Religion Highlights

For over 25 years, Leon Wieseltier has been the literary editor of The New Republic. In that capacity, he has worked with some of the leading writers of our time. He regularly pens TNR's Washington Diary column and has established himself as one of the most important and erudite critics at work today. He is also the author of the widely acclaimed Jewish theological rumination Kaddish. In this Interview he argues Christopher Hitchens' concept of Atheism.

Irwin Kula, rabbi and president of CLAL, says Judaism today is a microcosm of the world: there are fundamentalists as well as those who see the state of Israel as an example grand peace and interdependence, as well as those who focus on the religious practitioners.

Sraddhalu Ranade, scientist and scholar at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, explains that there is a modern need for religions to shift from a focus on outer form to an emphasis on their essentiality. Only then will the outer form be in harmony with the time.

Tim Keller, pastor, redeemer at the Presbyterian Church and author, summarizes his two books.

Stephen Batchelor talks about Confession of a Buddhist Atheist.According to Batchelor, the outlook of the Buddha was far removed from the religiosity that has come to define much of Buddhism as we know it today. He argues that the Buddha was a man more focused on life in this world than the afterlife. In this piece he expresses why he finds Karma problematic, and offers an alternative explanation.

Jerusalem Peacemaker Rodef Shalom Eliyahu McLean says that we forget the true goal of our spiritual and religious traditions when we get caught in the forms and structures that they teach. Mystics, he says, can remind us of the common inner dimension at the core of every tradition and help us wake up to the unity within diverse beliefs.

William Lobdell's journey of faith -- and doubt -- may be the most compelling spiritual memoir of our time. Lobdell became a born-again Christian in his late 20s when personal problems drove him to his knees in prayer. As a newly minted evangelical, Lobdell -- a veteran journalist -- noticed that religion wasn't covered well in the mainstream media, and he prayed for the Lord to put him on the religion beat at a major newspaper.

Like many Jews and Christians, David Plotz, editor of Slate Magazine, long assumed he knew what was in the Bible. He read parts of it as a child in Hebrew school, then attended a Christian high school where he studied the Old and New Testaments. In this video he investigates the erratic nature of the Hebrew God, and attempts to explain why Jews thrive in argumentative professions.

Rev. Rock Schuler explains how to make the effort to go to a religious community on Sunday.

Irwin Kula, rabbi and president of CLAL, discusses the changes in spirituality in the modern age of technology. Kula sees heroism in waking up each day to risk hope and love, since there is as much reason to despair and be cynical.

Rev. Rock Schuler explains how to achieve balance in life in this series of Spirituality videos.

John Legend, singer and songwriter, talks about his relationship with faith and religion.

Rev. Joseph McCloskey explains the basic attitudes of prayer. In this part he explains the contrition attitude to prayer.

Tim Keller, pastor, redeemer at the Presbyterian Church and author, talks about African-American churches and desegregation.

Rev. Rock Schuler explains how to deal with spiritual dry spells and religious doubts.