Faith-rooted Texas policy, week by week.
Texas Impact's Weekly Witness tracks Texas public policy through conversations with faith leaders and public policy voices. Scott Atnip frames fast-moving legislative moments with practical attention to immigration, climate, church-state boundaries, flood response, and community advocacy.
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Texas Impact's Weekly Witness is a Texas public policy show shaped by faith, advocacy, and the daily work of civic participation. It is hosted by Scott Atnip, Texas Impact's Director of Public Witness. The show has the feel of a standing weekly briefing, but it rarely stays in briefing mode for long. Atnip opens with the state of play, then moves into conversations with people working in congregations, policy offices, advocacy organizations, and community networks. The result is direct and locally grounded. Recent episodes cover Ramadan reflections, anti-Muslim rhetoric, rural justice-oriented ministry, immigration, detention, voter engagement, climate policy, flood response, Christian nationalism, and the churn of Texas special sessions. The show pays close attention to the Texas Legislature. It also cares about what happens after a bill hearing, a news cycle, or an election calendar reminder. Guests talk about organizing, public school religion bills, local communities, faith formation, and the difference between arguing to win and working across disagreement for the good of a community. That mix gives Weekly Witness its particular shape. It is not detached punditry. It is not only devotional reflection either. The show sits where moral language meets committee rooms, ballot access, local relationships, and organized public pressure. Its best moments often come when a policy topic becomes personal: a pastor serving a rural congregation, a rabbi describing concern over religious texts in classrooms, or an advocate connecting flood policy to missed legislative opportunities. The tone is warm, sometimes lightly joking, but the stakes are plain. Texas is treated as complicated, contested, and worth the effort. Listeners get names, bills, elections, coalitions, and reasons to keep showing up. The show is strongest for people who already care about justice but want clearer footing in the state policy process. It offers a practical theology of attention. Faith becomes less abstract here, and public life becomes harder to ignore.
Made for: For Texans of faith, clergy, lay leaders, advocates, and civic-minded listeners who want state politics explained through justice, community, and public witness.
What sets it apart: The show pairs Capitol-level policy awareness with voices from congregations and advocacy networks, keeping the focus on what people can actually do in Texas communities.
Weekly Witness is a weekly opportunity for Texans of faith to learn about important public policy issues through a faith lens, and find out timely opportunities to participate in the public policy process. Host Scott Atnip is Texas Impact's Director of Public Witness. His guests come from a wide assortment of policy disciplines and faith traditions.
Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A fast-moving special session becomes a practical lesson in quorum, resistance, and working across disagreement.
Texas Impact's Weekly Witness turns the stalled Texas special session into a clear look at how procedure, public conflict, and civic practice can meet in real time.
Politics, war, media, and no patience.
Policy signals before they become consequences.
Host Scott Atnip and guest Bea Moorhead analyze the stalled Texas special session, where House Democrats broke quorum to block congressional redistricting.
Bishop Sue Briner grounds civic engagement in Lutheran grace, saying love is a gift that frees Christians to serve their neighbors.
Texas Impact's Weekly Witness host Scott Datnip interviews Darlene Alford, a United Methodist lay leader who says she has 'failed miserably' at retiring from church work.
Scott Atnip interviews Ahmad Khan about his journey into advocacy and public policy, with a focus on Ramadan and current anti-Muslim rhetoric in Texas.
Host Scott Adnip interviews Pastor Trent Ormsbee-Hale about his journey from college to serving a justice-oriented Lutheran congregation in rural Weatherford, Texas.
Scott Adnip interviews Robert Rivera about faith-based civic engagement and immigration issues in Texas.
Texas Impact’s Weekly Witness host Scott Atnip interviews Rabbi Josh Fixler of Congregation Emanuel in Houston about Christian nationalism, religious freedom, reproductive justice, and civic engagement.
Texas Impact's Weekly Witness features host Scott Adnip interviewing Reverend Mara Bim, a Justice and Advocacy Fellow at Royal Lane Baptist Church and Baptist News Global contributor, about faith-based immigration advocacy.
Texas Impact's Weekly Witness features Scott interviewing Regina Banks, director of the Lutheran Office of Public Policy, California, about faith-based advocacy and climate policy.
Texas Impact's Weekly Witness opens its new faith-leader interview format with Reverend Phil Dickey discussing how seminary, encounters with racism, and mentors shaped his justice advocacy.
Scott Atnip hosts Texas Impact’s year-end review of the 2025 Texas legislative session, special sessions, and advocacy work with policy advocates Rebecca McElwain, Grace Bonilla, Becca Edwards, Kyle Riley, and Keats Miles Wallace.
Scott Atnip interviews Cyrus Reid about flooding legislation and budget bills in Texas, and encourages civic engagement during the legislative interim.
Scott Atnip discusses the stalled Texas special session due to House Democrats leaving the state to block redistricting, with updates on quorum and Senate bills.