State of Belief
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.
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On Diversity and Democracy With Wajahat Ali
This week on The State of Belief, Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush talks with author, commentator and attorney Wajahat Ali, who maintains that everybody has a superpower. Waj lists some of them, and stresses how important it is not to throw up our hands in the face of massive challenges and threats from the current administration and its supporters.
A Pastor Reports from the Frontlines In Los Angeles: Faith and Immigration
This week on The State of Belief, an inspiring conversation with Rev. Noel Andersen, the National Field Director for Church World Service and a dedicated advocate for immigrant rights. In this episode, he joins host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to delve into the pressing issues surrounding immigration enforcement, the role of faith communities, and the ongoing fight for justice in the face of adversity. Here are three key takeaways that stand out:
Leah Greenberg, Indivisible, and No Kings: "You do not need permission to get started"
This week on The State of Belief – getting ready for No Kings Day on June 14th, an initiative of the national grassroots organization Indivisible. Co-founder Leah Greenberg explains that No Kings Day is a forceful nationwide response to the royal pretensions on display in Donald Trump's demand for a multi-million dollar military parade on his 79th birthday. Leah joins Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to discuss the importance of getting involved rather than discouraged, share past Indivisible successes and lessons learned, and the essential role faith leaders and communities play in giving credibility to public actions like this.