In our June 2020 episode of Discourse, RSP contributor Ben Marcus speaks with Andre Willis, associate professor of religious studies at Brown University, and Carleigh Beriont, PhD candidate at Harvard University. They begin by discussing how the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other Black Americans exemplify rituals of state violence and technologies of white supremacy in the United States. Amid mass protests against police brutality and systemic racism ongoing in the United States right now, the guests highlight the story of Martin Gugino, a 75-year-old member of the Catholic Worker Movement who was injured protesting, as well as President Trump’s much derided photo opportunity in response to those protests. The conversation then pivots to recent reports that invoke threats of the apocalypse, including the Trump administration decision to consider resuming explosive testing of nuclear weapons. Finally, still enduring a global and now months-long COVID-19 pandemic, the guests look at ongoing religious responses to prohibitions against some in-person religious services and the emerging court battles over worship under restrictions on social distancing. Resources suggested by the guests include:

On the Protests in the United States

• “Trump’s naked use of religion as a political tool draws rebukes from some faith leaders” from the Washington Post
• “Two Buffalo police officers charged with assault for allegedly shoving 75-year-old protester” from the Washington Post
• “Here’s What You Need to Know About Breonna Taylor’s Death” from the NY Times
• “8 Minutes and 46 Seconds: How George Floyd Was Killed in Police Custody” from the NY Times

On Nuclear Testing

• “Trump apparently wants a nuclear test. It could be bad for your health” from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

ON COVID-19 and Louisville

• “Judge allows drive-in Louisville church services, says mayor ‘criminalized the communal celebration of Easter’” from the Washington Post
• USDC Western KY Civil Action Restraining Order against On Fire Christian Center (direct link to PDF)

For more, consider consulting the following:

• On religious engagement in the protests, Michelle Boorstein et al’s “Faith community takes center stage as thousands again gather for 10th day of protests in D.C.” or “Thousands gather Sunday for prayer and protests in Washington” from the Washington Post
• On Martin Gugino and President Trump’s attempt to label him an “Antifa provacateur,” “Martin Gugino is a Catholic peace activist, not an ‘Antifa provacateur’ friends say” from Religion News Service
• On President Trump’s Photo Op: Rachel McBride Lindsey, “The Dangerous Power of the Photo Op” from Religion & Politics
• On the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the Open Skies treaty: “Trump Will Withdraw From Open Skies Arms Control Treaty” by David E. Sanger from the NY Times

Finally, for those seeking additional critical perspectives from religious studies scholars we can strongly recommend this blog post at Feminist Studies in Religion by Megan Goodwin and Yohana Agra Junker, “This is Not an Antiracist Reading List, OR, the Treachery of Allyship.”