If there’s one thing our age demands, it’s courage. Courage for solidarity with the marginalized; to uphold principle; and to live with integrity. A powerful book on the subject has just been published by Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, DC, How We Learn To Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith. The author joins host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush on this week’s State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast. Looking toward the 2024 election, Interfaith Alliance’s main legislative priorities include advancing LGBTQ+ equality, maintaining the separation of religion and government and holding candidates to that promise, keeping public money in public schools, and ensuring people of all beliefs can access health care that aligns with their values. Paul will speak with Darcy Hirsh, who recently took over as the organization’s lead policy and advocacy expert.
Bishop Mariann Budde leads the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C., having become the first woman to hold the position in 2011. Prior to filling that role, she served as a parish priest for 18 years and spent much of that time championing social justice causes. She is also the chair and president of the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation and author of several books including Receiving Jesus: The Way of Love and her latest, How We Learn To Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith.
Darcy Hirsh is Interfaith Alliance’s new senior director of policy and advocacy. Prior to joining Interfaith Alliance, Darcy served as associate vice president for public affairs and government relations at The Jewish Federations of North America, where she directed national legislative strategy on behalf of 146 federations and 300 independent communities throughout the U.S. She has a wealth of experience leading grassroots engagement and interfaith coalition efforts, and will speak with Paul about Interfaith Alliance’s new resource for fighting antisemitism as the White House announces its comprehensive strategy, and her vision for the organization moving into the 2024 election.