Religion and Faith

A new Speaking of Faith program about the debate over gay marriage, which has been framed in Christian terms in this country. Hear interviews with two Evangelical Christians, Richard Mouw, the President of Fuller Theological Seminary, and Virginia Ramey Mollenkott, a feminist theologian and Professor Emeritus of English at William Paterson University of New Jersey. They are struggling with the question of gay marriage in different ways.
Twenty years ago Faith Adiele spent two months studying Buddhism in a forest temple in northern Thailand. She was not just the first black American, but also the first foreigner, to study at the temple.
There's a club in downtown Minneapolis where musicians spread the gospel in between drum fills and wailing guitar solos. Club 3 Degrees is one of the few Christian nightclubs in Minnesota. It's a smoke and alcohol free establishment which features strictly Christian music of every variety. It's proprietors are ordained ministers who not only want to show their patrons a good time, but also save them.
A Commonwealth Club speech by John Esposito, founding director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University, on Americans' perceptions of Muslims after the terrorist attacks of 9/11.
This weekend between 500 to 1,000 Muslims from around the Midwest are expected in Minneapolis for a convention called, "Islam, a Way of Life."
A first-generation Pakistani-American scholar says her American culture is perfectly compatible with her Islamic beliefs. She's become an inspiration for many young American Muslims and believes that most Americans are eager to learn more about the teachings of Islam.
Duluth Mayor Herb Bergson today signed a resolution that could result in the removal of a Ten Commandments monument from city property. But the fight is far from over. Residents are circulating a petition asking for a referendum on the issue. The St. Louis County Board is offering to take over the monument, along with the lawsuit against it. And the former mayor is raising money to help pay legal expenses to keep the marker in place.
Movies rarely open on a Wednesday -- unless, of course, it's Ash Wednesday and the movie is "The Passion of the Christ." Mel Gibson's film about the crucifixion of Jesus opens in 64 theaters across Minnesota. Christian and Jewish leaders are preparing for intense dialogue, though the things they want to talk about are very different.
Local governments are becoming more protective of farmers. In southwest Minnesota a county board struggled with a proposal to locate a Buddhist temple in an agricultural area.
An epic production is unfolding at Bedlam Studio on the West Bank of Minneapolis. Mercurius Lumen features an orchestra of international musicians and a cast of more than 50 puppets. Not a word of dialogue will be spoken. The play's primary purpose is to help audiences re-engage their imaginations, and explore the ancient roots of humanity.