The State Of Belief

AI is all around us – and you've probably been affected by both the hype and the scaremongering. The fact is, harnessing it for the good is as much a question of ethics and intentionality as it is of technology. That’s according to technologist, entrepreneur, and best-selling author Cheryl Contee. This week, we get into AI's role for nonprofits, faith communities, and ethical AI training, as well as AI’s potential to revolutionize healthcare, education, and longevity. Cheryl stresses the role of religious leaders and faith communities navigating AI’s influence, including Pope Leo’s call to “disarm artificial intelligence.”

This episode is about as timely as any we have ever produced.
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This weekend, July 17-19th, people across this country are carrying on the legacy of the late civil rights icon and Congressman John Lewis, who famously called the work of justice “making good trouble.” It’s the “Good Trouble Lives On” Weekend of Action, and historian David Greenberg, author of the authoritative biography John Lewis: A Life, joins Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush on The State of Belief.

Challenges that Rep. Lewis faced as a civil rights activist are reemerging like never before - and the lessons of his activism can help guide us forward today.

On Thursday, July 16th, Senator Alex Padilla, along with the coalition Faithful Democracy, convened an interfaith roundtable discussion on protecting elections and voting rights to commemorate the legacy of Congressman John Lewis, six years after his passing.

We start the show with just a few minutes from this historic event, which brought together diverse leaders and a total of ten sitting members of the US Senate.
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Have you noticed how faith and belief have been showing up on one of the biggest stages in sports? From prayer circles to Islamic sujood, religion is shining bright at the World Cup. Religion News Service’s Madhiha Anis wrote about the various expressions of faith and belief on the global stage in an article headlined "From Christian Prayer Circles to Sujood, Religion Is All Over the 2026 World Cup." She joins host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush to explore her observations.

It's striking how these rituals aren’t just rituals—they’re powerfully real expressions of identity and hope. It’s a reminder that behind every goal, there’s a person carrying their beliefs, their culture, their whole self into the match.

Also with us: RNS National Reporter Jack Jenkins , with his take on the Cup as well as how religion is influencing our political debates, particularly around the anniversary of America’s 250th year and during midterm elections.
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On this 250th Independence Day, how much do our founding documents still matter to Americans? It turns out a lot, according to guest Prof. Jeffrey Rosen. CEO Emeritus of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, he’s a law professor at George Washington University and has traveled the country speaking to diverse audiences that share a deep commitment to our nation’s founding principles.

Jeff quotes from memory host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush's great-grandfather Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis on free speech, and explains the thinking that the various founders brought to this experiment in democracy. Another highlight of the conversation: Enlightenment rational values were the driving force behind the Constitution’s emphasis on religious freedom for all. He doesn’t hesitate to point to where the founders fell far short of their ideals, but that fact ultimately offers hope for our time: we’ve come this far despite setbacks and mistakes – and so the conflicts and division of today don’t automatically guarantee failure in the years ahead.
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As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, Americans still believe that religious liberty is a cornerstone of our democracy. Against that backdrop, the Trump administration’s creation of a Religious Liberty Commission in May 2025 that is utterly lacking in diversity, and risks favoring some voices while leaving out others – called for a comprehensive response.

Called to respond, Interfaith Alliance, in partnership with Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU), the American Humanist Association (AHA), and the Center for American Progress (CAP), brought together 20 leading voices from across the spectrum of religions and beliefs to author Religious Liberty for All: Celebrating This Founding Freedom at America 250.

The release event, held June 16th at CAP, featured US Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) as the keynote speaker, words from CAP’s Neera Tanden, and panel discussions featuring Rachel Laser of AU, Fish Stark of AHA, Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush of Interfaith Alliance, Interfaith America’s Chris Crawford, Ria Chakrabarti of Hindus for Human Rights, and Adam Russel Taylor from Sojourners.

This week, Interfaith Alliance Senior Vice President for Policy and Outreach Dr. Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons joins Paul to describe the origins and importance of this report, and to share highlights of the release event itself.
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