Plans are under way for Americans United’s 2024 Summit for Religious Freedom (SRF) on April 13-16, 2024, and today we are excited to announce two of our keynote speakers.
Prof. Anthea Butler
Anthea Butler is the Geraldine R. Segal Professor in American Social Thought and chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. She is a historian of African-American and American religion and is an expert on the threat of Christian Nationalism.
Butler is also a commentator for MSNBC and in a recent column, warned about politicians who claim to be running with God’s sanction.
“When you hear candidates say they have been chosen by God, beware,” Butler wrote. “That hubris is hiding an authoritarian political worldview based on their limited view of God instead of the belief that the U.S. Constitution, or other guiding documents, should be their guide.”
Butler’s most recent book is White Evangelical Racism: The Politics of Morality in America. Learn more about her at Antheabutler.com.
Congressman Jamie Raskin
U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) represents Maryland’s 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives and is currently ranking member on the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.
Raskin, a former professor of constitutional law, served on the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol and served three terms on the House Judiciary, Oversight and Administration Committees.
In December 2022, Raskin provided a sharp reminder of the need for separation of church and state in a tweet: “As my GOP colleagues try to block the Respect for Marriage Act, I remind them what we taught anti-gay politicians a decade ago: you placed your hand on the Bible and swore to uphold the Constitution. You didn’t place your hand on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible.”
He is the author of several books, most notably Overruling Democracy: The Supreme Court versus the American People and Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth and the Trials of American Democracy. His House website is raskin.house.gov/.
You are not going to want to miss these exciting speakers and other speakers, breakout sessions and events that we’ll be announcing in the coming weeks. Reserve your spot at the Summit for Religious Freedom today and save with our early-bird discount (AU members enjoy additional savings by registering via the link you received via email or contacting [email protected]). Scholarships are also available via the website.
