The accusations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh are serious and have understandably consumed the nation’s attention. However, in an era when seemingly every day holds a new controversy or scandal, too many other important stories are too often slipping through the cracks. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, we will take a look at some of those: climate change, the co-opting of public education by the Religious Right and the importance of bridging religious divides.
A growing number of houses of worship and faith-inspired organizations are joining scientists, activists and other concerned citizens to speak out about the urgent importance of addressing climate change. Among those groups is Interfaith Power and Light, where the new chairman of the board is longtime civil rights leader the Rev. Dr. Gerald Durley. State of Belief host Rev. Welton Gaddy will speak with the Dr. Durley about the growing religious voice on climate change and how faith groups are getting engaged in the fight for our planet.
Did Moses have a profound influence on the Founding Fathers? The Texas Board of Education seems to think so. It recently voted to remove Hillary Clinton, Helen Keller and Thomas Hobbes from public school curricula. Curiously, they’ve kept teachings about the American Founding Fathers and their relationship to Moses, who died 3,200 years before the Declaration of Independence was written. Joining Welton to discuss this controversy and the new #TeachTheTruth campaign is Dan Quinn, communications director of the Texas Freedom Network.
For decades, Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed has been one of the most prominent voices for interfaith cooperation and understanding. A gifted speaker and bridge-builder, Dr. Syeed was recently named president of the Islamic Society of North America. He will join Welton to discuss ways of opening dialogue between seemingly different groups at a time when the religious divisions often seem irreconcilable.
