The Justice Briefing with Dr. Jemar Tisby

People keep asking me, “How did it go?”And I understand the question.But there’s actually a better question.The better question is, “What did last night signal?”What happened last night was more than just a sold-out film premiere.It was a signal. A shift. A glimpse of what the future of Christian storytelling could be.This film is the first official production of Tisby Studios.It’s proof that there is an audience for what I call Transformational faith films—stories that don’t just resolve tension, but channel it into action.This is not a one-off project.It’s the beginning of a pipeline.Take ActionIf this reflection with you—if it challenged you, unsettled you, or stayed with you—here are a few ways to take the next step:1. Become a paid subscriberMost of the support for this film came from this community.If you want to see more projects like this—films that tell honest stories about faith, history, and justice—become a paid subscriber to Footnotes. Or upgrade to our FOUNDING TIER.That’s how we keep building.👉🏾 JemarTisby.Substack.com2. Host a screening in your communityThis film is meant to be experienced together.Not alone on a screen, but in a room where people can turn to one another at the end and ask:“What are we going to do?”If you want to bring Jesus Was a Migrant to your church, school, or organization, start here:👉🏾 jesuswasamigrant.com3. Share this postIf this vision resonates with you, share it.This is how movements grow—person to person, room to room.If last night showed us anything, it’s this:The future of Christian storytelling won’t be safe, simple, or sentimental—it will be truthful, communal, and transformational.And the question now isn’t what we watched.It’s: What are we going to do next?P.S. Mark your calendar for a LIVE ONLINE SCREENING of Jesus Was a Migrant.April 16, 7:30 pm ET. (registration details forthcoming)Book a screening: JesusWasAMigrant.comSupport transformational faith films: JemarTisby.Substack.com

Right now the Christian film industry is dominated by what I’ve called “Devotional” films.These films are often produced by people promoting a conservative—even fundamentalist—and heavily right-leaning version of Christianity.Not every film needs to do everything. And each type of film has its place.But we need more films in the Transformational category.Too many stop with personal piety and holiness. Which is not bad but it’s incomplete.Not enough films show how faith turns worldly logic upside down.Not enough Christian films show how the heavenly Kingdom confronts earthly kingdoms.Not enough Christian films interrogate laws, policies, and institutions. This is the work of Tisby Studios and our first production--Jesus Was a Migrant. Watch the trailer: HEREHost a screening: HERESupport more Christians films in the transformational category. Become a paid subscriber today: JemarTisby.Substack.com Watch: How to Watch a Movie (As a Christian) Watch: Homestead Movie Review

The scariest thing about the movies Get Out and Sinners isn’t the body-snatching or the blood-sucking. It’s how accurately they show us what whiteness does.These films are not just horror stories. They are commentaries on extraction, exploitation, and colonization.In this episode, Dr. Jemar compares the two films and the use of horror to convey deeper social truths. --------Learn about new short documentary and schedule a screening: jesuswasamigrant.comInvest in truth-telling at the intersection of faith, history, and justice: JemarTisby.Substack.com

What role should the church play in a moment of rising authoritarianism and political instability?In this episode of The Justice Briefing, Jemar Tisby sits down with Rev. Michael McBride—pastor, organizer, and executive director of Live Free USA—to explore why democracy depends on moral vision, collective action, and faith communities willing to show up.This conversation goes beyond politics. It’s about the spiritual stakes of this moment—and what it means to practice a faith that actively pursues justice.In this episode:Why democracy cannot survive without a moral foundationHow faith is being distorted and weaponized todayThe historic role of the Black church in expanding democracyWhat “public theology” looks like in practiceA real-world model for organizing: Live Free Love FreeWhy passive faith is not an option in this momentIf you’ve been wondering what faithfulness looks like in a time like this—this episode is for you.Invest inThe Justice Briefing. Become a paid subscriber.Share this with someone who needs a hopeful, grounded perspective#JusticeBriefing #Democracy #Christianity #Faith #History #Justice

Something strange happens whenever a certain kind of white Christian politician speaks about justice in public.Suddenly commentators act like they’ve discovered a brand-new species: the Christian who actually sounds like Jesus.David French wrote that James Talarico is “one of the few openly Christian politicians in the United States who acts like a Christian.”You can really only write a sentence like that if you have one kind of Christian in mind.Because if the Black church is in your imagination, that sentence simply doesn’t make sense.----Invest in The Justice Briefing by becoming a paid subscriber at JemarTisby.Substack.com.

In this episode of The Justice Briefing podcast, I talk about Iran, Armageddon, and End Times Prophecy.We get into:Dispensationalism as explained by John Nelson DarbyJames I. Scofield’s reference Biblethe Left Behind book and film seriesHow end times theology shapes U.S. foreign relations with Israel and the Middle EastTake Action:Subscribe on YouTubeLeave a review on Apple podcastsShare this episodeI leave you with this thought:A theology that excuses violence does not glorify God.A faith that ignores injustice does not serve humanity.And a church that trades its prophetic voice for political loyalty cannot be the light of the world. ----References: Before you share that story about how troops were told the Iran War is for “Armageddon,” read thisBombs for the Apocalypse? (Footnotes Substack)Tisby Media- Catch the Vision

You don’t have to cross an ocean, a continent, and cultures to 1930s Germany to learn how to resist authoritarianismBlack history is a witness is right here in the United States.That is why any serious response to authoritarian power today must reckon honestly with Black history.In this episode, Dr. Jemar explains what we can learn from the people who promoted democracy before us. Here are four ways Black history teaches us to resist authoritarianismLearn Who the Nazis Got It FromPractice Narrative ResistanceBuild Independent InstitutionsPractice Political RealismI am a nominee for the Black Christian Influencers Author of the Year award. Vote for me HERE.Never miss an episode: JemarTisby.Substack.com

We lost another giant of human and civil rights.Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. died on February 17 at the age of 84.His passing gives us occasion to reflect on his life, his faith, and his moral imagination.What stands out to me about Jesse Jackson’s death in this moment is how he practiced politics.He wanted to form a 🌈 Rainbow Coalition that would be participatory and inclusive.Jackson’s Rainbow Coalition stands in stark contrast to what this regime is attempting to implement--a narrow, exclusionary politics. In other words, white Christian nationalism.------Vote for Jemar as Black Christian Influencers "Author of the Year" HERE. Invest in Jemar's scholarship. Become paid subscriber: JemarTisby.Substack.com

For decades, the dominant interpretation of Reconstruction came from something called the Dunning School.Named after William Archibald Dunning (1857-1922), an influential Columbia University historian who taught for more than forty years and served as president of the American Historical Association in 1913.This school of thought helped shape the modern historical profession in its infancy—and it whitewashed history.That’s why Black history is not optional. It is corrective.Learn more about this history in this episode.Read more about acts of resistance in my latest book, The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance.During Black History Month, support a Black historian researching Black history.JemarTisby.Substack.com

And your pastor probably doesn't know it.The FBI seized 700 boxes of ballots in an attempt to further investigate the discredited like that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from DJT. This isn't about the past, it's about the future--the 2026 midterms. In this episode, Dr. Jemar talks about the implications of this act and the imperative of pastors, church leaders, and Christian influencers to use the pulpit and their platforms to speak up about what's happening in politics. This moment doesn't need timid steps, it needs moral clarity.With your support, I can book in-studio guests and produce my own podcast tours. Become a paid subscriber today: JemarTisby.Substack.com

We have the words of King but not his walk.We quote King, but we do not live like him. We celebrate him but we don’t imitate him. We love King’s wisdom, but not King’s way.In this podcast, I talk about what makes King’s way so hard, and why we need to take up the mission despite the difficulty.What part of King’s vision and legacy do you find most inspiring? What part are we most in need of today? Let us know in the comments!The best way to support The Justice Briefing is by becoming a paid subscriber to my Substack.

About three dozen protestors entered the sanctuary of Cities Church in St. Paul and staged a protest so disruptive that they halted the service.They were there protesting the fact that one of the church’s leaders, David Easterwood, serves as the leader of the local ICE field office.They were there protesting the murder of Renee Good and the tyranny of ICE in their communities.But their protest invites the question: Should we disrupt church services? Change must come to the U.S. church. It is up to Christians who comprise the church to end compromise with injustice within the church.The best way to support this podcast and never miss an episode is to become a paid subscriber at JemarTisby.Substack.com

In this episode, Dr. Jemar Tisby emphasize the importance of understanding Martin Luther King Jr. beyond his most famous quotes, especially as MLLK Day approaches. Dr. Tisby argue that King has too often been reduced to a symbol rather than remembered as a complex, challenging figure—and that this reduction has led to widespread misunderstandings of what he actually believed. In particular, he pushes back against the notion that King advocated for a colorblind society, highlighting instead his clear race consciousness and his support for policies like affirmative action, which are frequently ignored in sanitized retellings of his legacy. Dr. Tisby also call for a deeper engagement with King’s life and work, emphasizing that his activism was deeply rooted in his Christian faith and that his commitment to nonviolence was not a mere tactic, but a way of life.Invest in truth-telling at the intersection of faith, history, and justice. Get "The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance"

ICE is what happens when Americans refuse to learn from Black history.In this episode, I respond to the killing of Renee Good, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and mother of three, shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.I draw on the Black history, specifically the example of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense.Finally, I turn to Venezuela.I connect domestic repression to international aggression and argue that the same ideology animating ICE and CBP also fuels an imperial “crusader mentality” is visible in rhetoric about the Western Hemisphere and Venezuela and the theological justifications of power.In this episode:* The human stakes: who Renee Good was—and how quickly propaganda rewrites a life* The hypocrisy of “Christian persecution” narratives under a regime that kills a “devoted Christian” at home* Why Black communities have long warned that policing protects power, not people* The Black Panthers, the Mulford Bill, and what armed Black self-defense revealed about American “law and order”* ICE as a “personal army”: law enforcement powers without meaningful restraint* Why learning only from Europe’s fascism archives narrows our survival toolkit* Venezuela, Project 2025’s worldview, and the imperial logic of the “Western Hemisphere”* Closing with The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and ResistanceMentioned / recommended* Jemar Tisby’s Substack: Footnotes (subscribe free or paid)* The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance* The Justice Journey: cornerstone course (registration opening soon)* Data + reporting sources: Brennan Center for Justice and The Marshall ProjectWho are the Black historians, activists, thinkers, and historical figures you return to when things get dark, and who should others follow? Let us know in the comments.We’re up to 33 subscribers and counting for the Founding 50!You can take one of the remaining spots in the first circle of people who helped build this next era of Tisby Media.How to upgrade your subscription.

On January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect, but it did not “free the slaves.”In truth, the Emancipation Proclamation was extremely limited, provisional, and conditional.That does not mean it was not important, meaningful, or didn't matter.Historical accuracy is important, and by the end of this episode you will be able to name precisely what the Emancipation Proclamation did and didn’t do as well as its connection to the Black Christian community.In this episode, I take you through the history of the:Compensated Emancipation Act (1862)Emancipation Proclamation (1863)13th Amendment (1865)Watch Night Service The White House is in all-out propaganda mode with its America 250 campaign. This Footnotes Substack won’t let them co-opt the truth. You can help. Become a paid subscriber today. JemarTisby.Substack.com

Cultural Artifacts is our version of a Top Ten list for the year.My former podcast co-host G. Tyler Burns and I are back for part two.This time we’ve got a few albums, some books, and a variety of movies and television shows you’ll want to check out right away!As always, the rules remain the same: these artifacts don’t have to be new.They just have to be consumed this year. The things that steadied us. Challenged us. Made us feel more human in a year that demanded a lot.Listen to PART 1. Follow TJB on YouTube. You get an alert for every new episode when you subscribe to my Substack.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!No. I’m not talking about Christmas (that’s wonderful, too).But if you know me and my former podcast, Pass The Mic, you already know what I mean.Cultural Artifacts!!!This is the first Cultural Artifacts episode since PTM ended, so it is only right and fitting that my very first official guest on The Justice Briefing is none other than Rev. G. Tyler Burns!I honestly can’t imagine a better way to mark this moment.For longtime PTM listeners, this will feel like slipping into a familiar groove.As always, the rules remain the same: these artifacts don’t have to be new.They just have to be consumed this year. The things that steadied us. Challenged us. Made us feel more human in a year that demanded a lot.This is Part 1 of 2, so consider this your invitation to settle in—and start making your own list.We’ll be back next Thursday (12/18) for part 2 of Cultural Artifacts.Catch us right here on Substack Live or on my YouTube page.What’s on your cultural artifacts list this year? Let us know in the comments.------Join the Founding 50—fifty new/upgraded subscribers who invest in scaling Tisby Media and building a legacy institution.Simply go sign up to be a paid subscriber and select the “Founding Member” level.JemarTisby.Substack.comIf you’re already a paid subscriber: How to upgrade your subscription.

After countless hours studying Klan documents, rituals, speeches, and theology—and comparing them with what we see today—I am prepared to make this claim clearly: There is a direct ideological line from the Ku Klux Klan to modern white Christian nationalism. This is not a clickbait claim. It is a historically grounded conclusion.

There are moments in a democracy when the choice becomes stark, the stakes undeniable, and the moral line unmistakable.Recent events in our nation have made a simple fact painfully clear:There is no redeeming this presidency. And now it’s time to say what millions are thinking but too few are willing to say out loud.Trump has to go. Legally. Immediately. Without equivocation.🚨 I’m hosting a Vision Casting Meeting for something I’ve never publicly unveiled until now—TISBY MEDIA.This is the multimedia ecosystem we’re building together: historically grounded, theologically rooted, and action oriented.I want to invite you to be part of the founding moment.The meeting will take place on Sunday, December 7th at 4 pm ETIf you want to help build something meaningful—something rooted in faith, history, justice, and joy—then join me online on December 7th at 4 pm ET.Register HERE.

The truth is not valuable only when it produces political fallout. The truth matters because it is the truth.If nothing else, we owe the survivors honesty.Truth is liberation. Truth is light. Truth is how people wounded in the dark find their way back toward hope. The Justice BriefingToday, I’m officially announcing that the podcast is becoming The Justice BriefingWelcome to the first episode.The Justice Briefing brings you the most important issues of the day, and interprets them at the intersection of faith, history, joy, and justice.It’s designed as a constructive alternative to the far-right Christian media ecosystem, helping people interpret events through truth, not fear.If we are going to resist culture war chatter and podcasts that play on fear and distortion, then we need clarity not just commentary.We need a briefing for the brave. And that’s exactly what The Justice Briefing is.Take Action* Subscribe on iTunes* Leave a rating and review on iTunes* Share the trailerYour investment fuels the growth of The Justice Briefing. Become a free or paid subscriber today. JemarTisby.Substack.com