Democracy and Faith Hit the Road
This fall, multiple faith-driven tours are crossing the country, bringing messages of hope, justice, and democracy to communities nationwide. These movements, such as the Revolutionary Love Tour, the Faith & Democracy Tour, the Vote Common Good Confronting Christian Nationalism Tour, Nuns on the Bus & Friends Vote Our Future Tour, and Interfaith Alliance's The Vote is Sacred Tour, aim to foster unity and civic engagement. This week on The State of Belief podcast, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush catches up with some of the leaders behind these impactful initiatives and unveils the itinerary for Interfaith Alliance’s own The Vote Is Sacred Tour.
Valarie Kaur, a civil rights leader and founder of the Revolutionary Love Project, reflects on her six-week journey across the South, where her team has been sharing a vision for a new level of connection and hope. “Hold fast to those visions,” Valarie urges. Her goal is for future generations to inherit a legacy of courage and joy, not fear.
Rev. Doug Pagitt, co-founder of Vote Common Good, is traveling to confront the rise of Christian nationalism, emphasizing the need for democratic resilience. He highlights the importance of bridging divides and fostering inclusive democratic values, especially in faith-based communities.
Historian Dr. Kristin Kobes Du Mez joins with insights from stops on the Faith & Democracy Tour, underscoring the power of focused, hopeful action for justice. She also updates Paul on her documentary, For Our Daughters, which sheds light on stories of abuse, resistance and resilience within the Evangelical Church.
Finally, Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons from Interfaith Alliance discusses The Vote is Sacred Tour, which seeks to encourage community involvement and voter protection.
These leaders and their tours remind us all that democracy and justice require active, hopeful participation—a sentiment echoed powerfully throughout this episode.
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Hear this week’s episode below:
Ray Kirstein is the Producer of the State of Belief podcast.
Lt. General Charles D. Luckey on the Role of the Military in Upholding Democracy.
This week on the show, we’re honored to welcome Lt. Gen. Charles D. Luckey (retired), former Chief of the United States Army Reserve, joining host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush. He’s a combat veteran, he’s an attorney, and he’s a pastor’s son – so he’s able to cover a wide range of topics with depth and wisdom. Having sworn an oath to the Constitution, Lt. Gen. Luckey has some really great insights into the responsibilities of citizenship, the urgent need to preserve democracy, and the important role for religion in this moment of American – and human – history.
Book Bans vs. the Right to Read: Kelly Jensen and Rev. Amos Brown
This week on The State of Belief, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush welcomes Kelly Jensen. She’s a passionate advocate for intellectual freedom, democracy, and the right to read. As an editor at Book Riot and a former librarian, Kelly has been at the forefront of the fight against book bans and censorship. The urgent conversation covers the growing wave of censorship, the role of religious extremism in book-banning efforts, and what we can do to safeguard free expression and democratic values.
Faith is Standing Strong: Rev. Dr. Shannon Fleck
Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush talks with Faithful America Executive Director Rev. Dr. Shannon Fleck about the threat to the constitutional Establishment Clause posed by the Supreme Court case St Isidore, and the hope for bringing people together across lines of division around shared values and priorities.