Project 2025 – Where do things stand now?

Friday, September 5

11:45 am - 1:00 pm
in-person and virtual event
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
1340 3rd Ave SE, CEDAR RAPIDS

Presenter: Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons
Vice President of Programs and Strategy, Interfaith Alliance

The playbook of the far right for an authoritarian takeover of American democracy was Project 2025. But what has happened since the 2024 election? We knew prior to the election the rights and freedoms of anyone living in these united states were on the line. We also understand people of faith as well as faith communities have a critical role in calling out and addressing Project 2025. Where do things stand now? Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, Vice President of Programs & Strategy of Interfaith Alliance, was the first to draw attention to the role of Christian nationalism in Project 2025 before the election. Guthrie will join us to share his insights and how we can best respond to the religious extremism.

There are three ways to attend Intersections. Registration is required for all three:

• Attend in person (with lunch) by clicking here. Three boxed lunch options are available for $15: turkey & swiss on ciabatta, roast beef & cheddar on wheatberry, and garden veggie salad. You must pre-order and pay for your lunch by 12:00 PM on Tuesday, September 2. Late orders or walk-in requests for lunch will not be available.
• Attend in person (no lunch) by clicking here. There is no cost for this option, but we must have your RSVP to ensure we have enough seating.
• Watch via YouTube by clicking here. This virtual presentation will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel.

ABOUT OUR PRESENTER | Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons serves as the vice president of programs and strategy at Interfaith Alliance, where he directs the organization's integrated advocacy campaigns and movement building. He is also an MSNBC columnist, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, and the author of Just Faith: Reclaiming Progressive Christianity (2020).

Guthrie's expertise on religion and politics has been featured in local, national, and international media including the New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, Associated Press, NBC News, FOX News, National Catholic Reporter, Newsweek, Vox, The Daily Beast, USA TODAY, Sojourners, Crooked Media, Religion News Service, and SiriusXM POTUS.

His public speaking experience includes the Aspen Institute's Powering Pluralism Summit, Netroots Nation, Summit for Religious Freedom, The Riverside Church, Religion News Association, Religion Communicators Council, National Institute For Civil Discourse, and Union Theological Seminary.

Prior to joining Interfaith Alliance in August 2024, Guthrie worked at the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty and helped lead its Christians Against Christian Nationalism campaign. Earlier in his career, he held positions at the Center for American Progress’s Faith and Progressive Policy Initiative, with ReThink Media’s countering Islamophobia program, and helped launch the Evangelical Immigration Table as the National Immigration Forum’s Faith Coordinator.

An ordained Baptist deacon, Guthrie was the founder and publisher of "The Resistance Prays," a daily prayer and action newsletter from 2017 to 2021. More than 100 Christians contributed devotionals, including a U.S. Senator and former senior White House official. He served on the faith outreach committees of the 2020 Joe Biden campaign and 2024 Kamala Harris campaign.

Guthrie earned his undergraduate degree from American University in Washington, D.C., and his Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry in Prophetic Leadership degree from Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado.

____________________
Intersections is a monthly gathering of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa in Cedar Rapids.‍