic voice for political loyalty cannot be the light of the world. ----References: Before you share that story about how troops were told the Iran War is for “Armageddon,” read thisBombs for the Apocalypse? (Footnotes Substack)Tisby Media- Catch the Vision

You don’t have to cross an ocean, a continent, and cultures to 1930s Germany to learn how to resist authoritarianismBlack history is a witness is right here in the United States.That is why any serious response to authoritarian power today must reckon honestly with Black history.In this episode, Dr. Jemar explains what we can learn from the people who promoted democracy before us. Here are four ways Black history teaches us to resist authoritarianismLearn Who the Nazis Got It FromPractice Narrative ResistanceBuild Independent InstitutionsPractice Political RealismI am a nominee for the Black Christian Influencers Author of the Year award. Vote for me HERE.Never miss an episode: JemarTisby.Substack.com

We lost another giant of human and civil rights.Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. died on February 17 at the age of 84.His passing gives us occasion to reflect on his life, his faith, and his moral imagination.What stands out to me about Jesse Jackson’s death in this moment is how he practiced politics.He wanted to form a 🌈 Rainbow Coalition that would be participatory and inclusive.Jackson’s Rainbow Coalition stands in stark contrast to what this regime is attempting to implement--a narrow, exclusionary politics. In other words, white Christian nationalism.------Vote for Jemar as Black Christian Influencers "Author of the Year" HERE. Invest in Jemar's scholarship. Become paid subscriber: JemarTisby.Substack.com

For decades, the dominant interpretation of Reconstruction came from something called the Dunning School.Named after William Archibald Dunning (1857-1922), an influential Columbia University historian who taught for more than forty years and served as president of the American Historical Association in 1913.This school of thought helped shape the modern historical profession in its infancy—and it whitewashed history.That’s why Black history is not optional. It is corrective.Learn more about this history in this episode.Read more about acts of resistance in my latest book, The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance.During Black History Month, support a Black historian researching Black history.JemarTisby.Substack.com

And your pastor probably doesn't know it.The FBI seized 700 boxes of ballots in an attempt to further investigate the discredited like that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from DJT. This isn't about the past, it's about the future--the 2026 midterms. In this episode, Dr. Jemar talks about the implications of this act and the imperative of pastors, church leaders, and Christian influencers to use the pulpit and their platforms to speak up about what's happening in politics. This moment doesn't need timid steps, it needs moral clarity.With your support, I can book in-studio guests and produce my own podcast tours. Become a paid subscriber today: JemarTisby.Substack.com

We have the words of King but not his walk.We quote King, but we do not live like him. We celebrate him but we don’t imitate him. We love King’s wisdom, but not King’s way.In this podcast, I talk about what makes King’s way so hard, and why we need to take up the mission despite the difficulty.What part of King’s vision and legacy do you find most inspiring? What part are we most in need of today? Let us know in the comments!The best way to support The Justice Briefing is by becoming a paid subscriber to my Substack.

About three dozen protestors entered the sanctuary of Cities Church in St. Paul and staged a protest so disruptive that they halted the service.They were there protesting the fact that one of the church’s leaders, David Easterwood, serves as the leader of the local ICE field office.They were there protesting the murder of Renee Good and the tyranny of ICE in their communities.But their protest invites the question: Should we disrupt church services? Change must come to the U.S. church. It is up to Christians who comprise the church to end compromise with injustice within the church.The best way to support this podcast and never miss an episode is to become a paid subscriber at JemarTisby.Substack.com