(Washington, D.C.) – On this Sunday’s “State of Belief,” The Interfaith Alliance Foundation’s show on Air America Radio, the Reverend Welton Gaddy conducts the first radio interview with the new president of the Christian Coalition, the Reverend Joel Hunter. The author of Right Wing, Wrong Bird: Why the Tactics of the Religious Right Won’t Fly with Most Conservative Christians, Rev. Hunter discusses his vision for a new, more broadly-focused Christian Coalition. Also, Welton explores the religious blogosphere in a new segment, called Blogs of Belief.
Rev. Hunter tells Welton that the Christian Coalition must hold onto the “basic moral stances” in which it has always believed, but it will also expand into what he calls “‘compassion issues’ — taking care of God’s creation, justice, religious liberty, and helping the marginalized.”
Welton asks Rev. Hunter whether evangelicals who want to remain solely focused on outlawing abortion and same-sex marriage will oppose this new mission. Rev. Hunter admits that the Christian Coalition is “going to take our licks for doing this, but we’re going to do it because we think it is right, and we cannot ignore the rest of the gospel. We’re forging some new ground for the evangelical community, and that’s not going to go automatically and easily.”
Plus, Welton explores what has the attention of the religious blogosphere in a new segment called Blogs of Belief. The editor of StreetProphets.com, Pastor Dan Schultz, joins Welton to talk about the reaction to the Mark Foley sex scandal. An offspring of Daily Kos, Street Prophets is an online forum is an online forum that mobilizes progressive people of faith on political and religious issues.
Interfaith Alliance is a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.