“The Book of Mormon” is one of the most popular shows on Broadway. Two Mormon politicians, Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman, may be running for president. And last fall, the church released "I'm a Mormon," a big-budget ad campaign showing everyday Mormons talking about their lives.
Two Mormon guests help us explore the rising visibility of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, better known as the Mormon Church. It now has 14 million members worldwide – seven million of them in the United States.
Pictured: A Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City.
Terryl Givens, professor of literature and religion at the University of Richmond
Joanna Brooks, Mormon scholar and blogger for Religion Dispatches
Chaplains Under Fire
Begins at 22 min 28 sec
Military chaplains have two, often conflicting jobs. As government employees, they must minister to any soldier in need, even if they come from a different faith, or have none. And as members of clergy, they must be true to their beliefs, and act as delegates of their religious traditions. A new documentary explores how chaplains juggle these two roles, all while comforting troops in moments of fear, loneliness, anger and death.
Pictured: Chaplain Gary Linsky celebrates Easter mass in southeast Afghanistan in 2007.
Lee Lawrence, co-director of "Chaplains Under Fire"
Rev. Ben Sandford, military chaplain in the U.S. Navy
Dispatches from A Spiritual Seeker: Judaism
Begins at 43 min 30 sec
Since January, Andrew Bowen has been a Hindu, a Baha'i, and a Zoroastrian. It’s all part of Project Conversion – Bowen’s plan to immerse himself in a different faith every month for the next year. We checked in with Bowen to see how it felt to spend April as a Jew.
Pictured: Andrew Bowen wore a kippah, a traditional Jewish head covering, throughout the month.
Andrew Bowen, creator of Project Conversion
