Honorees are Rachel Maddow and Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell

For the seventh consecutive year Logos Consulting Group sponsored the Interfaith Alliance Walter Cronkite Faith and Freedom awards banquet. The ceremony was held Sunday evening, October 24, in the Prince George Ballroom in New York City.

This year's honorees were Rachel Maddow, host of MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show, and the Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell, former general secretary of the National Council of Churches of Christ and one of the founders of the Interfaith Alliance.

The late Walter Cronkite and Logos Consulting Group president at the 2008 Interfaith Alliance Walter Cronkite Faith and Freedom Awards dinner.

The award was named for the late Walter Cronkite, who served as honorary chair of the Interfaith Alliance board of trustees for the later years of his life. The award was established to recognize journalists, religious leaders, and civic leaders who courageously promote democratic values, defend religious freedom and reinvigorate informed civic participation. The award recognizes individuals whose actions have embodied the values of civility, tolerance, diversity and cooperation in the advancement of public dialogue and public policy on traditionally controversial and divisive issues.

Rachel Maddow receiving the Walter Cronkite Faith and Freedom Award from Interfaith Alliance President Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy.

Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance, said "Walter Cronkite once told me that no less than the future of our nation was at stake in the work of Interfaith Alliance, and I can think of no two people who contribute more to advancing our mission than Rachel Maddow and Joan Brown Campbell.”

Rachel Maddow addresses the audience at the Interfaith Alliance dinner.

Rachel’s passionate coverage of the intersection of religion and politics exhibits a strong personal intellect coupled with constitutional sensitivity to the proper boundaries between religion and government. Joan was instrumental in launching the work of Interfaith Alliance and never has wavered in her vigorous commitment to and involvement in strengthening religious freedom in our nation and around the world.

Past recipients of the Cronkite award include actor and activist George Clooney, ABC News anchor Peter Jennings, NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw, CNN’s Larry King, journalists Bill & Judith Moyers, U.S. Representatives Chet Edwards & Amo Houghton, the Rev. Dr. James Forbes, Rabbi Steven Jacobs and activist Judy Shepard.

Helio Fred Garcia, Logos Consulting Group president, is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Interfaith Alliance Foundation.

Panel discussion: Interfaith Alliance president Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy with Cronkite honorees Rachel Maddow and Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell.		Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, King Downing, Rachel Maddow, and Logos Consulting Group partner Barbara Greene.
Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy with Scott Willey, Logos Consulting Group partner Laurel Hart, Rachel Maddow, Roann Rubin, and NYU professor Jay Rubin.		Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, Rachel Maddow, Logos Consulting Group partner Anthony Ewing, and Dr. Elda Sancho.

Walter Cronkite Faith and Freedom honoree Rachel Maddow with Logos Consulting Group president Helio Fred Garcia