Fresh off his recent baptism and confirmation into the Roman Catholic Church, Landon opens up about how his newfound faith and his ancestral journey have fundamentally reshaped his view of public service.

Together, they explore the concept of the "American Democratic Covenant"—the idea that our civic life is not just a collection of rules and transactions, but a moral commitment built on universal love and inherent human dignity.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• The "Dr. Landon" Glow: A personal look at Landon's recent baptism and how "fully incubated" faith is driving his vision for the future.
• Open Hearts vs. Closed Systems: Why a functioning democracy requires leaders with the "open heart" to see the humanity in their opponents.
• Ancestry as a Map: Landon’s discovery of his family’s complex history—from the 13th-century Iberian Peninsula to the silver mines of Leadville—and how it informs his work today.
• The Courage to Lead: Why the current political machine punishes bravery, and how we can redesign our systems to incentivize the "moral North Star."
• Team Leo & The Revolutionary Church: A discussion on Pope Leo’s influence and the role of the church as a revolutionary force for social justice.

Key Takeaway:

Democracy is more than just voting; it is a "co-creative act." To renew our nation's moral foundations, we must move beyond tribalism and rediscover the courage to open our systems—and our hearts—to the communities they serve.

Connect with Our Guest:

• Website: CourageousColorado.org
• Book: The Open System: Redesigning Education and Reigniting Democracy

Takeaways

• Divine justification for war is a recurring theme in history and current rhetoric.
• The misuse of scripture to justify war raises moral and ethical concerns.

Chapters

• 00:00 The Command to Love
• 05:46 The Kingdom of Jerusalem and Divine Auspices
• 10:47 The Role of Religion in War
• 23:34 Just War Theory and Moral Options

Substack: When God Goes to War https://open.substack.com/pub/faithfulwitnessterrancecarroll/p/when-god-goes-to-war?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=post%20viewer

Takeaways

• Fear as a motivator
• Impact of fear on public policy

Chapters

• 00:00 The Power of Fear
• 07:42 Legislation and Fear
• 20:12 Religious Freedom and Democracy

Substack: Why Religious Freedom Must Protect Our Transgender Neighbors https://open.substack.com/pub/faithfulwitnessterrancecarroll/p/the-democratic-covenant-why-your?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=post%20viewer

This podcast was born out of history—my own family history and the long struggle for democratic participation carried by generations before us. My ancestors lived in a country where their voices were often suppressed, yet they believed deeply in the promise of democracy. Their witness—and the witness of the Black church—shapes the moral vision behind this podcast.

Faithful Witness explores the intersection of faith, democracy, and public life. Through the lens of public theology, I ask the moral questions that citizens—and especially people of faith—must confront in our time.

In a noisy political culture filled with slogans and outrage, this podcast creates space for thoughtful reflection about:

• Faith and democratic responsibility
• The moral foundations of citizenship
• The prophetic tradition of the Black church
• Christian engagement with politics and public life

Democracy is not just a system of government—it is a moral experiment that requires courage, participation, and accountability.

This podcast is an invitation to reflect on what it means to live as a faithful witness in a democratic society—honoring those who struggled before us while working toward a future that truly includes everyone.

Subscribe and join the conversation.

Takeaways

• Voting is a sacred and protected right
• The SAVE Act and MEGA Act have implications for voting rights and reflect a fear-based motivation
• Demographic shifts in the country are causing anxiety and influencing political actions Voter registration legislation may disproportionately affect certain populations
• Democracy should reflect equal dignity and be accessible to all

Chapters

• 00:00 Motivation Behind the Legislation and Demographic Shifts
• 22:19 Impact of New Voting Legislation
• 31:15 The Moral and Ethical Dimensions of Democracy

What does it actually mean to call a war “just”? Is war ever morally permissible? And how should Christians respond when the state authorizes violence in our name?

Terrance explores:
• The biblical and theological roots of just war theory
• Why war must be a last resort
• The importance of legitimate authority and right intention
• Protecting non-combatants
• Why post-war justice matters
• The tension between pacifism and militarism

This is not a checklist exercise. It’s a call to deep moral reflection and faithful public witness in a time of global instability.

Subscribe for theological engagement at the intersection of faith and democracy.

What does the Eagle Scout Award represent? Is diversity a betrayal of tradition—or a fulfillment of it?

Drawing from his own experience and the moral vision behind Scouting, Terrance explains why inclusion strengthens institutions rather than weakens them. He challenges narrow worldviews that seek to define patriotism, faith, and citizenship in exclusionary terms, and makes the case that Scouting’s evolution reflects America at its best.

🔎 Topics include:

• The meaning and discipline behind the Eagle Scout Award
• The transition from Boy Scouts to Scouting America
• Diversity and inclusion in civic institutions
• Rejecting narrow nationalism and exclusionary ideology
• Faith, democracy, and moral leadership

At a time when public leaders question inclusive institutions, this conversation asks: Who gets to define American character?

👉 Subscribe to Faithful Witness with Terrance Carroll for weekly conversations at the intersection of faith, democracy, and public life.

🔍 Carroll explores the historical roots of the separation of church and state, drawing from the Baptist tradition and key figures like Roger Williams and the Founding Fathers. He emphasizes that religious freedom is a foundational value — one that protects all faiths and preserves the integrity of both church and government.

📌 Key Topics:

• What is Christian nationalism?
• Why religious freedom matters now more than ever
• The Baptist legacy in defending church-state separation
• How faith should remain personal, not political
• The impact of Christian nationalism on democracy

👁️‍🗨️ Watch now to understand why protecting religious liberty for everyone is essential — and what’s at stake if we don’t.

🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on faith, justice, and public life.

Because a nation will ultimately be judged by how it treats its children — and faith without courage is complicity.

In this episode of Faithful Witness with Terrance Carroll, we examine the social media backlash to Bad Bunny’s halftime performance and the claim that “the moment called for something else.” But who gets to decide what’s appropriate in moments of public resistance? And why are performances by Black, Brown, and Indigenous artists so often subjected to moral policing?

We explore how whiteness often operates as an unspoken moral authority in American culture — determining when protest is acceptable, when discomfort is justified, and when marginalized voices should code-switch to make others comfortable. While some critics argue Bad Bunny’s show was too political, we ask a deeper question: Was it disruptive — or was it simply honest?

From cultural erasure to democratic ideals, this conversation connects Bad Bunny’s closing message — “The only thing more powerful than hate is love” and “Together we are America” — to the moral project of American democracy.

This is a conversation about race, privilege, public witness, code-switching, and the politics of respectability in Trump’s America.

👉 Subscribe for thoughtful, faith-rooted commentary on democracy, race, and public theology.

In this episode of Faithful Witness, we wrestle with a controversial protest inside Cities Church in St. Paul during worship. The protest opposed ICE raids and what many describe as cruelty and racial targeting in federal immigration enforcement. The question is not whether injustice exists — but whether houses of worship should become the stage for political confrontation.

As a son of the Black church, I cannot ignore the long history of violence in sacred spaces. From the 1963 bombing of 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham… to the 2015 massacre at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston… to the Tree of Life synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh… worship spaces have too often been stained with blood.

That history matters.

We explore:

• The moral case against ICE raids
• Whether “righteous indignation” has limits
• Why sanctuary means something deeply theological in the Black church tradition
• The argument that Jesus turned over the tables — and whether that analogy holds
• The federal charges under the FACE Act (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act)
• Whether this prosecution represents selective enforcement or viewpoint persecution

Was this protest protected free speech?
Was the FACE Act meant to apply here?
Is the federal government engaging in lawfare?

And why should people across the political spectrum care?

If houses of worship are sacred, then the government should not weaponize federal law to pick winners and losers based on viewpoint. But neither should the sanctuary become just another political battleground.

This conversation is about more than ICE.
It’s about sacred space, civil rights law, the Black church tradition, and the future of dissent in America.

Subscribe for thoughtful conversations on faith, democracy, public theology, and prophetic witness.