The latest episode of “Secular Spotlight” welcomes a bishop to discuss the rising authoritarian threat around the world — and its connection to fundamentalist ideology.
FFRF Director of Communications Amitabh Pal and Governmental Affairs Director Mark Dann speak with Bishop Joseph Tolton, founder and president of Interconnected Justice, about the global racial dynamics shaping politics in the United States and across Africa. Tolton argues that anti-Blackness, authoritarianism and extremist religious ideology are intertwined forces influencing elections, LGBTQ-plus rights, resource extraction and democratic backsliding.
“It is very clear that in both the American political context and, broadly speaking, the pan-African political context there is a malignant cancer on the terrain of both of those environments and contexts — and that cancer is an extremist form of Christianity seeking to undermine America’s democracy while simultaneously undermining the democratic order of African nations,” Tolton observes.
You can catch the latest episode of “Secular Spotlight” on FFRF’s YouTube channel, as well as by watching on your smart TV after downloading FFRF’s free app, Freethought TV, which also highlights FFRF’s other video programming. Previous episodes include a reflection on the Minnesota ICE crisis featuring Minnesota state Rep. Andy Smith, as well as a deep dive into the 2026 National Prayer Breakfast. See our full playlist for more videos!
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters of nontheism. With more than 41,000 dues-paying members, FFRF is the largest freethought association in North America. For more information, visit ffrf.org.
