Juneteenth and Independence Day offer models of the kind of religious freedom America should embrace, according to Interfaith Alliance President Paul Raushenbush. “On July Fourth in 1776, the Founders declared independence from a king who was given absolute power because…
Oklahoma schools chief mandates Bibles in every public school classroom
Two days after the Oklahoma Supreme Court swatted down an attempt to use public funds to support a Catholic charter school, the state superintendent of public instruction mandated all public schools have a Christian Bible in the classroom and teach…
Coalition offers training for churches and faith leaders in how to interact with angry protesters during Pride events
Against the backdrop of rising anti-LGBTQ violence, Interfaith Alliance and its partners will provide training for faith leaders and congregations to serve as buffers between hate groups and those attending Pride month events in June. “While this year it is…
Disinformation campaign uses ‘phony science’ to discredit trans people, researcher says
Right-wing political and religious groups are waging a disinformation campaign based on phony science to dehumanize transgender people and deny them full political and religious status, said Royal G. Cravens III, senior research analyst at the Southern Poverty Law Center….
Watch your language and your beliefs, sex abuser survivors tell the church
The insidious and chronic nature of church sexual abuse is an outgrowth of patriarchal concepts of the divine that provide theological cover for abusers and shame for their victims, said the authors of a new book on theologies of abuse….
Christian nationalists are misguided Christians, Anthea Butler says
Christian nationalists are still Christians despite their embrace of white supremacy and anti-democratic violence, scholar Anthea Butler said during an episode of the Interfaith Alliance’s “State of Belief” podcast. “They really believe in their Christianity. It’s just that they are…
Raushenbush’s children’s book emphasizes the love of God in Holy Week
Paul Raushenbush’s new children’s book, Together We Rise, was written to share the meaning of Holy Week and the joy of a loving God with his own kids. “It was a story I intended for my two sons. My oldest…
As U.S. House opens impeachment probe against Biden, religious leaders are silent
The Southern Baptist speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives is leading an effort to impeach President Joe Biden with no evidence of wrongdoing, and religious leaders are largely silent about this turn of events 11 months before the next…
Opposing book bans is a spiritual act, interfaith group says
People of faith must stand up against the proliferation of book-banning campaigns or face the inevitable erosion of religious liberties, according to library and reading advocate Tracie Hall. “This is a moment we cannot take lying down. We cannot have…