Today on "Kresta in the Afternoon" - July 19, 2012

Talking about the "things that matter most" on July 19

4:00 – Reforming Hollywood: How American Protestants Fought for Freedom at the Movies
Hollywood and Christianity often seem to be at war. Indeed, there is a long list of movies that have attracted religious condemnation, from Gone with the Wind with its notorious "damn," to The Life of Brian and The Last Temptation of Christ. But the reality, writes William Romanowski, has been far more complicated--and remarkable. A leading historian of popular culture Bill joins us to explore the long and varied efforts of religious groups to influence the film industry.

4:40 – Will the Obamacare “Tax” Trump Religious Liberty?
Now that the dust is settling upon the Supreme Court’s recent ruling that the individual mandate is constitutional, it is time to consider what effect the characterization of the penalty as a tax upon those who refuse to comply with the individual mandate may have on the religious liberty claims of religious organizations seeking exemption from services contrary to their faith. Seana Sugrue, Professor of Politics at Ave Maria University, is here to discuss just that.

5:00 – Bible Basics for Catholics: A New Picture of Salvation History
From biblical scholar John Bergsma--two-time teacher of the year at the Franciscan University of Steubenville--comes a fresh, fun, and authentically Catholic introduction to the "big picture" of salvation history. This overview of the Bible is based on Bergsma's wildly popular introduction to theology course at Franciscan. Bergsma combines sound theology, academic expertise, pastoral wisdom, and an endearing playfulness to draw readers into the connection between the great stories of the Bible and salvation in Jesus. John is with us.

5:40 – The 40 Film
“The 40 Film” is pro-life documentary film produced that will take on the heated issue of abortion in our nation that refuses to go away. Is abortion merely a religious or political issue or is it the most important fundamental human rights issue of our times? Coming up of the 40th anniversary of Roe v Wade, “40” will feature inspiring stories and deeply personal interviews with champions of the Pro-Life movement. The film will also take on the arguments of young people who believe in “a woman’s right to choose,” countered by pro-life answers from a wide and diverse array of pro-life activists, leaders and youth. Director John Morales joins us.