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54:22

Congressman Bob Edgar

The Pennsylvania Democrat works to counteract the policy positions of the moral majority. He sees hope in the rise of prominent moderate Republicans to steer the direction of the Reagan administration toward less conservative economic and foreign policy decisions. Fresh Air listeners call in with their questions.

Interview
25:14

On the Nature of Christian Faith

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.

44:24

What You Need to Know About Religious Programming on Television.

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.

Interview
27:16

Reverend William Sloane Coffin on Modern Religion and Politics.

Reverend William Sloane Coffin is known for his activism in the Civil Rights and peace movements. Coffin served as the chaplain for Yale University for 18 years where he was active in leading anti-Vietnam War demonstrations. Coffin left Yale in 1976, and is currently the Senior Minister at New York 's progessive Riverside Church. Coffin's latest book is "Living the Truth in a World of Illusions."

06:59

Jerry Lee Lewis's Struggles.

Rock historian Ed Ward will look at the spiritual struggles of veteran rocker Jerry Lee Lewis and what role they played in his music.

Commentary
27:53

Father Niall O'Brien's "Revolution from the Heart."

Father Niall O'Brien. He has worked for over 20 years as a missionary priest in the Philippines. He was imprisoned by the Marcos regime because he helped the poor to start self-reliant Christian communities. He continues his work in the Philippines under the Aquino government.

Interview
27:12

Dan Wakefield's "Spiritual Journey."

Journalist and screenwriter Dan Wakefield. His new book, Returning: A Spiritual Journey, describes his encounters with alcoholism, atheism, psychoanalysis, and his ultimate rediscovery of spiritual belief.

Interview
22:04

Babara Harrison Discusses Religion and Her Italian Travels.

Novelist, essayist, and reporter Barbara Grizutti Harrison. Her new book is called "Italian Days." It's a chronicle of her travels through Italy, but it's also more introspective, influenced by her parents Italian heritage and her conversion to Catholicism after a childhood spent in the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Interview
20:33

Soul-Turned-Gospel Singer Al Green

Green is one of the greats of soul and gospel music. He's probably best known for his hit, "Let's Stay Together." He'll talk about his secular musical career in light of being a born again Christian.

Interview
22:55

Nancy Mairs Discusses her New Memoir.

Poet, writer, and teacher Nancy Mairs. She's a Catholic feminist, who started out Protestant, and who late in life became a feminist. She calls herself, "the connoisseur of catastrophe." She's known for writing honestly about her struggles with multiple sclerosis, depression, and the life-threatening illness of her husband, also about being a woman, a mother, and a wife. Her newest book of personal essays is "Ordinary Time," (Beacon). One reviewer calls it "a small miracle of honesty mediated by dignity and humor."

Interview
22:42

A Re-evaluation of Religion in Public Life

We speak with two guests about the practice of religion vis-a-vis the Constitution: Keith Fournier, Head of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ). The ACLJ helped draft the Christian Coalition's Contract with the American Family, which calls on Congress to allow prayer in public places, curb pornography, and restrict abortion. On the other side of the debate, activist and preacher Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners magazine, has started a new coalition called "Cry for Renewal." It's his alternative to the conservative agenda of the Christian Coalition.

23:16

William J. Murray On Prayer in Public Schools.

Writer William J. Murray. He was raised in the home of atheist and Marxist leader Madalyn Murray O' Hair. In 1963, at age 14, he became the focus of media attention when his mother took her anti-prayer campaign to the U.S. Supreme Court where they later banned school prayer. In 1980, Murray turned away from atheism and became a Christian. His new book Let Us Pray: A Plea for Prayer in Our Schools (Morrow) looks into his past and present religious beliefs. Murray has written other books including, My Life Without God, and The Church is Not for Perfect People.

Interview
21:23

The History of American Politics "Under God"

Religion historian Martin E. Marty teaches at the University of Chicago and is one of the foremost authorities on religion and society. His new book is the third in a four volume set: "Modern American Religion, Volume 3: Under God, Indivisible, 1941-1960."

Interview
20:03

Jimmy Carter on How His Faith Influenced His Presidency

Since leaving the White House, Carter has become one of America's leading elder statesmen. He has led numerous peace delegations to many war stricken countries through the Carter Center which he founded in 1982. Carter has written eleven books, including the national bestseller, "Always a Reckoning." In his most recent book, "Living Faith," he shares personal experiences about how his religious faith has helped him through the most challenging times of his life. He demonstrates how people of all faiths can find common ground in serving God and one another.

Interview
21:58

Novelist Tim LaHaye

Novelist Tim LaHaye is the co-author of the popular Left Behind series. The books are apocalyptic Christian thrillers. The tenth and latest book is The Remnant, which debuted at the top of the New York Times bestseller list. LaHaye is also the former co-chairman of Jack Kemp's presidential campaign, was on the original board of directors of the Moral Majority and was an organizer of the Council for National Policy which has been called "the most powerful conservative organization in America you've never heard of."

Interview
21:52

Tammy Faye Messner

Along with her ex-husband, Jim Bakker, she built the Praise the Lord televangelist network. She gained a reputation for crying often on television and smearing her abundant mascara. Their empire crumbled when Jim Bakker was convicted of bilking followers out of millions of dollars. She survived the scandal, the divorce, as well as cancer and drug addiction and wrote about it in her memoir I Will Survive: And You Will, Too! She is also starring in the new reality show on the WB network, Surreal Life 2.

Interview
20:38

Religion Historian Martin Marty

Marty is one of the foremost authorities on religion and society. He is the Fairfax M. Cone Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago, where he taught for over 35 years. His new book is a biography of Martin Luther, one of the leading figures of the Protestant Reformation. The book is Martin Luther. Marty is also the author of a five-volume work on religion in the 20th century.

Interview
44:29

Religion Scholar Karen Armstrong

When Armstrong decided to leave the Roman Catholic convent where she was a nun in 1969, she entered a world vastly different than the one she had been isolated from for seven years. She had no idea what was going on in Vietnam and had little idea what was happening in popular culture. She's written a new memoir, The Spiral Staircase: My Climb Out of Darkness, about her life in the convent and the spiritual quest that followed. Her other books include The Battle for God and A History of God.

Interview

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