SPOTLIGHT: Encouragement from Joe Schiedler

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

This episode of Spotlight features the legacy of Joe Schiedler, who passed away at the age of 93.

Joe Schiedler leaves a 50 year legacy of peaceful, pro-life activism that took him around the nation and the world. Schiedler and his wife, Anne, co-founded the Chicago based Pro-Life Action League, and he authored Closed: 99 Ways to Stop Abortion and Racketeer for Life.

Back in 2017, IFI hosted a Pro-Life Forum where Joe Schiedler reflected on his work and his calling in the pro-life movement.… Continue Reading

Raja Krishnamoorthi and the CCP

Written by Paul Hurst

Upon reading a recent article in The Diplomat, written by Illinois Democrat Congressman, Raja Krishnamoorthi, I wanted to present some analysis and context to what he shared.

Congressman Krishnamoorthi was considering whether competing with the Chinese Communist Party meant “kicking it when it’s down.” His answer was, “No,” and he instead offered up his 4 Ps of “people, production, partnerships, and protection” and advocated for American “self-examination.”

Let’s unpack this.… Continue Reading

Congressional Report Confirms FBI Spied on Catholics

Written by Jorge Gomez

In February, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee and its Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government began a lengthy investigation into the FBI’s categorization of Catholic Americans as potential “domestic terrorists.” The committees recently published a 30-page interim report titled, “The FBI’s Breach of Religious Freedom: The Weaponization of Law Enforcement Against Catholic Americans.”

“Under the guise of tackling the threat of domestic terrorism… the FBI abused its counterterrorism tools to target Catholic Americans,” the report states.… Continue Reading

Making Bogeymen of Christian Nationalism

Written by Bill Donohue, President, Catholic League

The Left is very good at making up bogeymen, and one of their favorites is Christian nationalism. The latest iteration of this madness is an article in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion; a subsequent analysis of it was recently published in psypost.org. As a sociologist, I am particularly interested in this issue: sociologists are the ones most responsible for promoting the fiction that America is threatened by Christian nationalists.… Continue Reading

SCOTUS Roundup: 12 Pending Cases that Could Impact Religious Freedom

Written by Jorge Gomez

Will this be another landmark term for religious liberty at the U.S. Supreme Court? The Justices have not agreed to hear specific religious freedom cases this year. But it’s still early. There’s still a possibility that the Court will agree to hear one—including one of our own.

In the meantime, we’re keeping a close eye on 12 cases. The Court will be hearing arguments in several of these. Others are still pending review.… Continue Reading

Authoritarian Thugs Continue Their Persecution of Jack Phillips

Written by David Harsanyi

I’ve been writing about Denver-area baker Jack Phillips for over a decade now. It’s clear to me he’s going to be badgered into the grave by authoritarians intent on punishing him for thought crimes. From the first time his name appeared in the news until this day, the media have misled the public about him, about the case and about the law.

The latest chapter in Phillips’ Kafkaesque saga involves a transgender lawyer named Autumn Scardina, who demanded Phillips create a pink cake with blue frosting to help celebrate a gender transition.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: The Foundation of Science

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In this episode of Spotlight, we are featuring Part 2 of David Smith and Monte Larrick’s conversation with Dr. Mark Zumhagen, MD.

As noted last week, Dr. Zumhagen has been practicing family medicine since 1986. In 2009, he opened his private, holistic practice in Orland Park called Fearfully and Wonderfully Made with the mission of re-activating “the body’s own healing ability that God put in there.”

In this segment, Dr. Zumhagen goes back to the basics– the foundation of science.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: Engaging Your Church & Community with Scott Klusendorf

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

In this episode of Illinois Family Spotlight, we are featuring the second part of Scott Klusendorf’s speech at the 2023 Worldview Conference.

Scott Klusendorf is the founder and president of the Life Training Institute, which is an organization that is dedicated to equipping pro-life advocates to effectively defend Life in the public square. He is the author of The Case for Life: Equipping Christians to Engage the Culture.

In this portion, Klusendorf tackles the topic of how one’s church can effectively engage the culture with pro-life apologetics.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: The Fight for Free Speech with Pastor Stephen Lee

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

If we fear God, we fear nothing else. If we don’t fear God, we fear everything, and everyone else.

~Pastor Stephen Lee

This special episode of Illinois Family Spotlight features an interview with Attorney David Shestokas and the charges that have been brought against his client, Pastor Stephen Lee.

Pastor Lee is the interim pastor of the Living Word Church in Orland Park, is a former police officer, and a former police chaplain.… Continue Reading

SPOTLIGHT: Religious Liberty in America

Written by Alyssa Sonnenburg

This episode of Illinois Family Spotlight features remarks from Ariella Del Turco on the topic of religious liberty in the first half, along with a question and answer segment with Ambassador Sam Brownback during the second half.

Arielle Del Turco is the director of Religious Liberty at the Family Research Council (FRC) and is the co-author of FRC’s “Hostility Against Churches” report.

Sam Brownback is the former governor of Kansas, formerly representing Kansas in the U.S.… Continue Reading