The State Of Belief

All this month, Interfaith Alliance and its partners are celebrating Faith for Pride, our annual effort to mobilize people of all faiths and none in support of LGBTQ+ rights. Our work aims to energize faith-based organizations, congregations, and activists around Pride Month and equip them with the tools to support LGBTQ+ justice year-round. On this week’s show, Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of State of Belief and president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, will share highlights from our Faith for Pride kickoff event earlier this month. We’ll hear from an inspiring and diverse group of faith leaders, all united in their vision of a more equitable nation: Rev. Don Abram, M.Div, executive director of Pride in the Pews Felipe Zurita Quintana, leadership council chair for United Religions Initiative of North America Sushma Dwivedi, progressive Hindu pundit and founder of the Purple Pundit Project Ani Zonneveld, founder and president, Muslims for Progressive Values Maharat Rori Picker Neiss, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis and proud mom to a trans child Pastor Bill Knezovich of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Fresno, California, which was recently vandalized for being LGBTQ+ affirming Tracey Labgold, Florida education & training manager for the Jewish LGBTQ+ organization Keshet and Chair of ADL's National Education Committee Malachi Garza, organizing director at the Solidaire Network Rev. Traci Blackmon, executive minister of Justice & Witness Ministries, United Church of Christ Speakers also discuss the ongoing fight against the flood of anti-LGBTQ+ bills that are advancing in statehouses across the country, emblematic of a dangerous national campaign that Christian nationalists and their allies are waging against our LGBTQ+ siblings - almost always misusing the language of faith to do so. More than 100 national and local organizations are co-sponsoring this year’s Faith for Pride initiative, including the Anti-Defamation League, Keshet, the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, the Sikh Coalition, United Religions Initiative, and the United Church of Christ. Together, we can organize and mobilize against anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and hateful rhetoric that threaten the lives of LGBTQ+ people. State of Belief has a new home and is being distributed via the Religion News Service family of podcasts. Be sure to subscribe to the next generation of State of Belief today via Apple, Spotify, Amazon, or at http://www.stateofbelief.com/newpodcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since 2006, Interfaith Alliance's wekly radio show and podcast State of Belief has brought lively and impactful discussions to the homes of Americans across faith and place. Even after more than two decades, there is nothing on the airwaves like State of Belief: our conversations with inspiring leaders illuminate the path to securing equal rights for people from every background and protecting our democracy. The host is Interfaith Alliance President Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush. We owe so much of what State of Belief is today to the founder of the show, the Rev. Dr. Welton Gaddy, who from the very beginning brought his wisdom, spiritual depth, and love of people to every show. Our friend Welton died this week in his home in Louisiana. He was a giant in the interfaith world, as well as a beloved local Baptist pastor, and there is no replacing him. Our goal is to honor his legacy and continue his great work through the ongoing mission of Interfaith Alliance and State of Belief. It is perhaps fitting, then, that today Interfaith Alliance is proud to launch a new partnership with Religion News Service, the go-to source of global news on religion, to distribute State of Belief. We join the growing family of podcasts available through RNS, including Saved by the City and Martini Judaism. By teaming up with Religion News Service, we have an exciting opportunity to reach new listeners across the nation. We’re thrilled to welcome a very special inaugural guest to kick off our exciting collaboration on June 10, 2023: Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign, president of Repairers of the Breach, and professor in the Practice of Public Theology and Public Policy and founding director of the Center for Public Theology & Public Policy at Yale Divinity School. Bishop Barber is a leading prophetic voice for social and economic justice in this country. A powerful public speaker, legendary organizer, teacher and author, he’s a very sought after interview guest – and we're thrilled to have him with us on this week’s show talking about his work, and his insights for what’s needed from American public religion at such a time as this. We’ll be sharing more updates about our new partnership in the weeks ahead. We hope you’ll join us on this new journey. Subscribe right now at via Apple, Spotify, Amazon, or at http://www.stateofbelief.com/newpodcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly three decades ago, Interfaith Alliance was founded to celebrate true religious freedom and to challenge the bigotry and hatred arising from religious and political extremists. Today, that mission is more urgent than ever, as Christian nationalists and their allies try to blur the boundaries between church and state. On this week’s State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast., host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush is joined by experts on how religion sways American politics today. He’ll speak with Dr. Ryan Burge, assistant professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University, about his latest statistical analysis of the intersection of religion and politics. And Rabbi Dr. Jay Michaelson, winner of the 2023 New York Society for Professional Journalists ‘Deadline Club’ award for opinion writing, joins Paul to discuss the convergence of gun idolatry and white Christian identity, and the recent political religious efforts to influence judicial nominations. Dr. Ryan Burge is assistant professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University and the co-founder of Religion in Public, a forum for scholars of religion and politics to make their work accessible to a more general audience. His Substack is Graphs About Religion. The expanded, second edition of his important book, The Nones: Where They Came From, Who They Are, and Where They are Going has just been released. Rabbi Dr. Jay Michelson is a CNN commentator and columnist for Rolling Stone. Previously, he was the Supreme Court columnist at The Daily Beast. Jay is the author of ten books, including the best-selling, God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality, and is an affiliated professor at Chicago Theological Seminary. Jay holds a PhD in Jewish thought from Hebrew University, a JD from Yale Law School, and a non-denominational rabbinic ordination. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If there's one thing our age demands, it's courage. Courage for solidarity with the marginalized; to uphold principle; and to live with integrity. A powerful book on the subject has just been published by Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, the Epicopal bishop of Washington, DC, How We Learn To Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith. The author joins host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush on this week’s State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast. Looking toward the 2024 election, Interfaith Alliance’s main legislative priorities include advancing LGBTQ+ equality, maintaining the separation of religion and government and holding candidates to that promise, keeping public money in public schools, and ensuring people of all beliefs can access health care that aligns with their values. Paul will speak with Darcy Hirsh, who recently took over as the organization’s lead policy and advocacy expert. Bishop Mariann Budde leads the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C., having become the first woman to hold the position in 2011. Prior to filling that role, she served as a parish priest for 18 years and spent much of that time championing social justice causes. She is also the chair and president of the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation and author of several books including Receiving Jesus: The Way of Love and her latest, How We Learn To Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith. Darcy Hirsh is Interfaith Alliance’s new senior director of policy and advocacy. Prior to joining Interfaith Alliance, Darcy served as associate vice president for public affairs and government relations at The Jewish Federations of North America, where she directed national legislative strategy on behalf of 146 federations and 300 independent communities throughout the U.S. She has a wealth of experience leading grassroots engagement and interfaith coalition efforts, and will speak with Paul about Interfaith Alliance’s new resource for fighting antisemitism as the White House announces its comprehensive strategy, and her vision for the organization moving into the 2024 election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There may be different motives behind the widespread othering of Black and LGBTQI+ Americans today, but the tactics are, sadly, effective – and dangerous to our very democracy. Worse, religious rhetoric gets dragged into the conversation even as books on historical racism get banned and some 500 anti-LGBTQI+ bills proliferate in statehouses across the country. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, you’ll hear about building diverse coalitions as the key to achieving inclusivity across lines of division, on the way to a multireligious, multiracial democracy for all of us. More Than I Imagined: What a Black Man Discovered About the White Mother He Never Knew is the gripping story of meeting your mother in a mental institution, and confronting a deeply racist half of your family. The author is John Blake, an award-winning CNN journalist who covers race, religion, and politics. John joins State of Belief host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to talk about this deeply personal memoir, and to share the hard-won lessons that cultivating difficult relationships is the only true way to lasting healing across lines of division. June, Pride Month, is just around the corner, and that means it’s almost time for Faith for Pride, a national campaign to push back against anti-LGBTQ+ extremism and support the beloved LGBTQ+ members of our communities. Interfaith Alliance and a broad coalition of organizations is leading this effort, and Maureen O’Leary, director of field and organizing at the Alliance, brings a preview of what’s in store – and an invitation for congregations and communities to get involved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In recent years, American evangelical identity has become so closely associated with only its most politically conservative, religiously narrow, and culturally white claimants. Today, white evangelicals are considered to be the most reliable supporters of the Republican Party and its political candidates. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush is joined by two guests with insider knowledge on these dynamics as well as the progressive evangelical movement that has simultaneously become forgotten in the history books. Dr. Bradley Onishi is the host of the Straight White American Jesus podcast, the most popular religion and politics podcast on Apple Podcasts. His latest book, Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism and What Comes Next, hit the shelves in January and uses vignettes from his past life as an Evangelical Christian leader to unpack the religious history that led to the January 6th insurrection. A scholar of religion, Brad teaches about and researches Christian nationalism, the history of evangelicalism, race and racism in American religion, and more. Dr. Isaac Sharp is Director of Certificate Programming and Visiting Assistant Professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. Isaac’s current research focuses on the theology, ethics, and history of American evangelicalism. In April, he published a new book, The Other Evangelicals: A Story of Liberal, Black, Progressive, Feminist, and Gay Christians and the Movement That Pushed Them Out, which debuted on Amazon at number one for books on sociology and religion. The book is a must-read for any reader seeking a deep dive into a more inclusive history of religion in America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The vast majority of Americans reject religious extremism – but that doesn’t mean the anti-democratic Christian nationalist movement isn’t a dangerous force to be reckoned with. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush is joined by Eric K. Ward, executive vice president at Race Forward and chair of the Board at the Proteus Fund. The two discuss the dangers of Christian nationalism and similar ideologies that threaten our democracy, and Americans’ continued support for a multiracial democracy that includes religious diversity. In addition to his work with Race Forward and the Proteus Fund, Eric Ward has held prominent positions at the Western States Center, Southern Poverty Law Center, and the Ford Foundation, and is an internationally-recognized expert on the relationship between authoritarian movements, hate-fueled violence, and preserving inclusive democracy. He was the recipient of the 2021 Civil Courage Prize – the first time in the award’s history that an American has won the prize, underlining the dangerous proliferation of hate crimes and political violence by authoritarian and extremist movements in the United States. A fascinating leader who has also nurtured a role in punk music, performing as Bulldog Shadow, Eric has fascinating stories of courage and community-building – and a deep understanding of what it takes to come together across differing agendas and identities, something he compellingly argues is desperately needed in our nation today. Be sure to read Eric’s powerful article, “You’re My Inspiration”: How I Came to Understand Racism in America—and What We Can Do About It. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month provides us with an opportunity to recognize and appreciate Sikhs as an integral part of communities across America. Today, 19 states and numerous cities have adopted resolutions acknowledging the month. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush explores the Sikh experience in America. Later, a close-up, personal look at the power the American evangelical movement holds over individuals and communities – and why. Anisha Singh is a powerhouse leader, organizer, and activist. As an attorney, she led impactful campaigns while serving as a senior director at the Center for American Progress. She later led the Courts and Democracy Program at Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Today, she serves as Executive Director of the Sikh Coalition, the largest Sikh civil rights organization in the United States entering its third decade of work on behalf of the Sikh community. Jon Ward is Chief National Correspondent at Yahoo News, hosts the Long Game podcast, and is the author of Camelot’s End: Kennedy vs. Carter and the Fight that Broke the Democratic Party. In his new book, Testimony: Inside the Evangelical Movement that Failed a Generation, Jon shares his experiences and insights from growing up in the insular world of Evangelical Christianity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Faith should be a bridge not a bludgeon. And yet, the Religious Right continues to weaponize religion to attack our LGBTQ+ siblings, religious minorities, and access to reproductive health care. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush speaks with guests at the forefront of these fights, who are pushing for a more inclusive vision of religious freedom. Dora Muhammad is associate director for faith engagement at Planned Parenthood, the largest single provider of reproductive health services across the country. She joins Paul to discuss the abortion pill case before Supreme Court, the fight for reproductive freedom following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and how across both faith and place, Americans overwhelmingly support access to abortion as a matter of religious freedom. Barry Nelson is the interim executive director of the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition, a statewide, membership-based organization established to increase the visibility of human rights needs across the state. During North Dakota’s current legislative session, a record 21 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced. Alongside Rev. Joe Larson, the first openly gay Evangelical Lutheran Church in America pastor in the state of North Dakota, these two members of the Board of Interfaith Alliance of North Dakota join Paul to discuss this onslaught of attacks and how they’re fighting back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are seeing religious rhetoric and moral authority misused in many parts of our society. In state legislatures, the kind of sectarian language that would have never been uttered just a few years ago has become commonplace. And religious agendas are turning up at every level of government. In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis is enacting the anti-LGBTQ, racist and reactionary agenda of a far-right fringe of the electorate. Nationally, Americans United for Separation of Church and State seeks to preserve the wall between religion and government that protects true religious freedom for all. The DeSantis administration in Florida seems to be in a race with the state legislature to impose as many narrow, exclusionary policies and laws as possible. Erasing racist history, banning books, outlawing “Woke” rhetoric as if it were some kind of nefarious agenda… The list is long, and the impact is daunting. Matt Hartley is a former board member and chair of the Interfaith Center of Northeast Florida and serves as the director of the Interfaith Center at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. He joins Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, to examine the impact all this is having in education – and in families – in the state. Americans United was founded 75 years ago by folks from across different ideological and theological backgrounds. Today, the nonprofit is led by Rachel Laser, who has a long track record of uniting faith-based and secular leaders to make progress on the most important issues of our time. Rachel joins Paul to discuss the organization’s history, its current initiatives including Americans United’s lawsuit challenging Missouri’s draconian abortion bans, and the upcoming Summit for Religious Freedom in Washington, D.C. and online on April 22-24. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Holy Week culminates with the arrival of Easter, a time when Christians gather to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus – the triumph of life over death. While Holy Week provides a time for prayer, worship, and community, the power of faith language to draw people together continues to be misused – most recently to feed the rise of Christian nationalism. Joining host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush on this week’s State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, is Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, who leads the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C. – the first woman to do so. The two discuss the message of Easter, and how it applies to the challenges we all face today – Christians and non-Christians alike. Bishop Budde is a faith leader in the nation’s capital who rarely wades into political conflicts – but felt compelled to do so when, in June of 2020, then-President Trump used force to clear peaceful protesters to facilitate a photo op at St. John’s Episcopal Church, bible in hand. She and Paul spend some time reviewing that seminal moment, and what led the bishop to make the strong statement she did condemning the events of that day. As religion continues to be subjugated to political agendas, Bishop Budde recalls her journey from activist to parish priest to becoming the first woman Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, DC – and how that background prepared her for the unique challenges of her ministry. And she shares what gives her hope in this difficult time. Bishop Mariann Budde is the chair and president of the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation, and author of several books including Receiving Jesus: The Way of Love and, coming this May, How We Learn To Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Passover starts this year at sundown on Wednesday, April 5. A sacred holiday for the Jewish people, congregations this year are taking extra precautions ahead of this year’s holiday after antisemitic incidents have reached a record high in the United States. Joining host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush on this week’s State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, is Rabbi Jonah Pesner, who serves as the Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and Senior Vice President of the Union for Reform Judaism. The two discuss Passover, its traditions, and why its lessons still resonate today. Jonah Pesner has led the Religious Action Center since 2015. An advocate for social justice, interfaith leader, and among the most influential rabbis in America, his work focuses on encouraging Jewish communities to reach across lines of race, class, and faith to achieve social justice. He is dedicated to building bridges to confront antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hate, and we’re privileged to have him on the show this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Movements are made up of individuals – each with fears, biases, relationships and beliefs. That’s why understanding – and if needed, countering – any movement requires a close and empathetic look at the individuals comprising it. Otherwise, it’s just too easy to fall into the paralyzing “those people are all insane” dismissiveness so many Americans seem to lean into these days when they think about those they disagree with. “They” can’t all be insane, though. So how can they possibly believe (fill in the blank)? And the more dangerous the movement, the more essential it is to grasp its appeal at a human level. The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War, is the brilliant new book from best-selling author Jeff Sharlet that tries to do exactly that. Described in a glowing New York Times review as “an anguished quest to understand the rise of antidemocratic extremism,” The Undertow is a guided road trip across the country, both geographically and psychologically, with Jeff Sharlet – a leading investigator of the political religious right. And this week, Jeff is back on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, to share the stories he collected in an America that seems fractured, frightened, and angry with State of Belief host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush. Jeff is the best-selling author of The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power, later a Netflix documentary series, and C Street: The Fundamentalist Threat to American Democracy. While Jeff tells some truly alarming stories in The Undertow, he also offers a substantial – and very hard-won – message of hope that everyone who values our union needs to hear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, many Muslim Americans will begin observing the holy month of Ramadan. A time of intense spiritual discipline, and fasting during the daylight hours from dawn to dusk, Ramadan allows for contemplation of one’s relationship with God, intensive prayer, charity, and study of the Quran. As the seasons of Lent and Ramadan cross over this year, Dr. Najeeba Syeed, Executive Director of Interfaith at Augsburg University, joins State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, to talk about how these diverse traditions provide us with an opportunity to strengthen relationships with our neighbors across faith and place. Najeeba is the inaugural El Hibri Endowed Chair and Executive Director of Interfaith at Augsburg University in Minneapolis, where she also serves as faculty advisor for Augsburg’s Interfaith Scholars. In this role, she partners with campus leaders on initiatives related to interreligious learning and living. Over the past two decades, she has been a professor, expert practitioner, and public speaker in conflict resolution, interfaith studies, mediation, education, deliberative democracy, and social, gender and racial equity. She joins Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of State of Belief, to speak about her background and what the broader interfaith and American community can learn from the teachings of Ramadan. And Paul shares some impressions from his recent trip to Fresno, California, full of encounters with a broad community of diverse interreligious activists there. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2023 is already a record year for anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the U.S, with at least 385 anti-LGBTQ+ laws having been introduced at the state level as of March 3. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, Maharat Rori Picker Neiss, Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis, and Rev. Nicole Garcia, Faith Work Director at the National LGBTQ Task Force, will dissect these attacks and how people are fighting back in their own communities. Then, Sarah Levin, founder and principal at Secular Strategies, will discuss how to most effectively build a coalition well-equipped to take on the dangers of Christian nationalism, from the grassroots to grasstops. In addition to her work with the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis, Maharat Rori Picker Neiss is a rabbinic fellow at the David Hartman Center, and the loving mom of an 11-year-old son who identifies as Transgender. At JCRC, she works to build bridges between the Jewish community and other faith, ethnic, civic, and political groups. In the activist spirit of his mother, her son began testifying on anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in the State of Missouri when he was just 8 years old. The National LGBTQ Task Force’s Rev. Nicole Garcia, who identifies as a Queer Transgender Latina and is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Colorado, will join Rori and Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of State of Belief, to share how everyday Americans can oppose bigotry in their communities and in the halls of power. Sarah Levin is founder and principal of Secular Strategies, and a co-chair on the Democratic National Committee’s Interfaith Council. She joins Paul this week to raise up the inspired, and growing, opposition to the Christian nationalist movement in the U.S. Defending a pluralistic democracy for this and future generations will take all of us – and Sarah is expert at coalition-building across communities of identities and beliefs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we turn the calendar page to March, celebrated as Women’s History Month, this week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast we’re excited to be speaking with Rev. Jennifer Bailey, founder and executive director of Faith Matters Network. Nowadays, there are endless opportunities for connecting along intersecting identities and priorities. It gives greater voice to what each of us have in common and allows us to learn deeply from our differences. Rev. Jen will walk us through how our differences should be utilized in connecting with one another rather than driving us further apart. Rev. Jen is the founder and executive director of Faith Matters Network, a Womanist-led organization equipping community organizers, faith leaders, and activists with resources for connection, spiritual sustainability, and accompaniment. She’s also the co-founder of the People’s Supper, an initiative to host shared meals across the U.S. in hopes of building trust and connection among people of different ideologies and perspectives. She joins Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, to speak about the work of her organizations and where her passion for bringing people together stems from – and about her book, To My Beloveds: Letters on Faith, Race, Loss and Radical Hope as well as about Weave: the Social Fabric Project from the Aspen Institute. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Americans may have defeated Christian nationalist candidates at the ballot box this past November, but the ideology’s influence still pervades our public life. That was the main takeaway from new survey data released last week, the most comprehensive poll to date on support for Christian nationalism across the nation. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, we will dive into the new report and discuss the stakes for the future of religion and democracy in America. A newly-released report from the Public Religion Research Institute, A Christian Nation? Understanding the Threat of Christian Nationalism to American Democracy and Culture, provides some disturbing findings about the influence that Christian nationalism continues to hold over our politics. For instance, nearly two-thirds of white evangelical Protestants qualify as either Christian nationalism adherents (29%) or sympathizers (35%). Meanwhile, 10% of all Americans can be categorized as avowed Christian nationalists, and an additional 19% are sympathetic to its ideals. Who better to walk us through these findings than Dr. Robert P. Jones, Founding CEO of PRRI, and Amanda Tyler, Executive Director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Freedom which launched Christians Against Christian Nationalism to address this pressing issue. They’ll be joining Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of State of Belief, to analyze the new data and discuss the long road ahead in combating this dangerous, anti-democratic ideology. In 2017, Rev. Elizabeth Edman and Rev. Marian Edmonds-Allen teamed up for Glitter Ash Wednesday, a way to observe the start of the pre-Easter season of Lent in a visibly inclusive way. The practice has spread every year since then, with more than 150 churches nationwide taking part today. Liz, an activist and political strategist who spent two decades in the struggle to become an openly queer priest in the Episcopal Church, and Marian, an ordained minister and the executive director of Parity, will join Paul ahead of Ash Wednesday, March 22, 2023, to discuss the practice and its relevance in an age of growing institutionalized bigotry against LGBTQI+ identities and lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At a time when we’re witnessing an alarming erosion in the rights of women, surging racism, increasing antisemitic rhetoric and violence, and growing attempts to erase the truth of queer identity and experience, it’s crucial for us to be able to turn to leaders who can articulate a powerful, positive moral mandate for a more just future. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, you’ll hear from a religious leader doing just that. With increasing bigotry and hate spreading across social media platforms, it’s important to remember our potential to support one another, build community and provide inspiration. An activist, public speaker and musician, known by many as the “TikTok Rabbi,” Rabbi Sandra Lawson is the Inaugural Director of Racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Reconstructing Judaism. Rabbi Sandra lives and works at the intersection of queer, Black, female, and Jewish identities – and speaks powerfully about the dangers of the division and supremacy that are rending our nation. This week, she joins Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of State of Belief, to discuss how, despite such threats, she maintains positivity and a commitment to keeping others empowered by gratitude and hope as well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is making national headlines once again, this time for being the impetus for College Board gutting its AP African American studies curriculum. The same people pushing to turn the United States into a Christian nation are working to erase the history of Black and Brown Americans, making it easier to spread white Christian nationalism. The fight against Christian nationalism is not just a fight for religious freedom. It’s also a fight for a democracy that includes all of us, not just a privileged few. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, we will explore how religion can be used as a force for good, and a counter to the Christian right. More and more, the idea that the American political realm is a place of “spiritual warfare” is making its way into the mainstream. We’re seeing this take hold in Florida especially–Governor DeSantis’s recent ad claiming he was sent by God is just one example. Katherine Stewart, author of The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism, will join Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of State of Belief, to discuss how Christian nationalism is taking hold in the state, and what we can do about it. We talk a lot about the dangers of weaponized religion on this show. But organized religion can be–and already is–a tremendous source of strength for many, and a vehicle for justice. Dr. Diana Butler Bass will speak with Paul this week about how those united for justice can tap into faith and religious communities to spark social change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This past Wednesday, Interfaith Alliance released the comprehensive new report Big Tech, Hate and Religious Freedom Online. As a part of that release, Interfaith Alliance hosted an expert panel discussion, moderated by State of Belief host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush. On this week’s show, you’ll hear the warnings and strategies the panelists. Zaki Barzinji is the program director for Aspen Digital, where he oversees a range of projects at the intersection of tech policy, equity, and justice for unrepresented communities. He served in the White House as senior associate director of public engagement and President Obama’s liaison to the Arab-American, Muslim, Sikh and other minority faiths, where he worked to amplify voices and narratives seldom represented at the highest levels of government. Lauren Krapf serves as the Anti-Defamation League’s counsel for technology policy and advocacy. Her work includes advocacy to support targets of online harassment and hold social media companies accountable for their role in fomenting extremism, hate, and antisemitism and racism. Lauren spearheads ADL’s anti-cyber harassment initiative, Backspace Hate. Prior to joining ADL, Lauren worked as a litigation associate in Los Angeles where she was the co-founder of her firm’s harassment and bias intervention training. Paul Barrett is the deputy director of the Center for Business and Human Rights at New York University’s Stern School of Business. He joined the Center in September of 2017 after working for more than three decades as a journalist and author focusing on the intersection of business law and society. At the Center for Business and Human Rights, Paul has focused on producing a series of reports on the role and obligations of the social media industry in a democracy, including the debate over the liability of social media platforms for harmful content and the role of social media companies in the intensifying political polarization in the U.S. We’ll also dig into the contents of the Big Tech, Hate and Religious Freedom Online report with Interfaith Alliance Advocacy Associate Riya Kohli who was the driving force behind putting this report together. You can download the report at this link: https://bit.ly/3ZZRcgS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At a time when the Religious Right and its elected allies misuse religion and attempt to force one set of beliefs on all, it is always worth considering how we can channel faith to contribute toward the greater good. On this week’s State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, we’ll be discussing how each of us can tap into that ethic and use it to impact meaningful change within our own communities. A familiar name to many, Shane Claiborne is the co-founder of Red Letter Christians and a tireless activist for peace, justice, and grace. Among his many projects is the Forge, which brings people in his Philadelphia community together to, literally, forge guns into plowshares (or at least garden tools!) Shane’s brand new book, Rethinking Life: Embracing the Sacredness of Every Person, hits the shelves on February 7 and explores how to resolve the conflicting ways honoring life shows up in our culture today. This week, he joins Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of State of Belief, to discuss the new book and his efforts for peace, justice and equality. While it continues to have enormous potential to amplify diverse voices and empower democracy, social media is too often associated with a flood of hate and bigotry poisoning the digital world. On Wednesday, January 25th, Interfaith Alliance is releasing a new report, Big Tech, Hate and Religious Freedom Online; and that same day, it’s hosting an expert panel highlighting the urgent threat digital hate poses to religious freedom. Project leader Interfaith Alliance Advocacy Associate Riya Kohli joins Paul to preview the report and webinar. The webinar, at 12:00 noon Eastern Time, features Zaki Barzinji of The Aspen Institute, Paul M. Barrett of NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights, and Anti-Defamation League’s Lauren Krapf. Sign up to attend here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Monday, Americans across the spectrum of backgrounds and beliefs will join together to celebrate the life and incalculable impact of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. If we are to honor his vision for the Beloved Community – and push back against those on the who have tried to repurpose his beliefs – we have a responsibility to lift up what he truly stood for. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, we will examine Dr. King’s views on racial and economic justice – and where some of those principles came from. What are the essential teachings of Dr. King? What has been forgotten, either by accident or on purpose? These are some of the important questions we’ll dive into with our first guest, Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III. Drawing on his own spiritual background as well as family history with the King family, he’ll join Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of State of Belief, to apply Dr. King’s beliefs to the turbulent world we live in today. The founder and senior rabbi of IKAR Jewish community, Rabbi Sharon Brous is among the foremost voices on how the interfaith community can unite to find common ground. While taping last week’s wide-ranging interview with Paul, she shared some wisdom on the legacy of Dr. King that seemed perfect to save… And include on this week’s show! It’s no secret that faith was at the center of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s advocacy and pursuit of justice. But not all religious leaders lead toward freedom like King did – and as we honor his legacy, it is the perfect opportunity to consider the kind of faith he embodied. This week, Paul revisits a column he authored as Religion Editor at Huffington Post, 7 Ways to Be Sure You’re a Martin Luther King Jr. Kind of Christian. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Right now, people across faith and place are readjusting to everyday life after the holiday season. The dawn of a new year is always an opportunity to reflect, lean on our loved ones and our communities for strength and guidance, and consider what kind of change we want to see – and manifest – in the world. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, we will look to the past and the future to draw inspiration for the year ahead. Multiple news outlets have named our first guest the most influential rabbi in America. Her TED Talk, titled Reclaiming Religion, has been viewed by 1.4 million people and translated into 23 languages. As we kick off a new year, Rabbi Sharon Brous, founder and senior rabbi of IKAR Jewish community in Los Angeles will join Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of State of Belief, to share her wisdom on the big spiritual questions ahead of us in 2023. We can all agree that understanding where we came from is crucial to making sense of the world we live in today. But with so much of our culture and politics influenced by fictions of an American past that never was, we can lose sight of the most crucial lessons history teaches us. Dr. Julian Zelizer, co-editor of the new book Myth America: Historians Take On the Biggest Legends and Lies About Our Past, will be with Paul to explore this effort to move toward a more reality-based understanding of ourselves as a nation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Each new calendar year seems to bring a fresh slate of challenges for this country. While some of us might look to the new year with trepidation, we can take comfort in the incredible victories our community achieved together in 2022. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, we will sit down with three inspiring guests to help us think about ways to chart the best course in the year ahead. We live in a time of global and technological disruption that, for many of us, make it difficult to be mindful of the present. Sharon Salzberg, a central figure in the field of meditation and a New York Times bestselling author, has spent her career bringing Buddhist wisdom to contemporary challenges to help others connect with the people and values that matter most. Sharon will join Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of State of Belief, to discuss change, resilience, and her new book, Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World. A central question of our time is how – across faith and place – we can build inclusive spaces that celebrate every person’s humanity and worth. An influential moral voice for inclusivity and spirituality is Father James Martin, SJ, who has put that ethic into practice throughout his career. Editor-at-large at America Magazine, Father Jim will join Paul to discuss holding on to hope and resisting haters. We’re always thrilled to welcome back repeat guests on State of Belief, and our next guest first joined us all the way back in 2010! An interfaith activist, humanist leader, author, and educator, Chris Stedman is an essential voice on the biggest challenges facing the multifaith movement for justice and equality. Chris will sit down with Paul discuss the religious freedom landscape heading into the new year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court’s demolition of reproductive rights. The powerful faith-based mobilization behind the Respect for Marriage Act. The alarming rise of Christian nationalism on the campaign trail. To say 2022 has been a momentous year for religion and politics would be a huge understatement, and there’s no better time than these last days of the year to take stock and make sense of these developments. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, we will recap the most important – and some overlooked – religion stories of the year with an eye toward what we can expect in the year ahead. It’s been our tradition since the early days of this show to make time to explore how the most impactful religion stories of the year have shaped our culture and our nation across lines of faith and belief. Thankfully for us, the dedicated team at Religion News Service continues to provide invaluable reporting – from the grassroots to the grasstops. Two award-winning RNS national reporters, Jack Jenkins and Adelle M. Banks, join Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of State of Belief, to recap a very newsy 2022. And we’ll hear some words for this season from Rev. Traci Blackmon, Associate General Minister for Justice and Local Church Ministries for the United Church of Christ. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On December 13, President Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act into federal law, ensuring all Americans can marry who they love. For months, Interfaith Alliance has been working alongside partners to push the Respect for Marriage Act across the finish line before a new Congress takes over in January. Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, President of Interfaith Alliance and host of State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, was on the White House lawn the day of the bill’s signing, and this week he’ll be speaking with advocates who diligently worked to get the Respect for Marriage Act to President Biden’s desk. Interfaith Alliance Director of Policy and Advocacy Katy Joseph returns to the show alongside GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders – GLAD – Senior Attorney Mary Bonauto, who was one of the attorneys who successfully argued the Obergefell case before the Supreme Court, to speak with Paul about the relationship between religious freedom and LGBTQ+ equality, the process it took to get the bill to passage, and what it means now that it is officially signed into law. The Rev. Traci Blackmon is Associate General Minister for Justice and Local Church Ministries for the United Church of Christ. A deeply spiritual leader who brings faith to bear on issues of social justice and dignity for all people, Traci joins Paul this week to walk through her own and UCC’s advocacy efforts behind the Respect for Marriage Act, the diverse faith coalition in support of the bill, and what lies ahead for social justice activists in the upcoming year. And we’ll hear the initial reaction to the signing from Father James Martin, editor-at-large at America Magazine and a Jesuit priest widely respected for his ministry walking with LGBTQI+ Catholics and advocating for their dignity in the Church. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 24/7 news cycle can feel relentless. As technology continues to advance, we increasingly live in a time of information overload and constant multitasking. Especially at the end of a long year, it’s a good time to take a step back, reflect, and make the time to process the hectic world around us – and good books are still the best way to do that. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, we will highlight some of the exceptional religion-themed books released over the past year. Award-winning author Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg is scholar-in-residence at the National Council of Jewish Women. She’s published seven books, and the latest, On Repentance and Repair: Making Amends in an Unapologetic World, came out earlier this year. Leaning on Jewish wisdom and encompassing universal values, it’s a powerful and practical call to action. Rabbi Danya will join Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of State of Belief, to share her ambitious vision for what it really takes to move beyond paralyzing harms. The future of the world is inseparable from the future of its fastest-growing faith. In Two Billion Caliphs: A Vision of a Muslim Future, author Haroon Moghul (author of How To Be A Muslim, among other books) goes beyond imagining that future, but calling on readers to step up to the work of shaping it. Haroon is an author, public speaker, and occasional Friday preacher, who works to build a vibrant role for faith in shaping a better future. It’s always a privilege to find shared values and common teachings across diverse faith traditions. And while the tenets of the Sikh religion might be less familiar to many non-Sikhs, The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life reveals a lot of those values through a survey of Sikh beliefs as well as the personal experiences of the author, Dr. Simran Jeet Singh, executive director of the Aspen Institute for Religion and Society. Paul also gets each guest to recommend three books they found particularly valuable, and shares some titles selected by himself and the Interfaith Alliance staff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Thanksgiving! As challenging as this moment is for so many of us, the practice of active gratitude offers promise for both hope – and healing. On this special edition of State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush shares an extended conversation with Rabbi Joshua Stanton, Senior Fellow at Clal in New York City and Senior Rabbi at East End Temple. There’s so much to get out of this encounter! From Joshua’s passionate, active practice of gratitude, based in Jewish teaching and tradition; respectfully learning lessons on gender from his young son (and accepting the label of Rabbi Cisgender Dude Bro for himself); musing on the benefits of freeing many religious practices from dependence on formal faith leaders; to the essential right to seek mental health support for anyone who feels a need in this post-pandemic, trauma-laden time. You’ll also hear the blessings Rabbi Stanton finds in the allyship Jews are experiencing today across a vast and diverse range of communities despite the surge in antisemitism staining other parts of our society. Something we’re profoundly thankful for is the committed leaders who joined Interfaith Alliance in Washington, DC to speak out strongly in support of the Respect for Marriage Act. You’ll hear some of their thoughts on this week’s State of Belief (video of these messages and more is available at interfaithalliance.org) And we hear a prayer for this season from Rev. Nicole Garcia, Faith Work Director at the National LGBTQ Task Force. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Across faiths, we’re united by a shared obligation to protect our neighbors. Over the past week, we saw two powerful demonstrations of that principle in action in our nation’s capital, as faith leaders across diverse backgrounds and beliefs gathered on Capitol Hill to combat Islamophobia and advance marriage equality. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, we’ll debrief these two inspiring multi-faith events with two guests who were at the center of the action. The wave of hatred and discriminaton unleashed across America in the post-9/11 was a dark chapter in our nation’s history that we’ve yet to fully confront. The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), however, has been pushing Congress to reckon with the fallout by advocating for House Resolution 662, which would honor the victims of Islamophobic and anti-immigrant hate crimes over the past decades. Mohammad Hurr Ali, Director of Policy and Government Relations at MPAC, will sit down with Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of State of Belief, to debrief their event on Capitol Hill this week that highlighted this important effort. When the radical majority on the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, they put the country on notice that other fundamental rights could be on the chopping block – including the right to marry who we love. Clergy representing diverse faiths have organized tirelessly in the months since, making the faithful argument for protecting same-sex and interracial marriage under federal law. With the historic Respect for Marriage Act poised to pass in the Senate in the days ahead, Rev. Nicole Garcia, Faith Director at the National LGBT Task Force, will join Paul to discuss why religious freedom and equality are complementary values. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been a week of surprises since election day on Nov. 8th. While control of both houses of Congress still hang in the balance, conventional wisdom suggests Christian nationalism, election denial and conspiracy theories turned out to be far less effective than feared. The wisdom our guests bring to this week’s State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, however, is anything but conventional – and their take on what happened in the midterms, as well as what our leaders need to do next, makes for compelling listening! In conversation with State of Belief host Interfaith Alliance President Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, Joshua DuBois brings a wealth of expertise on how and where politics and religion meet. After years leading the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships in the Obama White House, today he’s CEO at two cutting-edge consultancies, Values Partnerships and Gauge.ai, and is one of our country’s top voices on community alliances, issues impacting African Americans, and religion in the public square. Joshua has a lot to say about the US Senate race in Georgia between Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock and challenger Herschel Walker, and shares insights about how progressive faith communities and voters turned out on Nov. 8th. It’s encouraging to hear him recognize that voters seem ready to turn their backs on the extremism and alternate reality that have permeated our politics in recent years. At the same time, he points out we certainly couldn’t take for granted a peaceful election day. And don’t miss the cameo appearance from Joshua’s small son, who thought dad might have gotten hungry doing all these interviews and brought him some bread! Cheryl Contee is another prominent civic and business leader with deep knowledge of messaging as well as of organizing and empowering marginalized persons. She’s CEO of The Impact Seat Foundation as well as founder and Chair of the digital agency Do Big Things. Recognizing how reproductive rights affect not just women but entire families and communities, Cheryl also shares the additional hurdles that continue to make it harder for women, specifically, to run for elected office. Like Joshua DuBois, she believes real-life solutions to real-life problems clearly motivate voters more than ideological and hyperbolic messages do. Beyond sharp analysis, Cheryl’s got concrete, cutting-edge ideas on how progressive faith communities can leverage the potential of technology and social media to create real change in an era when people simply no longer trust organizations. We can’t wait to have you hear it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From coast-to-coast in recent years, we’ve witnessed the reemergence of appalling efforts being made to disenfranchise members of marginalized communities at the ballot box. These actions are why the fight to preserve voting rights for all has been a central focus of the work of many religious social justice groups for years. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, we’ll hear from several effective advocates about the work they’re doing on the ground to get voters registered and how they’re combating the anti-democratic efforts all around us. It’s a long episode this week – but it’s full of important – and ultimately encouraging – topics. With the battle cry “Our votes are demands,” The Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival has made contact with over five million eligible voters from economically marginalized backgrounds. Tireless Campaign co-chair Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis brings the urgency and rationale of raising up all voices as a moral mandate as she joins Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of State of Belief, this final weekend before the midterm elections. Voters of all faiths and none are being urged to take a stand against Christian nationalism at the ballot box. Rev. Doug Pagitt, executive director of Vote Common Good, has been touring the country in a big orange bus warning voters about this dangerous ideology and how to spot it. Just days before Election Day, Doug will catch up with Paul from the road about the stakes of this election and the concerns of the voters he’s been speaking with. Many of us looked on with horror as Florida authorities arrested numerous people, former felons, for the crime of believing the government officials who told them they were allowed to vote. Cruel stunts like that are just one example of attempts to undermine public confidence – and suppress participation – in the upcoming midterm election in the Sunshine State. Thankfully, the League of Women Voters is on the front lines pushing back, and this week their League of Women Voters of Florida President Cecile Scoon will join us to discuss their important efforts. And Paul has some parting thoughts to share on in this age of divisiveness, rancor and isolation: we are not alone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Considering the stakes, this year’s midterm elections are far from normal. Recent polling suggests that Christian nationalism could be gaining traction on the right, but fortunately younger generations are resisting its encroachment into public life. Our vote remains powerful, but there is undoubtedly a clear and concerted effort underway by the Political Religious Right and their allies to distort the meaning of religious freedom. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, we’ll be discussing what to expect on Election Day and just how we got here in the first place. Faith leaders across the country are using the power of the pulpit and adopting creative ways to get their congregations to vote in the approaching midterm elections. Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, CEO of the Skinner Leadership Institute, has long provided inspiring leadership in congregations across the country as well as in the halls of Congress. She joins Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of State of Belief, this week to discuss the work she is doing organizing poll chaplains to stand for democracy as part of the initiative Religions United to Save Democracy. No analysis of this midterm cycle is complete without discussing the influence of faith, both in protection of and at odds with democracy. As Christian nationalists are spreading hate and division, interfaith groups are pushing back in defense of our democratic values. Religion News Service national reporter Jack Jenkins is a leading expert on this dangerous movement as well as the brave faith groups combating it, and he joins Paul to share some of what he’s been reporting on heading into the midterm election and where he thinks we go from here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Too often, we encounter stories about how faith is being used to divide us, rather than bring us together. But we all have the power to channel our beliefs into promoting dialogue, compromise, and peace.This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, we’ll be discussing how people of faith can use religion to build bridges across lines of division in their own communities, rather than feeding the debates and arguments that drive us further apart. Founded in 2002 grounded in the belief that religious diversity enriches our communities and should serve as a bridge of cooperation, Interfaith America has evolved from a small Chicago-based nonprofit to a premier national interfaith organization. Their work involves inspiring, equipping, and connecting individuals – and especially young people – and institutions to unlock the potential of America’s religious diversity. Eboo Patel, president of Interfaith America, joins Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of State of Belief, discuss the organization’s 20th anniversary, its important work, Eboo’s latest book, We Need to Build: Field Notes for Diverse Democracy, and his new podcast, Interfaith America with Eboo Patel. When President Barack Obama turned to religious leaders and experts to staff the White House Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, he called upon Rev. Fred Davie. From the Obama administration to Union Theological Seminary to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, he’s remained an essential voice on how justice and equity are the pillars of building stronger, more inclusive communities. Fred also serves as senior advisor on racial equity at Interfaith America, which is where Paul catches up with him this week to dive into the important role of religion in this year’s midterm elections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After Roe v. Wade was overturned earlier this year, the states became the battleground in the struggle for both reproductive freedom and other critical civil rights. At the state level, for instance, rampant voter suppression targeting Black voters is eroding our democracy further. While national politics are important, state and local politics are often where communities feel the most impact. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, we’ll discuss the importance of taking action at the local level in the ongoing fight against religious extremism. As the midterms loom and the future of our democracy hangs in the balance, voters will soon be heading to the polls to cast their ballots. Across the country we are seeing candidates running for office on bigoted and anti-democratic platforms – but people of faith and conscience have a crucial role to play in resisting extremist politics. Maureen O’Leary, director of field & organizing at Interfaith Alliance, will join Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of State of Belief, to discuss the organization’s affiliate program and the urgent need for grassroots mobilization. Heading into November, each region of the country is facing its own unique challenges. The fight for equality cannot happen in a bubble and will require solidarity between communities across the nation. This week, we’re delighted to have the leaders of three of Interfaith Alliance’s affiliates join Paul to discuss what’s taking place on the ground in their states, how voters are reacting, and their own personal experiences working in interfaith advocacy. You’ll meet Connie Ryan, longtime executive director of Interfaith Alliance of Iowa; Rev. Paul Naamon, President of Interfaith Alliance of Upstate New York; and Rabbi Carl Choper, President of Interfaith Alliance of Pennsylvania. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is no greater threat to American democracy today than Christian nationalism. Ahead of the midterms and looking beyond, Interfaith Alliance is working to sound the alarm on this dangerous ideology and equip members of our community with the tools to further a more inclusive vision of religious freedom. As Interfaith Alliance strengthens these efforts, drawing on three decades of work combating the Religious Right, we’re also excited to welcome our new president and CEO Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush as host of State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast. This week of State of Belief, we’ll explore what Christian nationalism is – and what each of us can do to combat it in our own communities. Christian nationalism may draw on the symbols and language of Christian religious life, but make no mistake – the “Christian” elements of this ideology are more about identity than religion. Its ultimate goal is power for a particular group of Americans, at the expense of all others. Renowned experts on Christian nationalism Dr. Andrew Whitehead, award-winning author and scholar, and Dr. Sabrina Dent, president of the Center for Faith, Justice, and Reconciliation, will join Paul to discuss this rising movement and the danger it poses not just ahead of the midterms, but for democracy writ large. The pernicious influence of Christian nationalism can be felt outside the ballot box, and in our everyday lives. One major way the Religious Right is working to build its narrative is by censoring anyone whose worldview dare diverge from theirs. Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code and Marshall Plan for Moms, and Skye Perryman, president and CEO Democracy Forward, will be with Paul to discuss the cultural impact of Christian nationalism and how we can combat it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Wednesday, September 28th, Interfaith Alliance convened an urgent briefing on Capitol Hill on the subject of Christian Nationalism as a threat to the very fiber of our democracy. Hosted by US Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, it brought together a diverse panel of prominent experts to discuss this growing danger – and strategies for fighting back. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio program and podcast, you’ll hear highlights of this briefing, led by Interfaith Alliance President and CEO Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush. Paul was joined by activist Wajahat Ali, author of Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American; Texas voting registration advocate and van lifer Tayhlor Coleman; Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Executive Director Connie Ryan; and Evangelicals for Democracy Executive Director Rev. Dr. Richard Cizik. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices