Putting Faith – And Freedom – Into Action

This week on Interfaith Voices:

Evangelical minister turns from anti-abortion advocacy to confronting ‘pro-gun’ culture

For decades, evangelical Christian minister Rev. Rob Schenck was one of the most high-profile anti-abortion advocates in the country, using provocative and sometimes shocking tactics in his demonstrations. Schenck eventually turned away from that form of activism, and recently has dedicated himself to a new cause: advocating for gun reform. Though Schenck says this goes against mainstream evangelical culture, he says he believes one cannot be “pro-life” and “pro-gun.” In his newest memoir, Costly Grace: An Evangelical Minister’s Rediscovery of Faith, Hope, and Love, Schenck details the three conversions he has undergone in his life: his conversion to Christianity, his conversion to right-wing activism, and his conversion to gun control advocacy.

Rev. Rob Schenck, evangelical minister, author of Costly Grace, and founding president of the Deitrich Bonhoeffer Institute in Washington, DC

 

To protect refugee and immigrant kids, a Muslim mom from Ohio fights crime – and discrimination

Zerqa Abid is a business owner, a mother, a Muslim, and a Pakistani immigrant living in Columbus, Ohio. But she dropped all of her obligations when she became aware of increasing violence, drug use, and human trafficking happening in the city’s Hilltop neighborhood, particularly in an area called the Wedgewood Village Apartments. Many of the residents there are Somali immigrants and refugees, and most are members of a specific ethnic minority that is marginalized. So Abid formed the nonprofit My Project USA to help curb the crime and violence affecting this community, but first she had to overcome language barriers, cultural differences and trust issues.

Zerqa Abid, president and founder of My Project USA

 

Snake-handling and the Pentecostal preachers keeping the practice alive

About 100 churches throughout the Appalachian region of the U.S. still use the practice of picking up venomous snakes during worship. They’re part of a small branch of Pentecostal Christianity and are committed to preserving this 100-plus-year-old practice as a test of one’s faith. While the practice is illegal in almost all states, many believers argue it should be protected as a matter of free exercise of religion – and that it’s targeted because it’s misunderstood. After decades of covering religion, journalist Julia Duin covered snake-handling preachers for a Washington Post Magazine article. After a high-profile death in the snake-handling community, Duin wanted to profile several of the preachers keeping this practice alive, including a new generation being featured in a National Geographic series called “Snake Salvation.” She chronicles their journeys in the book In the House of the Serpent Handler: A Story of Faith and Fleeting Fame in the Age of Social Media.

Julia Duin, religion reporter and author of In the House of the Serpent Handler: A Story of Faith and Fleeting Fame in the Age of Social Media. 

 

‘The greatest story never told’: New documentary sheds light on the origins of the Baha’i faith

Steve Sarowitz is not a filmmaker. But when the former tech entrepreneur declared himself a Baha’i, he felt compelled to bring awareness to his new faith. But members of the faith are not allowed to proslytize, and with only about five million Baha’is in the world, few people know much about the faith – or its origin story. So Sarowitz set off to make what became “The Gate: Dawn of the Baha’i Faith,” a documentary from Spring Green Films about the creation of the Baha’i faith and its prophet the Báb, directed by Peabody Award-winner Bob Hercules. You can watch the trailer here.

Steve Sarowitz, executive producer, and Bob Hercules, director, of “The Gate: Dawn of the Baha’i Faith


Share This Episode