Book Interview: Together We Rise

Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush recently interviewed Dr. Susan Shaw and I on our book, Surviving God for his podcast, State of Belief. Our relationship began years ago when he invited us to write for the Huffington Post as he was the Founding Executive Editor for HuffPost Religion. I am so grateful for all his work and how he welcomes many of us to be in the public sphere to share our theology and work.

Rev. Raushenbush has recently published a children’s book, Together We Rise. It is an excellent book for Easter so I hope many of you can order it and share it with young ones. Here is a recent substack interview with Rev. Raushenbush on his new book, Together We Rise.

1) What gave you the idea to write a children's book.

Several years ago, Holy Week was approaching and I realized I didn't have a story about Jesus, his birth, life, teachings and his crucifixion and resurrection that reflected my beliefs that are rooted more in the social gospel and liberation tradition - and that would also make sense to my sons Walter and Glenn.  So, I wrote one and put it on social media and it really blew up and people from all different walks of life told me how much it meant to them and how they wished they could share it with their kids and grandkids.  So, I decided I would go ahead and find an illustrator and make the book.  The illustrations were so important as they really are part of telling the story with a dark skinned Jesus and a multiracial group of people around him - and it turned out beautifully. 

2) What is the main theme of your book.

After I read the story to my son Walter for the first time, he reflected for a bit and said - "Jesus wasn't about power, he was about love." And that is really it. The book is about the juxtaposition of power of force and dominance vs the power of love and liberation represented by Jesus, his teachings, his life with outcasts, and his crucifixion because his vision for the world was so dangerous.  It is also about the message of love that is the force behind the resurrection - that love is more powerful even than hate and death and that God's love never leaves us. The title - Together We Rise - evokes the Beloved Community and the power to love one another, and liberate one another, and the eternal hope that Jesus' resurrection provides. 

3) You are presently CEO and President of Interfaith Alliance. Tell us a bit about your work and about Interfaith Alliance.

Interfaith Alliance is a 30 year old organization that was founded to counteract the oversized power of the Religious Right. For 30 years we have mobilized people of diverse faiths and beliefs to come together to celebrate difference and to use religion as a bridge not a bludgeon and a cause for celebration not discrimination.  I have been president for almost 2 years now and we are focused on offering an alternative vision of our nation than the one offered by Christian nationalists.  This means we are organizing against book bans, and showing up to school boards and speaking up against anti-trans and LGBT legislation, and supporting reproductive freedom.  We are also bringing people together, even in this difficult time to say no to hate and violence of any kind especially against religious minorities such as our Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and Hindu siblings.  Our vision is one of a multi religious, multi racial nation where people are truly able to be free, and live with dignity.  While I didn't write it for this purpose, this book, Together We Rise' is a rebuke to Christian Nationalism and those who would try to impose their narrow understandings of the mandate of Jesus on the rest of us.  Together We Rise offers another way for Christians to stop Christian nationalism. 

4. Do your book and work intersect with interfaith dialogue?

I have been doing interfaith work since I was ordained as a Baptist minister now over 25 years ago.  I have worked in churches, universities, media and in civic organizations and in each place I believe it is important to know your own beliefs and celebrate your own tradition while being curious and appreciative of the beliefs of others.  This book is an articulation of my own beliefs and I hope that my family members (I come from an interfaith family), friends and colleagues will be able to read this book and understand better my own beliefs and why I follow Jesus.  My prayer is that my own faith tradition will joyfully offer space and freedom for others to be who they are called to be and that we can celebrate both our differences and our common humanity. 

*Listen to Susan Shaw and I on State of Belief podcast as she discuss our book Surviving God with Raushenbush.

**The 5 lucky winners of the Substack Book Giveaway of Surviving God are Angela C., Christina G, Annie S, Brian W. and Dave T.—Congrats to these 5 winners. More book giveaways coming, so please stay tuned.

Special Events:

1. Join me at the Festival of Homiletics 2024. Please register today.

2.Register and meet me at the Space for Grace Conference.