President Obama has picked the Rev. Suzan Johnson Cook, a Baptist pastor from the Bronx — she’s previously been described by The New York Times as “Billy Graham and Oprah rolled into one” — as his nominee to fill the position of Ambassador-At-Large for International Religious Freedom.

He also named two other appointees to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, established in 1998: Philadelphia-based Baptist pastor William Shaw to his first term, and current member Felice Gaer to another term.

For more information:

• President Announces Religious Freedom Appointees (Religion Clause)
• Obama Nominates Cook for Religious Freedom Ambassador (Christianity Today)
• This is the Religion Ambassador? (Spiritual Politics)
• Obama’s New Religious Freedom Ambassador: All Pastor — Enough Politician? (Politics Daily)
• Under God: Obama names Cook religious freedom ambassador (On Faith)

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