March 27, 2026 - Hour 1

Segment 1: Europe’s Long March to SecularismTwo recent stories out of Europe highlight just how far the Continent is going down the road to Secularism. In Finland, a Christian member of Parliament has been convicted for expressing her Christian beliefs on marriage. And in Belgium, a radio host said his countrymen wouldn’t be offended by the smashing of a Marian statue because “we’re not a very religious country.” Marcus has more.Segment 2: Do Smartphones Deepen the Divide? Schools across the country are increasingly limiting students’ access to smartphones, or banning them altogether, as studies show the negative impacts phones have on mental health and classroom performance. But there is another reason we should limit kids’ access to smartphones: their effect on our political culture. It is looking increasingly like smartphones and social media are leading our culture to a new kind of tribalism. Thomas Howes has more.Segment 3: The Christian Roots of American Liberty (2 segments)Was the American founding an Enlightenment invention or organic development of liberty? Liberal or conservative? Secular or Christian? American conservatives traditionally answered “both” to these questions. More recently, new movements on the Right-from national conservatives to neo-integralists to post-liberals to Christian nationalists-have challenged this conviction. Some even dismiss the founding as hopelessly secular. John Pinheiro answers the problem. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit avemariapm.substack.com