Rethinking Religion

Rethinking Religion is the media project of the Institute for Religion, Culture and Public Life at Columbia University. Radio episodes explore the intersection of religion and culture in contemporary society, and form the backbone of this project, though its scope and content continues to evolve. Contributing writers respond to IRCPL’s public events, offering commentary and analysis on religion in the public sphere. Audio podcasts and transcripts of these public events are also available here and at iTunes University.

The most recent project under the Rethinking Religion umbrella is a three-part series of one-hour radio episodes, “New Directions in Prayer.”  All three complete episodes in the series – along with much more information on the topics and guests – are now available below.

The New Directions in Prayer series was made possible through a grant from the Social Science Research Council, with support of the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this program do not necessarily reflect the views of the Social Science Research Council or the John Templeton Foundation.

Links to all Rethinking Religion episodes, including the complete New Directions in Prayer series, are available below:

• New Directions in Prayer – Including the episodes “Trauma and Prayer,” “The Jesus Prayer: An Ancient Christian Prayer in the Context of Community,” and “Islamic Prayer: Body, Community, and Spirit.”
• The Harlem Renaissance: Music, Religion, and the Politics of Race –  Josef Sorett, Farah Griffin, Obery M. Hendricks Jr, Dan Morgenstern, Reverend Calvin O. Butts III, Bishop Charles E. Wright, Carl Hancock Rux, Courtney Bryan, Jose James, Sarah McLawler, Malaika Adero
• New Media in Iran – Nazila Fathi, Kelly Golnoush Niknejad, Omid Memarian, Mehdi Yahyanejad
• Religion, Imagination and Writing – Salman Rushdie
• Literature and Terror – Philip Gourevitch, Errol Morris
• Rescue and Relief – George Rupp, Ruth Messinger, Amanya Ebye
• A Secular Age – Charles Taylor, Akeel Bilgrami
• Covering Conflict – Jon Meacham, James Traub, David Shipley

Norris J. Chumley, Executive Producer and Series Radio Host