Podcasts by State of Belief - Religion and radio done differently.
State of Belief is a weekly radio show that explores the intersection of religion with politics, culture, media, and activism, and promotes diverse religious voices in a religiously pluralistic world.
Further podcasts by Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy
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December 9, 2023 – Speaker Mike “Moses” Johnson and the Christian Lawmakers from 2023-12-09T22:16:01
House Speaker Mike Johnson comparing himself to Moses while describing his divine call to the third most powerful office in the land stood out even as he accepted the National Association of ...
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December 2, 2023: Interfaith Alliance of Southwest Florida; Election ’24 with Greg Lebel from 2023-12-02T22:40:16
The 2024 election campaign is taking shape – and the way different tactics worked or didn’t work to impact the 2023 vote can help us predict what’s coming next November. In...
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November 25, 2023 – Thanksgiving with Father James Martin from 2023-11-25T22:32:53
During the holiday season we tend to reflect on the past year, remembering the difficult times and giving thanks for the courage to move forward into the next season with hopeful joy. In the ...
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November 18, 2023 – Creating Change Through Film from 2023-11-18T19:55:31
In today’s digital age, people find themselves immersed in a vast ocean of media. From scrolling through social media feeds to streaming videos and engaging with the 24-hour news cycle, the c...
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November 11, 2023 – Diwali with Sushma Dwivedi; Sharon Salzberg on Openness and Freedom from 2023-11-11T21:59:06
There are so many ways to lean into living authentically and celebrating the moments that bring us the most joy, especially in times when our world seems dark. And that can provide the resili...
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November 4, 2023 – American Values Survey with Robert P. Jones; Diane Winston and Reagan’s Evangelical Vision from 2023-11-04T22:33:18
The last several decades have seen the parallel rise of both evangelicalism and white nationalism in our mainstream media and politics. This week on The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s ...
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October 28, 2023 – The Faith Fight Against Belief Bans from 2023-10-28T16:27:29
Over the past few years, a coordinated national censorship campaign – with deep ties to the Christian nationalist movement – is targeting books about and awareness of minority faiths and ethni...
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October 21, 2023 – Unharden Our Hearts: Religious Leaders on the Violence In the Middle East from 2023-10-20T18:00:13
In the days since the outbreak of brutal violence in Israel and Gaza, communities across the country and around the world have been drawn into conflict, grief, and uncertainty. Even before the...
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October 14, 2023 – David Gushee: Defending Democracy from its Christian Enemiesnullnullnull from 2023-10-13T20:29:02
The horrifying attack on the United States Capitol on January 6 has forced us to reckon with the fact that the greatest threats to our democracy can come from within. In particular, the insurr...
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October 7, 2023 – LGBTQI+ Faith Activism: Jon Cohen, Darcy Hirsh, and Allen Morris; Also, Jewtina Founder Analucía Lopezrevoredo from 2023-10-07T13:19:16
Across faith and place, Americans know that religious and cultural diversity is one of our nation’s greatest strengths. It is because of our beliefs, not in spite of them, that we are committe...
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September 30, 2023 – Banned Books Week with Tracie D. Hall and Sabrina Baêta from 2023-09-30T19:47:11
Since 2021, a coordinated campaign to censor certain literature, curricula, and ideas has spread like wildfire across American public schools and libraries. The growing movement to ban books ...
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September 23, 2023 – The Gospel According to James Baldwin with author Greg Garrett from 2023-09-23T22:11:41
What insights essential for today’s divided America can be found in the timeless writing of the great James Baldwin? And what recent developments in religion news are likely to resonate ...
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September 16, 2023: Faith and Public Service with Texas Reps Salman Bhojani and James Talarico from 2023-09-16T21:02:27
Since the beginning, The State of Belief has consistently pushed back against elected officials exploiting their positions of power to impose their own personal beliefs on those whom they ser...
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September 9, 2023: The Real Moral Majority with Rev. Jen Butler from 2023-09-09T21:30:48
From our nation’s founding, religion and politics have been intertwined. But the stereotype of what a “religious activist” looks like and believes is far from the reality. Our nation has a ric...
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September 2, 2023 – What Good Religion Can Do With Katherine Marshall from 2023-09-02T20:40:45
There are desperate needs in this world that religion and interfaith coalitions can address in uniquely effective ways. And a leading expert on the intersection of religion, development and pe...
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August 26, 2023 – A Call to Conscience at the Parliament of the World’s Religions from 2023-08-22T08:33:56
The Parliament of the World’s Religions brings together thousands of religious leaders and activists from around the globe and across diverse faith traditions. Interfaith Alliance was honored ...
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August 19, 2023 – The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy with Robert P. Jones from 2023-08-19T21:18:56
More and more, scholars of religion and history are making a point to differentiate between Christian nationalism – a pernicious and anti-democratic ideology – and white Christian nationalism,...
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August 12, 2023 – Preview: Defending Freedom and Human Rights at the Parliament of the World’s Religions from 2023-08-12T08:36:16
Starting on Monday, August 14th, Chicago, Ill. will play host to a unique week-long global initiative for peace and mutual understanding: the Parliament of the World’s Religions. With a histor...
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August 5, 2023 – American Idolatry with Andrew Whitehead from 2023-08-05T21:27:36
I’m convinced that Christian nationalism makes us bad Christians. -Andrew Whitehead You’ve heard a lot of compelling State of Belief conversations addressing the very real threat o...
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July 29, 2023 – Protecting Democracy with Congressman Jamie Raskin from 2023-07-29T19:58:01
“You’ve got to view the ban on books and the attempt to stop Critical Race Theory, by which they mean any teaching of the actual history of the country with respect to racism and white suprema...
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July 22, 2023 – Staying Awoke with Derrick Harkins from 2023-07-22T20:34:28
Rev. Dr. Derrick Harkins has made his mark in government, religion, and media. The former director of the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the Department of Housing and ...
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July 15, 2023 – Setbacks from SCOTUS with Elizabeth Reiner Platt from 2023-07-15T22:05:11
In June, the Supreme Court delivered its ruling in 303 Creative v. Elenis, a case brought forward by Lorie Smith, an evangelical Christian website designer in Colorado who said she should not ...
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July 8, 2023 – Peter Maer Interviews Paul Raushenbush from 2023-07-08T22:03:19
The tables turn this week on The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast. Our host, Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, will be sitting in the guest chair, as former C...
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July 1, 2023 – Kevin M. Kruse, Re-righting History from 2023-07-01T22:05:57
From the COVID-19 pandemic to the January 6th insurrection, there’s no shortage of twists and turns the nation has endured in recent years. Underpinning each of these events is a battle over ...
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June 24, 2023 – Dobbs Ruling Anti-versary: Rev. Angela Tyler-Williams of SACReD from 2023-06-24T22:25:10
One year ago, the Supreme Court decimated the reproductive and religious freedom rights of Americans. Catalyzed by extremist religious activists, the conservative majority on the Court opened ...
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June 17, 2023 – Faith for Pride 2023 from 2023-06-17T14:23:54
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 ...
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June 10, 2023 – Forward With Bishop William Barber II from 2023-06-10T15:26:36
Since 2006, our 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...
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June 3, 2023 – The None-bers Game With Ryan Burge from 2023-06-03T21:03
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...
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Faith for Pride 2023 from 2023-05-31T18:03:06
The majority of faith groups and congregations across the country are inspired by their traditions to celebrate the inherent dignity and worth of all people, including the many beloved LGBTQ+ me...
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May 27, 2023 – How We Learn to be Brave, Bishop Mariann Budde from 2023-05-26T21:50:35
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 ...
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May 20, 2023 – The White Mother I Never Knew, John Blake from 2023-05-19T07:53:11
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 ...
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May 13, 2023 – Experts on Evangelicalism: Brad Onishi and Isaac Sharp from 2023-05-13T22:35:21
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 evan...
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May 6, 2023 – Eric Ward: A Punk Prescription for Building Community from 2023-05-06T16:34:06
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 Sta...
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April 29, 2023 – Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month from 2023-04-28T08:50:31
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 ha...
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April 22, 2023 – Dora Muhammad: Faith and Planned Parenthood from 2023-04-21T17:29:02
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....
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April 15, 2023 – Summit for Religious Freedom: AU’s Rachel Laser from 2023-04-14T20:45:07
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 yea...
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April 8, 2023 – Living Easter with Bishop Mariann Budde from 2023-04-07T16:11:54
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 ...
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April 1, 2023 – Rabbi Jonah Pesner: Passover Together from 2023-03-31T18:40:09
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 antise...
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March 25, 2023 – Jeff Sharlet, The Undertow from 2023-03-24T19:38:04
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 empathet...
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Confronting Antisemitism from 2023-03-20T13:47:28
Antisemitism in this country has seen a resurgence few could have predicted just a few years ago. On State of Belief, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush is conducting a series of conversations ...
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MARCH 18, 2023 – Najeeba Syeed: A Peacemaker at Ramadan from 2023-03-17T13:35:03
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 f...
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March 11, 2023 – Majorities at the Margins from 2023-03-10T11:44:24
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, Interfai...
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March 4, 2023 – Rev. Jen Bailey, Creating Community Across Divisions from 2023-03-04T20:52:22
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 Re...
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February 25, 2023 – A New Vision With Rev. Adam Taylor from 2023-02-24T14:01:12
As technology offers unprecedented opportunities for building alliances – and at the same time, division and rancor – The Rev. Adam Taylor is meeting the moment by working to create communities...
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February 18, 2023 – Christian Nationalism By the Numbers from 2023-02-15T21:19:25
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 ne...
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February 11, 2023 – Rabbi Sandra Lawson: Power in Positivity from 2023-02-11T22:32:07
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 identit...
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February 4, 2023 – Fighting for Freedom in Florida and Beyond from 2023-02-05T00:29:27
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 pushi...
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January 28, 2023 – Big Tech, Hate and Religious Freedom Online from 2023-01-29T00:26:05
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 ...
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January 21, 2023 – In Pursuit of the Greater Good from 2023-01-21T21:05:47
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 t...
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January 14, 2023 – Dr. Martin Luther King Today from 2023-01-14T23:11:27
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 ...
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January 7, 2023 – Making the Most of the New Year from 2023-01-07T22:48:20
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 com...
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December 31, 2022 – A Fresh Start in 2023 from 2022-12-31T22:26:59
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 ...
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April 30, 2022 – Confronting Rising Hate from 2022-05-01T14:25:02
The promise of the 21st century was supposed to be a new age of connectivity and innovation. Social media and other tools have given us unparalleled access to information and new ways to reach our ...
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Remembering Father Mychal from 2022-04-23T21:21:21
It was one of the iconic images following the 9/11 attacks: rescuers rushing the lifeless body of a Catholic priest from Ground Zero. Father Mychal Judge, a Franciscan friar and a chaplain for the ...
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April 23, 2022 – Fasting From Whiteness from 2022-04-23T21:16:16
The holy season of Lent came to an end this past Sunday as millions celebrated Easter. While one would think that the Religious Right might take some time off, their outrage machine is working hard...
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April 17, 2022 – The Best of State of Belief Radio from 2022-04-16T21:38:21
It’s an Interfaith April! This month, at least nine faith traditions observe major festivals. As a program with a richly interfaith audience, we’re proud of the cultural and constitutional protecti...
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April 9, 2022 – Religion v. Freedom At Home and Abroad from 2022-04-09T21:09:57
For the first time in its 233 year history, a Black woman will sit on the Supreme Court. Judge – and soon to be Justice – Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed by a bipartisan vote in the Senate this...
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April 2, 2022 – Politicizing Everything from 2022-04-02T21:31:38
Perhaps no public institution impacts the everyday lives of every American to the same extent as the Supreme Court. The decisions made by our justices define what kind of nation we’ll be – whether ...
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March 26, 2022 – Searching for Prophetic Voices from 2022-03-26T22:51:09
It’s a historic week in our nation’s capital, with Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson poised to be the first Black woman to serve as a Supreme Court justice. While many have enthusiastically embraced her ...
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March 19, 2022 – Featured Flashback: Rachel Maddow (2016) from 2022-03-19T21:47:04
Rev. Welton Gaddy, host of State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio program and podcast, is feeling under the weather this week, which gives us the opportunity to let him get some ...
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March 12, 2022 – Living Through History from 2022-03-12T22:37:19
In our 24-hour news cycle, the tendency to call every breaking story a turning point has become cliché. These days, however, it really does feel like we’re witnessing history, with instability abro...
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March 5, 2022 – Reclaiming the Meaning of True Christian Values from 2022-03-05T23:34:29
From our local communities, to state legislatures, to even the international stage, we’re seeing powerful figures assert their own twisted interpretations of religious values to justify unconsciona...
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February 26, 2022 – The Role of Religion from 2022-02-26T23:26:19
Extremist politics under the guise of religious conviction are dividing and damaging communities across the United States. But these issues are far from new and by no means exclusive to this countr...
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February 19, 2022 – Costly Grace (2019) from 2022-02-20T19:35:17
This week, we revisit an unforgettable episode of State of Belief, the weekly radio program and podcast from Interfaith Alliance: an extended interview host Rev. Welton Gaddy conducted in June of 2...
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February 12, 2022 – The Religious Right’s War on Black History Month from 2022-02-12T23:38:23
Black History Month affords us the opportunity to honor the Black community, acknowledge historical and ongoing injustices, and renew our resolve to dismantle systemic racism. This year, however, o...
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February 5, 2022 – The Religious Right’s Institutional Power from 2022-02-05T23:20:56
Politicians in Washington convened last week for the National Prayer Breakfast, an annual event that has become the most public display of the inappropriate entanglement between government and reli...
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January 29, 2022 – Fighting for Reproductive Justice from 2022-01-31T00:48:30
Across the country, attacks on reproductive rights are escalating and anti-choice faith voices are increasingly resonating in state legislatures and the courts. While it seems that every week we wa...
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January 22, 2022 – Solidarity Will Save Us from 2022-01-22T23:58:20
Our first freedom guarantees that every American, regardless of belief, has a right to worship free from fear and violence. Unfortunately, as we saw in Colleyville last Saturday and as we’ve seen t...
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January 15, 2022 – The Biden Administration Turns One from 2022-01-15T23:12:32
We find ourselves in unprecedented times – a cliche, perhaps, but a sentiment that rings truer every day. One year after the insurrection, tensions are rising over vaccination mandates and religiou...
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January 8, 2022 – Democracy, One Year Later from 2022-01-08T22:33:10
One year ago this week, the unthinkable happened. Encouraged by the former president, thousands of Americans – many of whom pledged allegiance to extremist groups – stormed the U.S. Cap...
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January 1, 2021 – One More Look Back from 2022-01-01T23:10:58
Happy New Year! As we try to start anew with a clean slate and the potential that 2022 brings, State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio program and podcast, will take one more look...
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December 25, 2021 – The Best of The American Purpose from 2021-12-25T21:35:36
Merry Christmas to everyone who’s celebrating! May this holiday season bring a renewed sense of hope, and of common purpose among those we come in contact with. On this week’s State of ...
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December 18, 2021 – Unintended Consequences from 2021-12-18T22:53:18
For many, the holidays are a joyous time, bringing together friends and family from all corners of the world. But for millions of LGBTQ+ people whose loved ones fail to fully accept them, this can ...
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December 11, 2021 – Low Times at the High Court from 2021-12-11T22:27:08
The Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority has become a central focus in two recent cases concerning religious freedom. Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which the justices heard la...
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December 4, 2021 – Divided We Stand from 2021-12-05T00:14:06
For some Americans, the Qanon conspiracists who fed the violence of the January 6th attacks on the heart of our democracy are a scary footnote to history. For many others, the movement remains aliv...
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November 27, 2021 – The Best-of State of Belief from 2021-11-27T22:08:12
Happy Thanksgiving! As we take a break in the final weeks of a difficult year, you’ll hear some interviews from past State of Belief programs that we are particularly grateful for. In 2012, State o...
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November 20, 2021 – A Current and A Future Ex-President from 2021-11-20T21:33:42
For four decades, Rabbi Jack Moline has tirelessly fought for religious freedom, marriage equality and the protection of civil rights for people of all faiths and none. In 2010 and 2011, he was hai...
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November 13, 2021 – Faithful Climate Stewards from 2021-11-13T20:17:06
Over the past several weeks, leaders from around the world have gathered in Glasgow to tackle one of the most pressing issues facing the international community today: climate change. The Biden adm...
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November 6, 2021 – Community Connections in Crisis from 2021-11-06T18:57:50
Divisive rhetoric on the national stage may have subsided, but in our own communities, congregations, and even families, Americans may be more divided than ever. This week on State of Belief, Inter...
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October 30, 2021 – The Patriotism of Anti-racism from 2021-10-30T21:10:20
It is almost inconceivable that in the year 2021 there are still large swaths of Americans who deny the existence of systemic racism. But to ensure the nation’s future prosperity, it is critical th...
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October 23, 2021 – Bravery in Dissent from 2021-10-23T14:09:52
Dissidents in the clergy have long played a critical role in fostering more inclusive faith spaces. Often this dissent doesn’t come from a place of ill-intent – in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Th...
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October 16, 2021 – Faithfully Radical Inclusivity from 2021-10-17T13:02:08
The healing power of faith and community are undeniable. Expanding who gets to benefit from that, more and more religious leaders are rising to prominence for their work spreading radically inclusi...
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October 9, 2021 – #FaithfullyLGBT from 2021-10-09T19:26:02
On Monday, October 4th, the Supreme Court officially began its new term. This year’s docket could fundamentally change how accessible reproductive health care is, how accessible guns are, as well a...
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October 2, 2021 – A Decennial Dialogue from 2021-10-02T20:35:29
In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, vitriolic language targeting Muslims and immigrants became commonplace in public discourse. Most Americans recognize the injustice of this anti-Muslim ...
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September 25, 2021 – Religious Freedom Includes Reproductive Freedom from 2021-09-25T21:00:53
True religious freedom means that all of us should be free to make healthcare decisions based on our own beliefs and circumstances – not the religious views of our bosses, doctors, or elected offic...
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September 18, 2021 – Remembering John Shelby Spong from 2021-09-18T19:30:10
The progressive faith community lost a giant this week with the passing of the Rt. Rev. John Shelby Spong, retired Episcopal bishop of Newark, NJ, prolific writer, and a towering figure in fearless...
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September 11, 2021 – Healing or Harm? from 2021-09-11T20:20:12
For so many who lived through the events of September 11, 2001, it is difficult to believe that it has been two decades. The pain of those impacted twenty years ago – and those who have suffered si...
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September 4, 2021 – The Best of State of Belief from 2021-09-04T20:28:42
It’s Labor Day Weekend! While this holiday traditionally marks the end of the summer vacation season with one more chance at relaxation and refreshment, this year many of us are focused on widespre...
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August 28, 2021 – An Inclusive Faith from 2021-08-29T15:58:18
Discussions surrounding the barbaric practice of conversion therapy continue as progressive faith leaders and activists work to end this dangerous psuedoscience. Leveraging survivor testimony is un...
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August 21, 2021 – Peaceful Tomorrows from 2021-08-21T23:33:38
After two decades of U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, many Americans are feeling simultaneous relief that our troops are coming home and anguish as Afghan citizens try to flee the new regime....
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August 14, 2021 – Science v. Skeptics from 2021-08-14T22:10
The COVID-19 Delta variant is wreaking havoc in our communities, making it impossible for the nation to return to “business as usual” – especially in areas with low vaccination rates. While many fa...
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August 7, 2021 – Spiritual Activism and Innovation from 2021-08-07T22:07:52
The heat of the summer and increasing risk of arrest is not slowing faith-driven activists. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, we’ll look at recent m...
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Juy 31, 2021 – Reducing Vaccine Hesitancy from 2021-08-01T11:23:44
Faith leaders can play a major role in influencing Americans’ everyday decisions. We are seeing this play out on both sides of the equation, with many faithful Americans feeling compelled to take t...
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July 24, 2021 – The Christians Fighting Christian Nationalism from 2021-07-25T10:26:21
Especially since the events of January 6, those of us who still believe in our nation’s democracy have continued to sound the alarm over the growing campaign of rightwing authoritarianism. At the c...
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July 17, 2021 – Researching Religious Beliefs and Convictions from 2021-07-17T21:29:50
Religious beliefs and convictions have a profound impact on the lives of each of us – whether religious or not. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, ho...
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July 10, 2021 – The Best of State of Belief Radio from 2021-07-10T22:08:52
As we take a post-July 4th break, we’re revisiting some of our favorite conversations from the earliest years of State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast. We’ll revisit ...
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July 3, 2021 – Independence Day, 2021 from 2021-07-03T22:27:59
Happy Independence Day Weekend! May the freedom our forebears bled and died to gain not be squandered by leaders and others who fail to understand that, in the immortal words of abolitionist Wendel...
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June 26, 2021 – Chipping Away at the Wall of Separation from 2021-06-26T22:23:35
The first clause in the Bill of Rights explicitly calls for a separation of Church and State – but from leaders on the right, in particular, there has been little effort to uphold this core value. ...
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June 19, 2021 – Conducting Holy Dialogues from 2021-06-19T22:14:09
The U.S. remains a nation divided, and for many, dialogues with people who do not share our worldview feel more difficult than ever. For certain communities, how can you fathom a conversation with ...
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June 12, 2021 – Outlove Hate from 2021-06-12T22:07:02
Exactly five years ago, 49 people — predominantly LBGTQ+ people of color — went to Pulse nightclub, a community fixture in Orlando, Florida – and never came home. We honor them, their families, and...
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June 5, 2021 – Ringing in Pride Month from 2021-06-05T22:33:17
This weekend marks the start of Pride Month, a celebration of the diversity, dignity, and visibility of LGBTQ+ people. It also brings with it Juneteenth, which celebrates the emancipation of Black ...
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May 29, 2021 – Freedom and Equality from 2021-05-29T22:04:24
Happy Memorial Day Weekend! As we pause to remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice defending the rights we all treasure, State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio...
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May 22, 2021 – Ball’s in Your Court from 2021-05-23T09:36:57
Though the previous administration is gone, its legacy remains in the makeup of the Supreme Court. And this week, many people’s fears were validated when the justices announced they would take up a...
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May 15, 2021 – Change in the Church from 2021-05-15T21:45:05
We know that religious freedom and LGBTQ+ equality are complementary – not contradictory – freedoms. And yet, the religious right continues to distort the meaning of religious freedom to include th...
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May 8, 2021 – The Weaponization of Education from 2021-05-08T23:02:58
For decades, the religious right has worked to distort religious freedom into a license to discriminate. This included pushing the use of invaluable aid for public schools to fund private school pr...
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May 1, 2021 – The First 100 Days from 2021-05-01T19:27:13
Disunity continues to plague the United States in powerful and often threatening ways. As an overtly Christian observance of a National Day of Prayer looms, how does that bring together those champ...
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April 24, 2021 – Accountability, Yes; Justice, Not Yet from 2021-04-24T18:42:55
This week marked a watershed moment in the movement for racial justice as Derek Chauvin – the officer who killed George Floyd, sparking nationwide protests – was convicted of second-degree murder. ...
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April 17, 2021 – When our Deepest Values Are at Stake from 2021-04-17T21:35:45
For millions of Americans–especially those who have been able to get a COVID vaccination–it truly feels like spring is here. But don’t let the nice weather fool you; the culture wars that have stra...
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April 10, 2021 – Reaching Out, Leaning Forward from 2021-04-10T23:40:16
At a difficult time in our nation’s life, it’s important to take stock of progress when we see it–because the green shoots of equality, justice and understanding are all around us. This week on Sta...
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April 3, 2021 – The Best of State of Belief Radio from 2021-04-03T22:36:37
Happy Easter to all who celebrate! May this Christian observance of new beginnings and sacred hope bring some lightness into what continues, for so many, to be a dark time indeed. Joining in that o...
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March 27, 2021 – Finding Resilience in Faith and Community from 2021-03-27T23:10:41
After a few weeks away, we’re happy to welcome our host Rev. Welton Gaddy back to State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s radio program and podcast. In the shadow of two mass shootings, he’ll speak ...
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March 20, 2021 – Backward and Forward from 2021-03-20T23:17:59
For Catholics who support LGBTQ+ equality, this week’s statement from the Vatican prohibiting church blessings for same-sex relationships felt like a big step backwards, especially after the new to...
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March 13, 2021 – Faith and a Changing America from 2021-03-13T23:52:56
It has been one year since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, and though the end is on the horizon, we will continue to deal with its impact for months to come. As we grapple with this public health...
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March 6, 2021 – Extremism and Healing from 2021-03-06T22:37:38
Whether we admit it or not, the extremism and division of the last four years hasn’t disappeared with a new presidential administration. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s radio pr...
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February 27, 2021 – A Return to Normalcy? from 2021-02-27T21:32:32
As our country passed a grim milestone of 500,000 COVID-related deaths this week, our politics are still wracked with division. But with good news about the development of vaccines and a new sense ...
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February 20, 2021 – Church Reformer and Human Rights Champion Rt. Rev. Bishop Gene Robinson (2012) from 2021-02-20T11:36:48
The brutal winter storms that swept across much of the country had an outsized impact on Eastern Louisiana, where our host, Rev. Welton Gaddy, lives and works. With ice-covered roads and widespread...
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February 13, 2021 – An Interfaith Valentine from 2021-02-13T16:13:34
The second impeachment trial of former president Donald Trump is underway this week, shedding a new and terrifying light on the events of January 6. The influence of Christian nationalism on the in...
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February 6, 2021 – Celebrating Black History Month from 2021-02-07T00:18:05
This week marks the start of Black History Month. As people of faith and of convictions, each of us has a moral responsibility to listen to and show up for Black Americans — because without racial ...
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January 30, 2021 – Special Guest Chely Wright from 2021-01-30T23:13:26
Following November’s election, we shared our hope that the Biden-Harris administration would return to the meaning of true religious freedom, in defense of those of all faiths and none. So far, the...
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January 23, 2021 – Democracy Prevails from 2021-01-23T16:39:59
For so many of us, the past week has been a breath of fresh air. And that’s not from a partisan standpoint, but from seeing our values reflected in the peaceful transfer of power and an administrat...
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January 16, 2021 – 15 Years of State of Belief from 2021-01-17T00:24:17
It was exactly fifteen years ago that State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, debuted on the Air America Network. In the intervening years, we’ve shared thousands of i...
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January 9, 2021 – Not A Protest, An Insurrection from 2021-01-10T00:03:20
For the first time in over 200 years, the US Capitol was stormed by an insurrectionist mob. This time, at the behest of a president and with little or no opposition – the culmination of four years ...
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January 2, 2021 – Best-of State of Belief for New Year’s Weekend from 2021-01-02T17:36:27
Happy New Year! Giving both our State of Belief host, Rev. Welton Gaddy, and our potential guests a little break, this week we’re sharing highlights from past shows. We’ll rewind to a 2008 conversa...
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December 26, 2020 – Best-of State of Belief for Christmas from 2020-12-27T00:31:34
Happy Holidays! Giving both our State of Belief host, Rev. Welton Gaddy, and our potential guests a little break, this week we’re sharing highlights from past shows. We’ll rewind to Welton’s Christ...
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