The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that under their constitution, same-sex couples are legally able to marry. Opponents of gay marriage want an amendment to the constitution defining marriage as being between a man and a woman. Correspondent Kim Lawton … More →

November 21, 2003

There’s a movement under way among many Catholic women and women scholars to revise the reputation of Mary Magdalene. For centuries, she was reviled as a prostitute. But now, with the discovery of ancient text, several recent movies and novels are portraying her as an important figure in early church history.
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November 21, 2003

The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington celebrated its 10th anniversary with a tribute to survivors of the Nazi persecution of the Jews. They honored the survivors, their families, and those who rescued them at the end of World War II. More →

November 7, 2003

After the 1967 war between Israel and the Arab states around it, the internationally approved “Green Line” defined the border between Israel and the Palestinian Arab territories. Now, the Israelis want to wall themselves off from the Palestinians. But in … More →

September 26, 2003

Aki Ra is a truly remarkable and extraordinarily brave man. He is a Cambodian, and was orphaned as a child. Then, before he was a teenager, he became a soldier. Now, he is devoting his life — and risking it, almost daily — compensating for, atoning for, the harm he once did. Ra defuses and clears land mines, the ones he once placed, so they won’t kill or maim any more of his countrymen. More →

July 25, 2003

Southern California’s Soka University resembles a charming Mediterranean village. Opened in 2001 by a powerful Japanese religious sect called Soka Gakkai International, it is the first college campus in the United States whose academic values and teaching principles are inspired by Buddhism. Inside, one can find 103 acres of stately architecture, spacious gardens, and tranquil gardens. More →

May 2, 2003

As U.S. officials debate who should run Iraq after the war, one reality is the division between the two main branches of Islam, Shi’ite and Sunni. Dr. Phebe Marr, a historian and expert on Iraq, joined us to discuss the future of the conflict.
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April 4, 2003

Read more of Bob Abernethy’s interview with Dr. Phebe Marr, an Arabist and leading specialist on Iraq, about religion and politics in post-war Iraq and the origins of the split between Shii and Sunni Muslims. More →

April 4, 2003

The latest weapon in anti-abortion protest, photography, has triggered an ethical and legal debate. Before, the anti-abortion protestors only yelled at women, while targeting blame at doctors and staff members. Recently, they have started to take pictures of the woman … More →

September 20, 2002

Every year the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assigns a summer reading book for its incoming freshmen. This year that book was called APPROACHING THE QUR’AN: THE EARLY REVELATIONS, and it’s generated a lot of controversy both within the state and outside of it. More →

August 23, 2002