Recorded live on April 16 at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church in Benton Harbor, this powerful panel discussion brings together voices from the front lines of the immigrant rights movement in Southwest Michigan. Hosted by Interfaith Action of Southwest Michigan, this event— Faith, Compassion, and Action: Immigration Realities and Faithful Responses —features insights from Rev. Erik Broeren of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, Betsy Lozoff of the Berrien Immigrant Solidarity Network, and Elizabeth...
Apr 17, 2025•1 hr 25 min
What is the impact of Christian Nationalism on politics and religion? Interfaith Action of SW Michigan and The League of Women Voters for Berrien and Cass Counties co-sponsored the following program. Our panel includes Clark Gilpin, Dean Emeritus, University of Chicago Divinity School, and the Rev. Jeffrey Hubers, Senior Pastor, First Congregational UCC, St. Joseph, MI. Music Attribution:"Night Owl" from the Directionless EP by Broke For Free, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Licens...
Oct 01, 2024•1 hr 22 min
Interfaith Action annually recognizes PRIDE month in June with a program on Faith and PRIDE, exploring current realities for LGBTQ persons on the intersection with faith. This year’s program focused on a discussion with 5 openly gay and lesbian individuals who hold elected office or are candidates for elected office in SW Michigan. Participants in the discussion are: - Dave Bunte, Supervisor for Chikaming Township - Brook Thomas, Mayor, City of St. Joseph - John Bonkoske, Member, City of Bridgma...
Jun 13, 2024•52 min
Each May, the U. S., along with many local communities, hosts a National Day of Prayer event. These are typically Christian in nature. Interfaith Action commemorates the National Day of Prayer with prayers from different religious traditions. The podcast includes the announcement of the annual Leader for the Common Good award, granted to an elected or appointed individual who has advanced the common good of all Michiganders on a statewide or regional level. This year’s award goes to Michigan Sta...
May 01, 2024•21 min
Our guest speaker is Rev. Dr. Gary Mason, a Methodist minister and founder and director of the Belfast-based "Rethinking Conflict” organization. Prior to this, he spent 27 years as a Methodist clergy person in parish ministry in Belfast. Gary played an integral role in the Northern Irish peace process, and was instrumental in facilitating negotiations with paramilitaries and government officials. In 2007, his contribution was formally recognised by Queen Elizabeth II. Mason has lectured througho...
Dec 15, 2023•1 hr 12 min
This program will feature discussions with persons familiar with on the ground realities. Presenters will include a Christian Palestinian, a Muslim Palestinian and a representative from Jewish Voices for Peace. These grassroots voices will provide unique perspectives for a fuller understanding of the current Israel-Gaza conflict.
Dec 08, 2023•56 min
Our guest speaker for this program is Daniel Maté, an acclaimed composer, lyricist, and playwright for musical theater based in Brooklyn, New York. Maté, whose great grandparents died at Auschwitz, has been prolific on social media since the war on Gaza began. He has 33.4K followers on Instagram, 10.3 subscribers on YouTube, and 2.2K followers on X (formerly Twitter). Outside of music, theater and activism, Maté runs the world’s only “mental chiropractic” service, Take A Walk With Daniel. His pa...
Dec 01, 2023•1 hr 4 min
In this program, we welcome guest speaker Lara Friedman, President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP). She is a leading authority on the Middle East, with particular expertise on U.S. foreign policy in the region, on Israel/Palestine, and on the way Middle East and Israel/Palestine-related issues play out in Congress and in U.S. domestic politics, policies, and legislation. Lara is a former officer in the U.S. Foreign Service, with diplomatic postings in Jerusalem, Washington, Tunis,...
Nov 17, 2023•1 hr
Our guest speaker for this program is Rummana Hussain, an editorial board member and columnist at the Chicago Sun-Times. During her career at the newspaper, she also had stints as an assistant metro editor, criminal courts reporter, general assignment reporter and assistant to columnist Michael Sneed. Before the Sun-Times, Rummana covered education and criminal courts in Lake County for the Chicago Tribune and was assigned the crime, education and City Hall beats for the City News Bureau of Chic...
Nov 10, 2023•48 min
In this program, we are joined by guest speaker David Dumke. He is the Executive Director of the University of Central Florida’s (UCF) Global Perspectives & International Initiatives. Dumke was the founding director of UCF’s Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd Program for Strategic Research & Studies, as well as the Office of Middle East and South Asia Initiatives. In 2019, he co-authored and edited Aspiring Powers, Regional Rivals: Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the new Middle East with Dr. Gönü...
Nov 03, 2023•50 min
The following is a virtual conversation with Christian, Jewish, and Muslim representatives to discuss faith-based perspectives on affirming transsexuality. A keynote conversation launches the discussion with Dr. James Whitehead, a Catholic Christian theologian who is recognized as one of the lead legacy theologians in the US on the topic of faith, gender, and sexual orientation/identity. Jim’s newest book, released in April, is entitled “The Road to Me - A Transgender Journey. Part 1 of the Mego...
Jun 02, 2023•55 min
In today's religious and political climate, it is more important than ever to create and participate in spaces where diverse faith traditions and backgrounds can come together. Our esteemed guest, Jack Gordon, has a rich history of facilitating Interfaith conversations, creating spaces for members of different faith traditions, political persuasions, and cultural backgrounds to engage in meaningful conversations. Jack Gordon is host of the radio show “Interfaith-ish” on WOWD 94.3FM Takoma Radio ...
Mar 25, 2023•52 min
In March 2023, Interfaith Action hosted a panel discussion on efforts to restore specialized driver's licenses for immigrants residing in Michigan. Licenses were available until 2008 when they were rescinded. The restoration of driver's licenses is now being considered. The panelists for the discussion include: - Gene Schoon, Coordinator for Policy and Justice for Interfaith Action - Lupita Sanchez, SW Rural Michigan Organizer for We The People-Michigan - Liz Balck, ACLU of Michigan - Simon Mars...
Mar 14, 2023•57 min
Part of our Theologies of Transformation and Actions for Justice Series During this session, we had the privilege of welcoming Dr. Clark Gilpin to give a reflection on our tenth Interfaith Action principle. Clark is Interfaith Action's Lead Advisor for Faith Framing, and the Margaret E. Burton Professor, emeritus, at the University of Chicago Divinity School, where he served as dean from 1990 to 2000. He lives in Stevensville and attends the Berrien Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, where he an...
Jan 25, 2023•50 min
During this session, we have the privilege of welcoming Bishop Prince Singh to give a reflection on our ninth principle on ‘Our Common Goal: Rejecting Racism and Systemic Exclusion.' The Rt. Rev. Prince Grenville Singh, Ph.D. serves as Bishop Provisional of the Episcopal Dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan. Bishop Singh was born and raised in India, attending seminary and serving several congregations before immigrating to the US in the mid-90s for additional study and service in the Episco...
Dec 06, 2022•46 min
Part of our Theologies of Transformation and Actions for Justice Series During this session, we have the privilege of welcoming Diane Rapaport to give a reflection on our eighth principle on ‘Barriers and Bridges to the Common Good.' Diane is a member of Temple B’nai Shalom in Benton Harbor. We discuss our eighth Interfaith Action principle, which states: 'We advance the value of the COMMON GOOD as an essential guard against greed and power. Democracy without values of justice, equity, inclusion...
Nov 28, 2022•43 min
Part of our Theologies of Transformation and Actions for Justice Series In this discussion, we have the privilege of welcoming Dr. Tatiana Reinoza to give a reflection on our seventh Interfaith Action principle. Dr. Reinoza is on the board of Interfaith Action, and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Art, Art History, and Design at the University of Notre Dame. Dr. Reinoza’s research and writing focus on contemporary Latinx art. She specializes in the history of printmaking of Latinx ...
Oct 18, 2022•45 min
Part of our Theologies of Transformation and Actions for Justice Series In this session, we have the privilege of welcoming Rev. Salvatore Sapienza to give a reflection on our sixth principle on ‘The Protection and Preservation of our Common Home.’ Reverend Salvatore Sapienza is the pastor of Douglas United Church of Christ. Our sixth Interfaith Action principle states, 'People of faith have a bedrock commitment to our common home, including advancing policies and practices towards the protectio...
Sep 20, 2022•37 min
As we approach our November election, we are aware of hyper-partisan divides which often disrupt our finding common cause for the common good. A member of one of our engaged faith communities, Dr. Paul Detrisac, is active in a creative new paradigm relative to our current party system. Interfaith Action presents this as an informational session and not as a recommended approach. We agree that current partisan divides often serve to hamper our achievement of the common good, and we encourage robu...
Aug 19, 2022•31 min
Our Fifth Interfaith Action principle underscores our common calling as people of faith to be bearers of peace. How do our faith traditions form us to be bearers of peace in a world filled with violence? How do we counter the epidemic of gun violence in our communities, global wars, and other personal and communal forms of violence as people of faith? In this episode, Pastor Jay Fast, pastor at Harbert Community Church shares a reflection on our fifth interfaith action principle on peacemaking, ...
Jul 19, 2022•45 min
Our fourth Interfaith Action principle underscores the importance of our common life. Our common life guides us to promote human dignity, mutual respect, and dialogue. What are barriers to our common life today? What gets in the way of mutual respect and dialogue? How does your faith tradition influence the way you think about these questions? In the following conversation, Seif Saqallah, Jatinder Singh, and the Rev. Dr. Sid Mohn give a brief reflection on our fourth Interfaith Action principle,...
Jun 28, 2022•46 min
Each year in June, Interfaith Action hosts a panel discussion with LGBTQ individuals who are engaged with a faith community. This year’s Faith and PRIDE discussion features four openly gay male clergy serving congregations in Interfaith Action’s five-county region, along with an openly lesbian clergy person serving a Holland-based congregation. Congregational discussion groups are also encouraged to group discussions on this podcast, as well as Interfaith Action’s newly released guideline for tr...
May 26, 2022•37 min
How do our encounters with others shape our commitments to human rights and justice? In this video, the Rev. Dr. Sid Mohn, Co-Director of Interfaith Action and a long-time human rights advocate, gives a brief reflection on our third Interfaith Action principle on 'human rights and justice', followed by group discussion. You can find our Interfaith Principles on our website: https://swmichinterfaith.org/whoweare Music is "Night Owl" from the Directionless EP by Broke For Free, licensed under a Cr...
May 17, 2022•1 hr 1 min
What does ‘tenderness’ have to do with our political life? In his encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, Pope Francis writes, ‘Politics too must make room for a tender love of others. What is tenderness? It is love that draws near and becomes real. A movement that starts from our heart and reaches the eyes, the ears and the hands...Tenderness is the path of choice for the strongest, most courageous men and women.’ Pope Francis challenges us to ask: what if tenderness was viewed as a strength in our politic...
Apr 26, 2022•43 min
What role do stories play in your faith tradition? How do they connect us to one another, and how do they guide our action in the world? We discussed these questions and more in the following conversation that took place in March 2022 on our first Interfaith Action principle of storytelling . Dr. Clark Gilpin, Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago Divinity School, provided a reflection on storytelling, followed by group discussion on the importance of listening to and telling our stori...
Mar 29, 2022•53 min
What is the role of faith in action? How can communities of faith, inspired by our own traditions, work together towards common goals? This podcast was part of a monthly series exploring the Interfaith principles that guide our life and work. Our faith-based commitments around the ideals of the common good, common home, and common life will center our conversations. These monthly discussions will include a variety of panelists across faith traditions, inviting people of faith across SW Michigan ...
Feb 14, 2022•55 min
What is the role of faith in action? How can communities of faith, inspired by our own traditions, work together towards common goals? This podcast was part of a monthly series exploring the Interfaith principles that guide our life and work. Our faith-based commitments around the ideals of the common good, common home, and common life will center our conversations. These monthly discussions will include a variety of panelists across faith traditions, inviting people of faith across SW Michigan ...
Jan 26, 2022•1 hr
