The Powering Pluralism Network

Our Multi-Faith Engagement cohort includes nineteen experts on multi-faith engagement from Kalamazoo-area, MI; Twin Cities, MN; and the Bay Area, CA.

Our Multi-Faith Engagement cohort includes nineteen experts on multi-faith engagement from Kalamazoo-area, MI; Twin Cities, MN; and the Bay Area, CA.

Our Racial Justice & Religion Task Force includes activists, faith leaders, organizers, scholars, and practitioners of racial justice.

Our Religious Freedom cohort includes 28 leaders in academia, the nonprofit sector, philanthropy, and more from across the U.S.

Our Religious Literacy cohort includes 40 leaders in academia, the nonprofit sector, philanthropy, and more from the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Our Religious Leadership cohort comprises of 30 faith and civic leaders from Birmingham, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

Our Diversity & Representation in the Media cohort is made up of 17 faith, academic, and industry leaders.

Our Dismantling Hate & Extremism cohort is made up of experts working to disrupt cycles of hate from across sectors.

Elizabeth Reiner Platt of the Religious Freedom cohort discusses the ways in which religious exemptions have been highly effective at advancing three primary goals of the conservative legal movement beyond the Christian right. She argues how expanding religious exemptions are likely to further unravel the state’s ability to advance important interests such as nondiscrimination, workers’ rights, and public health.

Knox Thames of the Religious freedom cohort discusses the International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief and how it can best bring together government, civil society, faith and belief groups to agree on action to promote freedom of religion or belief internationally.

Michael Wear of the Religious Freedom cohort discusses how the apocalyptic thinking that permeates our politics and lives is full of misdirection. He argues that this thinking is insufficient because it tempts us to view our lives through a lens of control that we do not have.

Nicole Bibbins Sedaca of the Religious Literacy cohort and the Kelly and David Pfeil Fellow at the George W. Bush Institute, discusses recent findings from a Freedom House report on freedom in the world. She also weighs in on what those committed to liberty and democracy can do to rebuild the democratic landscape across the globe.

As the pandemic unfolded, the work of chaplains – increasingly called spiritual care providers – has changed. With chaplains’ expanding roles, Wendy Cadge, of the Religious Literacy cohort, discusses the growing need for basic training in caring for people. This includes understanding how individuals make meaning, the interpersonal skills necessary to care for people from different backgrounds, and navigating the complexity of organizations in which they work.

Mahan Mirza of the Religious Literacy cohort fleshes out the struggle between democracy and autocracy, arguing that the democratic project must focus on actionable steps in addressing the climate crisis, advancing equity and inclusion at home, privileging diplomacy over militancy abroad and investing in global cooperation for sustainable development.

The Religion and Society Program’s Allison K. Ralph and members of the Religious Freedom cohort of the PPN, Billie Jo Kipp and Imam Mohamed Majid, discuss the importance of an inclusive understanding of religion and religious freedom to ensure the rights of indigenous peoples and other people of faith are protected.

Simran Jeet Singh, Executive Director of the Religion and Society Program, sat down with Abbie Haug to discuss his new children’s book, “Fauja Singh Keeps Going,” which tells the true story of the oldest man to run a marathon. In this interview, Simran discusses the importance of representation and storytelling and shares his inspiration and goals are for this book.

Powering Pluralism Network Members Brie Loskota and Rev. Najuma Smith-Pollard write in The Hill how this pandemic shows that the government’s lack of ongoing engagement with religious communities can turn what should be an asset into a liability.