A Minister From a Political Background Examines the Roots of the Debate of Religion in Politics

Thursday, October 4, 2007

KPBS Public Broadcasting

Audio

Aired 4/19/09

Tom Fudge: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

That's from the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution. And it's given us the impression that our Founding Fathers were unanimous in their views that politics should stay out of religion, and vice versa.

But minister and religious scholar Forrest Church has written a new book that shows the dispute over the role of Christianity in civil society was this country's first culture war. Church comes from a very political family. His father was Senator Frank Church of Idaho, and his grandfather was governor of the state. That political background didn't prevent Forrest from going into religion.

Today he's minister of public theology for the Unitarian Church of All Souls in Manhattan. And he's author of the book So Help Me God: The Founding Fathers and the First Great Battle Over Church and State .

Church will hold a discussion and book signing tonight (Oct. 4) at 7 p.m. at the First Unitarian Church of San Diego at 4190 Front St., San Diego, 92103. The event is open to the public. Call (619) 298-9978 for more details.

Guest

  • Forrest Church , minister of Public Theology for Unitarian Church of All Souls in Manhattan, and author of So Help Me God: The Founding Fathers and the First Great Battle Over Church and State .

Forgot your password?

Become a member and save

© 2012 KPBS