Freedom Road Podcast

At a moment when our nation stands at one of the greatest transition points in its history, the work of faith leaders of color is critical, yet often goes underfunded--leaving leadership pipelines that lack capacity to maximize their gifts, apply their grassroots knowledge and scale innovative strategies that could bless us all. Click into this convo with movement leaders of color, grounded in their faith and visioning new ways to fund America's transformation! Listen in as Rev. Dr. Alexia Salvatierra (Academic Dean of Centro Latino, Fuller Seminary, alexiasalvatierra.com), Micky ScotBey Jones (The Justice Doula, mickyscottbeyjones.com) and Nikki Toyama-Szeto (Executive Director, Christians for Social Action, christiansforsocialaction.org) and host, Lisa Sharon Harper (president and founder, Freedom Road, https://freedomroad.us) dive into this timely and necessary conversation.

This month listen in as Lisa dives deep with two awe-inspiring leaders whose work is reshaping America. Dr. Ron Daniels is convenor of the National African American Reparations Commission and president of the Institute of the Black World 21st Century. Dr. Gail Christopher recently retired from her role as Senior Advisor and Vice President at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, where she was the driving force behind the foundation's Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation initiative. In concert these leaders are calling the nation to wade into the waters of radical truth-telling and reparations in the U.S. 

Lisa Sharon Harper welcomes Rev. Otis Moss III, pastor of Chicago's historic Trinity United Church of Christ, and they discuss the twin passions for community advancement and social justice that are the foundations of his ministry

Listen in as Lisa talks with Michael-Ray Mathews (Deputy Director of Faith In Action, an international faith-rooted federation of community organizing networks). In the shadow of the 1/6 commemoration, Mathews says we all must go deeper. We must tap into the source that powered the Civil Rights Movement. Dr. King called it, “Soul Force.” 

Join host Lisa Sharon Harper and the Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, senior minister of Middle Collegiate Church in New York City, as they talk about the world's need for Fierce Love today

Join host Lisa Sharon Harper and Dr. Nicolette Louisssant, executive director of Healthcare Ready, as they sift through the fears and get to the facts about COVID-19 vaccination.

At a time when white nationalism is threatening democracy, itself, join Lisa Sharon Harper and Jen Hatmaker (New York Times best selling author and host of the For The Love podcast) in this special deep dive between friends on what it will take to repair what race broke in the world. Listen in as Lisa shares some early lessons gleaned from her forthcoming book, Fortune: How Race Broke My Family And The World And How To Repair It All (due for release Feb 8, 2022, Brazos).

Join host, Lisa Sharon Harper and Rev. Dr. Randall Balmer, author of Bad Faith: Race and the Rise of the Religious Right. In the past Balmer has gestured toward the connection between race and The Religious Right. In Bad Faith, Balmer draws a direct, straight line. His book and this mind-blowing conversation shine clege-lights on the relationship between the rise of the Civil Rights Movement and the Rise of the Religious Right. This episode is a must listen. Grab your pen and paper and take notes. The professor is in session!

Listen in as host, Lisa Sharon Harper, dives deep with Gen Zers Joseph Baah (17 years old) Janelle Addison (13 years old) and Jazzlyn Addison (10 years old), on how they are processing the events and traumas of the past year. These American siblings are processing the changes and struggles and they are ready to speak on what it means to be an American, they're hopes for society 20 years from now, education justice and the Supreme Court verdict on the Voting Rights Act, which had not yet been issued as of the time of this recording. 

Join host, Lisa Sharon Harper and her guest Allyson McKinney Timm, founder and Executive Director at Justice Revival, as they discuss the history - and the future - of the Equal Rights Amendment

On January 6th, White Christian Nationalists stormed the U.S. Capitol and revealed the breadth and depth of the distortion of Christianity in the U.S.. Listen in as host, Lisa Sharon Harper, Rev. Jennifer Butler, author of Who Stole My Bible?: Reclaiming Scripture as a Handbook for Resisting Tyranny, and South African public theologian, Rev. Rene’ August, lean deeper into our sacred texts in a way that shines light on the path forward to meet our challenges today. 

This month marks the 88th Anniversary of the opening of the very first Nazi concentration camp in the small town of Dachau. For five years the neo-Nazi movement in the U.S. gained ground during the 2016 Election cycle and under the Trump administration. On January 6, 2021, when white nationalists attempted an insurrection, Nazi language was scrawled across t-shirts and on banners. Marginalized communities across the country were stunned by what we saw. Given Jews' serial experience of expulsion and genocide, it is arguable that no group felt more of an existential threat on that day. Join host, Lisa Sharon Harper and guests, Rabbi Sharon Brous (IKAR) and Rabbi Jill Jacobs (T'ruah) as they engage in this transparent, vulnerable, mind-blowing conversation that leans into critical questions that we all must understand in this current moment: What is anti-Semitism? What are its roots? How do we recognize it when it is in the room? And what can we do about it? 

The world recently watched white nationalists scale the walls of the US Capitol Building to attempt an insurrection; killing 6 people, including 3 police officers. The world watched as 147 GOP members of Congress affirmed the lie that fueled the insurrection. The world watched as scores of GOP Senators voted not to even hear the evidence against the one man most responsible for the violence and the lies. Where do we go from here? Writing months before his passing, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr tells us exactly what happened on January 6, 2021 as he charts the path for America’s reformation. Listen in as host, Lisa Sharon Harper, and guest, Dr. Drew Hart, launch a six-week national study of Dr. King's book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?, in this special episode of Freedom Road Podcast.  For a deeper dive, join the National Book Study here: https://freedomroad.us/downloads/national-book-study-where-do-we-go-from-here-by-rev-dr-martin-luther-king/ 

In the final dark days of 2020, six presidents of Southern Baptist Seminaries issued publicly condemned Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality; forbidding the subjects from being taught at their institutions. Join host Lisa Sharon Harper on Freedom Road with special guests: Dr. Ange-Marie Hancock Alfaro (Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality scholar), Marlena Graves (evangelical scholar and activist), Dr. Drew Hart (professor of Theology, Race and Justice), Dr. Dennis Edwards (Pastor and New Testament scholar), Dr. Chris Williamson (Pastor of a multi-racial church in Nashville, TN and author). Dive deep, lean in and listen as these evangelical scholars and leaders of color set the record straight. 

Cast out in a boat without oars with host, Lisa Sharon Harper, and special guest, Wes Granberg Michaelson, author of Without Oars: Casting Off Into a Life of Pilgrimage. In our post-Trump America it is clear that white Americans are experiencing a major shake-up—especially white men. Something more is needed to address the questions of the white soul. Wes’s new book, Without Oars, might just point the way toward the transformation we need to embrace a new future for our nation and for the Church. 

Brian McLaren (author, speaker, activist) thinks outside of the box. He’s a true prophet who decodes the current moment and casts vision for what’s coming. Join host, Lisa Sharon Harper, and Brian McLaren as they dive deep on the state of white men in the post-Trump era--and what spiritual re-formation will require of them in this shifting age.

This fall Evangelicals launched an honest, raw conversation about our values for integrity and leadership. We decided this conversation was too good and the stakes are too high not to share with our podcast audience! We asked this core question: In our churches, are the principles of our faith guiding our politics? OR Is our politics guiding our principles? Join Lisa Sharon Harper as she hosts Rev. Dr. Alexia Salvatierra (Assistant Professor, Fuller Seminary), Kyle J. Howard (Theologian and trauma-informed soul-care specialist), Justin Adour (Lead Pastor at Redeemer East Harlem) and Andrea Lucado (Author and Journalist) in this National Town Hall on Evagelical Faith and Politics.

Interfaith leaders came together in the wake of the death of Mr. George Floyd by officers who knelt on his neck and body as he pled with them, “I can’t breathe!” In the weeks before and since Mr. Floyd’s death, multiple other black men, women and children have been killed by police. Listen as 14 of the most prolific and prophetic faith leaders in our nation engage the National Town Hall on Policing and Law Enforcement. Featuring:  Host, Lisa Sharon Harper, Freedom Road Rabbi Sharon Brous, IKAR- Los Angeles Valarie Kaur, Revolutionary Love Project Bishop Yvette Flunder, Fellowship of Affirming Ministries Stosh Cotler, Bend the Arc Bishop Darren Ferguson, Healing Communities USA Shane Claiborne, Red Letter Christians Sister Simone Campbell, NETWORK Lobby Jim Wallis, Sojourners  Rev. Dr. Leroy Barber, The Voices Project Rev. Dr. Otis Moss III, Trinity United Church of Christ Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, The Poor People’s Campaign Rev. Aundreia Alexander, National Council of Churches Rev. Adam Taylor, Sojourners Co-

In the context of the most divided nation since the 1960’s millions of Americans came together online for The Mass Poor People’s Assembly and Moral March on Washington. Join host, Lisa Sharon Harper, in conversation with three leading voices of The Poor People’s Campaign: Rev. Liz Theoharis (Co-Chair), Yara Allen (Director of Theomusicology) and Callie Greer (Impacted Anti-Poverty Activist). Three powerful women of the Campaign give us the story behind the story of Poverty in America.

In this raw, honest, beautiful episode host, Lisa Sharon Harper, is joined by three guests, all of whom have intersections with the issue of disability. Shannon Dingle, Lisa Anderson, Amy Kenny and Lisa engage a rare kind of conversation--the kind that changes them in rare time, as we listen in. See the world through the eyes of these three disabled women. Be inspired and be changed forever.