Faith & Politics is a podcast of the South Dakota Catholic Conference. Join Executive Director Chris Motz, Esq. as he and his guests explore a variety of contemporary civic issues through the lens of a classical Catholic moral and ethical framework. Winsome and robust, Faith & Politics ranges from the soul to the state as it seeks to cultivate thoughtful criteria for governing well in the 21st century.
Chris is joined again by Prof. Jon Schaff, professor of political science at Northern State University. They discuss the scenes of chaos and violence in the nation’s capitol last week, then turn to the incoming presidential administration, with a special focus on life and religious liberty.
On this episode, Chris is joined by Katy Faust, Founder and Director of Them Before Us, an organization seeking to put children’s rights before adult desires. Them Before Us has flipped the script on adult-centric attitudes toward marriage, parenthood, and reproductive technologies by framing these issues around a child’s Read more…
On this episode, Chris is joined by Louis Brown, Executive Director of Christ Medicus, an organization focused on sharing Jesus Christ’s healing love in health care, building authentically Catholic health care, defending life and religious freedom, and protecting the poor and vulnerable. Louis and Chris discuss Christian identity in Read more…
On this episode, Chris is joined by regular guest Dr. Jon Schaff, professor of political science at Northern State University. Chris and Prof. Schaff reflect on some of the problems technology can pose to the family and the faith, how it can contribute to the vice of acedia, and Read more…
COVID Vaccines and Catholic ethics. On this episode, Chris is joined by National Catholic Bioethics Center-trained ethicist Cameo Anders. They discuss the development and rollout of COVID vaccines, and an ethical component to be aware of. Summary: The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are not developed with aborted fetal tissue cells, Read more…
In this episode, Chris is joined by Aberdeen native Dylan Kessler, who shares about his studies at Hillsdale College, working for a South Dakota Senator after graduating, and more.
Chris is joined by Shawn Peterson, South Dakota native and executive director of Catholic Education Partners, a bishops-founded organization that works to share the Catholic teaching in favor of parental choice and empowerment in education, and to promote education policy consistent with this principle. This principle is more important than Read more…
On this episode, Chris Motz joins Dr. Chris Burgwald for an episode of Ignition to talk about the results from this years election.
On this episode, Chris and Jon discuss some of the take-aways from November 4
Building off the USCCB’s emphasis on abortion as a “preeminent priority” among political issues, on this episode Chris is joined by Life Runner Founder Dr. Pat Castle to talk pro-Life politics.
Dr. Chris Burgwald joins for a discussion of the Holy Father’s reported remarks, followed by a conversation with Norman Woods, executive director of the Family Heritage Alliance.
Dr. Chris Burgwald joins host Chris Motz for a short discussion to help us respond well and find peace in light of the Holy Father’s reported comments on same-sex civil unions.
Chris is joined by Prof. Jon Schaff to discuss the Catholic approach to voting, the Catholic candidate, a refresher on St. Augustine, and the pursuit of a well-formed conscience.
On this episode, Chris is joined by Debbie Pease, President of SD Right to Life. They discuss the statistics in the just-released 2019 Abortion Report from the SD Department of Health, which reveals a positive trend in chemical abortions, the impact of pro-life nuts and bolts legislating — including SD’s Read more…
On this episode, Chris is joined by Christy Alten-Osmera, program director of the adolescent unit at Keystone Treatment Center, and Matt Walz, a policy specialist at Keystone. They discuss South Dakota’s upcoming ballot measures dealing with marijuana, Amendment A and I.M. 26, and discuss the harm marijuana causes to people Read more…
On this episode, Chris is joined by Dr. Chris Burgwald to talk about living well — What is “the Good Life”? And why should I want it? What’s it have to do with the American Dream and “the pursuit of happiness”?
On this episode, Chris is joined by Greg Schleppenbach, associate director of the Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities at the USCCB, to discuss Catholic teaching on the ethical production and use of vaccines developed using aborted fetal cell lines. While several ethically-concerning COVID vaccines are being developed, there are also numerous Read more…
In this episode, Chris is joined by Prof. Jack Gist, a humanities professor and contributor to Catholic World Report, Crisis, The Imaginative Conservative, New Oxford Review, Academic Questions, and St. Austin Review. They discuss what St. Thomas Aquinas called “disputatio” — a dispute in the healthiest sense of the word, in that Read more…
On this episode, Chris is joined by Dr. Damian Costello, a theological expert in the life of Nicholas Black Elk and vice-postulator of his cause of canonization. For Nicholas Black Elk, vibrant missionary discipleship and love of the rosary, Latin chant, and Sacred Scripture grew organically within his own personal Read more…
On this episode, Chris is joined by Joe Rutten, faculty member in the humanities department at Mount Marty University and Executive Director of the Catholic Men’s Business Fraternity. Drawing on the Vatican document, “The Vocation of a the Business Leader,” Joe and Chris explore the dignity of work as the Read more…