Today on Kresta - March 24, 2011

Talking about the "things that matter most" on March 24

4:00 – Verily, Verily: The KJV - 400 Years of Influence and Beauty
As historian Tony Lane once noted, without the King James Version of the Bible, it can be speculated that, there would be no Paradise Lost ... no Pilgrim's Progress ... no Negro spirituals ... no Gettysburg Address. And even though today there are more accurate and contemporary translations of the Bible, the KJV reigns supreme in the English-speaking world. It is printed and circulated more widely than any other version. But how did this remarkable work originate? What were the historical circumstances driving its completion? What sorts of errors (many of them outright hysterical) crept into the translation? Why does it still outsell every other English translation? In this 400th Anniversary year of the publication of the KJV, Jon Sweeney offers an informative, inspirational, and light-hearted look into how the world's most popular Bible was created and why it is still important.

4:30 – Small Faith--Great God
In the midst of life's challenges, so often our faith feels small and weak. One of the world's premier Bible teachers, N. T. Wright, is here to remind us that what matters is not so much our faith itself as Who our faith is in. Faith, says Wright, is like a window. The point is not for part of the wall to be made of glass. The point of a window is to allow us to see through it--and let light into the room! Faith allows us to see our situation and our own weakness in light of God who is powerful, holy and loving. Through it all he reminds us, it's not great faith we need: it is faith in a great God.

5:00 – Japan, Cross International and Caritas International
Following public declarations from the outgoing secretary general of Caritas that could cause serious damage to the “prestige” of the institution, the Holy See has confirmed that it is seeking a "new profile" for the international aid agency.In January, the Vatican's Secretariat of State decided it would not allow Lesley-Anne Knight to run for a second four-year term as secretary general of the Rome-based Caritas Internationalis. Her request for a certificate of approval from the Vatican for official candidacy was declined. The rare action was taken because “for today's new challenges we need someone else,” explained Cardinal Robert Sarah of the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum” on Feb. 22. A key issue at this point is to focus on the “Catholic identity” of the organization, he said. With us to discuss these developments is Jim Cavnar of Cross Catholic International Outreach.

5:20 – The World of Saint Paul
Joseph Callewaert's engaging work on St. Paul reads like a novel. With inviting, even dramatic, prose, it recounts the story of the great Apostle to the Nations. This is no dry tome or ponderous biography. Nor is its subject a "safe" historical figure, irrelevant to the issues of today: St. Paul remains controversial. Some scholars claim he "invented" Christianity. They believe his message radically departed from what Jesus taught. The Christian faith, so the claim runs, is the creation of Paul's religious experience, not the doctrine of Jesus. Callewaert rejects this theory, as do many other scholars. His interpretation rests on the Bible and the abiding tradition of the ages, rather than tendentious theories or ideologically-motivated revisions. For those who know little about St. Paul - which includes many Christians - it is a superb introduction. Joseph joins us.