Red State Religions

A limited series podcast about progressive religious communities fighting for justice in some of the most conservative parts of the United States. In Bible Belt states known for electing self-proclaimed religious and conservative politicians, faith and politics are also thoroughly entangled in progressive causes. This podcast explores the persistence of liberal religious values and progressive politics in so-called Red States by exploring the stories of faith leaders, laypeople and congregations and how they put “faith into action.” By showcasing the stories of liberal religious people, institutions and causes in so-called ‘conservative’ geographies, this podcast will foreground the shifting set of inter- and intra-faith conversations and conflicts around flashpoints like gay marriage, trans rights, abortion provision, classroom curricula, and critical race theory. Host: Dr. Gillian Frank is a historian of religion and sexuality. He is the creator and co-host of the acclaimed podcasts Sexing History and Fern Hill. Frank is a visiting affiliate fellow at Center for Culture, Society, and Religion at Princeton University and a lecturer at Stevens Institute of Technology. A columnist for The Revealer, Frank is adept at writing for and speaking with a variety of audiences about religious cultures and politics. His forthcoming book, A Sacred Choice: Liberal Religion and the Struggle for Reproductive Freedom Before Roe v. Wade, is forthcoming with UNC Press. This book overturns longstanding assumptions about the adversarial relationship between Religion and reproductive rights by spotlighting the history of faith-based activism and abortion provision by Protestants, Catholics and Jews in the 20th century United States.