Religion

Reverend Theodore Hesburgh has just published a new memoir about serving as the University of Notre Dame's president for 35 years. His tenure overlapped with the 1960s student movements; Hesburgh did his best to strike a balance between allowing for freedom of expression and maintaining an environment conducive to learning.

Newsweek magazine's religion writer Kenneth L. Woodward's new book examines the politics surrounding how the Roman Catholic Church decides who will become a saint. Woodward says it's the most democratic process in a profoundly undemocratic institution.

Former Sisters of Notre Dame Barbara Ferraro and Patricia Hussey were once known as the "abortion nuns." In 1984, they signed a New York Times ad that called on the Catholic Church to reconsider its stance on abortion. Their new book, No Turning Back, also outlines their differences with Church teachings on divorce and the ordination of women.

Commentator Maureen Corrigan shares her thoughts on David Lodge's "Souls and Bodies."

James Parks Morton is the dean of New York City's massive Saint John the Divine. To keep the cathedral and its services vital, Morton has spearheaded the inclusion of different faith traditions and outreach to poor communities.

Now that author Salman Rushide has gone into hiding, critic-at-large Laurie Stone looks at how communities around the world have been responding to his controversial book.

Writer and theologian Harvey Cox says the current rise of religious fundamentalism stems in part from a disillusionment with modern technology. He has also witnessed the increasing politicization of religious messages. Cox joins Fresh Air to discuss the current state of interfaith relations in the United States and abroad.

John Hubner, co-author with Lindsey Gruson of the book Monkey on a Stick, talks to Fresh Air about Krishna Consciousness in the 1960s. Led by Indian guru Swami Prabhupada and disciples like Kirtananda Swami Bhaktipada -- nee Keith Ham -- the movement's growth was accompanied by scandal, crime, and murder.

Mark Hoffman produced false documents designed to undermine the faith traditions of the Mormon Church. The church bought these papers in order to suppress them. This scheme eventually led to Hoffman murdering some of his collaborators and injuring himself in a bombing. Journalist Robert Lindsey tells the story in his new book, A Gathering of Saints.

Father Ralph Beiting's ministry serves the poor of the Appalachian region, which he says was overlooked by the reforms and social programs of the 1960s. He links poverty to the degradation of family life. Despite the difficulties associated with his work, Beiting has fallen in love with the area and its people.