In Keep The Faith, host Beth Gelman invites guests to studio to discuss and examine religion, faith, spirituality, and what it means to believe…to hope…to search. In this space, you’ll be hearing from artists and clergy, scientists, philosophers, and other seekers of meaning. We’ll be exploring themes like prayer, ritual, grief, music, and wonder.
TODAY'S EPISODE Let's start with the pragmatic, asking how “religion” is defined by different groups and people and the effect those definitions have on modern life. With me in the studio is Professor Charles McCrary, assistant professor of Religious Studies at Eckerd College. His research focuses on American religion, especially topics related to religious freedom, secularism, science, and race. They discuss his book Sincerely Held: American Secularism and Its Believers and articles about how sincerity and belief became central to American ideas about religion and why sincerity holds such power in our culture. They also look at the recent Pew report showing more people, especially young people calling themselves ‘people of faith’ without belonging to any organized religion, and what distinguishes faith from religion?
YOUR HOST Beth Gelman is an actress and writer who became fascinated with religion and spiritual practices at a young age. A cantorial soloist, she has performed and taught liturgy and prayer in hundreds of churches, cathedrals, temples, synagogues, and educational institutions across the country, and has investigated a wide variety of spiritual and philosophical practices, from the well-known to the obscure. In addition to performing and writing, Beth has held leadership roles in arts and cultural institutions throughout Chicago and Tampa Bay. “My path has been eclectic, but all my experiences have reinforced my belief in the power of ritual, story, and song to connect, heal, and inspire.”
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