Today on "Kresta in the Afternoon" - April 23, 2013

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Apr. 23

4:00 – Chechnya: A Hotbed of Islamic Activity

Chechnya, a Connecticut-sized republic that is part of the Russian federation, has been a hotbed of Islamic extremism since its failed war for independence in the 1990s. It is the first time the Russian conflict has spread to U.S. targets. Chechens, inspired by an ideology which has evolved from nationalistic fervor into transnational Islamic extremism, have staged dozens of terror attacks in Russia since the war began in 1994. We talk to Islam expert Andrew Bieszad about Chechnya, Russia, and the US.

 

4:20 – Angels and Saints at Ephesus

As a follow-up to their chart-topping first release, The Benedictines of Mary unite their voices once more in Angels and Saints at Ephesus. This second album, a year round collection, will entertain and inspire, featuring 17 English and Latin pieces sung a cappella for the feasts of the holy Saints and angels. Recorded once again at their Priory in the heartland of America, this new album is a dynamic yet pure fusion of their contemplative sound. The Sisters call to mind the glory of the future vision of God in the company of all of His angels and Saints. Monica Fitzgibbons, cofounder of De Montfort Music, joins us.

 

4:40 – The Bible and the Church Fathers

As with our natural families, Christians want to know who has preceded us in our family tree. Who are our forebears, and what did they believe and teach? We look at the Bible and the Church Fathers with Rob Corzine of the St. Paul Center or Biblical Theology.  We’ll discuss their times, their culture, and even the heresies and heretics they had to battle. 

 

5:00 - Kresta Comments

 

5:20 – On Heaven and Earth: Pope Francis on Faith, Family, and the Church in the Twenty-First Century

For years Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, archbishop of Argentina, and Rabbi Abraham Skorka, a rabbi and biophysicist, were tenacious promoters of interreligious dialogues on faith and reason. They both sought to build bridges among Catholicism, Judaism, and the world at large. On Heaven and Earth, originally published in Argentina in 2010, and now translated into English, brings together a series of these conversations where both men talked about various theological and worldly issues, including God, fundamentalism, atheism, abortion, homosexuality, euthanasia, same-sex marriage, and globalization. From these personal and accessible talks comes a first-hand view of the man who would become pope to 1.2 billion Catholics. We talk with translator Alejandro Bermudez.