There may be different motives behind the widespread othering of Black and LGBTQI+ Americans today, but the tactics are, sadly, effective – and dangerous to our very democracy. Worse, religious rhetoric gets dragged into the conversation even as books on historical racism get banned and some 500 anti-LGBTQI+ bills proliferate in statehouses across the country. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, you’ll hear about building diverse coalitions as the key to achieving inclusivity across lines of division, on the way to a multireligious, multiracial democracy for all of us.
More Than I Imagined: What a Black Man Discovered About the White Mother He Never Knew is the gripping story of meeting your mother in a mental institution, and confronting a deeply racist half of your family. The author is John Blake, an award-winning CNN journalist who covers race, religion, and politics. John joins State of Belief host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to talk about this deeply personal memoir, and to share the hard-won lessons that cultivating difficult relationships is the only true way to lasting healing across lines of division.
June, Pride Month, is just around the corner, and that means it’s almost time for Faith for Pride, a national campaign to push back against anti-LGBTQ+ extremism and support the beloved LGBTQ+ members of our communities. Interfaith Alliance and a broad coalition of organizations is leading this effort, and Maureen O’Leary, director of field and organizing at the Alliance, brings a preview of what’s in store – and an invitation for congregations and communities to get involved.
STATE OF BELIEF MAY 20, 2023 TRANSCRIPT
JOHN BLAKE, MORE THAN I IMAGINED: WHAT A BLACK MAN DISCOVERED ABOUT THE WHITE MOTHER HE NEVER KNEW
MAUREEN O’LEARY, INTERFAITH ALLIANCE DIRECTOR OF FIELD AND ORGANIZING
(music)
Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, Host:
From Interfaith Alliance, this is State of Belief Radio.
I’m Alliance President Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, broadcasting this week from Washington, DC!
(John Blake clip)
“It wasn’t a book I read to them. It wasn’t a protest or some policy that they read or protest that they attended. It was the interracial relationship. It was the relationship we experienced over time. And, as I said, facts didn’t change them, relationships did.”
Paul Raushenbush:
More Than I Imagined: What a Black Man Discovered About the White Mother He Never Knew is an intensely personal, rigorously honest and impossible-to-put-down memoir from award-winning CNN journalist John Blake. On this week’s show, he’ll be with us to discuss the role of religion in his spellbinding journey – and the lessons on race, and what he calls ‘radical integration’ can offer for the rest of us.
(Maureen O’Leary clip)
“This is about pushing back against anti-LGBTQ legislation. This is about fighting against anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and preparing ourselves to go from Pride Month on into the rest of the year to really stand in solidarity with our LGBTQ neighbors.”
Paul Raushenbush:
Religious communities and congregations nationwide took part in Faith for Pride last year, reminding us that the majority of our religions and spiritual traditions affirm andcelebrate our LGBTQ siblings. This June will be even bigger and better – and we’ll get a preview from Interfaith Alliance Director of Field and Organizing Maureen O’Leary.
You can hear State of Belief on the radio, and listen on Apple Podcasts and all the other podcast platforms. Every week I am in conversation with the most fascinating and impactful civic and religio...
