Today on Kresta - February 15, 2010

Talking about the Things That Matter Most on Feb. 15

4:00 – Faith and the Presidency: From George Washington to George W. Bush
Religion has been a major part of the presidency since George Washington's first inaugural address. Despite the mounting interest in the role of religion in American public life, we actually know remarkably little about the faith of our presidents. Was Thomas Jefferson an atheist, as his political opponents charged? What role did Lincoln's religious views play in his handling of slavery and the Civil War? How did born-again Southern Baptist Jimmy Carter lose the support of many evangelicals? Is George W. Bush, as his critics often claim, a captive of the religious right? On this President’s Day, Gary Smith answers these questions and many more. He takes a sweeping look at the role religion has played in presidential politics and policies. Drawing on extensive archival research, Smith paints compelling portraits of the religious lives and presidencies of eleven chief executives for whom religion was particularly important. We will examine what each of its subjects believed and how those beliefs shaped their presidencies and, in turn, the course of our history.

5:00 – Kresta Comments – Pope “hurting people in the name of Jesus”
Harry Knox, who serves on President Barack Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, is standing by a statement he made that Pope Benedict XVI is “hurting people in the name of Jesus.” When asked last week whether he still holds that view, Knox said, “I do.” Knox is also the director of the religion and faith program at the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a homosexual activist group. In a follow-up question, Knox was asked: “So, even in light of—Edward Green, a Harvard researcher in AIDS prevention said the pope was correct in that condom use aggravates HIV, the spread of it, in Africa…do you still hold to that position?” Knox answered, “He is simply incorrect in his assertion. All the other evidence of science shows otherwise.” Al has a commentary.

5:20 – To Be Like Jesus: Inspiration From the Gospel of Luke
God's plan for your life is not as mysterious or unknowable as you might think. As Sister Ann Shields demonstrates in her probing reflections on the Gospel of Luke, the key to knowing what God is asking of you is to discover, first, who God is. If you are willing to spend time daily in his presence, ruminating on his word as it comes to you in Scripture, he will reveal himself and help you make the choices that conform to his will for your life. Sr. Ann helps us to distinguish God's voice from the voices, noise and distractions of the world. As you let his word soak into your soul, you'll find there the power to surrender to him and play your part in building his kingdom.

5:40 – Discovering the Feminine Genius: Every Woman's Journey
Katrina Zeno is here to present a framework in which women can discover and understand their human and spiritual journey as a daughter of God, a woman, a unique individual, and spouse of the Spirit. Katrina, a renowned speaker on the theology of the body, explores the role of women in our complex world. Based on an immensely successful women’s retreat that Katrina has been offering for the past decade, Discovering the Feminine Genius continues her exploration of women seeking to understand their own journey.