Segments
This weekend on State of Belief find out what might be next for Utah’s same-gender couples after the Supreme Court halted marriage equality; hear again from one Utah newlywed who provides a first hand account of what a difference a week makes when it comes to marriage in Utah; and learn about a new four-week series we’ll be doing on the show. Also, don’t miss a special “Word from Welton” about the War on Poverty, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this week. 
What a Difference a Week Makes: What Might Be Next
Before the holidays, a U.S. district judge in Salt Lake City surprised almost everyone by ruling that Utah’s ban on same-gender marriage is unconstitutional; then in the past week the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that no further weddings are allowed to take place, pending an appeal by the state at the circuit court level. Utah’s governor responded by saying he won’t recognize the same-gender marriages that have already been performed. Dr. Joanna Brooks, a national voice on Mormon life and politics, joins Welton on State of Belief this week to provide a realistic appraisal of what might be next for this important issue in Utah.
What a Difference a Week Makes: A First-Hand Account of Marriage in Utah
Last week, Nicole Christensen, who married her partner Natalie on that first day same-gender marriages were legal in Utah, joined Welton on State of Belief to talk about the excitement of getting married and the cautious optimism she had that there would be no turning back from the progress that’s been made. Following the Supreme Court’s decision halting marriages in order to allow the appeal to go forward and the governor’s assertion that same-gender marriages were not valid despite when ceremonies had been performed, Welton decided to check back in with Nicole. Listen in to State of Belief this week for a first-person take on what all this is doing to the Utahns who are most directly affected – the couples themselves.
A Prophetic Vision for a New Year Part One: The Rev. William Barber
As we enter a new year, it’s always important to take some time to sort through priorities. So, in the first weeks of 2014, we’re going to bring you some of the voices we feel particularly optimistic about when it comes to the most urgent areas of social justice and change. “A Prophetic Vision for a New Year: Where We’re Going, How We’ll Get There” – is a four-part series that kicks off this week with a replay of an interview we recorded last summer with the Rev. William Barber, who is the head of the North Carolina NAACP and the founder of the ever-expanding Moral Mondays movement.
A Word from Welton on the 50th Anniversary of the War on Poverty
As we mark the 50th anniversary of President Johnson’s declaration of a war on poverty, too many voices seem to be echoing President Ronald Reagan’s words claiming the war lost. In a special word from Welton, he’ll challenge that claim and, more importantly, look to where leadership in the most important struggles against economic inequality is coming from today.
