Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly

News and Public Affairs Series / 7 Seasons

This acclaimed one-of-a-kind TV show examines religion's role and the ethical dimensions behind top news headlines. Hosted by veteran journalist Bob Abernethy.

Watch Latest: S20 E5

25m 52s

Candidates Reach Out to Jewish Voters; Supreme Court

S19 E30 / 25m 53s

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee is always a key stop for presidential candidates; does the Affordable Care Act burden the free exercise of religion; and they represent rebirth and the gladness of the resurrection.

Religion in Cuba; India’s Artificial Limb Enterprise

S19 E29 / 25m 52s

As the US and Cuba restore diplomatic ties, is the Cuban government also becoming less hostile to religion and the church; a charity is restoring disabled people's mobility and sense of dignity—free of charge; and we travel to New Mexico to witness the solemn rites and processions leading up to Easter.

The Aga Khan; Pope Francis and Family Issues

S19 E28 / 25m 46s

Will the Catholic Church under Pope Francis be open to reform on divorce, contraceptives, and marriage; and the spiritual leader of the world's Ismaili Muslims wants to end poverty, encourage peace and foster religious understanding;

Healing Moral Wounds of War; Rancher Nuns; Baha'i Fast

S19 E27 / 25m 50s

Combat veterans are coming home from our recent wars with deep moral injuries as well as physical wounds; when these Benedictine sisters are not praying for the world, they are working their 300-acre Colorado cattle ranch; and the days before the Baha'i New Year are spent focusing on the needs of the spiritual self rather than the physical body.

U.S. Supreme Court Abortion Case; Son of Saul; Moral Issues

S19 E26 / 25m 52s

The biggest abortion case in decades will be argued before the Supreme Court minus Justice Scalia; ethical rules and responsibilities governing treatment of civilians caught up in international wars and conflicts; and actor Geza Rohrig, an Orthodox Jew, lead actor in Hungary's Oscar-nominated Holocaust movie.

Pope at the Border; Death of Justice Antonin Scalia

S19 E25 / 25m 52s

The pope’s visit to Mexico highlights Catholic concern for immigrants and refugees; impact of US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's death on upcoming court cases; and the influx at divinity schools of students who are secular or unaffiliated with any religious group.

Muslims of Hamtramck, Michigan; Wendell Berry Farming Center

S19 E23 / 25m 52s

Once staunchly Polish Catholic, this community outside Detroit is now the only US city with a Muslim-majority city council; Kentucky poet and farmer Wendell Berry is passing on his family’s farming legacy in partnership with a small Dominican college.

Ultra-Orthodox Yeshiva Controversy; America's Original Sin;

S19 E22 / 25m 53s

Are private yeshivas run by Hasidic Jewish sects providing students with a secular education equal to public schools; Jim Wallis, an activist, pastor, and preacher says white and black churches must cross the bridge to a new America now; and a church in Baltimore runs a boxing gym as part of its ministry and neighborhood outreach.

Social Media and Grieving; India Beef Ban; World Hijab Day

S19 E21 / 25m 52s

Millions now turn to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube to participate digitally in group grieving; recent religious violence traces back to an age-old controversy over the sacredness of cows in Hinduism; and an annual event encourages non-Muslim women to try wearing the headscarf for a day.

Doctors and End-of-Life Discussions; Sweet Honey in the Rock

S19 E20 / 25m 50s

Hospital patients who don't express their end-of-life wishes can receive aggressive treatments that even their doctors say they wouldn't want for themselves; after 40 years of singing for social justice, this a capella group has released a music video tribute to Rev. Martin Luther King Jr; a historian discusses the significance of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.

Faith Communities and Gun Violence; Death with Dignity

S19 E19 / 25m 51s

Many religious leaders and organizations approve of President Obama's new gun control measures; there is growing state interest in physician-assisted suicide legislation in the US; and an interfaith coalition of long-term shareholders and investors tries to influence companies to behave ethically.

Look Ahead 2016

S19 E18 / 25m 54s

As the New Year begins, three journalists discuss the top religion stories they will be keeping an eye on in 2016 with guest host and correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro, who is joined by managing editor Kim Lawton, Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne, and Jerome Socolovsky, editor-in-chief of Religion News Service.

Look Back 2015

S19 E17 / 25m 53s

In our final show before the New Year, we review the top religion and ethics stories of 2015. Host Fred de Sam Lazaro is joined by R&E managing editor Kim Lawton, Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne, and Jerome Socolovsky, editor-in-chief of Religion News Service.

Christmas Music Tells the Story; Zaytuna College

S19 E16 / 25m 48s

Christmas carols, hymns, and popular songs embody the meaning of the Christmas story; a California college is trying to revive the liberal arts tradition in Islam; and a community church in Virginia works with Stop Hunger Now to feed hungry children around the world.

Ethics of Gene Editing; Supreme Court and Affirmative Action

S19 E14 / 25m 52s

Scientists and policymakers discuss guidelines for manipulating human genes; the Supreme Court revisits the issue of diversity in college admissions policies; and faith gives the retired NFL star and his wife the strength to cope with cancer and death

Faith-Based Activism on Climate; Rebuilding Neighborhoods

S19 E13 / 25m 47s

Religious activists are trying to help vulnerable communities in south Louisiana already affected by climate change; a community developer challenges common conceptions about modern charitable work

Religion in Face of Terrorism; Medellin; Ta-Nehisi Coates

S19 E12 / 25m 49s

Interfaith coalitions are taking a stand against ISIS in the wake of the Paris attacks; a Colombian city ruined by drugs and crime has transformed itself in recent years; and the author of “Between the World and Me” ponders race, religion, and the fear of violence.

China Environmental Ethics; Saint Kateri

S19 E11 / 25m 45s

Activists in China are successfully fighting industrial pollution in China and holding factories and their customers in the West accountable; and the first Native American Catholic saint has come to symbolize the Catholic Church's complicated historical relationship with indigenous people.

Criminal Justice Reform; Religious Freedom Ambassador

S19 E10 / 25m 46s

A growing coalition says reforming America’s criminal justice system is a matter of faith; Rabbi David Saperstein says religious freedom is central to the American identity; and writer Carla Power and Sheikh Mohammad Akram Nadwi debated Islam’s holy book in search of interfaith understanding.

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