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This week’s episode of The State of Belief features interviews with guests along Interfaith Alliance’s “The Vote is Sacred Bus Tour.” Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush visits with Karim Khayati, Rabbi Deanna Sussman, Rev. Sarah Jones, Dan Osborn, Connie Ryan, State Sen. Rev. Sarah Trone Garriott, Rt. Rev. Betsey Monnot, Rhonda Lindner, Rev. Breanna Illéné, and Khalilah Worley, leaders empowering voters to hit the polls to defend religious freedom and multi-faith democracy.
These conversations spotlight a shared commitment among diverse leaders—politicians, clergy, and activists—to advocate for social justice, community engagement, and the empowerment of marginalized groups. Underlining the bus tour’s goal of highlighting the role of diverse religious communities engaged in inspiring pro-democracy activism, these leaders’ efforts reflect a shared commitment to fostering a vibrant, multi-faith democracy, working alongside amazing partners to lift up the voices of all Americans in the face of extremism and Christian nationalism.
Karim Khayati, Rabbi Deanna Sussman, and Rev. Sarah Jones are leaders in the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian faith communities, respectively, that make up the unique Tri-Faith Initiative in Omaha, Nebraska. A fitting place to begin The Vote Is Sacred bus tour, and their thoughts are a fitting way to start this week’s show.
Dan Osborn highlights the lack of working-class representation, stating, “Less than 2% of our elected officials in the House and Senate came from the working class... I'm going to have a worker agenda.” Connie Ryan echoes the need for change, emphasizing that “reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, and public schools are on the ballot,” calling for people to harness “the magical power of voting” to stand up for justice.
State Sen. Rev. Sarah Trone Garriott reminds us that “every single elected office matters,” while the Rt. Rev. Betsey Monnot emphasizes the Episcopal Church's commitment to justice, stating, “One of the vows that we take... is to respect the dignity and worth of every human being.” Rev. Breanna Illéné also recognizes the intersection of faith and politics, asserting, “Your faith should impact your life. Politics impact your life... and they do mix and need to mix.” Rhonda Lindner expresses hope for democracy by asserting, “If every Wisconsin voter who wants to vote and who should vote, votes... democracy and the will of the people will stand.” And even as gerrymandering threatens the fairness of the vote in several states, Khalilah Worley Billy reminds us to "Find joy in this election." -
This fall, a number of faith- and values-driven organizations have taken to the road, bringing a positive message to communities across the country aboard colorful, activist-filled buses. From the Nuns On The Bus & Friends Vote Our Future Tour, to the Revolutionary Love Tour, to the Faith & Democracy Tour, to the Vote Common Good Confronting Christian Nationalism Tour, to Interfaith Alliance’s own The Vote is Sacred Tour, a lot of face-to-face conversations are happening, and a lot of hope is being spread. This week on The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance's weekly radio program and podcast, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush checks in with some of these tours, and finds out what the conversations are sounding like across the country.
Valarie Kaur is just wrapping up a six-week stretch of the Revolutionary Love Bus Tour, part of a deeply spiritual and place-specific experience of community and a vision for a new level of connection. She and her crew took a break from singing while traversing the South to check in with The State of Belief.
Rev. Doug Pagitt is no stranger to long and grueling bus tours, bringing the message of Vote Common Good. This election season, the focus is on confronting Christian Nationalism, and he, too, was in motion as he shared his reasons for this particular focus in 2024.
The sole non-bus participant in this roundup, Dr. Kristin Kobes Du Mez, describes the music-, wisdom-, and hope-laden gatherings organized by The Convocation Unscripted, under the banner of The Faith and Democracy Tour. She also updates Paul on her documentary film, For Our Daughters: Stories of Abuse, Betrayal, and Resistance in the Evangelical Church.
Kristin encourages us to embrace our role in the fight for justice and democracy: “This is not a time for cynicism, certainly not a time to give up or to feel hopeless. It's a time to cut through all of the muddiness out there, all of the messages coming through, and just focus. This is who you are. This is what we believe, and this is what you can do.”
And Interfaith Alliance is pulling into traffic with The Vote is Sacred Bus Tour. The brainchild of Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, it brings members of the Interfaith Alliance team to a number of communities to encourage getting out the vote and to raise up the critical issue of voter protection.
The Mother Superior of all of these bus tours, the Nuns On the Bus & Friends Vote Our Future Tour, was featured on The State of Belief just a few weks ago.
Valarie Kaur is a renowned civil rights leader, lawyer, award-winning filmmaker, and author known for her visionary work in social justice and racial healing. As the founder of the Revolutionary Love Project, she leads movements on reclaiming love as a force for justice.
Doug Pagitt is a social activist, author, and possibility enthusiast dedicated to enlisting people in the hopes and dreams of a more just world. As Co-founder and Executive Director of Vote Common Good, he mobilizes people of faith to engage in civic life.
Kristin Kobes Du Mez is the New York Times bestselling author of Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation, and Professor of History and Gender Studies at Calvin University. She holds a PhD from the University of Notre Dame and her research focuses on the intersection of gender, religion, and politics.
Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons is the Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy at Interfaith Alliance, where he leads efforts like the upcoming “The Vote is Sacred” Bus Tour. An ordained Baptist minister and a leading advocate at the intersection of religion and policy, Guthrie has dedicated his career to empowering faith communities to advance social justice and counter religious extremism. -
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Marking the Freedom to Read Day of Action, this week’s episode of The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance's weekly radio program and podcast, features interviews with Qiana Johnson, Rev. Kim Coleman, and Rabba Rori Picker Neiss – influential leaders working at the intersection of faith and activism to combat censorship and book bans. They join host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to discuss the critical role that religious communities can play in resisting book bans, supporting vulnerable groups like LGBTQI+ youth, and ensuring that libraries remain spaces for learning and inclusion. Each explores how faith can be a driving force for justice and community-building in the fight against censorship.
Rabba Picker Neiss detailed how censorship works to suppress diverse viewpoints. “Anytime people are uncomfortable with a book because it doesn't reflect them, then it's a silencing of anyone different. And fundamentally, we're all different. And that's the beauty that we have in this country. That's the ethos that I think both of our organizations are working off of. That's the strength that we can really bring.”
Qiana Johnson also emphasized how book bans can ensure that members of our communities are harmfully marginalized, making our whole society worse off. “Parts of the human story are being weaponized, and parts of the human story are being denigrated, and parts of that human story and our beauty are being hidden. And part of the community is being told that they aren't truly part of the community, that they are dangerous parts of the community…We learn from things that are challenging, but we have to do that.”
Rev. Kim captures the urgency of taking action and being vigilant in the face of threats like book ban: “People of faith are called to be proactive, not reactive. Jesus told us to go and make disciples. We have a custom of waiting till something tragic happens before we awaken... but we don’t have to be on the defensive anymore.”
Qiana Johnson is the Associate Dean of Libraries, Collections, and Content Strategies at Dartmouth, focusing on acquisitions, discovery, access, preservation, and management of information resources. She's also an ordained deacon in the Episcopal Church.
Rabba Rori Picker Neiss is the Senior Vice President for Community Relations at the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) and previously the Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis. She has also served on the clergy team at a Modern Orthodox synagogue.
The Very Rev. Kim Coleman is the president of the Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE) and the rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Arlington, Virginia. She leads UBE in addressing racism and advocating for Black Episcopalians, raising awareness about book bans within the Episcopal Church. -
In his new book, Dr. Matthew D. Taylor sheds light on the alarming rise of authoritarianism in Christian nationalist movements. In The Violent Take It By Force: The Christian Movement That Is Threatening Our Democracy, Matthew explores the rise of the New Apostolic Reformation, a radical movement within American evangelicalism that is mobilizing in support of Trump and other far-right leaders. This week, he joins host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, host of The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance's weekly radio program and podcast, to discuss how this movement intertwines charismatic faith with extreme politics, a dangerous combination that culminated in the January 6th attack on the Capitol – and continues to hang over democracy as a major threat.
Emphasizing the need for a cohesive pro-democracy movement, Matthew and Paul review strategies for countering the impact of extremist groups through education and persuasion – highlighting the importance of reaching out to those who may have been misled but can still be engaged in constructive dialogue.
“We need to try to find all the allies we can, all the fellow travelers we can, and try to build a coalition that is pro-democracy. And I see the edges of that. I see the glimpses of that, and it fills me with hope because I think there are people who are listening to the better angels of our nature right now. We need their voices to be louder. We need them to be amplified.”
- Matthew D. Taylor, Ph.D., senior scholar and the Protestant scholar at the Institute for Islamic Jewish Christian Studies, specializing in Muslim-Christian dialogue, Evangelical and Pentecostal movements, religious politics in the U.S., and American Islam. Before coming to ICJS, Matt served on the Georgetown University and The George Washington University faculty. He is a member of the American Academy of Religion and the North American Association of Islamic and Muslim Studies. Dr. Taylor's literary and visual works include Scripture People: Salafi Muslims in Evangelical Christians’ America, the audio-documentary series “Charismatic Revival Fury: The New Apostolic Reformation,” and his latest book, The Violent Take It By Force: The Christian Movement That Is Threatening Our Democracy. -
October 7th marks the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza – a war that is still raging and even spreading, costing tens of thousands of lives and untold suffering and trauma for so many in the region. This week, The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance's weekly radio program and podcast, focuses on marking this solemn occasion, and exploring the impact that it’s had on interfaith relations between diverse communities here in the US.
The episode shares extended excerpts from a powerful recent panel discussion moderated by host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, featuring expert guests from the Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities – Dr. Najeeba Syeed, Rabba Rori Picker Neiss, and Rev. Fred Davie. Alongside that panel, Paul is also joined this week by Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of T’ruah, a heartfelt conversation on the emotional and spiritual weight of the Jewish High Holy Days as they intersect with the ongoing violence in the Middle East.
These conversations delve into the complexities and conflicts faced by religious communities, offering strategies for fostering collaboration, empathy, and understanding in a divided society. They reflect on how global conflicts can have intense local impacts here in the US, underscoring the need for dedicated relationship-building to create a more inclusive future.
Discussing the ongoing conflict in Israel/Palestine, Rabbi Jill Jacobs reflected, “Most people want to live their lives in peace. And various leaders are deciding to continue to escalate.” She added, “We’re sitting in this liminal moment where we see that things could get much worse, or God willing and the leaders willing, they could get better.”
During the panel, Dr. Syeed emphasized the importance of facing challenges head-on: "We can't afford to disengage from the pain. We must show up, even in discomfort, and be ready to have the hard conversations that can lead to healing." Rabba Picker Neiss stressed the need for dialogue: “We need to ask questions and then we need to listen to the answers. We need to hold space, and we need to recognize that offering someone space doesn't mean giving up any of our own power.” Rev. Fred Davie offered a hopeful perspective, expressing that their collective efforts “serve as a bit of leaven, a bit of yeast, for this larger effort to build a kind of world…that we’d all like to see.”
Rev. Fred Davie is the Senior Strategic Advisor to the President at Union Theological Seminary, where he previously served as Executive Vice President for a decade. In his current role, he advises on public programming, racial justice, and social justice initiatives.
Rabbi Jill Jacobs is the CEO of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, leading over 2,300 rabbis and cantors in advocating for human rights in North America, Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories.
Rabba Rori Picker Neiss is the Senior Vice President for Community Relations at the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA). Previously, she was the Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis and a member of the clergy at Bais Abraham Congregation.
Dr. Najeeba Syeed is the El-Hibri endowed chair and executive director of the Interfaith Institute at Augsburg University. She is a recognized leader in peacebuilding, having twice received the Jon Anson Ford Award for reducing violence and being named Southern California Mediation Association’s “Peacemaker of the Year” in 2007. -
Mary J. Novak and Kristin Du Mez are two incredible women whose work at the intersection of activism and faith is driving critical change in our society. This week, they join host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush on The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance's weekly radio program and podcast, to explore how faith can be used as a tool for tremendous social progress, or for abuse – and how people can work together to help foster inclusive communities and challenge the forces of oppression.
Kristin's new film, For Our Daughters, explores the troubling culture of submission and sexual abuse within the evangelical church, and its connection to the Christian nationalist agenda aimed at undermining women's rights in the upcoming 2024 election.
“I thought it was really important to put their stories, in all of their power, in front of the country. In front of Christian women in particular, in front of Christians, and just hear them and grapple with: how could this be allowed to happen? How could, even after these wrongs were exposed…How could this persist? And then, what are we doing as Christians, as church members, and as voters to perpetuate these systems that foster abuse?”
- Kristin Kobes Du Mez, New York Times bestselling author and Professor of History and Gender Studies at Calvin University. She holds a PhD from the University of Notre Dame and her research focuses on the intersection of gender, religion, and politics. She has contributed to The New York Times, The Washington Post, and NBC News and has been featured on NPR, CBS, and the BBC. Her latest works include her book, Jesus and John Wayne and groundbreaking documentary, For Our Daughters: Stories of Abuse, Betrayal, and Resistance in the Evangelical Church.
“People of all backgrounds and religious and cultural persuasions are working together to help build the common good through policy and politics…because we can all come together. And when we collaborate, we have the power to decide the future we will inhabit.”
- Mary J. Novak, Executive Director of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, the first lay leader and the sixth woman to hold this role. With a background in organizing, activism, law, education, chaplaincy, and restorative justice, she introduced a shared leadership model to advance NETWORK's mission. Under her guidance, the organization is building stronger partnerships for the common good and positioning itself for future growth in pursuing justice. NETWORK organizes the incredible Nuns on the Bus & Friends Tour, traveling across the country starting September 29th to directly advocate for and pursue social justice through the lens of Catholic social teaching. -
In states and communities across the country, people of diverse religious and secular beliefs are coming together to fight for freedom of conscience for all. Many are doing it under the banner of Interfaith Alliance, organizing local affiliates to address pressing challenges to our constitutional liberties and pluralistic values. Rev. Dr. Sharon Harris Ewing, Rev. Anne Flynn, and Ross Keys are prime examples of how grassroots activism is shaping the future of religious freedom and equality. Their work leading Interfaith Alliance affiliates across the nation highlights the growing importance of combating discriminatory policies, fighting religious indoctrination, and fostering inclusive communities nationwide.
For this week's episode of The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, all three join Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to discuss the critical role interfaith collaboration plays in addressing societal challenges. Together, they explore how political activism, local faith leaders, and grassroots movements shape communities in Southwest Florida, Pennsylvania, and North Dakota, all within the broader context of America’s evolving cultural and spiritual landscape. Together, they represent the strength and diversity of interfaith efforts around the country.
"Understand the ramifications of the issues that you're facing. Understand that your vote counts. And, yes, you can be frustrated. And, yes, you don't have to like everybody or everything that someone else does, but you have to be informed, make a decision, and commit.”
- Rev. Anne Flynn, a deacon in the Episcopal Church and a leader of Interfaith Alliance of Pennsylvania.
“When folks come together, work together, communicate, and share messaging, you can have success even in places where it can get pretty dark at times.”
- Ross Keys, a seasoned activist and organizer who currently leads Interfaith Alliance of North Dakota.
“In this very conservative environment where I live, there is so much enthusiasm for our work. Our numbers keep growing. This is a huge beacon of hope among all the Christian nationalist and other views that are out there–that people are responding to our message.”
- Rev. Dr. Sharon Harris Ewing, board president of Interfaith Alliance of Southwest Florida. She brings her rich experience as both an ordained minister and a longtime educator. -
As American society evolves, Dr. Robert P. Jones explores how rigid, traditional norms are losing their influence, leading to a growing need for greater religious and racial diversity and inclusion. His latest book, The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy and the Path to a Shared American Future, analyzes the historical and ongoing legacy of White supremacy, offering a comprehensive exploration of how colonialism, genocide, and racial violence are deeply woven into the fabric of America's history.
For this week's episode of The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, Robby joins host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to explore how political and religious landscapes are continuously altered by the growing cultural diversity within American society, driven by the rise of interfaith and interracial families, and the many who identify as religiously unaffiliated.
“We had Barack Obama and Kamala Harris, who are mixed-race candidates. And that's also a reality in most of America. And I think this kind of blending of racial and religious identities…this is the way that most Americans are actually navigating their lives. It doesn't look like the hierarchical, patriarchal, homogeneous, white picket fence… neighborhood where all the people look like them, and all the people their kids go to school with look like them. That's not the reality that most Americans are living with today, whatever mythology is out there. So I think that we're just seeing it come in more public, symbolic ways that we're seeing at the top of these tickets, even on the Republican side.”
- Dr. Robert P. Jones, president and founder of the Public Religion Research Institute and a prominent author whose recent book, The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy and the Path to a Shared American Future, became a New York Times bestseller and has just been released in paperback with a new and compelling afterword. His previous works include White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity, which won a 2021 American Book Award, and The End of White Christian America, which was honored with the 2019 Grawemeyer Award in Religion. Robby's writing is regularly found in The Atlantic, TIME, and Religion News Service and is frequently featured in major media outlets, including CNN, MSNBC, NPR, and The New York Times. Robby also writes a weekly newsletter focused on confronting and healing from the legacy of White supremacy in American Christianity, found at www.whitetoolong.net. -
As Christian nationalism and the far right’s influence on American politics grow, historian Randall Balmer offers a critical examination of evangelicalism and the surprising shifts within its ranks. In his book Bad Faith: Race and the Rise of the Religious Right, he reveals how far-right religious lobbying in the 1970s, fueled by efforts to defend racial segregation, evolved into the dangerous political force threatening democracy and religious freedoms today.
For this week's episode of The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, Randall joins host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to explore the evolution of evangelicalism, particularly how early evangelicals championed social reform, contrasting with the modern political alignment of those influenced by the far right.
“I think religion certainly contributes to democracy. And some people have misinterpreted what I said, including my Dogged defense of the First Amendment, which I believe is America's best idea. But people have misinterpreted me to say that voices of faith should not be part of our political discourse. And I couldn't disagree more strongly. I think people have every right to bring their religious or faith commitments into the arena of public discourse, and I think public discourse will be impoverished without those voices… I have every right to express my religiously informed convictions in the arena of public discourse. But I also have an obligation to listen to others, as well.”
- Dr. Randall Balmer, prize-winning historian and Emmy Award nominee. He holds the John Phillips Chair in Religion at Dartmouth College, the institution's oldest endowed professorship. Randall's latest book is Saving Faith: How American Christianity Can Reclaim Its Prophetic Voice. -
As book bans and religious censorship again become increasingly prevalent, America is witnessing an alarming repetition of patterns from our history. Brenda Wineapple's most recent book, Keeping the Faith: God, Democracy, and the Trial That Riveted a Nation, is a compelling account of censorship and successful far-right religious lobbying during the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial that continues to influence America today.
For this week's episode of The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, Brenda joins host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to discuss the resurgent threat of censorship and extreme religious influence in America. Over a century after the 1925 trial, her book – recently featured on the front page of the NY Times Book Review – recounts a fascinating story mirrored by recent attempts to mandate Christian curriculum and indoctrination in public schools.
"We know that books are being banned in libraries, and in schools themselves, by school boards that take upon themselves the idea of what children should read and they legislate that. There's also censorship more widely about what people can do in their private lives: who they can love, for example; whether or not women have rights to their own bodies. This is the kind of legislation and these are the kinds of issues that are still with us. And sometimes, they form in different ways. I'm not sure a woman's right to choose was on the boards at that particular time. Women had only just gotten the right to vote. But in point of fact, women were very much part of what was going on. Because suddenly in 1925, as now, the world seemed to be changing, and the question of who decides what the direction of the country should be was really what's at stake.”
- Brenda Wineapple, distinguished author of seven books who is widely celebrated as a literary artist. The New York Times named her book The Impeachers: The Trial of Andrew Johnson one of the ten best nonfiction works of 2019, while Ecstatic Nation: Confidence, Crisis, and Compromise, 1848 to 1877 was recognized as a best book of the year by The New York Times and other publications in 2013. Brenda's literary works have been honored with numerous awards, including the Literature Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a Pushcart Prize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and an American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship. She has also received three National Endowment Fellowships, including its Public Scholarship Award.
To expand our reach, The State of Belief is now being distributed via the Religion News Service family of podcasts. Be sure to subscribe to The State of Belief today at https://www.stateofbelief.com/subscribe. -
Throughout the week of the Democratic National Convention, Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush and the Interfaith Alliance team were all over Chicago for events, discussions and meet-ups, representing the views of a powerful movement of people of diverse faiths and beliefs across the country.
On this week’s State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance's weekly radio program and podcast, we’re excited to share audio from a wide range of conversations and speakers that Paul met up with in Chicago. In the first portion of the program, you'll hear Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, the venerable academic, author and minister who spoke alongside Paul at a panel discussion about the boundaries between religion and government.
Next up, it's Paul’s conversations with two dynamic Members of Congress – Civil rights attorney Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas, and Rep. Becca Balint of Vermont, the first openly LGBTQ person and the first woman to represent her state in the House of Representatives.
Journalist and writer Katherine Stewart, author of the essential book The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism, spoke with Paul about the strategies Christian nationalists are poised to deploy in the 2024 election season.
In the final portion of this special episode, you'll hear exclusive excerpts from “Promise 2025” – a meet-up of faith leaders attending the DNC, organized in-part by Interfaith Alliance and reported on in USA Today. At the event, leaders from across the religious spectrum joined together to claim religious diversity as an asset to the future of our democracy, and to discuss ways to organize the faith and interfaith community to support fair elections and the peaceful transfer of power. The excerpts include some thoughts from Paul, as well as Rev. Frederick Davie, Union Theological Seminary; Rev. Jen Butler, Faith Forward; Rabbi Jason Kimelman-Block, Bend the Arc; and Rev. Doug Pagitt, Vote Common Good. -
Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, one of the country’s top advocates and experts working at the intersection of religion, politics and policy, has just this week joined Interfaith Alliance as the organization’s new Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy.
To start off his tenure, he joined host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush on The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance's weekly radio program and podcast, to discuss the threat of the Christian nationalist right’s vision for America’s future – and how so many Christians and other Americans of diverse faiths and beliefs are collaborating to advance a compelling, competing vision of true religious freedom and mutual respect.
“If authoritarianism comes to the United States, it will be done in the name of Christianity and restoring God to the public and putting God back in our schools. And it will be a Christian theocracy that is advanced. And you see that in Project 2025. A year ago, I was the first person to go through this 900-page document and identify the different theocratic elements of it. They talk about how they are going to put forth a religious definition of marriage… They talk about portraying the left as trying to advance a religion that would attack Christianity. And so throughout Project 2025, you see explicit and implicit appeals to Christian nationalism.”
- Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, who joins Interfaith Alliance with more than a decade of experience working with faith communities on some of the most important social justice issues of our time: religious freedom, democracy, LGBTQ rights, reproductive freedom, immigration, anti-Muslim bigotry, and more. He most recently worked at the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, with an emphasis on its Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign. Prior to BJC, he held positions at the Center for American Progress, ReThink Media, and the National Immigration Forum. An ordained Baptist deacon, he is the author of Just Faith: Reclaiming Progressive Christianity (Broadleaf Books, 2020). In 2019, the Center for American Progress (CAP) named him one of its annual list of Faith Leaders to Watch. -
This week, we’ve pushed up the release of The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance's weekly podcast, to get you the insightful expert commentary you need, when you need it. We're excited to share with you this week’s episode, which is so timely and insightful that we’re releasing it early.
Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush is joined by two brilliant commentators who share fascinating thoughts about Kamala Harris’s choice of running mate, as well as Donald Trump's pick, and some of the implications for different faith communities.
“I think this country – we’re hungry for multiple iterations and emanations and embodiments of Christianity as well. So it's not just other faith traditions, but what are we going to learn from the Walzes’ commitment to their Christian faith and their understanding of what helped produce a state that has one of the highest per capita refugee and asylum seeker population in the United States?”
- Dr. Najeeba Syeed, a prominent interfaith leader in Minneapolis, speaking about the Lutheranism of Minnesota’s governor Tim Walz, the Democratic VP nominee, and how he embodies part of Minnesota’s history as a welcoming multifaith state.
“I think a lot of American Jews were feeling really ambivalent about this possible candidacy. On the one hand, naturally, there's a lot of pride…On the other hand, there's a lot of fear and dread.”
- Rabbi Jay Michaelson, a contributing columnist for the Forward, on his mixed feelings about Pennsylvania’s Jewish governor Josh Shapiro ultimately not joining the ticket. He's also got plenty to say about the diverse family of Republican VP nominee JD Vance.
At Interfaith Alliance, we’re proud that The State of Belief is one of the only national podcasts regularly diving in to key debates about the intersection of religion, politics and democracy. Later this month, Paul will be in Chicago covering the Democratic National Convention. And soon, you'll hear all about the 2024 Nuns on the Bus & Friends Tour with NETWORK Lobby Executive Director Mary Novak, the ongoing impact of Christian nationalism with Religion Historian Randall Balmer, and many other essential voices bringing clarity and inspiration to a tumultous election year.
One thing that you could do today that would really help support The State of Belief would be to subscribe to receive it through your favorite podcasting platform. A strong subscriber base on the platforms helps with the algorithms to make sure that our important conversations reach more people. Visit stateofbelief.com/subscribe.
Thank you for being part of the conversation! -
With a lot of attention on the second spot on the presidential ticket right now - whether it's JD Vance and childless cat ladies, or the range of contenders for Kamala Harris' pick - religion and beliefs are prominent in the converation. E.J. Dionne, a longtime analyst of the American political scene, often through a religion lens, brings his expertise to The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast. E.J. joins Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to discuss the candidates, most of which he's interviewed, and the ever-more-vital need to preserve the constitutional separation of Church and State.
“I think in this election, on issues related to religion, one of the fundamental divides is between people who are, directly or indirectly - sometimes they're called Christian nationalists, but they don't all have to be called Christian nationalists - but who really do seem to want to argue that the Christian faith is foundational to everything in the American republic, and they have the idea that we are, in some deep sense, a Christian nation. It's obviously true that Christianity was central to the thinking of many of the founders, but the founders were very conscious of not creating a religiously-based republic. The First Amendment was a pretty radical idea for its time, and it's still a powerful idea in the world.”
- E.J. Dionne is a longtime Washington Post political columnist. He is also Distinguished University Professor in the Foundations of Democracy and Culture at Georgetown University's McCort School of Public Policy, a Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, and a frequent commentator on politics for National Public Radio and MSNBC. His latest book is 100% Democracy: The Case for Universal Voting, co-authored with Miles Rapoport. -
With the threat of a right-wing anti-democratic impulse strengthened by conservative extremist policies, campaigns, and rhetoric on the rise, the preservation and protection of our democracy is more critical now than ever. Wajahat Ali is a leader in this fight, engaging the anti-democratic movement head-on and pushing back against Christian nationalism, racism, bigotry, and other dangers to American democracy.
This week on The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, Waj joins Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to discuss the threat of right-wing extremism, misinformation, and the future of democracy in America.
“Project 2025 is the blueprint for authoritarian rule. I'm not being hyperbolic when I say that. It is, in a pop culture analogy that I can use, a Bond villain in the first ten minutes of a Bond movie, finding James Bond, tapping on the shoulder, and saying, 'Hey, do you want to read my evil supervillain plot to take over the world? I have a slide show. You have five minutes?' This is what the Republicans have done… It is a blueprint for right-wing minoritarian rule. It is a blueprint for White Christian nationalism. It is a blueprint for power and a Trump dictatorship. And as we know, Trump said he will be dictator for a day. And what we know is dictators aren't just dictators for a day. They're dictators for life.”
- Wajahat Ali, Daily Beast columnist, writer, commentator, and keen observer of politics. His first book is Go Back to Where You Came From and Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become an American. Waj has a Substack titled “The Left Hook” and co-hosts the Democracy-ish Podcast. As a child of immigrants, he's an invaluable contributor to the conversation around patriotism, diversity, and democracy. Waj believes in sharing universal narratives through a culturally specific lens to entertain, educate, and bridge global divisions. -
In a time when fundamental democratic norms are increasingly contested and targeted, religious identities and freedoms are threatened by increasing hate crimes, conspiracy theories, and misinformation. Amy Spitalnick of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs is working to put out these fires by fighting antisemitism and anti-democratic extremism, protecting religious freedom, and encouraging difficult conversations across lines of difference.
For this week's episode of The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, Amy joins host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to discuss antisemitic actions and tropes, and how they pose a grave threat to broader multi-faith liberal democracy.
“We know that we're not alone in this, and we know that so many communities in the region and here in the United States are still very much sitting in that pain and that trauma because of the ongoing war; the ongoing, hostages that are being held; that the loss of innocent Palestinian lives; the horrific toll on Israel and the Israeli people. And again, the waves of hate here at home that we're continuing to grapple with. And we have no choice in this moment but to think about what this all means - not just to this question of allyship and helping people understand what it means to show up as an ally right now, which has been such a huge part of our work at JCPA - but also to not shy away from those hard and challenging conversations, even as some of the loudest voices tell us that the pain and the grief we're feeling mean we should just put up walls and walk away.”
- Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the national convener of Jewish coalitions working across communities to build a just and inclusive American democracy. Amy is the former executive director of Integrity First for America, which won its groundbreaking lawsuit against neo-Nazis, White supremacists, and hate groups responsible for the Charlottesville violence. An expert on extremism and building effective partnerships for good, Amy has worked for a number of federal, state, and local officials, as well as campaigns and advocacy organizations. -
The political climate in the last few weeks has left many feeling overwhelmed and scared, waiting for the next shoe to drop. The increasing collaboration of right-wing groups to rally around Project 2025 shows the threat of what the Christian nationalist right’s interpretation of the Bible - and of America - might look like in the future. For this week's episode of The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush is joined by author and journalist Jeff Sharlet to discuss his most recent book, and how we can come together in the face of the White supremacist militarized vision presented by Project 2025.
“Now the mainstream press is starting to pick up and report Project 2025. But they're still looking at it in traditional Washington terms, and not noticing what that project is, is really an attempt to merge Reaganism and Trumpism. But not so much to merge them, but to fully fold in the last vestiges of the right-wing Reaganite Republican Party into a full fascist Trumpist movement. And in that service, in terms of Christian nationalism, they lay out four pillars. [...] one is God and the family. Putting the family at the center of things. And it's astonishing and sad that in the United States, now, the word “family” has been claimed by the right. Everybody has one, but the right seems to think they own that word.”
-Jeff Sharlet, best-selling author of eight books, including The Family and C Street, which focus on the Christian nationalist forces deeply embedded in the halls of American power. His latest book, The Undertow: Scenes from A Slow Civil War, surveys the national landscape in the aftermath of Joe Biden's ascent to the White House. Jeff is Frederick Sessions Beebe '35 Professor in the Art of Writing at Dartmouth College. You can follow his writing on Substack. -
Happy Independence Day Weekend!
In this episode of The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance's weekly podcast and radio program, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush interviews Rev. Thomas L. Bowen, White House Senior Advisor for Faith Engagement. As the nation celebrates the Fourth of July, the conversation ranges to Juneteenth, an important holiday celebrating freedom and the end of enslavement in this country.
Thomas discusses his upbringing in Elyria, Ohio, and the mentors who shaped his path, including Mary Wright Edelman and Gardner Taylor. The conversation explores the significance of religious freedom, interfaith unity, and the historical importance of Juneteenth. He highlights President Biden's commitment to social justice, influenced by his Catholic faith, and the role of faith in fostering community and resilience. The episode underscores the intersection of faith, social justice, and public engagement in promoting unity and understanding in a divisive and dangerous time.
"We're not only a nation of immigrants. We are a nation of refugees. I think we need to examine that and look at that, because when you put that image in your mind, you see that people are leaving something. People are coming here for something. There's something that makes them leave their family and come. And I think that we need to look at that. These these are stories. These are our history as a nation. This is a problem we get in: we don't know our history, and we don't know our story. I mean, there's a certain aspects of it, but we're not just a nation of immigrants. We are a nation of refugees.
- Rev. Thomas Bowen, White House Senior Advisor for Faith Engagement. He earned the nickname "DC's Pastor" during his service in the Washington Mayor's Office. An ordained Baptist minister, Thomas is the Earl L. Harrison Minister of Social Justice at Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., where he has served since 2002. -
Just in time for the election season comes a surge in disinformation campaigns by far-right extremist organizations targeting marginalized communities. The Southern Poverty Law Center is doing vital work by researching and educating around fact-based reports of hate crimes, extremist organizations, and political fearmongering.
For this week's episode of The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, host Rev. Paul Raushenbush is joined by SPLC Executive Director Margaret Huang and Intelligence Project Interim Director Rachel Carroll Rivas to discuss the organization's latest annual Report on Hate and Extremism.
We are certainly at a moment of great threat, of great risk, but also at a real moment of reckoning, because [the rise in hate crimes] is happening, in large part, as we build up to elections, now, in 2024. And these groups have made very clear that their goal is to attack democracy itself, to try to stop people from believing in the institutions of government and in democracy. And they're hoping that that activism from last year and the year 2024 will really frighten and discourage a lot of people from joining in our elections process.
- Margaret L. Huang, a human rights and racial justice advocate who has led the Southern Poverty Law Center since 2020 as president and executive director. Throughout her career, Margaret has championed social justice and human dignity, advocating against discrimination and oppression. Before joining the SPLC, she served as the executive director of Amnesty International USA.
I've been in this work for a long time. We used to say that the work was kind of centered around “name and shame” - and that's not a really great strategy, particularly for me as a human rights believer. I think the better strategy is: how do we use this research to actually do good things? Friend of mine, Scott Nakagawa, calls it, “block and build.” And so I feel like a lot of times that's my role in this work: okay, block: make the space for my incredible colleagues and people in this movement, our partners, to be able to do this powerful work.
- Rachel Carroll Rivas is the Interim Director of the Intelligence Project at the SPLC. She has been working to expose the anti-democratic, far-right forces and organize communities to respond to hate activities for the last 20 years. Rachel has supported rural community organizing and research across the Western U.S., training hundreds of advocates, academics, and community leaders in cross-issue movement building and using research analysis of the hard right to inform strategy. -
Often in the reproductive healthcare debate, the voice of the faithful gets portrayed only on one side - the side of those trying to restrict women’s autonomy and access to abortion. However, this does not portray the entire picture. There is a rich and storied history of people of faith coming together to collaborate to ensure access to healthcare, defend autonomy in the healthcare decision-making process, and protect abortion access.
Rev. T.J. Fitzgerald and Smriti Krishnan are both working to build cross-faith partnerships to preserve access to reproductive health care, especially in hostile states. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, they join host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to discuss cross-faith collaborations and partnerships to advance human rights, specifically reproductive rights and the health care decision-making process.
“Restricting anyone's right to share that information with someone is unconscionable. It's irreligious, in my opinion. It is not at the heart of Christianity. It is not at the heart of Islam. It is not at the heart of Hinduism, and it's not at the heart of any of the great faiths of the world, certainly not of Judaism. [...] And it's called Truth Pregnancy Resource Center because Sojourner Truth said the truth is powerful and prevails. And we believe that sharing the truth with people and trusting people to do what they need to do for their family and their own health is central to what it means to be human, what it means to be a person of faith in this world.“
- Rev. T.J. Fitzgerald is the Minister of Care and Community Engagement at First Unitarian Church of Dallas, with a Master of Divinity from Yale. T.J. also has a law degree and practiced law before pursuing ministry. With this background, he is well-equipped to stand at the intersection of faithful beliefs and partisan legal challenges to the fundamental values held by many in his home state of Texas around reproductive freedom.
“So how do we make decisions? We make decisions by turning to the people we trust. We might talk to our parents. We might talk to our friends. We might consult our spouse. We might consult our children, other close relatives, and we might also consult our faith leader. So when that faith leader has a particular text or a particular faith background that allows that individual to provide guidance to a person seeking reproductive health care, including abortion access, we can really see how much of a strong role that faith plays in that decision-making process."
- Smriti Krishnan, attorney and graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law. She has served as a law fellow at the US Senate and a legislative assistant in the House. She currently is Legislative Counsel at the National Council of Jewish Women, where reproductive justice is both a matter of religious freedom and a fundamental human right. Smriti works on an interfaith basis to emphasize the narrative that people of faith do believe in abortion access and, more broadly, reproductive healthcare access. With a Hindu background and two immigrant parents, she prized the perspective instilled in her to consider the similarities that various faith traditions had: empathy, kindness, compassion, doing good for others, service, and education. - Se mer
