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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
When 'winsome' becomes naive and cultural engagement gives way to culture war rhetoric.
Podcast image for
Jeffrey Salkin
(RNS) — In a word, no. But ...
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
When the world is on fire, what if the answer is a house concert?
Podcast image for
Katelyn Beaty and Roxanne Stone
When 'winsome' becomes naive and cultural engagement gives way to culture war rhetoric.
Podcast image for
Jeffrey Salkin
(RNS) — In a word, no. But ...
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
When the world is on fire, what if the answer is a house concert?
Latest Episode
June 28, 2025
PLAY EPISODE
Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush checks in with Public Religion Research Institute President Dr. Robert P. Jones about the state of our democracy and society on the nation's 249th birthday
PLAY EPISODE
Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush checks in with Public Religion Research Institute President Dr. Robert P. Jones about the state of our democracy and society on the nation's 249th birthday
Previous Episodes
Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush checks in with Public Religion Research Institute President Dr. Robert P. Jones about the state of our democracy and society on the nation's 249th birthday
PLAY EPISODE
Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush talks with author, commentator and attorney Wajahat Ali, who maintains that everybody has a superpower. Waj lists some of them, and stresses how important it is not to throw up our hands in the face of massive challenges and threats from the current administration and its supporters.
PLAY EPISODE
Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush talks with immigration activist Rev. Noel Andersen, field director at World Church Service. Then, Paul's comments from the June 10 Faith Rally for a Moral Budget, and a conversation with Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Executive Director Connie Ryan and Rev. Heather Wachendorf
PLAY EPISODE
Host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush talks with Leah Greenberg, co-founder and co-executive director of Indivisible, lead organizer of the No Kings Day initiative on June 14, 2025
PLAY EPISODE
Podcast image for
Katelyn Beaty and Roxanne Stone
When 'winsome' becomes naive and cultural engagement gives way to culture war rhetoric.
Podcast image for
Jeffrey Salkin
(RNS) — In a word, no. But ...
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
When the world is on fire, what if the answer is a house concert?
Podcast image for
Katelyn Beaty and Roxanne Stone
When 'winsome' becomes naive and cultural engagement gives way to culture war rhetoric.
Podcast image for
Jeffrey Salkin
(RNS) — In a word, no. But ...
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
When the world is on fire, what if the answer is a house concert?