It’s fitting that a weekend that began with Friday the 13th is the same weekend that the Religious Right is gathering for the so-called Values Voter Summit in Washington, DC, to plot how to force their religious views on the rest of us. And for the first time, a sitting president is addressing them. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s radio show and podcast, we will check in with our colleagues at Interfaith Alliance about the state of religious liberty in the age of Trump.

First, however, host Rev. Welton Gaddy will speak with Cynthia Hudson, Virginia’s chief deputy attorney general, and Rabbi Jack Moline, president of Interfaith Alliance. Cynthia and Jack were recently named co-chairs of the new Commonwealth Commission on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion formed in Virginia in the wake of the events in Charlottesville in August. Both of them will discuss the importance of – and the challenges to – this work.

In light of all the recent headlines about encroachments on genuine religious liberty, Welton will spend some additional time with Rabbi Moline to talk about the role of Interfaith Alliance – both nationally and at the state level – in challenging the bigotry that’s been marching through our streets.

The Trump Justice Department under Attorney General Sessions recently provided sweeping guidance to federal agencies that will make it easier to discriminate against historically marginalized populations, particularly LGBT individuals, under the guise of religious freedom. Interfaith Alliance of Colorado responded to this alarming change with the inspiring “Not in Our Name” campaign. Welton will speak with Rev. Amanda Henderson, executive director of Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, about their campaign, and their Force for Good Awards coming up later this month.

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