State of Belief

About State of Belief

Every week, Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush hosts lively, funny and poignant conversations with inspiring religious and civic leaders, as well as artists and activists from across the country. Listeners get a potent mix of spiritual wisdom, political strategy, and hopeful commentary from national and local leaders who are rising up to meet this urgent moment in America. With the tagline, “Where Religion and Democracy Meet,” State of Belief is a celebration of our nation’s diversities and an invitation to join together to, in the words of the great James Baldwin, “achieve our country.”

Meet the Host

Paul Brandeis Raushenbush

Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush is President and CEO of Interfaith Alliance. An ordained Baptist minister, Paul has been a leader in the interfaith movement to protect freedom and preserve democracy. As the great-grandson of the first Jewish Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis and great-grandson of Baptist theologian Walter Rauschenbusch, a key figure in the Social Gospel movement, Paul’s commitment to interfaith advocacy comes in part from his own interfaith background. Prior to coming to Interfaith Alliance, Paul has served as senior vice president of the Auburn Seminary, the founding and executive editor of HuffPost Religion, associate dean of religious life and the chapel at Princeton University, and a founding editor of Beliefnet.com. Most recently, he was the senior advisor for public affairs and innovation at Interfaith America.

Before hosting State of Belief, Paul was the host of Huffington Post’s podcast “All Together” where he interviewed guests as diverse as President Jimmy Carter, Patti Smith, RuPaul, Bishop T.D. Jakes, and Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. Paul speaks about religious diversity and the importance of inclusive religious liberty at colleges, churches and institutes around the country including The Chautauqua Institute, the Center for American Progress, the New America Foundation and the Aspen Institute. He is regularly invited to offer commentary on issues of religion and society on national television and radio including a repeated guest on CNN, CBS, ABC, MSNBC, NPR, Al Jazeera, and BBC.

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Reproductive Rights on Trial with Skye Perryman
By Ray Kirstein — April 20, 2024
State of Belief host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush talks with Skye Perryman of Democracy Forward about the mifepristone and EMTALA cases before the Supreme Court and the challenges to reproductive and religious freedom they pose. Paul also gets details on the Freedom Rising Conference from organizer Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis.
Faith and LGBT Politics with R. G. Cravens
By Ray Kirstein — April 13, 2024
State of Belief host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush talks with Dr. R. G. Cravens of the Southern Poverty Law Center, author of the book "Yes, Gawd! How Faith Shapes LGBT Identity and Politics in the United States."
Words On Fire With Fred Garcia
By Ray Kirstein — April 6, 2024
State of Belief host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush talks with crisis communication expert Helio Fred Garcia, author of the book "Words on Fire: The Power of Incendiary Language and How to Confront It"
Worth Fighting For: John Pavlovitz
By Ray Kirstein — March 30, 2024
State of Belief host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush talks with Pastor John Pavlovitz, author of the new book "Worth Fighting For: Finding Courage and Compassion When Cruelty is Trending"