Online NewsHour: Religion Archive | 2007

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RELIGION


	2007 DECEMBER December 26, 2007 Theologian Discusses Relevance of the Bible in Modern Society In the second of two conversations on the role of the Bible in modern society, Ray Suarez talks to Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

	December 25, 2007 Harvard Theologian Discusses "Scandalous" New Take on Jesus Harvard professor and pastor Peter Gomes recently published a book re-evaluating Jesus's life and teachings. The NewsHour talks to Gomes about his different take on the founder of Christianity.

	December 24, 2007 Religion Becoming Political Tool and Hot Topic in Presidential Race From Mitt Romney's Mormonism to Mike Huckabee's Baptist roots, religion has become a popular topic throughout the busy 2008 presidential election race. Ray Suarez sits down with political and religious scholars to compare this season to those of the past.

	December 24, 2007 Palestinians Protest Settlement Plans as Stormy Peace Talks Continue A second round of negotiations between Palestinian and Israeli officials was overshadowed Monday by Palestinian threats not to address substantive issues until Israel agrees to stop settlement construction around Jerusalem.

	December 17, 2007 In Iowa, GOP Candidates Tout Conservative Values In the second of a series of reports on the tightening presidential race in Iowa as the state's Jan. 3 caucus grows closer, Ray Suarez looks at how Republican candidates are focusing their efforts on courting conservative voters in the state.

	December 6, 2007 In Speech, Romney Attempts to Define Lines Between Religion, Politics Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney confronted the issue of his Mormon faith in a speech Thursday, saying that as president he would "serve no religion." Newsweek editor Jon Meacham offers analysis of the role religion plays in politics.

	December 3, 2007 Sudanese President Pardons British Teacher A British teacher who was jailed in Sudan for allowing her students to name their class teddy bear "Muhammad" left the country on Monday after she was pardoned by the Sudanese president and released from jail.



	NOVEMBER November 30, 2007 Sudanese Protest British Teacher's Sentence A day after a British teacher was convicted of insulting Islam in a Sudanese court by letting her young students name a teddy bear "Muhammad" as part of a lesson, thousands of protesters called for more severe punishment - including her execution.

	November 7, 2007 Candidate Endorsements Start Shaping Conservatives' Role in '08 Race Christian conservative leader Pat Robertson endorsed former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani Wednesday, while Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., endorsed the bid of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. Two religious leaders assess the role of the conservative movement in the 2008 election.

	November 5, 2007 Among Sea of Glittery Crosses, Christianity Makes Its Mark in South Korea As dusk turns to dark in this capital city, the skyline glitters with more than the urban lights of office towers and apartment blocks. From the hills that define Seoul's neighborhoods it is easy to spot lighted electric crosses. They are among the most visible reminders of just how deeply Christianity shapes South Korea.



	OCTOBER October 30, 2007 Sorting out the Future for Chinese-Controlled Tibet An Independent Television News report on life in Tibet, a country controlled by China for more than 50 years.

	October 17, 2007 Dalai Lama Awarded Congressional Gold Medal Despite Chinese Protests Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama received the Congressional Gold Medal Wednesday - the highest civilian honor Congress can bestow - despite opposition from China's government. Experts examine the Dalai Lama's iconic legacy and assess China's reaction.

	October 4, 2007 Mother Teresa's Struggles with Faith A recent book shed light on Mother Teresa's struggles with her personal faith. Richard Rodriguez presents an essay on the religious icon and how she wrestled with her beliefs.



	SEPTEMBER September 24, 2007 Myanmar Government, President Bush React to Protesters Buddhist monks, who have protested Myanmar's military government during the past week, have drawn support of thousands of civilian protesters and the attention of Myanmar and American officials.

	September 18, 2007 Exploring Generation Next Generation Next is a term for the 42 million 16-to-25 year olds who watched the Twin Towers collapse, experienced the shootings at Virginia Tech University, grew up online and statistically speaking are better educated than any other generation in history.

	September 5, 2007 New Freedoms for Civil Society Heighten Political Tensions in Pakistan Journalists, artists and judicial activists have found voices in new freedoms in Pakistani culture, but clashes also have arisen. Margaret Warner reports from Pakistan on cultural tensions between the traditional and more modern ideologies.

	September 4, 2007 Latest Suicide Bombings Highlight Terrorist Threat in Pakistan Two suicide bombers killed at least 25 people in Pakistan Tuesday. Margaret Warner reports from Islamabad on the suspected extremist element in the country in the midst of its political uncertainty.



	AUGUST August 29, 2007 Hostage Release Highlights Negotiations with Taliban The Taliban released 12 South Korean hostages in Afghanistan on Wednesday, and another seven may be freed Thursday. A political scientist and a former CIA official discuss the challenges of negotiating with the Taliban.

	August 28, 2007 Former Islamist Gul Becomes Turkey's President Turkey's Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul was sworn in Tuesday as the country's 11th president and the first with a background in political Islam. Two experts outline the concerns some have that the government will become less secular under his regime.

	August 27, 2007 Reporter's Notebook: Damaged Mosque Belies Tensions in Pakistan In the first of a series of conversations based on their reporting from Pakistan, senior correspondent Margaret Warner and producer Simon Marks discuss their interviews with deposed premier Nawaz Sharif and information minister Tariq Azim Khan as well as their visit to the Red Mosque, damaged in a recent siege.

	August 24, 2007 Muslims in India Encounter Intolerance, Scattered Violence With the strength of the Hindu nationalist political movement polarizing religious communities in India over the last two decades, the Muslim minority has faced socioeconomic marginalization and at times been targeted by violent attacks.

	August 20, 2007 Presidential Favorite Falls Short of Victory in Turkey The man presumed to become Turkey's next president, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, failed to secure the two-thirds of parliamentary votes Monday needed to skip another round of presidential voting next week.

	August 14, 2007 Author Uncovers Stories of Arabs Helping Jews During Holocaust There have been few books written about the Holocaust's impact in the Arab world. Margaret Warner speaks with author Robert Satloff about how Arabs saved some Jews during the Holocaust.



	JULY July 26, 2007 Kidnappings Reflect Continuing Rise of Taliban A South Korean envoy headed to Afghanistan Wednesday, hoping to win the release of 22 South Korean hostages taken by the Taliban last week. One hostage was killed Tuesday. Experts talk about the status of the fighters.

	July 5, 2007 Students and Security Forces Clash at Pakistan Mosque At least 19 people have been killed since Tuesday at a mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, where clerics and their followers have clashed with security forces. A journalist and a political scientist discuss the developments.



	JUNE June 27, 2007 U.S. Works to Improve Image in Muslim World A new survey has found that opinions of the U.S. among people in the Muslim world has gotten worse over the past five years. Middle East policy analysts discuss U.S. efforts to bolster Muslim views of America.

	June 27, 2007 Global Discontent with U.S. Increasing; U.S. Works to Bolster Image A survey of people in 47 countries has found that in the past five years, more people have become discontent with the U.S. Meanwhile, the U.S. has launched efforts to improve its image in the Muslim world.

	June 18, 2007 Churches Providing Sanctuary for Illegal Immigrants Churches and other faith-based groups in Chicago are providing housing and other resources for illegal immigrants in defiance of federal laws. The NewsHour reports on how these churches are part of a larger sanctuary movement in America.

	June 1, 2007 Cultural Conservatives Give Top GOP Candidates Tepid Reviews Evangelicals and other social conservatives have yet to throw their support behind one presidential candidate, and many are finding themselves dissatisfied with their party's earlier front-runners.



	MAY May 18, 2007 Islamic Community in Minnesota Faces Growing Pains Almost 50,000 of the growing immigrant population in Minneapolis and St. Paul are Somali Muslims, who have been arriving steadily since civil war wracked their home country in 1991. The NewsHour presents a report on the Muslim community's efforts at integration.

	May 15, 2007 Falwell Blazed Trail in American Politics, Religious Right The Rev. Jerry Falwell, the founder of the Moral Majority who helped galvanize Christian conservatives to elect President Reagan, died Tuesday at age 73. Analysts examine his impact on politics and faith in America.

	May 15, 2007 Television Evangelist, Conservative Activist Jerry Falwell Dies at 73 The Rev. Jerry Falwell, who founded the Moral Majority and used it to create a political force from the ranks of conservative Christians, died Tuesday in his office at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.



	APRIL April 30, 2007 French Muslims Struggle to Achieve Success In the days leading up to France's presidential run-off election, Margaret Warner reports on the changes taking place in the country, including its growing Muslim population, and how they may impact the upcoming vote.

	April 13, 2007 PBS Special Looks at Life for Young Muslims in America A new 11-part PBS series, "America at a Crossroads," premiered over the weekend. The NewsHour provides an excerpt of an upcoming episode that looks at what life is like for young Muslims in America.

	April 9, 2007 Sadr's Ties to Maliki Government Complicate Political Picture Thousands of Iraqis heeded Muqtada al-Sadr's call to protest the U.S. occupation on Monday, highlighting the rift between the Shiite leader and U.S. forces that has further complicated relations between Washington and Iraqi leader Nouri al-Maliki.



	MARCH March 23, 2007 Religion and Politics Interact Throughout Europe Religion has played an important role in politics throughout Europe, from France to Turkey, over the past decades. Ray Suarez details his recent travels to Europe, where he was discussing the role of religion in public life.

	March 20, 2007 Templeton Prize Winner Taylor Talks About Spirituality in Modern Society The Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion, which recognizes efforts to create a bridge between the fields of science and religion, is the world's largest annual award. This year's winner, Charles Taylor, speaks with Ray Suarez.

	March 19, 2007 Justices Weigh Free Speech for Students The Supreme Court heard a case about free speech Monday after a Juneau, Alaska high school student was suspended for displaying a sign, "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" at an off-campus school activity. National Law Journal's Marcia Coyle discusses the case.

	March 15, 2007 Hamas, Fatah Reach Deal on Unity Government After months of negotiations, Palestinian rival factions Hamas and Fatah on Thursday finalized a unity government in an effort to end violence between the groups and lead the Palestinians out of yearlong international isolation.



	FEBRUARY February 28, 2007 Evangelical Movement Spreads Throughout South Korea The Yoido Full Gospel Church in South Korea claims to be the largest church in the world, and the country is second only to the U.S. in its number of missionaries. NewsHour reports on the spreading evangelical movement in the country.

	February 20, 2007 Anglican Leaders Demand U.S. Church End Gay Unions Leaders of the Anglican Church have demanded that the U.S. Episcopal Church stop blessing same-sex unions and consecrating gay bishops. Two American Anglican leaders review the decision and discuss how it impacts the Episcopal Church.



	JANUARY January 26, 2007 Somalia's Islamist Groups While several Islamic groups have tried to take a stand in the lawless climate that has marked Somalia in the past 15 years, few have managed to gain a foothold in the country and only one major group -- the Union of Islamic Courts -- has garnered broad support from the country's mostly moderate Muslims.

	January 8, 2007 Second Clergyman Resigns over Communist Ties After Warsaw-based Archbishop Stanislaw Wielgus resigned over the weekend, a second Roman Catholic clergyman stepped down Monday after allegations of a collaboration with Polish communist secret police. A professor and a reporter discuss the resignations.

	January 3, 2007 Judy Woodruff Discusses the Generation Next Project Jim Lehrer discusses with Judy Woodruff some of the Generation Next team's findings and published trends about 16-25 year olds.

	January 3, 2007 Young People Express Views on Religion, Politics Forty-four percent of young American adults agree that religion is a very important part of their lives, according to a study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. Judy Woodruff reports on Generation Next's changing attitudes toward faith and politics.

	January 1, 2007 Ethiopian Backed Troops Take Last Major City from Somali Islamists After two weeks of clashes, troops of Somalia's fledgling U.N.-organized government swept into the southern city of Kismayo with the help of Ethiopian firepower Monday, taking back the final major city controlled by Islamic militias.

	January 1, 2007 Saddam's Execution Provokes Political Debate The execution of Saddam Hussein over the weekend provoked a strong reaction from both his supporters and detractors. Two regional experts assess where