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If you need to get a daily fix of religious-related news, where are you going to go? Real Clear Religion, of course! Jeremy Lott, the editor of Real Clear Religion and other related news portals, joins us to chat about how the Interwebs have changed the way we hear about religious news. He reveals the history of the “Real Clear” network of news sites (or “intelligent aggregators”) and how RCR fits into that general model of internet sites. We then talk about the various media trends Jeremy has seen over the years, including some discussion on the state of religion & politics and the upcoming election.

You can receive our podcast free of charge every Monday by subscribing through iTunes or using our RSS feed (see icons to the right). And “like” us on Facebook for updates.

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We celebrate our 100th episode with return guest Margarita Mooney discussing Pope Benedict XVI’s historic visit to Cuba. We cover the religious landscape of this island nation since the 1959 revolution and the everyday hardships that both religious and non-religious people must endure, as well as the slow religious opening that has been occuring for the past two decades. Pope John Paul II’s visit is also discussed, but the majority of our discussion is reserved for the impact that Pope Benedict’s visit had on the Catholic faithful. Prof. Mooney details Benedict’s “Homily in Havana” and relates some vivid stories from people still living in Cuba.

With 100 free episodes now published, invite your friends to search through our archives! Link to us on Facebook.

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How often has a pope willingly resigned from his position? In our interview with Jon Sweeney, we get insight into the life and times of Peter Morrone (a.k.a., Pope Celestine V) who reigned for 15 weeks in 1294 before quitting his post just before Christmas. This fascinating tale of a spiritual hermit who lived a humble life, yet ascended to the papacy in one of the more incredible tales of the Church’s history, reveals the 13th century struggles between the ecclesia spiritualis (spiritual Church) and the ecclesia carnalis (the worldly church of power). It also tells us a great deal about our contemporary religious life.

Please visit our archives for more great interviews, and tell your friends of this incredible free library of information!

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What does religious faith have to do with environmental stewardship? Rev. Fletcher Harper of GreenFaith joins us to discuss the history and work of his ecumenical environmental advocacy organization. We cover the biblical basis for environmental stewardship and explore why religious groups have been relative latecomers to the “green movement.” Rev. Harper also discusses the various projects GreenFaith has been involved in and how his group has been received by members of other religious communities and the secular environmental movement. Our podcast also explores the relationship between religious individuals and the government when it comes to improving environmental quality. Rev. Harper makes the case that it is important not only to change the culture, but to get the incentives right if Christians and other faith traditions want to make a positive impact on society.

Know of anybody you think should appear on the show? Email the host at tgill (at) uw (dot) edu.

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Pastor Doug Johnston of the First Baptist Church of Redmond (Washington) recalls various tales about his six mission trips to Romania. These short trips, each roughly ten days, were designed to support the Emmanual Baptist Church, its orphanage, and the Timisoara Bible Baptist Institute. Pastor Doug relates the purpose of those trips, various observations he made about Romanian religiosity and culture, and even tells us how an inflatable, remote-controlled shark becomes a vital missionary tool.

As we approach 100 episodes, please tell your friends about our free & extensive archive using the social media links below.

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