The America Media Podcast

Charles C. Camosy talks about the philosopher Peter Singer and his surprising points of convergence with Christian ethics. Camosy's new book, Peter Singer and Christian Ethics, was recently published by Cambridge University Press.

In his new book Our Divided Political Heart: The Battle for the American Idea in an Age of Discontent, E. J. Dionne Jr. reasserts the importance of community in the American story. In this conversation, Dionne explains why the term "community" is more vexed than "liberty," why it's a mistake to mythologize our country's founding and how the Catholic tradition can help counter the increasing emphases on individualism in American political discourse. E. J. Dionne Jr. is a University Professor at Georgetown University and a columnist for the Washington Post.

Kerry Weber talks with Kathryn Getek Soltis, an assistant professor of Christian ethics and the director of the Center for Peace and Justice Education at Villanova University. Prof. Soltis wrote her dissertation on a virtue ethics approach to justice looking at the reform of the America prison. She has also served as Catholic Chaplain at Suffolk County House of Correction in Boston. Read Kerry Weber's article on Catholic ministry at San Quentin state prison in California.

Is Megan a better fit for Don than Betty? Why did Joan do what she did? Why did Peggy leave Sterling Cooper? How does music inform the series? Does Pete have any morals at all? Are Roger and Don friends, enemies or frenemies? And the big question: Where is God in all this? James Martin, S.J., and Tim Reidy discuss Season 5 of AMC's "Mad Men."

Mark Shriver describes the faith that sustained his father, Sargent Shriver, through a long political career that included key posts in the Kennedy administration and work with the Peace Corps, the War on Poverty and the Special Olympics. Mark Shriver's new book, A Good Man, has just been published by Henry Holt.

New York Times columnist Ross Douthat tells the story of how Christian orthodoxy found a home in the United States, and how the last 50 years has a seen a national turn toward "heresy." Talking about his new book, Bad Religion, he describes notable trends in the Catholic Church, including what he sees as a diminishment of Catholic public witness due to internal squabbling. He also explains his choice of the word accommodationist to describe liberal Christianity, a term some have found troublesome, and talks about being a Catholic public intellectual working in the secular media.

Arthur J. Sikula talks with associate editor Kerry Weber about church architecture as a form of both controversy and catechesis. Sikula, a liturgical architect, was a member of the task force that prepared "Built of Living Stones," the U.S. bishops' document which details guidelines for the relationship between church art, architecture, and worship.

Barbara E. Reid, O.P. talks about women prophets in the Bible and Elizabeth Johnson talks about the power of the Magnificat.

John P. Schlegel, S.J., and Leo J. O'Donovan, S.J., both served long tenures as presidents of Jesuit colleges. For our annual Jesuit education issue, they talk about the challenges facing Catholic colleges in a pluralistic society and how the implementation of Ex corde ecclesia affected the way Jesuit schools think about their Catholic identity. Fr. Schlegel, the current president and publisher of America, is the past president of the University of San Francisco and Creighton University. Fr. O'Donovan served as president of Georgetown University.

When The Other America was published in 1962, Michael Harrington only expected it to sell a few thousand copies. The book, a study of the "invisible" poor in America, went on to become a national bestseller and helped shape the government's War on Poverty. Here Tom Landy of the College of the Holy Cross explains the impact of The Other America, and why we need someone like Harrington today. Holy Cross recently convened a conference on the legacy of Harrington's seminal book. An audio archive of the talks can be found here. This podcast includes excerpts from the remarks delivered by Maurice Isserman, Harrington's biographer.

James Martin, S.J., joins Tim Reidy for a discussion of Walter Ciszek's With God in Russia, which chronicles the imprisonment of an American Jesuit in the Soviet Union. The Vatican recently gave formal approval for Fr. Ciszek's cause for canonization to proceed. The Pennsylvania-born priest spent five years in the notorious Moscow prison, Lubyanka, and later in Siberian work camps. He developed a deep reliance and belief in the providence of God, and risked his life ministering to his fellow prisoners.

Cardinal Roger M. Mahony discusses immigration reform at the L. A. Religious Education Congress. Interview by Kerry Weber.

Thomas J. Scirghi, S.J., talks about his new book, Everything is Sacred: An Introduction to Baptism, on our Easter podcast. Fr. Scirghi explains why baptism is the foundation of the sacramental life of Christians, and addresses controversies surrounding "limbo" and infant baptism.

Excerpts from America's interview with Jeremy Ben-Ami, founder of the Jewish lobby J Street. Read Fr. Raymond Schroth's article on J Street.

Producing "An Encounter with Simone Weil" was a deeply personal experience for Julia Haslett, who spent six years on the project. Here she talks with Associate Editor Kerry Weber about her journey and what she discovered about the French activist and writer. Haslett's film premiers on March 23 at Quad Cinema in New York City. It will be released on DVD this summer.