Crossing Faiths John Pinna and Elliot Toman

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Unification Church in Atlanta
https://www.facebook.com/Atlantafamily


English YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@lukehiguchi6044/videos


YouTube Channel in Japanese
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBlyDjFRpM49u2L0JeY1icQ
Special Guest: Luke Higuchi.
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In this interview, Peter Henne discusses his academic work on religion and conflict. He talks about his early involvement with the Pew Research Center's groundbreaking work on quantifying religious persecution globally. Henne reflects on the challenges of engaging with religion from a policy perspective, emphasizing the need for religious literacy and humble, small-scale initiatives rather than grand efforts. He shares insights from his book on how states often fail when trying to use religion as a foreign policy tool. Additionally, Henne explores the role of interfaith dialogue, track-two diplomacy, and countering extremism through addressing underlying economic and social issues. Henne advocates for a realistic yet optimistic approach that recognizes the complexities of religious conflict while seeking practical solutions.


Peter S. Henne is an Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the Middle East Studies program in the College of Arts and Sciences in the University of Vermont. His research focuses on religion and politics, with an emphasis on conflict and foreign policy. He is currently exploring how religion can be used as a tool in peacebuilding. He is the author of Religious Appeals in Power Politics (Cornell University Press, 2023) and Islamic Politics, Muslim States and Counterterrorism Tensions (Cambridge University Press, 2017), as well as numerous scholarly and popular articles. He received his PhD in Government from Georgetown University and BA in Political Science from Vassar College. He is a native of Philadelphia, PA.
Special Guest: Peter Henne.
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In this conversation, Congressman Frank Wolf discusses the current state of international religious freedom advocacy with John Pinna. Wolf expresses concern that religious leaders and faith communities are not speaking out and advocating for religious freedom as they did in the past, citing examples like Chuck Colson and Rabbi Saperstein. He calls for a resurgence of religious leadership motivating their constituencies to take specific action, such as banning lobbying for countries designated as religious freedom violators. Wolf also suggests having members of Congress travel to witness religious persecution firsthand, adopting prisoners of conscience, and holding a summit to unify faith groups around issues like the persecution of religious minorities in China. The conversation explores innovative ways to reignite activism and advocacy on international religious freedom.


https://www.uscirf.gov/frank-wolf
Special Guest: Frank Wolf.
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This conversation between John Pinna and Dr. Daisy Khan explores the rise of Islamophobia in the United States, particularly in the wake of the October 9th attack. Khan explains how Islamophobia has manifested at both the individual and institutional levels, with Muslims facing discrimination, harassment, and even job loss for expressing their faith. She emphasizes the importance of building relationships between Muslims and non-Muslims through initiatives like sharing meals and attending community events. Khan also discusses her advocacy work, including efforts to provide Islamophobia training for corporations and input on the White House's strategy to combat anti-Muslim bigotry.


Dr. Daisy Khan is an award winning speaker, author and Founder and Executive Director of the Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equality (WISE), a women-led organization committed to peacebuilding, equality, and justice for Muslims around the globe. Dr. Khan launched the most ambitious peacebuilding tool, WISE Up, a book and campaign aimed at fighting extremism and Islamophobia.


http://www.wisemuslimwomen.org/
Special Guest: Daisy Khan.
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A Christian and a Muslim talk religion & politics. In this episode, Elliot and John engage in a lively Easter-themed discussion when Elliot starts by posing the question: What to Muslims believe about the Resurrection? The conversation becomes tense at times as John wrestles with the validity of a God who would be willing to die, and Elliot struggles to understand the attraction of a faith that could consider the Crucifixion to be meaningless. But since John isn't a very good Muslim, and Elliot isn't a very good Christian, there's a lot of laughter too. Happy Easter and enjoy!
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In this interview, John Pinna and Lou Ann Sabatier discuss the importance of effective storytelling, particularly in the context of advocating for international religious freedom and persecuted communities. They explore the challenges facing journalists and content creators in an evolving media landscape, emphasizing the need for strategic, intentional storytelling that resonates with audiences and drives change. Sabatier shares her "F.R.A.M.E.S." framework for crafting compelling narratives, highlighting the importance of framing issues, reframing for common ground, understanding the audience, crafting a clear message, and evoking emotion respectfully. They also delve into the role of data, verification, and trust in storytelling, as well as the need for collaboration among advocates to amplify marginalized voices effectively.


https://sabatierconsulting.com
https://forbwomen.org/
Special Guest: Lou Ann Sabatier.
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