As we head into the Christmas holiday, we want to stop and consider the power of faith and religion as it plays out in the political, cultural, and social life of a community. In essence, the overall question is what is the role of the black church in the 21st century? Our panelists: Callie Crossley, host of The Callie Crossley Show, WGBH 89.7; Kim McLarin,assistant professor, writing, piterature and publishing, Emerson College; Phillip Martin, senior investigative reporter, WGBH Radio; Rev.... Read more

IN THE year of our Lord 1816 two grand old men of the American Revolution corresponded eagerly about the work they had recently done, in their rural retirement, on the Bible. Ex-President Thomas Jefferson thanked his old friend Charles Thomson, a co-sponsor of the Declaration of Independence, for sending a copy of his newly completed synopsis of the Gospels. At a time when many modern Americans are arguing feverishly over the real significance of the nation’s religious and political beginnings,... Read more

by Jaweed KaleemHuffington Post In cities across the nation, increasingly diverse after waves of immigration and demographic changes, it’s not uncommon to find Christian, Jewish and Islamic houses of worship located just blocks away from one another. But in Omaha, Neb., an interfaith organization is taking such a pattern to the next level. Tri-Faith Initiative, a partnership of Christians, Jews and Muslims that aims to foster greater interfaith relations in that Midwestern city, is kicking off a multimillion-dollar effort to... Read more

A white church secretary is suing her former employer, arguing that she was fired for marrying a black man. Debra Dodd, the former secretary at the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville, Tenn., and the Rev. Tim Smith, pastor of the church, agree on one thing: Most of the members of that congregation are great people. But from there, their stories diverge. Dodd has filed a lawsuit for back wages and $500,000 in punitive damages against the church after she was... Read more

Religious prejudice has become a major campaign issue during the Republican primaries this fall. Not surprisingly, it’s the “M” word. Surprisingly, the M word in question is not “Muslim.” While Newt Gingrich and Herman Cain have both made remarks about the alleged dangers of sharia law in American courts, the M word making the most waves is “Mormon.” The issue is this: Will a key Republican voting bloc — conservative evangelical Christians — refuse to support the likely front-runner, Mitt... Read more

How we framed religion have consequences. See Below http://www.hulu.com/aol/http%3A%2F%2Fvideo.aol.com/embed/0rh9qTAkug4IDj2f1ioMpA The Daily ShowGet More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook Read more

The latest polls show a surging Newt Gingrich winning substantial support among white evangelical voters, the key voting bloc in the upcoming Iowa Caucuses. Those same voters, who comprise the core of the religious right movement, powered former minister Mike Huckabee to a Corn State upset in 2008. Huckabee’s decision to not run this election cycle created an opening for the rest of the GOP field to now court their support.Read the rest here Read more

By Becky GarrisonThe Guardian In the state of Iowa, is the former speaker of the US House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich, experiencing his own Field of Dreams? According to a recent poll, Gingrich now has the support of 25% of likely Republican primary voters – up from 7% in late October. Central to his ambition is his need to win over evangelical Christian and conservative Catholic voters. But although his “Contract with America” delivered a Republican majority in congress in... Read more

Courtesy of ESPN Cris Carter, Stephen A. Smith, and Skip Bayless discuss how much credit Tim Tebow’s faith is getting for his success.See video here Read more

by By James PoniewozikTime Magazine The TLC reality show All-American Muslim, which follows five families in Dearborn, Michigan, has a lot of points to make about the lives of average Muslim citizens in America, among them the lingering discrimination they face after 9/11. (Here’s my review of the show’s premiere.) Last week, hardware big-box store Lowe’s pulled its advertising from All-American Muslim under pressure–and thereby proved the show’s point.Lowe’s pulled its ads following a protest campaign from the Florida Family... Read more