State of Belief Podcast Enters into New Major Partnership
State of Belief

State of Belief Podcast Enters into New Major Partnership

June 29, 2023

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.

Transcript

Courage in Community: Minnesota Faith Leaders Respond to ICE Crisis
State of Belief
January 17, 2026

Courage in Community: Minnesota Faith Leaders Respond to ICE Crisis

Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush talks with four Minnesota faith leaders on the ground defending their communities against ICE attacks: Rev. Susie Hayward, Rev. Dr. Rebecca Voelkel, Rev. Jim Bear Jacobs, and Rev. Dr. Jia Starr Brown.

Dancing with the Divine: Exploring Religious Freedom in 'The Testament of Ann Lee'
State of Belief
January 10, 2026

Dancing with the Divine: Exploring Religious Freedom in 'The Testament of Ann Lee'

Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush is joined by Interfaith Alliance colleagues Alyssa Klein and Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons to discuss religious freedom in America today through the lens of a new film celebrating the history of the Shaker faith in this country, "The Testament of Ann Lee." Religious Freedom Day is January 16th.

What Happened? Top Religion News Stories of 2025 with RNS, and Looking Ahead to 2026
State of Belief
January 3, 2026

What Happened? Top Religion News Stories of 2025 with RNS, and Looking Ahead to 2026

Religion News Service reporters Adele Banks and Jack Jenkins reflect on a pivotal year in which faith communities played a visible role in responding to political, social, and economic upheaval, from immigration advocacy to support for federal workers and marginalized groups.