Segments
We’ve seen the pictures of so-called prayer warriors surrounding the President of the United States in the Oval Office. But who are they? What exactly do they believe? And why does it matter that they have access to the Oval Office? This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s radio show and podcast, we’ll take an in-depth look at the worldview behind some of the religious leaders who most vocally support President Trump.
Host Rev. Welton Gaddy will be joined by Terry Heaton, a retired television executive and author of The Gospel of Self: How Jesus Joined the GOP, who in the 1980s served as executive director of Pat Robertson’s 700 Club TV show. For many Americans, Robertson turns up in rather amusing clips shared on the Internet; but for millions, he is a trusted and omnipresent voice of authority – who once made a credible run for the presidency himself. Terry will share his experience working with Robertson and how understanding the political Religious Right can shed light on our current political landscape.
The mess that is America’s immigration policy has only grown worse in the erratic, unaccountable environment fostered by the current administration. With human lives in the balance, people and communities of faith have stepped up through the sanctuary movement. Dr. Linda Seger, a Colorado Springs-based activist and author of Jesus Rode a Donkey: Why Millions of Christians are Democrats, will join Welton to discuss the faith-based sanctuary movement and why she thinks the Republican Party has been so effective in capturing self-identified Christian voters.
The extreme political religious right is having a profound effect on our president – and therefore on every one of us, like it or not. Welton will explore the effects with People For the American Way Senior Fellow Peter Montgomery, author of a disturbing new report: POTUS Shield: Trump’s Dominionist Prayer Warriors and the ‘Prophetic Order of the United States.’
Finally, don’t miss a special word from Welton as he looks back at this week’s news, including the escalating tensions between the United States and North Korea, and explains why he thinks it’s a sign that the mixing of religion and politics has reached a new level in threatening our democracy.
