Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research
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The Truth About Separating Church and State

July 10, 2023
Dr. Zara Khan and Tom Facchine

Secularism portrays itself as a neutral worldview that allowed for open exchange of ideas and way of life outside the laws of the Church. In reality, it has reconfigured the way we think about and experience the world. Imam Tom Facchine invites Dr. Zara Khan back on the show to analyze the history of secularism and where it has left us today.

0:00 – Introduction
1:28 – Roots of secularism in European Christian history
17:30 – Rise of secularism through the Enlightenment
23:44 – How does secularism define religion?
39:43 – Does secularism reduce violence?
48:00 – Does secularism limit political expression?

Want to listen on the go? Check out Dogma Disrupted on your favorite podcast platform.

Dr. Zara Khan

Dr. Zara Khan

RESEARCH DIRECTOR | Dr. Zara Khan is an educator and researcher who studied Political Science and social justice at the City University of New York. Having specialized in comparative political philosophy and critical theory, her main hope is to contribute to the Islamicization of profane knowledge, particularly in education, politics, culture and economics.

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Tom Facchine

Tom Facchine

Tom Facchine (pronounced fa-KEEN-ee) converted to Islam in 2010 as he was finishing his BA in Political Science. For the next few years he studied Islam and Arabic with local teachers while working with Muslim youth, founding and directing youth groups in two different communities. In 2015 he was accepted into the University of Madinah and is now close to completing a bachelor’s degree in Islamic Law. In addition to youth group activities, for the past two years Tom has directed an after school program for young Muslims called the Ramadan Academy, which operates out of the GCLEA mosque in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Tom’s academic and personal background brings a unique dual ability to relate to mainstream Western cultural norms and engage them from a traditional Islamic perspective. His unique teaching style is highly interactive and brings high-level concepts to a level that even children can understand. He is passionate about building relationships with Muslim youth and giving them the tools and confidence to live as observant, well-adjusted people of faith in our times.

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