State of Belief Podcast Enters into New Major Partnership
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 nothing on the airwaves like State of Belief: our conversations with inspiring leaders illuminate the path to securing equal rights for people from every background and protecting our democracy.
We owe so much of the excellence of State of Belief to the founder of the show, the Rev. Dr. Welton Gaddy, who from the very beginning brought his wisdom, spiritual depth, and love of people to every show. Our friend Welton died on June 7th in Louisiana. He was a giant in the interfaith world, as well as a beloved local Baptist pastor, and there is no replacing him. Our goal is to honor his legacy and continue his great work through the ongoing mission of Interfaith Alliance and State of Belief.
It is perhaps fitting then, that Interfaith Alliance is proud to launch a new partnership with Religion News Service, the go-to source of global news on religion, to co-produce and distribute State of Belief. By teaming up with RNS’ award-winning newsroom, we have an exciting opportunity to reach new listeners across the nation. You can find The State of Belief here.
We’re thrilled to welcome a very special inaugural guest to kick off our exciting collaboration: Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign. And I can’t wait for you to hear the other conversations we’re producing for the weeks and months ahead!
Working hand-in-hand with RNS, we will amplify stories that honor our nation’s diversity and strive to inspire people of all faiths and spiritual backgrounds to build the future in which all are equally respected and able to thrive.
We’ll be sharing more updates about our new partnership in the weeks ahead. We hope you’ll join us on this new journey.
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.
Remembering Pope Francis: Father James Martin Reflects on LGBTQ+ inclusion, environmentalism, and compassionate leadership
Explore the lasting legacy of Pope Francis through the eyes of Father James Martin. From LGBTQ+ inclusion and environmentalism to his compassionate leadership, reflect on what made Pope Francis a transformative figure.