The Miracle on Capitol Hill Part 1: John Mauck

In the year 2000, against strong opposition, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act passed Congress by unanimous vote. Its supporters proclaimed that "God worked a miracle" that day on Capitol Hill. Our guest, John Mauck, was instrumental in crafting the ideas and language that became the Act. He tells us the story of how it became law.

Also on the show, our producer-at-large, Natasha S. Alford, reviews the Netflix hit series, Orange is the New Black. “For me, being a lawyer is about serving God," says John Mauck. “When you do something for a long time it becomes part of who you are—part of your identity.”

In 1998, John was asked to testify before the U.S. House Subcommittee on the Constitution concerning church zoning problems. He was also instrumental in originating parts of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 which has become an important piece of legislation in securing religious liberties for Americans of all faiths. He has written numerous articles on religious land use and given presentations on the subject to city officials and other lawyers. In 2001, he wrote Paul on Trial: The Book of Acts as a Defense of Christianity. In this work, John explains that the book of Acts was written as a legal brief to defend the Apostle Paul on trial before the Roman Emperor Nero.

Also on the Show

Our producer-at-large, Natasha S. Alford, examines the spiritual complexities that lurk beneath the prison-issued jump suits on Orange is the New Black.