Mary Novak serves as the Executive Director of NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice. She is a lawyer, educator, chaplain, spiritual director, restorative justice practitioner, and activist who has worked in Catholic contexts for decades. Before leading NETWORK, Mary served as a Mission Integrator and Adjunct Professor of Law at the Georgetown …

Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson is an activist, philanthropist, and public theologian who pursues a vision of a community marked by justice, peace, and love. As the president & CEO of the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) and CDF Action Council, he advocates for children's well-being at the intersection of faith and justice. Previously, he pastored St. John’s …

Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III is the Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, IL, and is a Senior Fellow with Auburn Seminary. In this episode, we discuss themes from his new book, Dancing in the Darkness: Spiritual Lessons for Thriving in Turbulent Times. We explore the reality of the Darkness and how Black spiritualities have histori…

Amanda Tyler is the executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty in Washington, D.C, she is also the lead organizer for Christians Against Christian Nationalism. Amanda also co-hosts the Respecting Religion series on the BJC Podcast, and she is an advisor to Faith in Action in developing a curriculum to confront white Chr…

Just a note that this episode discusses sexual abuse and briefly mentions suicide. If you or anyone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, Call or text 988 or text TALK to 741741 Romal Tune is passionate about teaching others how to heal the wounds of their past. He uses the power of storytelling to bring about meaningful change. Romal is the …

Jonah Pesner is a Rabbi whose work encourages Jewish communities to reach across race, class, and faith lines while campaigning for social justice. He serves as the Director of the Religious Action Center and Senior Vice President of the Union for Reform Judaism. Rabbi Pesner co-edited “Moral Resistance and Spiritual Authority: Our Jewish Obligatio…

Aurelia Davila Pratt is a pastor, writer and sacred spacemaker. She is the lead pastor of Peace of Christ Church, Austin TX. An ordained Baptist minister, she is the chair of the board for Nevertheless She Preached, a national, ecumenical preaching event designed to elevate the voices of women on the margins. She is the co-host with Rev. Britanny G…

It has been a long time coming, but Season 7 begins August 16. Check out this short greeting from our host, Michael-Ray Mathews. He reflects on the podcast hiatus and the theme for Season 7: Multifaith Solidarity.

In this episode, we are in conversation with Pastor Rhonda Thomas, executive director for Faith in Florida. She was the state-wide campaign director for the Let My People Vote campaign, and she helped to ensure the voting rights were returned to returning citizens. She runs the biggest, the baddest, and the most well-funded Souls to the Polls progr…

The Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould is no stranger to the podcast. She is now the senior faith strategist with Faith in Action. Today, we revisit her first appearance during our beta launch in advance of the 2016 general election. We talked about the work she was leading in Missouri and the power of her mother’s story to inspire her commitment to organizi…

Midterm elections are less than 100 days away, and the Prophetic Resistance Podcast is kicking off our Rise + Vote series — co-hosted by my dear sister the Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould — to explore all the ways our votes are both sacred and powerful. I can think of no better way to kick off this series than with this week’s guest, my friend and colleag…

In this episode, we welcome my very dear brother, Simran Jeet Singh, father, runner, scholar, and executive director of the Religion & Society Program at the Aspen Institute. We talk about his Sikh faith, religious pluralism, and his latest book, The Light We Give: How Sikh Wisdom Can Transform Your Life which just hit the shelves last week. We exp…

In this episode, we welcome the Reverend Doctor Emma Jordan-Simpson, the new president of Auburn Seminary in New York. We discuss how her upbringing and grounding in the Black Church tradition have informed her approach to pastoral care, as well as her focus on the needs of children to help them thrive. In the recent wake of the tragedies in Brookl…

Today’s guest is Dr. Maureen O’Connell, an associate professor of theology at LaSalle University in Philadelphia and a clergy leader with POWER Interfaith. Maureen recently released a book titled, “Undoing the Knots: Five Generations of American Catholic Anti-Blackness.” Maureen and I dig into the history behind the book, including how Irish Cathol…

Hey, Fam! We are pleased to highlight another episode from our cousin project, The Four, a podcast I co-host as part of fearsome faith foursome including Jacqui Lewis, Lisa Sharon Harper and Otis Moss III.

The Prophetic Resistance Podcast has a first cousin!! We are pleased to bring you the inaugural episode of The Four - a fearsome faith foursome talkin Black Life, Love, Power and Joy. This podcast is for everyone. I co-host this podcast with dear friends who have all been guests on the Prophetic Resistance Podcast: Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis of Middle C…

We are pleased to bring you a special episode from our kindred project, Revolutionary Faith, hosted by Rev. Alvin Herring, executive director of Faith in Action. In this episode, Alvin speaks with Leigh Butler, CEO of Akina and Stephanie Roberts, Co-Founder. Akina is a hub for Black mothers and women who are eagerly searching for community, connect…

Welcome to Season 6. In this inaugural episode we welcome back Dr. Leah Gunning Francis, Dean at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. A scholar-activist, Dr. Gunning Francis has been featured in the PBS Documentary The Talk: Race in America and the 2021 Sundance film, Ferguson Rises: A Racial Healing Documentary. In this episode, we dig …

Our winter hiatus is almost over! And season 6 will drop in your feed on March 16th.

Today’s guest is Rev. Jen Bailey, an ordained minister, public theologian, and national leader in the multi-faith movement for justice. She is also the founder and executive director of the Faith Matters Network, a Womanist-led organization equipping community organizers, faith leaders, and activists with resources for connection, spiritual sustain…

As we mark 20 years since 9/11, we are releasing an episode that we first recorded with Valarie Kaur in 2020, after the launch of her book, See No Stranger. The book is both a practical guide to changing the world and a very personal and communal chronicle of our lives since 9/11. And the paperback just dropped. This week, our host Rev. Michael-Ray…

This August - and every August - Michael Brown, Jr. and Ferguson, Missouri are heavy on my mind. August 9th was the anniversary of Mike’s death to police-sanctioned violence. My flesh recalls the uprising that followed and the demands of young activists that those of us in faith leadership positions show up in the streets of Ferguson, and stand up …

Our guest today is Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes, author of I Bring the Voices of My People: A Womanist Vision for Racial Reconciliation, and Too Heavy a Yoke: Black Women and the Burden of Strength, and contributor to the book A Rhythm of Prayer: A Collection of Meditations for Renewal. Dr. Barnes, is a clinical psychologist, public theologian, ecume…

Our guest is Robert P. Jones, the CEO and Founder of Public Religion Research Institute, and the author of White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity,” as well as, “The End of White Christian America. Robby's research, analysis and storytelling unpacks the history of the institutional white church in the production of wh…

Breathe Again is a mid-season reflection by Prophetic Resistance host Rev. Michael-Ray Mathews. As the weight of the pandemic causes our collective pendulum to swing from chaos to calm and we search for sure footing in a world colored by so many “new normals,” this short recording encourages us to meditate, reflect and feel all the feelings. It a r…

Happy Juneteenth! In honor of this special weekend, we are sharing a reflection that Rev. Michael-Ray Mathews presented last year. In this presentation, he reflects on the power of Akan teaching of Sankofa and cultural aesthetics of Afrofuturism to inform the ancestral wisdom that shapes our visions of a future where Black Lives Matter. As we refle…

Joining us on this episode are Reverend Nancy Frausto and Dr. Miguel de la Torre. Nancy is an Associate Rector at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Long Beach, CA. She is a founding member of the Sanctuary Task Force for the Diocese of Los Angeles, and a clergy leader with LA Voice (a Faith in Action affiliate). A previous guest of this podcast, Migue…

Joining us on this episode are Umar Hakim and Dominique DuBois Gilliard. Umar is a native of Compton, CA, and serves as Executive Director of ILM (Intellect Love Mercy) Foundation. He is the chair of the board of LA Voice, a Faith in Action affiliate. As an active alumnus of the American Muslim Civic Leadership Institute (or AMCLI), Umar is a facil…

The Prophetic Resistance Podcast has reached an important milestone - our 50th episode! And it is fitting that our guest for this 50th episode is Stephanie Strong. Stephanie is the Lead Organizer for Faith in Action Alabama (a Faith in Action affiliate). She has been an enthusiastic supporter of this podcast since our beta launch in 2016, and we af…

Rev. Adam Taylor is the newly appointed president of Sojourners and author of Mobilizing Hope: Faith-Inspired Activism for a Post-Civil Rights Generation. His forthcoming book, A More Perfect Union: A New Vision for Building the Beloved Community, is out on September 14. Adam is ordained through the American Baptist Churches USA and the Progressive…

Today’s guest is Rabbi Mordechai Liebling. Mordechai is a lifelong co-laborer in the multi-faith movement for justice. He founded and directed the social justice organizing program at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College just outside Philadelphia. Currently, he co-labors with POWER, the Faith in Action affiliate in Pennsylvania, directing their…

Revolutionary Faith is hosted by Faith in Action Executive Director, Rev. Alvin Herring. In this episode, Alvin meets with Denise Collazo. Denise is the author of Thriving in the Fight: A Survival Manual for Latinas on the Front Lines of Change. She is also Faith in Action’s Senior Advisor for External Affairs. Show notes: Learn more at www.denisec…

Welcome to Season 5. We are honored that our first guest of this season is Lisa Sharon Harper. From Ferguson to New York, from Brazil to Germany, Lisa has led trainings and mobilized clergy and community leaders around shared values for the common good, with a focus on racial justice. She is the author of the book The Very Good Gospel, the Founder,…

Revolutionary Faith, is hosted by Faith in Action Executive Director, Rev. Alvin Herring. In this episode, Alvin meets with Kamau Allen, a community organizer with Faith in Action Federation Together Colorado. Kamau has led the charge on several initiatives that Together Colorado has helped achieve, including being the first state ever to abolish s…

We invite you to listen to this episode from our sibling series, Revolutionary Faith, hosted by Faith in Action Executive Director, Rev. Alvin Herring. In this episode, Alvin meets with Catalina Morales Bahena, an organizer who leads LA RED's Coaching and Formation work.

We are busy working on new episodes for Season Five. In the meantime, we invite you to listen to this episode from our sibling series, Revolutionary Faith, hosted by Faith in Action Executive Director, Rev. Alvin Herring. In this episode, Alvin explores the lessons of love and justice with Louisville Food Justice Activist Shauntrice Martin. Revolut…

Listen to this short episode, as our host Rev. Michael-Ray Mathews leans into the learnings from our Season 4 guests. He reflects on the wisdom of our ancestors and unpacks a season that was scheduled to be about the Census, elections, and voting but ended up being framed around our collective experience of living through police-sanctioned killings…

We are excited to share with you a new sibling series to the Prophetic Resistance podcast. Revolutionary Faith is a Facebook Live series hosted by Rev. Alvin Herring, executive director of Faith in Action. This bi-weekly show is centered on everyday people who are leaning on their faith and leaning into the love for their family and community in th…

In this post-election episode, we talk with Margaret Ernst, program manager for Faith Matters Network. When we planned this interview, we knew we would talk about post-election resilience and what it means to be a white clergy leader in movement spaces. We didn’t know that Walter Wallace, her neighbor in Philadelphia, would be killed by police just…

This special episode is themed “ What My Mama Taught Me: Black Women, Voting Power and Prophetic Witness” and features Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould and Bishop Dwayne Royster. In this election cycle, with so much at stake for our families and communities, the Prophetic Resistance podcast and Faith in Action is mobilizing people of faith and moral values…

Our guest is Minister JaNaé Bates. A womanist theologian and Fulbright scholar. She is a journalist-and-organizer-turned-minister, specializing in the integration of grassroots faith-based organizing and narrative strategy. She is also the director of communications for ISAIAH and Faith in Minnesota, affiliates of Faith in Action and the Faith in A…

Brittany White is a brilliant organizer and strategist for Faith in Action’s LIVE FREE program. Brittany- who is herself a formerly incarcerated person - leads the decarceration campaign, where she uses her voice and experiences to activate imaginations and cultivate lives of dignity for formerly and currently incarcerated people. In this episode, …

In this episode, Rev. Ben McBride talks about defunding the police and outlines the vision of the HEAT, a program and strategy of PICO California, the statewide network of Faith in Action affiliate organizations. Ben helps us see how the reconstruction of public safety is essential for the co-creation of communities of belonging. We also talk about…

Valarie Kaur returns to the Prophetic Resistance podcast to talk about her new book See No Stranger, which dropped June 16. This extended conversation covers storytelling as an act of survival, how anti-Black racism contributes to racism against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and our thoughts on the wave of ancestral solidarity that has eme…

In this extended episode, we sit down with Rev. Alvin Herring, who is the executive director of Faith in Action. This conversation was recorded just days after the police-killing of George Floyd, just as our beloved kinfolk were beginning to organize uprisings across the country and around the globe. You may feel the weight of the moment in our voi…

The COVID-19 crisis has disrupted our lives, amplified the disparities in our communities, and pushed folks who were already on the margins, closer to the edge. This crisis may have shifted how we organize, but it didn’t change who we are fighting for. We now organize to protect immigrants and communities of color online, using more technology than…

Catalina Morales Bahena, Nicole Barnes and Koach Baruch Frazier are theologians in training and innovative community organizers of color, who are deeply rooted in the communities they serve. At the 2020 Faith Forum in February, they shared the stage with Megan Black clergy organizer for Faith in Action. With the upcoming election in view, Catalina,…

Rev. Billy Michael Honor is the director of faith organizing for Faith in Action’s partner in the state of Georgia, the New Georgia Project. In this episode, we spoke with Rev. Honor at his office in Atlanta. We recorded in March 2020, before the global call to flatten the curve of the Coronavirus pandemic required us to suspend travel and practice…

*A Production Note: The sound varies throughout the recording. Listeners may need to adjust their volume. In this episode, we talk with three powerful faith leaders about the stories, traditions, and practices that they turn to in times of crisis. We recorded the panel in February 2020, before the Coronavirus pandemic forced all of us to redesign t…

This special episode breaks from our interview format. Listeners will hear directly from our host Rev. Michael-Ray Mathews as he shares how the virus is impacting our movement kindred, how Faith in Action is called to respond and what listeners can expect from the Prophetic Resistance podcast in the coming weeks.…