Not Your Typical” Faith-Based, Social Justice Radio Show Forges Into Second Season

Program’s Return to the Air Aims for Religious Talk Radio “without the preaching, proselytizing or political talking heads”

Provoke Radio, the Baltimore-based social justice program that made waves last year with its insightful – but never preachy or partisan – religious programming, will begin its second season Sunday, September 17.

Hosted by Father Steven Spahn, SJ, the first half-hour installment will be “Catholic Social Teaching: Our Best-Kept Secret,” which shines a light on a lesser-known aspect of Catholic thought that relates to issues of collective humanity. The show aims specifically to challenge the societal notion that Catholics are a one-issue voting bloc.

“Provoke is not like anything out there,” said Claire Hartman, the show’s producer. “We talk about social issues through the lens of faith and within the context of inter-religious dialogue. Most importantly, we like to think we give a voice to the voiceless.”

Upcoming show topics include teen gang violence, Third World debt, business ethics, embryonic stem cell research and home energy costs – a show that highlights “The Fuel Fund,” an organization that raises money to help lower-income families pay to heat and cool their homes.

“Our show focuses on profiling everyday people who do amazing things day in and day out for social justice. These are stories you won’t get anywhere else,” said Hartman. “It’s not your grandmother’s religious programming”.

The program is currently aired on stations in the Baltimore-Washington, St. Louis and San Francisco areas. In addition to archiving each episode in a podcast available for free on its website (www.provokeradio.com), the show will soon be available nationwide on SIRIUS Satellite Radio.