America, According to Hillsdale

America, According to Hillsdale

Author: Institute of Religion Politics and Culture, Amanda Henderson, Iliff School of Theology May 20, 2026 Duration: 23:49
Who gets to tell America's story? Hillsdale College is small by most reckoning, but punching above its weight in influence, with its ethos and teaching saturating all levels of education far beyond its campus in Michigan. It is showing up in charter schools. In civics curriculum. In state-level fights over history education. In Trump-aligned patriotic education projects. And recently, in Rededicate 250, a faith-filled gathering on the National Mall where conservative Christian leaders, political figures, and Trump allies are preparing to rededicate America as “one nation under God.” This week on Complexified, Amanda Henderson talks with RNS reporter Kathryn Post about how one small, academically serious, deeply conservative liberal arts college became a key intellectual partner in MAGA’s Christian America story. Listen to the new episode of Complexified wherever you get podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Complexified is a conversation that starts from a simple, uncomfortable truth: the forces of faith and power are woven into the fabric of our everyday existence, from kitchen tables to courtrooms. Hosted by Amanda Henderson of the Iliff School of Theology and presented by the Institute of Religion Politics and Culture, this podcast deliberately steps into the tangled intersections where belief systems meet policy, cultural norms, and social strife. We move beyond superficial debates to examine how these deep structures actually function, why certain problems feel so immovable, and where the possibilities for genuine movement might lie. Each episode is an effort to untangle a specific, knotty issue, listening for the underlying narratives and historical currents that often go unspoken. The goal isn't to provide easy answers but to foster a more nuanced comprehension, the kind required for meaningful engagement rather than repeated conflict. Tuning into this podcast means joining a rigorous yet accessible exploration of our shared life, acknowledging the complexity so often glossed over in public discourse. It’s an invitation to think more deeply about the roots of our divisions and the potential pathways forward, grounded in the conviction that clearer understanding is a necessary first step toward any durable change.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 97

Complexified
Podcast Episodes
Rejecting the ‘God of Trump’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:41
In this deeply challenging conversation, Dr. Miguel De La Torre confronts the “God of Trump” — a figure he sees as rooted in colonialism, capitalism, and dominance — and argues that for the most marginalized among us, tr…
When Religious Power Serves Political Force [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:52
As the political landscape grows ever more polarized, religious language has become a tool for framing debates in extreme, all-or-nothing terms. On the eve of the presidential election, Reverend Rob Schenck joins Amanda…
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Duration: 16:40
Recent research reveals that while only 10% of Americans strongly embrace Christian nationalist views, a broader 34% sympathize with its underlying principles. Reporter Jack Jenkins joins Amanda Henderson to explore how…
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Duration: 13:48
The growing controversy surrounding school vouchers and their use in private religious education is once again emerging. With public dollars increasingly directed toward faith-based schools, the question arises: Does thi…
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Duration: 24:07
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In this episode, we sit down with Claire Giangravé, a Vatican correspondent for Religion News Service, to explore the pivotal discussions happening at the Synod on Synodality. With nearly 400 leaders of the Roman Catholi…
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Duration: 35:56
"The modern world is impossible to narrate without the idea of land as property and the seizing of land as property." "Imagination is our gift in creating and building new worlds." In this episode, Amanda talks with Dr.…
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Duration: 29:14
What makes someone leave everything they know? Why do people risk their lives crossing treacherous deserts into a land they are not welcome in? Migration Activist and Humanitarian Dora Rodriguez shares her story of survi…
Church Land: Let Go & Grow [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:32
Listening to the needs in their community for housing and childcare led this Colorado Church to make a big decision. Rather than building a bigger church on the 11 acres they sat on, they decided to give the land away an…
Land of the Violent [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:00
As bodies were burning from this massacre at the Mystic River in Massachusetts in 1637, pious settlers gave thanks to God for the victory- and even identified that the bodies burning were a “sweet-smelling savor in the n…