White Christian America is shrinking…so what does it mean to give up your seat at the head of the table? Then, meet the cleric in rural Pennsylvania accused of orchestrating Turkey's coup attempt.
Is 'Make America Great Again' Code for 'Make America WASP Again'?
July 21, 2016
White Christian America is shrinking, fueling anxiety, hope, and in some quarters, a yearning to "make America great again." Our favorite religion pollster has been following this trend…to the decimal point...and he joins us to explain how the decline of this once powerful group is reshaping our priorities, our politics, and our very identity as a nation. Later, we zero in on how the waning of the WASP is playing out in the 2016 presidential race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.
Meet the Cleric in Rural Pennsylvania Accused of Orchestrating Turkey's Coup Attempt
July 21, 2016
Last Friday, tanks rolled down the streets of Istanbul while helicopters opened fired on protesters. Over 200 people died, and the attempted military coup was over almost as soon as it began. Since then, over 60,000 teachers, judges, soldiers, and others accused of supporting the overthrow have been fired from their jobs by the government.
Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, blames the attempted coup on a man named Fethullah Gülen, a controversial Islamic leader who lives in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. So, who is this man and what is the worldwide Hizmet movement he inspired?
Read an in-depth analysis of Gülen and Hizmet's ideology by Claire Berlinski of City-Journal.
Michael Rubinkam, AP reporter based in North East Pennsylvania.
African Refugees Bring Their Music and Faith to a Kansas City Methodist Church
July 21, 2016
More and more Americans are leaving organized religion. But this is a story about how one church is growing while others are seeing their numbers fade. In Kansas City, Missouri, a Methodist church is overflowing with recent immigrants from all over the world, especially the Democratic Republic of Congo. It's a kind of experiment in mixing cultures, and independent producer Steve Mencher gives us the back story.
Watch Steve's documentary about this church and two others:
