Faith Under Fire: Islamophobia, Christian Nationalism, and the Fight for Community | Tiny Pulpit Talks: 060
What does faith look like in a time of rising Islamophobia, Christian nationalism, and division?
In this episode of Tiny Pulpit Talks, Rev. T. J. FitzGerald sits down with Rev. Mara Richards Bim and immigration attorney Zainab Khan for an honest conversation about what’s happening in North Texas and across the country. Together, they explore how fear and misinformation are fueling anti-Muslim hate, why Christian nationalism is growing, and what people of faith can do to build stronger communities.
They talk about:
Islamophobia in Texas
Christian nationalism and its impact on faith communities
Immigration, belonging, and religious freedom
How Christians, Muslims, and people of all faiths can stand together
Simple ways to support your neighbors and make a difference in your community
About Rev. Mara Richards Bim:
Rev. Mara Richards Bim is a pastor, writer and spiritual director. Mara graduated from SMU’s Perkins School of Theology in 2024 with a Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree and a Certificate in Spiritual Direction. After graduation, she served as the Program Director at Faith Commons. Mara was ordained to the Gospel Ministry by Royal Lane in 2025.
Previously, Mara had a 20-year career as an award-winning theatre artist. She founded the nationally acclaimed Cry Havoc Theater Company which operated in Dallas from 2014-2023. In 2020 Mara received the Holloway Family Foundation’s Visionary Leadership Award and in 2021 she was named one of D Magazine’s “78 Women Changing the Face of Dallas.”
Mara is a Clemons Fellow at Baptist News Global where she regularly writes about the intersection of religion and politics, focusing on the threats posed by Christian fascism. She serves on the Leadership Council of Texas Impact and is also an active volunteer with Christians Against Christian Nationalism. She is the first Justice & Advocacy Fellow in the newly-launched Prophetic Leadership Program at Royal Lane.
Mara and her family reside in Plano, Texas.
About Zainab Khan:
Zainab Khan serves as the Managing Attorney for the Immigration Detention Project that is funded by Dallas Area Interfaith and housed in the Texas A&M University School of Law Legal Clinic. The Immigration Detention Project helps eligible detainees seek release form immigration detention, whether through bond hearings in immigration court or habeas petitions in federal court. Prior to joining Texas A&M Law, Ms. Khan was a federal public defender, first in the Southern District of California, and most recently in the Northern District of Texas, defending the rights of the accused. Before that, she was a fellow at the Muslim Legal Fund of America, where she worked on criminal cases and civil rights cases affecting Muslim Americans. Ms. Khan is a graduate of the Southern Methodist University School of Law and the University of Texas at Dallas.
Tiny Pulpit Talks is a podcast series from First Unitarian Church of Dallas that takes a behind-the-scenes look at ministry from a Unitarian Universalist perspective. This is a rare opportunity to see what goes into crafting meaningful and inspirational sermons, learn how worship comes together each Sunday, and explore the many facets of spiritual leadership. Subscribe to get updates about new episodes here on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
