Across the country, attacks on reproductive rights are escalating and anti-choice faith voices are increasingly resonating in state legislatures and the courts. While it seems that every week we wake up to more and more bad news about the alarming state of reproductive access, what you might not see are the persistent organizing efforts of faith communities who hold different views. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, we will look into how coalitions of people of faith are rising up to defend the right to choose.
While the notion of religious freedom is often misused to restrict reproductive care, a new initiative seeks to rally people of faith around protecting this critical right. The Rev. Angela Williams, lead organizer of the Spiritual Alliance of Communities for Reproductive Dignity, will join Rev. Welton Gaddy, host of State of Belief, to discuss the first international gathering of the Alliance.
The shocking attack against the Beth Israel congregation in Colleyville, TX has been a stark reminder that religious extremism threatens the safety of our communities. Now more than ever, we all need to band together to combat religious hate at the local level. As he winds down his successful tenure as president of Interfaith Alliance, Rabbi Jack Moline will join Welton to discuss how the organization’s Partnering Against Hate toolkit enables grassroots action to push back against hateful rhetoric.
Over generations, LGBTQ+ people have faced persistent religious-based discrimination and attacks against their inherent dignity. The denial of basic civil rights to our LGBTQ+ siblings has inflicted immeasurable trauma in communities across the country. Dr. Renair Amin, founder of LGBTQ Faith Matters, will talk with Welton about her ambitious initiative to bring healing to those who’ve suffered from faith-based trauma.
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