Over the past several years, the global church has been grappling with sex abuse scandals and how to address and lift up the needs of survivors. In their new book, Surviving God: A New Vision of God Through the Eyes of Sexual Abuse Survivors, theologians Rev. Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Rev. Susan M. Shaw work to dismantle traditional theological constructs that perpetuate the grave issue of sexual abuse, shedding light on how these patriarchial beliefs diverge from the compassionate and just essence of the gospel.

This week on The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush is joined by the authors to delve into the authors’ lived experiences and unveiling the intricate intersections of gender, race, sexuality, class, and religion. They discuss what can be done to offer a hopeful pathway to a reimagined church committed to healing and justice.

 As I think more theologically every day, I'm thinking that our image, our metaphors, our understanding, our language, our words about God actually really, really has a deep impact on our actions, our thinking, our modes of behavior...If we continue to use this language in the church, it really allows abuse, allows domination, allows colonialism, allows subjugation, allows genocide, all these things, they are intersecting forms and acts of violence perpetrated against other people.

- Dr. Grace Ji-Sun Kim, professor of theology at Earlham School of Religion in Richmond, Indiana, and an ordained Presbyterian minister. She's the author or editor of more than 20 books, including Hope in Disarray: Piecing Our Lives Together in Faith and Healing Our Broken Humanity: Practices for Revitalizing the Church and Renewing the World.

Grace and I went into this book as survivors ourselves, and so we want survivors to know that we are speaking as people who understand what they've gone through and what they continue to go through. And while the book has a lot of difficult material, and we're going to talk about that, but we also ended on a note of joy. And so we want survivors also to know that we're going to get to the joy as we talk about it.

- Dr. Susan M. Shaw, professor of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Oregon State University. Her books include Reflective Faith: A Theological Toolbox for Women, and God Speaks to Us, Too: Southern Baptist Women on Church, Home, and Society. An ordained Baptist minister, Susan makes her congregational home in the United Church of Christ.

The outsized, but often forgotten, role of women in the Civil Rights Movement has come up several times recently on The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance's weekly radio program and podcast. Now, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush welcomes an expert on the subject, Dr. AnneMarie Mingo. Her new book, out on March 26th, 2024, is titled Have You Got Good Religion? Black Women's Faith, Courage, and Moral Leadership in the Civil Rights Movement.

"Unfortunately, we still see that today, where many of the women who are the strategists, the architects, those who are making it happen, are ignored. But one of the things that I've always appreciated that the women that I studied didn't get caught up in, was the fact that they were ignored. They still did the work anyway."

- Dr. Anne Marie Mingo, associate professor of ethics, culture, and moral leadership, and director of the Metro Urban Institute at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. An ordained itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, AnneMarie is the founder of Sister Scholars, an organization that supports Black women pursuing doctorate degrees. The compelling conversation raises up the everydayness of activists who never make headlines, but who ensure the words of prominent leaders are followed up with action.

Since long before the MAGA movement and the January 6 insurrection, white Christian nationalists have been pushing an agenda that marginalizes and discriminates against communities of color. We have seen how right-wing extremists have hidden behind Christianity as a cover for white supremacy, antithetical to Christian values of acceptance and justice. We can’t overcome Christian nationalism in the U.S. without having important conversations about the intersection of faith, race, and justice, and how white people must be involved in the work to desegregate religious spaces to make room for everyone.

This week on The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush is joined by Dr. Jemar Tisby to dissect and discuss the complexities of racism in white evangelicism and the crucial role of cross-cultural relationships in achieving racial justice.

“I think this is really the beating heart of racial justice is that at the end of the day, it's all about people. It's all about love of neighbor. And so for white people, relationships means actually having meaningful relationships across racial and ethnic lines, which takes an incredible amount of intentionality because of the intentionality that went into segregating people from one another, white people from other people. For Black people and people of color, I think relationships mean solidarity with other people of color, forming coalitions. We're stronger together than apart.”

- Dr. Jemar Tisby, professor of history at Simmons College in Louisville, Kentucky. He is also a best-selling author, national speaker, and public historian. Dr. Tisby is the author of three books: The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church's Complicity in Racism, How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Towards Racial Justice, and coming in September, The Spirit of Justice: Stories of Faith, Race and Resistance. He also hosts the Pass the Mic podcast.

On March 7, 2024, interfaith leaders from across the country will gather in Minneapolis for an Interfaith Symposium at Augsburg University. The symposium offers an opportunity for people to build community, collaboration, and trust by participating in vital interfaith dialogue. During a time when religiously motivated hate crimes are on the rise and Christian nationalists are hard at work attempting to overturn democracy, these interfaith conversations are more important than ever.

This week on The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush speaks with Manu Meel, CEO of BridgeUSA and keynote speaker at the symposium, and Prof. Najeeba Syeed, executive director of Interfaith at Augsburg University, about the importance of interfaith solidarity in building a stronger, inclusive society and resilient democracy.

“There has to be a conversation about: what do we do when there is a community, an individual in our community, there's some dynamic where someone is being targeted for hate? What and how do we engage that interfaith space around that reality, that lived reality?”

-Dr. Najeeba Syeed, executive director of Interfaith at Augsburg University in Minneapolis. For more than two decades, Najeeba has been a professor and practitioner in the fields of conflict resolution, mediation, and interfaith studies. An award-winning educator, she has taught extensively on interreligious education and restorative justice.

“When you give people of radically different perspectives, the opportunity to hear each other in a constructive space, you realize that we very much overestimate the capacity of our differences to rip us apart, and we very much underestimate our capacity to actually see the commonality.”

- Manu Meel, CEO of BridgeUSA, a ​​student movement creating spaces for constructive political discussions on campuses across the country. He hosts The Hopeful Majority podcast and was included on the Forbes “30 Under 30” list in 2022.

Religious extremism is hardly a new phenomenon in America – but now more than ever, buoyed by an emerging Christian nationalist movement, it threatens nearly every corner of American public life. This week’s Alabama Supreme Court decision that frozen embryos constitute human beings – a ruling steeped in religious doctrine – is another painful reminder of that reality. In order to confront the threats to faith and democracy today, it’s our responsibility to understand the deep historical roots of these trends and how they have manifested over decades. This week on The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, journalist and best-selling author Tim Alberta sits down with host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to take us on both a personal and deeply reported journey of his experience with the evangelical church. 

 “I think one of the thematic throughlines of the book is understanding the ways in which our faith identities have become wrapped up in, almost inextricable from, our political identities and our kind of cultural, social identities and our national identity and understanding how that has happened and how it's progressed. Some of it has happened very subconsciously, I think. In other ways, there's been a conscious, concerted, very well-organized, well-funded effort to effectively merge the evangelical church with the Republican Party.”

- Tim Alberta, staff writer for The Atlantic and the best-selling author of the new book, The Kingdom, The Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism. It is a fitting follow-up to his other best-seller, American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Trump. In his new work, Tim weaves together the expert observations of a skilled journalist with the insights of an American who grew up as a practicing Christian and the son of an evangelical pastor.

This weekend, movie-goers across the country are making their way to theaters for the new film “God & Country,” the latest project from Rob Reiner exploring the role of Christian nationalism in American society. Among the experts featured in that film is scholar and author Dr. Anthea Butler, who provides an important academic perspective on this anti-democratic ideology that is quickly permeating all corners of society. This week on The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush is joined by Anthea Butler to dissect the intersections of white Christian nationalism in both religious and political spheres, so that we can work towards fostering a society that values religious diversity and upholds the principles of equality and justice for all.

“I think the first thing people can do is to not say ‘vote,’ but to actually participate. What I mean by that is that it's important to vote. It's important to get people registered to vote. But if you think voting is the only thing that's going to do it, you are sorely mistaken.” - Dr. Anthea Butler, a leading scholar of African American religion and history, nationalism, race, politics, and popular culture. The author of White Evangelical Racism: The Politics of Morality in America, Dr. Butler sounds a warning in “God & Country” about the direction Christian nationalism is taking this country - and how hard it may be to ever come back. Dr. Butler is the Geraldine R. Siegel Professor in American Social Thought and Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.

The intertwining of religious dogma with political power not only undermines the fundamental principles of separation of government and religion, but also poses a grave risk to American democracy. Recognizing the urgency to address this growing concern, legendary actor, director and producer Rob Reiner has teamed up with director Dan Partland to create “God & Country,” a groundbreaking new documentary film on the rise and dire threat of Christian nationalism to Christianity itself. This week on The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio program and podcast, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush sits down with Rob and Dan for a special episode to discuss how the film can serve as a vital tool to safeguard democratic ideals in the face of evolving Christian nationalist threats.

“I didn't really even know about the term ‘Christian nationalism.’ What I did know was that there was a movement, a political movement, designed to do whatever it took to get certain ideas and certain policies across, and I knew it was very powerful in the Christian community – but I didn't know the term Christian nationalism. I knew there was a strong political movement; I didn't realize how strong and how organized it was.” - Rob Reiner, Emmy award-winning actor and director; producer of “God & Country.”“I think the first challenge for the film is just for people to understand what Christian nationalism is, what those terms mean, because at first glance, they both sound like very nice things to be: to be a real patriot, you know, to believe in your country and to believe in your faith. Those don't seem like bad things. So the first goal of the film really has to be to define it.” - Dan Partland, Emmy award-winning director of “God & Country.” His other films include “#UNFIT. The Psychology of Donald Trump.”

 “God & Country” opens in theaters nationwide on Friday, February 16, 2024.

As we mark the beginning of Black History Month, it’s crucial we discuss issues that sit at the intersection of historic struggles for justice and equality, including protecting democracy. Black communities and thought leaders have long been at the forefront of movements advocating for civil rights and equal representation, striving to address systemic challenges that threaten the very foundation of democracy. By examining the importance of safeguarding democratic values during Black History Month, we acknowledge the pivotal role Black individuals and communities have played in shaping the fight for political and social justice. This week on The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, academic and author Dr. Eddie S. Glaude, Jr. joins Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to discuss how we can draw lessons from the past to build a more inclusive and equitable future for all.

“What we need to do is to understand our power. And so what I do is I offer a pragmatic reading of the prophetic, of the heroic, and of the democratic. I argue that the prophetic is located in each of us, and it's located in our ability to exercise our imaginations: to see beyond the constraints of now, and to imagine what's possible, to engage in that dramatic rehearsal in pursuit of the good. And so these lectures are really about disrupting this idea that we can outsource our responsibility for democracy to others. That if we're going to save this fragile experiment in this moment, we're going to have to do it.”

Dr. Glaude is a leading American scholar, a popular commentator, and the best-selling author of books including Democracy in Black: How Race Still Enslaves the American Soul, and Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Time, winner of the Harriet Beecher Stowe Book Prize. He is James S. McDonald Distinguished University Professor at Princeton University, and former chair of the Department of African American Studies there, as well as the former president of the American Academy of Religion. His next book, due out April 16, 2024, is titled We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For.

As we observe International Holocaust Remembrance Day this weekend, elevating interfaith solidarity is even more important, especially with the recent unparalleled rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia around the world and right here at home. This occasion, dedicated to commemorating the survivors and lives lost during one of the darkest periods in human history, serves as a poignant reminder of the consequences of hatred and discrimination.

Amidst the ongoing devastating violence in the Middle East, fostering understanding and unity among diverse religious communities takes on added significance. By embracing interfaith dialogue and collaboration, we can contribute to breaking down barriers and building empathy. This week on The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, Rabbi Abby Jacobson and Imam Imad Enchassi join host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to discuss recognizing the shared humanity among different religious groups as not only a gesture of solidarity but also a step toward finding common ground in the fight for justice.

Rabbi Abby Jacobson is the rabbi at Emanuel Synagogue in Oklahoma City. She's the former president and a long-time board member of Interfaith Alliance of Oklahoma.

“I refuse to allow us to be pitted against each other, because there is not a daily quota of compassion, because everybody's children need to be safe, and everybody needs to be happy sleeping in their own beds,” said Rabbi Jacobson. “It is not only possible, but I think mandatory to be pro-Palestinian health, human rights, dignity, sovereignty, and everything else, and at the same time also be pro-Israel. Those two shouldn’t be mutually exclusive. And we’re all just talking about what human beings need. We would be having fewer arguments, and there, I believe, would be less anger and hurt if we were not being further divided by a narrative of us versus them, because I don't think we should have to compete for compassion or news time, because everybody's children are important.”

Dr. Imad Enchassi is the chairman of Islamic Studies, chaplain, and professor at Oklahoma City University. He serves as Imam at the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City.

“What gives me hope is the simple fact that throughout conflict and war, there's this human being, this is a spirit of humanity that is shining upon all of us,” said Imam Enchassi. “When I lose family in Gaza and the local rabbis and the local Jewish community send me condolences and send me a fruit basket and give me condolences, I have hope in humanity. I have hope in humanity when I see different countries coming together to bring humanitarian aid. I have hope in humanity when people are weeping, on one side of the world, for other people on the other side of the world, perhaps they have nothing in common except their humanity. There's always that human that's going to shine, and there's always that human that's going to prevail. And for that I have hope.”

Hear from Rabbi Jacobson and Imam Enchassi on this and much more in this week’s episode.

In times of conflict and division, we all look for inspiration in different places. And for so many, it’s faith and spirituality that sustains us, drawing us closer to community and helping us to find meaning even when the world around us feels hopeless. This week on The State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush speaks with Rabbi Sharon Brous about her timely new book, connection, and showing up for each other.

“What I'm trying to do with this book is essentially say, in this time of the loneliness epidemic, social alienation, isolation, so much human cruelty, polarization, ideological extremism: can we see one another and say ‘amen’ to each other's experience, including not just in church and in synagogue and in the mosque, but when we see somebody who's weeping on the subway, can we go over and say, ‘hey, I see that you're not okay right now. Can I ask you, what happened to you? What's happening in your heart? Do you want to share?’” - Rabbi Sharon Brous

Rabbi Brous is a leading voice in reanimating religious life in America. She’s the founding and senior rabbi at IKAR, a Jewish congregation in Los Angeles dedicated to invigorating Jewish practice and inspiring people of faith to reclaim a soulful, justice-driven voice, and senior fellow at Auburn Seminary. Rabbi Brous recently published a new book, The Amen Effect: Ancient Wisdom to Mend our Broken Hearts and World, which brings together Jewish wisdom and contemporary science to celebrate the fundamental human need for connection, and show how meeting this need can give us hope in a fragmented, isolated age.