Originally recorded and published on the RLC Blog on July 3, 2021.

One-hundred and seventy-four years ago, abolitionist, writer, and statesman Frederick Douglass gave a speech to the 600 members of the Rochester Ladies Anti-Slavery Society entitled “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” On July 3, 2021, Christian leaders from around the country gathered virtually with Red Letter Christians to read this powerful piece together.

Read along here:

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We speak with longtime Red Letter Christian supporter and author Terry Webb about her 94 years of life, how she's grown her faith, and her new book, "Christian Citizenship Endangered in America.” A response to Trumpism and the rise of Christian nationalism shaping U.S. policy.

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• email:authorterrywebb@gmail.com
• Terry on X: @TrustingTerry
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• Terry’s site
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This week, we talk to Scotty Utz from RAWtools South and discuss transforming firearms into garden tools and designing faith-informed, survivor-centered rituals around gun destruction. We cover RAWTools' efforts to promote nonviolence through certification programs and their Gun Violence Awareness Month events, including the Blacksmith-a-Marathon, which honors all victims of gun violence.

Connect with Scotty

• Scotty’s site
• RAWTool South
• RAWTools South IG

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Shane reflects on 50 years of the modern U.S. death penalty, tracing his journey from defender to opponent on moral and Christian grounds. Exposing its roots in poverty, racial bias, and historical lynching, he highlights abolitionist activism—from prayer vigils to powerful stories of exonerees and former wardens haunted by botched executions.

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Shane announces the National Peacemaker Association (NPA), a global movement uniting activists against war, gun violence, and state-sanctioned violence. From building out nonviolence certifications and political accountability to the Peacemaker Pledge, discover how NPA is organizing for peace.

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Shane Claiborne hosts a special Red Letter Christians morning prayer episode featuring leaders from the newly launched National Peacemaker Association. Timed with the anniversaries of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the episode pairs Scripture, prayer, and worship with urgent calls to nonviolence. Guest leaders—including Rev. Jack Sullivan Jr. and Rev. Sharon Risher—share powerful personal testimonies on gun violence prevention, conscientious objection, and the NPA Peacemaker Pledge, inspiring listeners to pair active faith with peacemaking.

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• Help sustain the work of RLC: www.redletterchristians.org/donate/
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• Twitter: @ShaneClaiborne

Shane Claiborne welcomes back his wife, Katie Jo Brotherton, for a wide-ranging, humorous conversation sparked by her high school answer to her favorite part of the Bible. They discuss favorite Bible passages and stories, whether everything in the Bible happened (including Jonah and Lot’s wife), different voices within scripture, and a fascination with the Apocrypha.

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Connect with RLC

• Help sustain the work of RLC: www.redletterchristians.org/donate/
• To check out what RLC is up to, please visit us www.redletterchristians.org
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• Twitter: @ShaneClaiborne

Shane Claiborne talks with theologian Dr. Ruth Valerio about her work promoting creation care in churches through the EcoChurch. They discuss the climate crisis, UK activism around Gaza, and Valerio's book "How to Survive a World in Crisis," which shares practical ways to stay hopeful and engaged while caring for others and the planet.

Connect

• Ruth on Instagram
• Ruth’s site
• EcoChurch

Connect with RLC

• Help sustain the work of RLC: www.redletterchristians.org/donate/
• To check out what RLC is up to, please visit us www.redletterchristians.org
• Follow us on Twitter: @RedLetterXians
• Instagram: @RedLetterXians
• Follow Shane on Instagram: @shane.claiborne
• Twitter: @ShaneClaiborne