• play show:

Date: 7 May 2008

Rev. Wright's Theology 

Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s sermons and public comments have been called incendiary and inflammatory.  The former pastor to Sen. Barack Obama has said that Americans would think differently about his sound bytes, if only we understood the theology he was drawing from, specifically Black Liberation Theology.

This hour, we look at Black Liberation Theology – a theology founded in the 1960s but whose roots extend back to the African-American experience of slavery.  Adherents teach that God wants all black people to be liberated from oppression, and that the gospel calls them to work for that liberation.

Rev. Dr. Gail Anderson-Holness, minister and itinerant elder in the AME Church, lawyer, president of the Council of Churches of Greater Washington

Dr. Anthea Butler, Assistant Professor of Religion at the University of Rochester, specializing in the history of Religion in America and African-American religions in particular

 

Audio of Rev. Wright's complete sermon from which 9/11 sound byte was excerpted

Audio of Rev. Wright's complete sermon from which "God damn America" clip was excerpted

Israel at 60

Starts at 22:52

Sixty years ago this month, a contentious piece of real estate in the Middle East became the official state of Israel.  Though it protects the freedom to practice any religion, Israel is the state of the Jewish people, and Israelis have debated the proper role of Judaism in the state since its earliest days.  Our guest introduces us to Israel’s complex relationship between religion and government.

Rabbi James Rudin, senior Interreligious Advisor for the American Jewish Committee, author of Israel for Christians: A Guide to Modern Israel

Religious Earmarks: A Bridge to Heaven?

Starts at 36:00

Earmarks, those sneaky little additions to Congressional appropriations bills, are members of Congress’ way of funneling cash to pet projects in their districts.  Alaska's "Bridge to Nowhere" is one infamous example.  The short paragraphs in a sea of ink may be easy to miss, but Rob Boston says they’re worth looking for, because some of those earmarks are directing federal funds to religious programs. 

Rob Boston, Assistant Director of Communications, Americans United for Separation of Church and State

 

Feminist Spirituality 

 Starts at 44:07

Meet the Feminist Spiritual Community – a group of women in Portland, ME who gather for a weekly ritual of prayer, conversation and music.  Many of its members felt alienated from their childhood faiths and now favor spiritual expressions that affirm their womanhood.

Produced by Heather Radke at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies

 

 

This Week’s Interfaith Calendar

(Did we miss an important day?   E-mail us at: Maureen@interfaithradio.org.)

May 8 – Yom Ha’Atzmaut (Jewish)

This is Israeli Independence Day, a secular holiday in Israel, but one with religious overtones because of the importance of the land of Israel to the Jewish people.

May 11 – Pentecost Sunday (Christian)

Pentecost celebrates the time when, after the ascension of Jesus into heaven, the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples of Jesus in the form of tongues of fire and a rushing wind.  According to the account in Acts 2:1-13, they began to express themselves in many tongues, yet each understood the others.  Pentecostals recount this day as the first instance of “speaking in tongues.”  

Many denominations regard this day as the birthday of the Christian church. 

 

• play show:

Date: 1 May 2008

 

Suffering: God's Problem

It’s one of the world’s oldest questions: If God is all powerful, and loving and caring, why does God permit suffering? Religious scholar Bart Ehrman reviewed the major biblical answers to this question, and found them all wanting.  Among the most famous Biblical passages on the subject is the story of Job, an innocent man inflicted with great misfortune (depicted in a painting by William Blake, left.)

Bart Ehrman, Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, author of God’s Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question: Why We Suffer

 

Rev. Matt Rogers, co-pastor of New Life Christian Fellowship at Virginia Tech, author of When Answers Aren’t Enough: Experiencing God as Good When Life Isn’t

 

This year’s Olympic Games, held in a country criticized for its human rights record, has echoes in the games some 70 years ago, when Nazi-controlled Berlin played host to the 1936 Olympics.  Then as now, countries were divided over whether participating in the games meant condoning repressive policies.

Susan Bachrach, historian at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and curator of the exhibit, The Nazi Olympics: Berlin 1936

 

Funny...AND Christian? Yes!

Starts at 42:48 

Don’t be fooled by his last name ---Brad Stine is a Christian comedian, and you won’t find him drinking a latte, ordering vegan, or voting Democrat.   We caught up with the saucy southerner to talk about his new DVD, Wussification, and why he thinks evangelicals get a bad rap.

Brad Stine, comedian

Brad's cross-country church tour

 

Starts at 49:23 

Nicholas Kristof wonders why tolerance-preaching liberals seem to have a blind spot about Christian evangelicals.

Nicholas Kristof, columnist for the New York Times

 

 

This Week’s Interfaith Calendar
(Did we miss an important day?   E-mail us at: Maureen@interfaithradio.org.)

May 1 – The Ascension of Christ (Christian)
This day commemorates the departure of Jesus from earth 40 days after his resurrection from the dead.  It is perhaps the earliest observed celebration in Christianity. 

May 1 – Beltane or May Day (Wiccan)
Beltane celebrates springtime and new life by remembering the sacred marriage of the god and the goddess which, pagans believe, is the basis of all creation.  It is usually celebrated with dances around a May pole, which is covered with ribbons or flowers, symbolizing the sexual union of the god and the goddess. 

May 2 – Yom HaSho’ah (Jewish)
Holocaust Remembrance Day was established to remember the 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazis between 1933 and 1945.  This date was chosen because it is the closest date on the Jewish calendar to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.  Many non-Jews observe this day as well.

May 2 – Birthday of Guru Arjan Dev (Sikh)
Guru Arjan Dev (1563-1606) was the fifth of the Sikh Gurus, and the first Sikh martyr.  He declared that all Sikhs should donate a tenth of their earnings to charity and compiled Sikh writings into a Holy Scripture: the Guru Granth Sahib.
 

 

 

 

• play show:

Date: 24 April 2008

Sharia law--when the Archbishop of Canterbury proposed using a limited form of it in Britain, the country backlashed.   But millions of Muslims worldwide say they want the legal code to govern their lives, and Islamic parties often win elections with sharia as part of their platforms.  So, the question arises: if it’s so bad, why do people want it? 

Noah Feldman offers his answers in a new book that explores the origins, history and contemporary reality of sharia law. 

Noah Feldman, professor of law at Harvard Law School, author of The Fall and Rise of the Islamic State

Read the full speech on sharia by Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams

 

Deep Prayer for Busy People

Starts at 22:49 

Many of us have been taught that prayer requires silence, a quiet space away from the bustle of daily life.  But, as Rev. Bill Callahan tells us, it doesn’t have to be that way.  He takes contemplative life out of the chapel and into the messiness of our lives, and shares how folks of any religious persuasion can be prayerful amidst stress, conflict and noise.

Rev. Bill Callahan, founder and co-director of the Quixote Center, author of Noisy Contemplation: Deep Prayer for Busy People

 

Being Transgender in the Methodist Church

Starts at  35:36

Among the many topics on the table at this year's Methodist General Conference is the delicate question of transgender clergy—a topic which until now has been largely off the radar.   At the center of the debate is Rev. Drew Phoenix, a Methodist pastor who in 2002 transitioned from female to male.  He shares what it’s like to feel “homeless” in his own body - and what's at stake at the conference, held this week.

Rev. Drew Phoenix, first transgender clergyperson in the United Methodist Church, pastor of St. John’s United Methodist Church, Baltimore, Md.

Hidden Children of the Holocaust

 Starts at 44:30

 May 2nd is Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Yom HaShoah, a day created in 1959 to reflect on the victims of the Holocaust.  This week, we remember the 1.5 million Jewish children who perished with the story of two survivors, who as children hid their identities to escape the Nazis.

Produced by Vivian Goodman, a reporter/producer at WKSU in Kent, Ohio

Living in Shadows, an exhibit and resource on the hidden children of the Holocaust, at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

 

This Week’s Interfaith Calendar

(Did we miss an important day?   E-mail us at: Maureen@interfaithradio.org.)

April 25th--  Holy Friday for Orthodox Christians
This day remembers the crucifixion and death of Jesus.  

April 27th – Easter Sunday (Pascha) for Orthodox Christians
This day, the most solemn day on the Christian calendar, commemorates the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.   Orthodox Christians use a different calendar to calculate the holy day, which is why it’s observed later than in the West.  In fact, Christians celebrate Easter together only once every 3 or 4 years, and the un-sychronised date has divided followers for centuries.

April 30th – St. James the Great Day for Orthodox Christians
This day recognizes the martyrdom of the Apostle James the Great (one of Jesus’ 12 Apostles) in 44 c.e.  He was beheaded by King Agrippa in Jerusalem.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

• play show:

Date: 17 April 2008

The Journey from Slavery to Freedom, Twice Told

For Rabbi Capers C. Funnye, the Passover story resonates racially as well as spiritually.  As one the few black rabbis in the United States today, he explains that the ancient Exodus story has captured the imagination of many oppressed peoples over the centuries, including African-Americans.

Rabbi Capers C. Funnye, Rabbi of Beth Shalom B’nai Zaken Ethiopian Hebrew Congregation, Chicago

 

 

 

  

• play show:

Date: 9 April 2008

Begins at 22:49

What will the Pope find in his flock, the American Catholic Church?   According to a recent Pew poll, a growing Latino population, a declining Anglo population, and a body of faithful whose political views - even on hot button social issues - look like most Americans.'

Dr. Luis Lugo, Director of the Pew Forum on Religion in Public Life

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• play show:

Date: 3 April 2008

One of America's Black Founding Fathers

Born a slave in 1760, Bishop Richard Allen went on to inspire nearly every black leader of the nineteenth century.  As one of America's strongest early advocates for racial equality, he is often considered an intellectual precursor to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In 1816 Allen founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the first African-American-led church denomination in the country.  With 2.5 million members, the AME Church is now the largest black denomination in the country.  

Dr. Richard S. Newman, Associate Professor of History at Rochester Institute of Technology, author of Freedom's Prophet: Bishop Richard Allen, the AME Church and the Black Founding Fathers

 

Women, Faith and Abuse

Begins at 22:59 

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, so this week we take a look at the uneasy intersection between religion and sexual violence.  How does faith exploit women...and how can it be a force to heal them?  We begin with Dr. Joy Schroeder, author of Dinah's Lament: The Biblical Legacy of Sexual Violence in Christian Interpretation. She says as far back as the third century, Christian scholars--most of whom were men--have interpreted Bible stories about rape to blame the victims.

Nicole Sotelo, author of Women Healing From Abuse: Meditations for Finding Peace, explains how scripture, which has so often been used to harm women, might begin to help them.

And Layli Miller-Muro, a Baha'i woman and founder of the Tahirih Justice Center, shares the lessons she's learned from a religion which regards women and men as equals.

Resources:

The National Domestic Violence Hotline 

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center

The Faith and Justice Institute 

What Counts As Sexual Violence?

 

Catholicism, the Movie Version

Begins at 42:29 

From the demon-child in the Exorcist to the kindly nuns in The Sound of Music, Hollywood has long used Catholicism as a kind of visual shorthand for faith.  Catholicism, well, the movie version at least, has ready-made props: rosary beads, crucifixes and heavy, black and white wardrobes.   Add to that its candlelit rituals and sacred mysteries, and you have all the makings of a big-screen spectacle. 

Colleen McDannell, Professor of History and Religious Studies at the University of Utah, author of Catholics in the Movies

• play show:

Date: 27 March 2008

Why Forgive?

This hour we explore forgiveness, perhaps the most challenging of all religious teachings.

We begin with the story of psychologist Everett Worthington.  He had been studying the therapeutic benefits of forgiveness for 10 years when he faced the ultimate test: in 1995, a burglar broke into his mother’s house and beat her to death with a crowbar.   Everett, against all odds, chose to forgive his mother’s murderer.

We also hear from Martin Doblmeier, director of a new PBS documentary called The Power of Forgiveness, and Kenneth Briggs, author of a companion book by the same name.

Dr. Everett Worthington, Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University

Martin Doblmeier, president and founder of Journey Films, director of The Power of Forgiveness

Kenneth Briggs, a former religion editor for the New York Times, author of The Power of Forgiveness

 

Find out when The Power of Forgiveness is playing on your local PBS station

How forgiving are YOU?  Take the quiz!

Begins at 23:00

Rev. John Hagee, big-name supporter of Sen. John McCain, has called for preemptive war against Iran.  He labeled the Catholic Church "the great whore of Babylon" and blamed Hurricane Katrina on a gay pride parade. So why is Rev. Jeremiah Wright getting all the attention?

Kevin Eckstrom, Editor, Religion News Service, and a regular analyst for Interfaith Voices

 

 

Begins at 33:46

Two weeks ago, Tibet's long-simmering resentment toward China erupted again.  Dr. Donald Lopez explains why Tibetan monks are leading the region's most significant uprising since the late 1980s.  

 

 

 

• play show:

Date: 19 March 2008

Can You Pass the Religious Literacy Test?

If you think the "Hail Mary" is a football move, read on... Though America is the most religious nation in the developed world, when it comes to basic religious knowledge, we are amazingly clueless.  Stephen Prothero, author of Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know – and Doesn’t, offers a controversial solution: require world religion classes in all public schools.

Stephen Prothero, Chair of the Religion Department at Boston University

 Take Prothero's religious literacy quiz!

 

 

 

To the untrained ear, classic black preaching—especially the brand practiced by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright—can sound brash.  But as Dr. William McClain explains, the fiery preaching style is rooted in the truth-telling tradition of the Hebrew prophets.

Dr. William B. McClain, professor of preaching at Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC

 

Keeping the Easter Story Fresh

Begins at 34:00 

Every Easter Sunday, preachers face a problem: how to re-tell the ancient Easter story without putting the crowd to sleep.  Rev. James Wallace, a professor of homiletics for more than 30 years, offers his tips to would-be preachers on livening up the annual sermon.

Rev. James Wallace, Redemptorist priest, professor of homiletics at Washington Theological Union, Washington, DC.

 

 

Faith in the Midst of War

Begins at 42:48 

On this 5th anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, Interfaith Voices wondered how war affects faith.  Does serving during wartime change one’s relationship to God—and one’s feelings about the war? We spoke to two veterans, from Afghanistan and Iraq, who related very different stories.

John Krenson, a Catholic deacon who served as a US Army major in Afghanistan from 2003-2004; author of Crossfire- A Time for Peace, Love & War

Logan Laituri, a US Army Sergeant who served in Iraq from 2004-2005; speaker at Iraq Veterans Against the War

 

 

 

 

 

 

• play show:

Date: 13 March 2008

Recently, the finances and lavish lifestyles of six televangelists--most of them adherents of prosperity theology--came under the microscope of Republican Senator Charles Grassley.   This hour we look at the controversial movement from the inside out, starting with the story of a former member.

Dr. Milmon Harrison, Professor of African-American and African Studies, University of California – Davis, and author of Righteous Riches: The World of Faith Movement in Contemporary African-American Religion

Sarah Posner, investigative journalist, author of God’s Profits: Faith, Fraud and the Republican Crusade for Values Voters, and author of the weekly blog, the FundamentaList.

Honoring the Body: Taharah

Begins at 22:56 

In Judaism, one of the holiest rituals is the washing of the body for burial, called taharah. In this award-winning documentary, producer Rebecca Sheir explores taharah through the eyes of three people who have performed the rite themselves.

Produced by Rebecca Sheir, host and producer at the Alaska Public Radio Network

Honoring the Body: Taharah was the winner of the 2006 Third Coast International Audio Festival Director's Choice Award

 

Quaker Singer-Songwriter Carrie Newcomer

Begins at 41:57 

With her deep, earthy voice and gift for lyrical songwriting, it's no wonder Carrie Newcomer has been called folk music's "Prairie Mystic."  Newcomer is also a practicing Quaker, and her new album finds her exploring the spirituality and grace of everyday life.   This week, she joins us for a live, in-studio performance.
   

Carrie Newcomer, featuring new music from "The Geography of Light"

• play show:

Date: 6 March 2008

E.J. Dionne, Redefining the Religious Right

The era of a monolithic religious right is over... or so says Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne.   Conservative Christians, he says, are a diverse group who are broadening their agenda beyond hot button issues like abortion and gay marriage.  And that, he argues, is a good thing.   

E. J. Dionne, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and author of Souled Out: Reclaiming Faith and Politics After the Religious Right

 

The Gospel of George

Begins at 22:58 

Few presidents have been as overtly religious as George W. Bush.  Jesus is his favorite philosopher.  He talks about the healing power of prayer.  He has claimed spiritual epiphanies with Billy Graham.  But what do we really know about  Bush’s religious beliefs? Join us as we examine the curious faith of our 43rd President with Jacob Weisberg, author of The Bush Tragedy.

Jacob Weisberg, editor-in-chief of Slate Magazine

Shopping For God

Begins at 37:45 

Almost half of all Americans have changed or totally abandoned the faith of their childhood, according to a new poll.  Dr. James Twitchell calls this spiritual "brand switching," and this week he explains which churches are delivering the goods.

James Twitchell, professor of English and advertising at the University of Florida, author of Shopping for God: How Christianity went from In Your Heart to In Your Face.

Read the new survey by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life here

Commentary: Hooray For Religious Seekers!

Begins at 47:56 

For Rev. Tom Ehrich, shopping for God isn't an exercise in brand loyalty—it’s an important part of becoming a thoughtful adult.

Rev. Tom Ehrich, Episcopal priest, writer, church consultant and a regular columnist for Religion News Service

 

Commentary courtesy of the Religion News Service