Segments
This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, Rev. Welton Gaddy returns to explore religion in three very different settings: the presidential debates, as a fault line in the Vatican, and in a documentary from Oprah Winfrey. Investigative journalist Sarah Posner, will discuss the role of religion, or lack thereof, in the first Democratic debate. The Most Rev. Francis Quinn, the retired Catholic Bishop of Sacramento, also joins the program to share his views on progressive issues as they currently stand in the Vatican. And finally, David Shadrack Smith comes on to preview the major new documentary miniseries titled, “Belief” airing all this week on the OWN Television Network. 
Political Polarization of Religion?
Following the Democrat debate this past week, who better to sit down and talk to us about religion and politics, than investigative journalist Sarah Posner? Was the focus on substantive issues, but the exclusion of religious liberty as a topic, a disappointment? We’ll also explore the role of religious liberty in future debates, the GOP candidates’ emphasis on religion, as well as notable debate moments. Sarah is the author of God’s Profits – P-R-O-F-I-T-S – Faith, Fraud and the Republican Crusade for Values Voters.
Internal Vatican Tensions: Conservative v. Progressive
Currently, Catholic Bishops are back at the Vatican for Part Two of the Synod on the Family. To discuss the internal tensions between conservative and progressive members of the Church hierarchy from the perspective of his 68 years in the priesthood, we’ll be joined by his Excellency Bishop Francis Quinn. Bishop Quinn was installed as the Roman Catholic Bishop of Sacramento, California in 1979. Since retiring in 1993 he remains active in progressive causes. Bishop Quinn recently published a New York Times op-ed calling for a far more progressive agenda than anything likely to be discussed during the Synod.
Oprah + Religion = Belief
OWN Television Network will be premiering a seven-night documentary mini series called “Belief” beginning on Sunday, October 18th. This documentary combines prime television, leading documentary filmmakers, world religious history, and Oprah Winfrey to search for commonalities among what we believe across the globe. Executive Producer David Shadrack Smith joins us to discuss the conception of the series, what viewers should expect from the experience, as well as how working on the project affected him personally.
