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Samuel Rodriguez is mobilizing Hispanic Christian voters, confronting the nation’s feverish anti-immigrant mood, and drawing the attention of politicians from both ends of the spectrum. THE AGENDA OF THE LAMB: When it comes to the Hispanic community, Rev. Samuel Rodriguez is challenging both ‘the Donkey’ and ‘the Elephant’ to rise above the usual politics. Rev. Samuel Rodriguez represents tremendous vote-getting power for a demographic that could sway the 2012 election: the ethnic Christian vote. A Sacramento-based pastor and the founding... Read more

Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain acknowledges that he doesn’t know a lot about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but he says he does know that the U.S. Constitution says there shall be no religious test to run for president.In a one-on-one interview Tuesday night after the GOP presidential debate in Las Vegas, Cain said he doesn’t think specific beliefs of members of the LDS faith is an issue that the Republican presidential candidates need to discuss. See... Read more

Traditional African spirituality is practiced by over 50 millionpeople who follow one of many tribal and regional religions. While each maintains their own unique identity, African religions generally share a belief in a supreme being above a group of lesser gods, the power of ancestral spirits, sacrifice for divine protection, and the necessity of rites of passage.We’re going to mix things up for this segment. Rather than responses from a therapist, we have the honor of hearing from an African spirituality scholar.Suzanne M. Henderson received her... Read more

Liberation theology began as a movement with-in the Roman Catholic Church in Latin America in the 1950s and 1960s, but soon found quarter in some sectors of Protestantism. It is a political theology that interprets the teachings of Jesus Christ in terms of liberation from unjust economic, political, and social conditions. Proponents say it is the way to view Christian faith through the eyes of the poor; opponents say it is nothing but baptized Marxism. I tend to side with... Read more

Saturday’s surge of Occupy actions around the globe could be a turning point, a hinge moment, as occupiers in over a hundred American cities feel the power of worldwide welcome and affirmation. There is obviously more to be felt and said about this than any journalistic treatment could hope to engage; one senses in many recent commentaries the strain of needing to say more and not quite having the words. Over the course of a couple of days, four regular... Read more

Until recently, 2011 had been a quiet year for the Christian right. Adopting the successful Tea Party blueprint, the first wave of 2012 presidential hopefuls—including the candidates whose Christian cred was central to their political rise—distanced themselves from divisive social issues in favor of popular anti-government themes. But just as religious rhetoric appeared to be receding from the political landscape, in August three-term Texas Gov. Rick Perry threw his hat in the presidential ring with a blend of politics and... Read more

Hearing Mitt Romney’s surrogate Bill Bennett refer to me as a bigot and Jon Huntsman call me a “moron” last week after my controversial comments on Mormonism, amid calls for civility and tolerance in public discourse, reminds me of the exclamation: “We will not tolerate intolerance!” But beyond the personal insults, I am concerned that these men are attempting to prematurely marginalize religion as a relevant topic in elections. Utilizing such incendiary rhetoric against those of us who dare bring up a candidate’s spiritual beliefs... Read more

There’s no doubt that Herman Cain is a fiscal conservative. He never misses a chance to promote his 999 plan or outline his vision for economic growth and recovery. Most of his stump speeches focus on the economy, foreign policy, immigration, even energy independence. Rarely do social issues come up, specifically the conservative hot topic of abortion. When Cain has addressed the issue, he says he believes that life begins with conception. And he doesn’t believe that abortion should be allowed –... Read more

In U.S. presidential politics, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has a narrow lead over Georgia businessman Herman Cain in the latest CNN-ORC poll.  Most political analysts consider Romney the frontrunner for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination next year, but he is on the defensive about his religion. Romney is a member of the Mormon Church, formally known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mormons believe in the Christian Bible but also follow teachings from their founder and... Read more