April 2010
40 posts
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City of Endangered Languages →
Nancy Rosenbaum, associate producer
This article (and a multimedia feature) on immigrants who speak near-extinct languages in New York City reminded me of our show with David Treuer. In some cases, there are greater numbers of people who speak these languages in NYC than in the countries where these languages originally developed:
“At a Roman Catholic Church in the Morrisania section of...
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A Taste of South African Music →
Chris Heagle, producer
The music used in this week’s show with Desmond Tutu is really worth checking out. I’ve included a couple extra tracks that weren’t used in the final production. I found them to be powerful examples of how music can help people deal with even the most extreme adversity.
The first is the heart-breaking “Senzeni Na?,” which I wrote about last...
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“I tell the women how deeply I believe there’s no such thing as false hope: all...”
– — Katherine Russell Rich, from her article “17 Years Later, Stage 4 Survivor Is Savoring a Life Well Lived” in today’s New York Times. She is the author of Dreaming in Hindi: Coming Awake in Another Language and The Red Devil: To Hell With Cancer — and Back.
Trent Gilliss, online editor
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Brian McLaren's New Kind of Christianity →
Trent Gilliss, online editor
Had a chance to hear Brian McLaren speak on Minnesota Public Radio (yes, on the radio!) today on the way to the airport. I found his personal story and way of thinking quite compelling — and delightfully so.
In his closing comments, he reflects on the upcoming 500th anniversary of Martin Luther posting his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of a Wittenberg church — and...
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"When The 'Trust Hormone' Is Out Of Balance" →
Trent Gilliss, online editor
If you heard Alix Spiegel’s recent report on All Things Considered last week and listen to our podcast, you probably recognized the name of Paul Zak. We interviewed the neuroeconomist last summer for our show, “The Science of Trust: Economics and Virtue,” in which he spoke in greater detail about the the powerful influence of “the moral...
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Developing a New Lifeline for Alzheimer's...
Nancy Rosenbaum, associate producer
Ina and Arnie Feidelman, January 2000. Arnie was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s the following month.
The perspectives of people caring for loved ones with Alzheimer’s is “worthy of a show unto itself,” as Krista put it. Indeed, many of the people who wrote to us when we first released “Alzheimer’s, Memory, and Being”...
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A Song that Fueled a Revolution Chris Heagle,...
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WatchEarth Day with Eyjafjallajökull Colleen Scheck, senior producer
On Earth Day’s past, I’ve often focused my thoughts on how to lessen my carbon footprint, and on the destructive impact of modern human activity on our planet. Today, though, I’m thinking more about the Earth’s impact on humans. The erupting Eyjafjallajökull makes Earth Day 2010 all feel a bit ironic.
With...
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“My decision today is not based on a finding that you violated Georgia law, or on...”
– —NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, in his letter to Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Goodell handed “Big Ben” a six-game suspension in his most recent action against a player violating the National Football League’s personal conduct policy. Goodell called...
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Restoring Life's Balance Through Soil and Friends
Christopher Calderhead, guest contributor
I live in a rented New York City apartment. The only outdoor space I have access to, besides the sidewalk, is the paved alley alongside my building. And, like many of my neighbors, I use this shared outdoor space for all sorts of activities that don’t fit in a small apartment. As I write, a teen-aged neighbor is practicing his Junior ROTC drill...
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Piper to Warren: Why Thinking Biblically Matters...
Trent Gilliss, online editor
Collin Hansen’s article in Christianity Today points out that pastor John Piper’s invitation may reveal a larger split within the Evangelical community, and a backlash against Saddleback pastor Rick Warren:
“You see, a lot of folks who like John don’t like Rick. So now some of John’s friends aren’t sure they want to hang out with...
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Last Protestant on the Supreme Court?
Shubha Bala, associate producer
Members of the U.S. Supreme Court pose for a group photograph on September 29, 2009. Front row (l-r): Anthony M. Kennedy, John Paul Stevens, John G. Roberts, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas. Back row (l-r): Samuel Alito Jr., Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor. (photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
On April 9th, Justice Stevens announced his upcoming...
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Humming a BBC Melody in Fascist Portugal
Maria Clara Paulino, guest contributor
In response to Speaking of Faith’s show about the brutality of regimes around the world and the question of the people who disappear — and their children — I thought I would share with you a scene from my childhood in Portugal during the country’s fascist regime that lasted for almost 40 years and ended in 1974.
I wake up in the middle of the...
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"Indulgence" →
Krista Tippett, host
I think Hendrik Hertzberg’s commentary in today’s New Yorker is the smartest, most succinct piece of writing on the Catholic abuse crisis I have seen. His first paragraph is a perfect, classic scene setter:
“On October 31, 1517, a Roman Catholic priest and theologian, Dr. Martin Luther, put the finishing touches on a series of bullet points and, legend has...
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Unearthing Mysteries of the Human Experience
Krista Tippett, host
I’m often asked about our process for choosing people and topics. The answer goes something like this. We are always juggling a number of priorities — responding to what is happening in the world; getting to subjects of enduring interest that we feel we can draw out in a distinctive way; bringing important voices on to the show, some of them famous, but more often...
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"'Einstein's God' Author Finds Spirit and Science... →
Trent Gilliss, online editor
Dan Vergano of USA Today’s Science Fair blog reviews Krista’s new book, and likes it:
“For science fans looking for a new way to look at some of their favorite topics, the book is a treasure trove of insights into how scientists see the world. For anyone scared of science, the conversations open a stained-glass window into the adventurous side of...
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