Sojourners
Founding President of Sojourners, a Christian activist organization, and Editor of its Sojourners magazine; author of The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith & Politics in a Post-Religious Right America, God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It, On God's Side: What Religion Forgets and Politics Hasn't Learned About Serving the Common Good and America's Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege, and the Bridge to a New America
What's Happening to "Value Voters?" One leader of the Southern Baptist Convention says that to back Donald Trump, Christian “voters must repudiate everything they believe,” but polls show millions of evangelicals are not demanding that Trump adhere to precepts of the once-dominating Moral Majority. They're supporting a profanity-spouting gambling-house owner who's been married three times with an inconsistent history on abortion and same-sex marriage. Cruz, Rubio and Kasich are passing the litmus tests, so why is Trump leading with voters who call themselves devout Christians?
Will Pope Francis Be an Agent of Change? Yesterday, Pope Francis met with Cuban President Raúl Castro and former President Fidel. He said Mass in Havana's Revolution Square. He also delivered what's being called a "gentle" critique of Communist ideology and Cuba's suppression of dissenters. Later this week, he'll be in Washington, where some Catholic Republicans are already angry about his very un-gentle critique of free enterprise Capitalism. He'll address a joint meeting of Congress — and also visit with homeless people, laborers, immigrant children and prisoners. Cuba's Castro Brothers were educated and raised as Catholics, but their Communist revolution in 1959 made Cuba an atheist state. More recently, they have reached out to the Church, and Francis is the third Pope to visit the island since 1998.
Jim Wallis on Religion, Politics and the Common Good Jim Wallis is an evangelical Christian preacher, public intellectual and editor of Sojourners magazine. He says his latest book is designed to promote what he calls "an ancient but timely idea and practice — the common good." Abraham Lincoln famously said, "My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side." On God's Side is Wallis' latest book. The subtitle is, "What religion forgets and politics hasn't learned about serving the common good."
Healthcare Reform and Questions of Faith
"Forty Days for Health Reform" is a campaign based on the premise that affordable access to quality healthcare is a “moral imperative.” Jews, Catholics and Evangelical Christians on what's called the ”Religious Left” are backing TV ads urging people of faith to get behind congressional action. But other Catholic and Evangelical Christians don't see government as the Good Samaritan, especially if taxpayer money would pay for abortions. They contend that a government overhaul would “ration” healthcare, which they also see as morally wrong. What about other arguments, pro and con? Are they based more on faith than they are on reason?
Healthcare Reform and Questions of Faith "Forty Days for Health Reform" is a campaign based on the premise that affordable access to quality healthcare is a “moral imperative.” Jews, Catholics and Evangelical Christians on what's called the ”Religious Left” are backing TV ads urging people of faith to get behind congressional action. But other Catholic and Evangelical Christians don't see government as the Good Samaritan, especially if taxpayer money would pay for abortions. They contend that a government overhaul would “ration” healthcare, which they also see as morally wrong. What about other arguments, pro and con? Are they based more on faith than they are on reason?
A Political Transformation on the Religious Right? Evangelical Christians are broadening their horizons. In addition to abortion and same-sex marriage, they're now focused on poverty and the environment. Polls show large numbers of white evangelicals voting in Democratic primaries, while traditional church leaders are trying to keep them in the Republican fold. Is there a "great awakening" that could have an impact on this year's presidential election? We'll hear a dialogue between a "the new generation" of evangelicals and veterans of the religious right.
Replacing Obamacare: Now you see it… now you don’t As the Senate deliberates replacing Obmacare, health coverage for millions of people is at stake. There've been no public hearings, and a draft measure won't be made public. Is the House version so unpopular that that Senate is hiding a version that looks much the same?
Janesville and the American Dream Janesville, Wisconsin is the hometown of Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan. But he couldn’t prevent the closing of the General Motors factory after 100 years. On this Memorial Day rebroadcast of To the Point, we hear what’s happened to what once was a model of American middle-class unity.
What is Trump's plan for Middle East peace? On his first foreign tour, President Trump has promised "peace" between Israel and the Palestinians. Are there any details for re-starting talks that have been stalled for the past three years?
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.