Religion & Politics

Journalist David Kirkpatrick reports on the conservative movement's issues and leaders for The New York Times.

Journalist Gershom Gorenberg is an associate editor and columnist for The Jerusalem Report and a regular contributor to The New Republic. He's the author of The End of Days: Fundamentalism and the Struggle for the Temple Mount

Former Istanbul bureau chief for the New York Times, Stephen Kinzer. He written the new book Crescent & Star: Turkey Between Two Worlds, (Farrar, Straus & Giroux). He describes a country caught between the entrenched ruling elite and its younger, well-educated population who want democracy. He describes a country of talented –writers, thinkers, university professors and business executives— who have been excluded from positions of power. Kinzer is currently the Timesnational culture correspondent based in Chicago.

Editor, author, and Jewish theologian Michael Lerner is founder and editor of "Tikkun" magazine, a bimonthly Jewish critique of politics, culture, and society. In his new book, "Jewish Renewal: A Path to Healing and Transformation," Lerner presents a new interpretation of Jewish texts and history, and a new approach to God and prayer.

Writer Stephen Carter. He's a professor of constitutional law at Yale University and author of "Reflections of an Affirmative Action Baby." Carter's newest book, "The Culture of Disbelief: How American Law and Politics Trivialize Religious Devotion" (Harper Collins), argues that although the majority of Americans are religious, our law, politics, media, and universities pressure believers to trivialize their faith and treat "God as a Hobby."

One of America's best known literary figures, Gore Vidal was once called "the Gentleman Bitch of American Letters." He has two new books out, "Screening History," part memoir and part film commentary, and "Live from Golgotha," about what would happen if the crucifixtion happened in the age of television. Vidal is also starring in a new movie,"Bob Roberts," directed by Tim Robbins. He joins Fresh Air to talk about his frustration with current American politics.

Religion historian Martin Marty Marty, who teaches at the University of Chicago, is one of the foremost authorities on religion and society. He's the author of a four volume work on religion in the 20th century. His new work is a multi-volume look at fundamentalism. The first volume has just been published , and that's what he'll be talking about.

Author and professor Padraig O'Malley's most recent books is called "Biting At the Grave," about the IRA hunger strikes in 1981 that ended in 10 deaths. O'Malley challenges conventional wisdom on each side of the conflict. Formal talks between Protestant and Catholic political leaders over the future of Northern Ireland are to begin next Monday.

The political journalist is a former Jesuit seminarian and professor of public policy at Northwestern University. His new book is called Under God. It's a collection of essays about the frequent collison of politics and religion in America.

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.

Jerry Falwell, former head of the Moral Majority and temporary head of the PTL (Praise the Lord) organization after revelations of sexual encounters brought down the Rev. Jim Bakker. Falwell recently stepped down as head of the PTL and of the Moral Majority, his Christian political action committee, to concentrate on his ministry, best known through his national television program "The Old Time Gospel Hour." He's written an autobiography titled Strength for the Journey.

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."

Theologian Harvey Cox's new book explores the growth of religion, particularly amongst politically active or disenfranchised communities. He explores how this trend manifests itself in both fundamentalist circles on the right and practitioners of liberation theology on the left.

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.