Occupy Faith DC
Since the era of Eisenhower, presidents have spoken at the annual National Prayer Breakfast. This year, however, members of the Occupy movement in DC set up their own event – the People’s Breakfast.  Ilana Alazzeh, of Occupy Faith DC, introduces us to the organization and why they organized the People’s Breakfast.

Sacred Bowl Sunday
Tebow and the Broncos may not be playing on Sunday, but that doesn’t mean there’s no praying in football. Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, one of America’s “most influential Rabbis” according to Newsweek, believes Super Bowl Sunday is “America’s biggest secular religious event.” Listen in to find out why he thinks the big game is a lot like Sunday morning worship.

What on earth does “our religion” mean?
Amidst a primary campaign with no shortage of outrageous statements or cynical political pandering, our own Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy ponders what Newt Gingrich meant when he said wants respect for “our religion” this week at a campaign stop in Florida.

Rev. Don Wilkey, pastor of the Onalaska First Baptist Church in Texas, tells us about the view from his front row seat watching politically organized religion in this year’s Republican presidential primary. Rev. Wilkey describes his experiences at recent religiopolitical events like Rick Perry’s “The Response” Rally. Governor Perry may be out of the running, but big decisions are still being made behind the scenes in the Lone Star State. 

Kerry Kennedy, daughter of the late Robert F. Kennedy and president of the RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights, shares with us her “Speak Truth to Power” global education initiative. She explains why she’s added an anti-bullying lesson plan to the curriculum, and how you can help bring it to your local schools.

Rabbi Jason Miller, author of a recent Huffington Post article headlined “Jews for Tebow,” explain what about Denver Bronco quarterback Tim Tebow’s overt Christianity makes Miller want to root for Tebow rather than against him.

Carter Turner, assistant professor of Religious Studies at Radford University in Virginia and author of a recent Religion Dispatches article entitled Missing the Extra Point: the Real Cause of Tebow Fever, explore the symbolism beyond football evoked by Tebow.

Isaac Luria, organizing director at Groundswell, the social action initiative of Auburn Seminary, share with us how clergy and faith leaders are working together to end child sex trafficking.

Rev. Dr. Welton Gaddy reflect on the recent meeting of evangelical leaders and their efforts to reach consensus on a presidential candidate. Rev. Gaddy also shares his own experience with the Southern Baptist Convention.

Dr. Brian Kaylor, author of Presidential Campaign Rhetoric in an Age of Confessional Politics, share with us the changes he’s seen in presidential campaigns in what he calls the age of confessional politics and how those changes impact a president’s ability to lead once elected. 

Simon Brown, communications associate at Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, review a spate of recent news stories involving religion in American schools caught our attention. We spoke about pagan texts, conservative Christians OPPOSING prayer in schools, and Religious Freedom Sunday. 

Rev. Dr. Welton Gaddy reflect on the impact Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had on his life and the hope he holds that King’s legacy of nonviolence and acceptance will continue to inspire future generations.

Greg Lebel, George Washington University Political Management Professor and Presidential Campaign veteran, give us his take on Iowa and the aftermath. Listen in to find out what he thinks about Mitt Romney’s 8-vote victory over Rick Santorum, Michele Bachmann’s decision to leave the race, and what errors he saw on the trail based on his experience. 

Troy Boyle, president of the National Atheist Party, introduce us to the newly formed political party as he tells us about its goals and his motivations in helping to get it off the ground.

…an in-depth interview with Mary Karr, poet, professor and best-selling author of The Liars’ Club. Karr discusses her troubled childhood, struggle with alcoholism and conversion to Catholicism in a fascinating conversation with Rev. Gaddy about belief and spirituality. 

…a look back at a couple of the most ridiculous stories of 2011 at the intersection of religion, government and politics. Rev. Gaddy speaks with the Roosevelt Institute’s Ellen Chesler, author of a definitive biography of Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger, about the year’s attacks on Sanger’s family planning organization and reflects on a gridlocked Congress finding the time to reaffirm the place of God in our national motto.

All of us at State of Belief wish you the best for the new year and are forever grateful for your ongoing support in 2011. Here’s to a bright 2012!

A round-up of this year’s religion, politics and government news with Kevin Eckstrom, editor-in-chief of Religion News Service. 

Best wishes for the New Year!

Haroon Moghul, a Fellow at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, on the revolutionary developments in the Muslim world during the past year, and the frequent disconnect in the ways Muslims in the Middle East and non Muslims in the West view each other, as well as strategies to better that understanding in 2012. He is an Associate Editor at Religion Dispatches and a Ph.D. candidate at Columbia University. 

Greg Epstein, Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University, on the growing cooperation within the interfaith community among Humanists and religious people, and the promise this trend offers for both groups. 

Sarah Posner, Religion Dispatches Senior Editor, bring us insights into the issues of religion and politics in the final days before the Iowa caucuses. Listen into a lively discussion ranging from Gov. Rick Perry’s controversial “Obama’s war on religion” campaign ad to the roots of Newt Gingrich’s rise in the polls and the possibility of the existence of a secret evangelical group bent on defeating Gov. Mitt Romney.  

Jana Riess, author of Flunking Sainthood: A Year of Breaking the Sabbath, Forgetting to Pray, and Still Loving My Neighbor, on her recently released memoir about her year-long experiment to learn more about religion and spirituality by pursuing 12 different spiritual challenges, including observing the Sabbath, abstaining from meat and following St. Benedict’s rules for hospitality. Jana tells us what was most difficult for her and how her experiment made a lasting impact on her life.  

… Connie Ryan Terrell, Executive Director of Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, on what’s blinking red on her radar screen in the last weeks before the Iowa caucuses, and if any of the state-level priorities the organization has been working on are spilling over into national caucus coverage or getting shoved aside. We’ll also ask her what carrying out the Iowa affiliate’s work is like in an environment with media celebrities and candidates everywhere.

… Political Science Professor Dennis J. Goldford, of Drake University, on answers to the questions we’ve always had but were afraid to ask about the Iowa caucuses. As the co-author of The Iowa Precinct Caucuses: The Making of a Media Event, Prof. Goldford literally wrote the book on the caucus process.

… Rev. Dr. Rich Pleva, Conference Minister for the Iowa Conference of the United Church of Christ, with a faith leader’s perspective on living in the eye of the 2012 electoral storm.