Segments
Rev. Welton Gaddy is back from Sri Lanka this week after participating in a State Department delegation on religious freedom. We’ll hear about his trip on an upcoming show, but this week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, Welton will sit down with Rev. Dr. Heber Brown, III, a pastor in North Baltimore, and speak about the role and responsibilities of faith leaders in that community in the aftermath of the suspicious death of Freddie Gray. Timothy Snyder will join us in the studio to discuss the costs of the pervasive religious freedom rhetoric being used to discriminate throughout the United States. And, finally, we’ll hear from Rev. Jennifer Crumpton about the inclusion and empowerment of women in faith communities. 
Faith Leaders in #BaltimoreUprising
As protesters march throughout Baltimore in response to the death of Freddie Gray and ongoing police violence against people of color, countless faith leaders have opened their church doors and provided resources to protestors and demonstrators. In the midst of protests, Rev. Dr. Heber Brown, III, pastor of Pleasant Hope Baptist Church in North Baltimore, and his allies have been working tirelessly to offer solace for residents of his cities. Rev. Brown will walk us through these interfaith efforts and reflect on the role of religion in pre-emptively working with law enforcement.
The Costs of Faulty Religious Freedom Rhetoric
This week, the Supreme Court heard arguments in the battle for marriage equality nationwide. Both supporters and opponents of marriage equality gathered outside the Supreme Court and, remarkably, both supporters and opponents used religious freedom arguments to make their case. Tim Snyder, public theologian and author of, ‘The Theological Hijacking of Religious Freedom” will join us to discuss the implications of using religious freedom to discriminate against certain groups of people.
Femmevangelical: Feminism and Faith
The intersection of faith and gender has been taboo for many faith communities around the world. Despite this taboo, many female faith leaders are discussing the importance of inclusion in the pulpit and the empowerment of women in faith communities. Rev. Jennifer D. Crumpton, author of “Femme-Evangelical: The Modern Girl’s Guide to the Good News” will join Welton to discuss her deconstruction of a male-centered view of faith and the bible.
