Iowa Public Television

Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly

Episode #140

In this episode, the following topics were covered: News Item: House Vote Religious Freedom Amendment -- The controversial Religious Freedom Amendment was scheduled for a House vote this week. The Republican backed proposal sponsored by Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK) calls for constitutional protection for voluntary self-initiated prayer in school, allowing the posting of the en Commandments in public spaces and protecting the display of religious symbols in public spaces. The bill received additional momentum when the Christian Coalition recently announced that they were contributing more than $500,000 to support the proposed legislation. Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly correspondent Paul Miller reports on the vote's outcome and looks at the Religious Right's drive to get the bill passed. Cover Story: Tobacco and the Church: Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly takes an in-depth look at the relationship between tobacco growers and the church. RENW contributing correspondent and former NBC News correspondent John Dancy visits a small town in North Carolina and talks to some of the families that have been tobacco farmers for generations and religious figures about the ethical conflicts facing tobacco farmers. Feature: Founding Fathers Exhibit - What part did religion play in the founding of the United States? Answers can be found in an exciting and comprehensive exhibit opening this week at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly takes a peek at the display Religion and the Founding of the American Republic and talks with Librarian of Congress James Billington about the exhibit and the founders' thoughts on the separation of church and state. [26 minutes]

This episode has not aired in the past few months on Iowa Public Television.