Religion

Barbara Walker's interest in women's roles in religious and spiritual traditions led her to write a book on the subject. Her research suggests that Christianity has suppressed various matriarchal and women-focused faith practices in order to strengthen patriarchal power structures.

Folk artist Howard Finster was born in 1916, but did not start painting until 1976 when he had a vision that told him to devote his life to making sacred art. Finster has been working as a preacher since the age of 16. Finster has spent 20 years working on "Paradise Garden," a two-and-a-half acre mixture of sculpture, painting, vines, vegetables, and discarded objects. "Howard Finster, Man of Visions: The Garden and Other Creations: A One Person Show" is opening at the Philadelphia Art Alliance.

Stewart Hoover is a research scholar at the Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Pennsylvania who specializes in the impact of communications technology on culture. In recent years, many have deemed religious television programming controversial. Many mainline church leaders fear the effect such programming will have on local churches. Hoover, along with George Gerbner, Larry Gross, Michael Morgan, and Nancy Signorielli, has just conducted a study on religious television programming.

Activist Michael Harrington has been a leader of the American left for the last thirty years. In the 1950s, he was the associate editor of The Catholic Worker, a socialist, Catholic newspaper. In the 1960s, he worked with the Civil Rights movement, including joining Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Advisory Committee. He was also active in the labor movement and worked against the war in Vietnam. Harrington chaired the Socialist Party from 1968-1972, and has been the National Chair of the Democratic National Socialists of America since 1973.

The third installment of On This Side of Paradise focuses on how the Nation of Islam led to a growth of more conventional practices of Islam, particularly in African American communities.

Philadelphia-based Shamsud-din Ali is a local leader of the Muslim community. He speaks with Fresh Air callers about his faith, the relationship between Islam and other religions, and attitudes toward Muslims around the world.

Jeffrey Dekro and Phyllis Taylor both draw inspiration from their Jewish faith to fight for civil rights and other social justice movements. They answer questions from Fresh Air listeners about the contrasting trends of Jewish assimilation into mainstream American culture and a growing number of devout and practicing Jews.

The second installment of WHYY's miniseries on religion, On This Side of Paradise, looks at Jewish culture, Jewish identity and antisemitism in the United States.

Fresh Air broadcasts a special feature produce for the month of October called On This Side of Paradise. The miniseries focuses on the state of religion in America today. The first installment features stories of people who converted to Christianity during their adult lives.

Brad Allison is an Evangelical pastor in Philadelphia. John Gordon became a Christian in college. His scholarship led him away from religious fundamentalism. He is now the chaplain at Albright College. The two religious leaders speak with Fresh Air listeners about their faith.