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The State of Belief
The 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
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.
Podcast image for
Katelyn Beaty and Roxanne Stone
Kaitlyn Schiess offers some perspective on the use and abuse of the Bible in the public square, as well as some wisdom for when you want to pick the Good Book up again.
Podcast image for
Jeffrey Salkin
He was the most widely respected Jewish thinker in the non-Orthodox Jewish world. And that is just the beginning.
Podcast image for
Amber Hacker and Tom Levinson
A former CEO of 10 public companies talks about the work and joy of giving.
Podcast image for
Rev. Amanda Henderson
(RNS) — Faith communities at the Southern US border navigate compassion, advocacy and opportunity amid the complex realities of immigration policy and human need.
Podcast image for
Katelyn Beaty and Roxanne Stone
Kaitlyn Schiess offers some perspective on the use and abuse of the Bible in the public square, as well as some wisdom for when you want to pick the Good Book up again.
Podcast image for
Jeffrey Salkin
He was the most widely respected Jewish thinker in the non-Orthodox Jewish world. And that is just the beginning.
Podcast image for
Amber Hacker and Tom Levinson
A former CEO of 10 public companies talks about the work and joy of giving.
Podcast image for
Rev. Amanda Henderson
(RNS) — Faith communities at the Southern US border navigate compassion, advocacy and opportunity amid the complex realities of immigration policy and human need.
Latest Episode
December 21, 2024
PLAY EPISODE
Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush talks about top religion news stories of the year with Ruth Graham, national reporter at The New York Times, where she covers religion, faith, and values.
PLAY EPISODE
Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush talks about top religion news stories of the year with Ruth Graham, national reporter at The New York Times, where she covers religion, faith, and values.
Previous Episodes
Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush talks about top religion news stories of the year with Ruth Graham, national reporter at The New York Times, where she covers religion, faith, and values.
PLAY EPISODE
Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush talks with Timothy Snyder, best-selling author, historian, and public intellectual, about his latest book, "On Freedom."
PLAY EPISODE
Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush talks with religion scholar Dr. Matthew D. Taylor about the role Christian Nationalism played in the election outcome - and how it will show up going forward. Also, Director Stephen Ujlaki and Executive Producer Todd Stiefel on their documentary "Bad Faith: Christian Nationalism's Unholy War on Democracy"
PLAY EPISODE
Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush talks with theologian Diana Butler Bass, author of the book "Grateful: The Subversive Practice of Giving Thanks."
PLAY EPISODE
Podcast image for
Katelyn Beaty and Roxanne Stone
Kaitlyn Schiess offers some perspective on the use and abuse of the Bible in the public square, as well as some wisdom for when you want to pick the Good Book up again.
Podcast image for
Jeffrey Salkin
He was the most widely respected Jewish thinker in the non-Orthodox Jewish world. And that is just the beginning.
Podcast image for
Amber Hacker and Tom Levinson
A former CEO of 10 public companies talks about the work and joy of giving.
Podcast image for
Rev. Amanda Henderson
(RNS) — Faith communities at the Southern US border navigate compassion, advocacy and opportunity amid the complex realities of immigration policy and human need.
Podcast image for
Katelyn Beaty and Roxanne Stone
Kaitlyn Schiess offers some perspective on the use and abuse of the Bible in the public square, as well as some wisdom for when you want to pick the Good Book up again.
Podcast image for
Jeffrey Salkin
He was the most widely respected Jewish thinker in the non-Orthodox Jewish world. And that is just the beginning.
Podcast image for
Amber Hacker and Tom Levinson
A former CEO of 10 public companies talks about the work and joy of giving.
Podcast image for
Rev. Amanda Henderson
(RNS) — Faith communities at the Southern US border navigate compassion, advocacy and opportunity amid the complex realities of immigration policy and human need.