Research On Religion | Sexuality & Marriage

Category: Sexuality & Marriage

Merisa Davis on Bill Cosby, Religion, and African American Churches

Tags: African American churches, Bill Cosby, Bishop Charles Blake, Brown vs Board of Education, Colin Powell, crime, delinquency, education, Murray vs Curlett, Pastor Tony Evans, Pound Cake Speech, prison ministry, prosperity gospel

Merisa Parson Davis joins Research on Religion to talk about her new book on Bill Cosby’s much publicized “Pound Cake Speech” that he gave to an audience on the 50th anniversary of the Brown vs. Board of Education. She points out that much of the discussion of this speech in the popular media overlooked the religious dimensions of Dr. Cosby’s remarks. We discuss how African American churches and other religious organizations have responded (and can respond) to various social problems facing the Black community, including school dropout rates, incarceration of young Black men, and the challenge of entrepreneurship in the inner city. Your host also reveals his three favorite shows growing up.

[ READ THE FULL ARTICLE ]

Jon Shields on Democratic Virtues & the Christian Right

Tags: abortion, Catholic Church, Christian Coalition, Christian Right, civil discourse, civil rights movement, clinic bombings, Jerry Falwell, John O'Keefe, Moral Majority, National Right to Life Committee, Operation Rescue, Pat Robertson, pro-life movement, Ralph Reed, Religious Right, same-sex marriage, sidewalk counseling, tea party movement

Prof. Jon A. Shields (Claremont McKenna College) examines whether the Christian Right conforms to norms of democratic deliberation and civil discourse. Our discussion covers the history of the pro-life movement, the rise of the Religious Right, and how those movements have changed over time. Prof. Shields offers evidence that Christian conservatives do, for the most part, enhance the democratic process contrary to popular opinion.

[ READ THE FULL ARTICLE ]