BOB ABERNETHY, anchor: As the US tries again to broker a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, American Jews are speaking in unusually diverse voices about what Israel should do. Generally, older Orthodox Jews are strongly opposed to anything … More →

June 12, 2009

Read more of the Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly interviews about American Jews and Israel: Rabbi Avi Weiss Rabbi Avi Weiss, Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, New York: America is my home. I’m grateful to the US forever and ever. Israel is … More →

June 12, 2009

BOB ABERNETHY, anchor: We have a discussion today of President Obama’s speech to the Muslim world and the reaction to it. Kate Seelye was a longtime Middle East correspondent, based in Beirut. She is now a vice president of the … More →

June 5, 2009

COMMENTARY Yvonne Haddad is professor of the history of Islam and Christian-Muslim relations at Georgetown University’s Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding: President Obama’s address to Muslims has been received quite enthusiastically by many, particularly those in the audience in Cairo as … More →

June 4, 2009

Read more of Judy Valente’s interview about Thomas Merton with Paul Pearson, director and archivist at Bellarmine University’s Thomas Merton Center in Louisville, Kentucky. Q: What would you say is the essence of Thomas Merton’s spirituality? A: The essence of … More →

June 4, 2009

Read more of Judy Valente’s interview about Thomas Merton with Brother Paul Quenon at Gethsemani Abbey: Q: Describe for me what you think is the essence of the Trappist life. A: Well, the essence of the Trappist life would be … More →

June 4, 2009

Read excerpts from THOMAS MERTON: A LIFE IN LETTERS: The Essential Collection edited by Willam H. Shannon and Christian M. Bochen (HarperOne, 2008): November 10, 1958 …It seems to me that, as a contemplative, I do not need to lock … More →

June 4, 2009

With thanks to W. Gay Reading Jr. and James D. Birchfield, Curator of Rare Books at the University of Kentucky.

June 4, 2009

DEBORAH POTTER, guest anchor: As we mentioned earlier, another presidential nominee is in the spotlight this week, Sonia Sotomayor. The news of her nomination to the Supreme Court has dominated headlines, along with the California Supreme Court’s decision to uphold … More →

May 29, 2009

[myplaylist=20] DEBORAH POTTER, guest anchor: President Obama has added a stop in Saudi Arabia to his upcoming trip to the Middle East and Europe. He’ll meet with King Abdullah in Riyadh on Wednesday (June 3). Obama then will fly to … More →

May 29, 2009