Religion and Progressive Politics in 2008

By - Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life
Monday, May 05, 2008 - Web Link
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May 1, 2008

Event Transcript

JOHN GREEN: Welcome to the Religion and Politics ’08 discussion series from the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. I’m John Green, senior fellow on religion and American politics at the Forum. Today we’ll be discussing religion and progressive politics in the 2008 election.

A variety of religious voices have been prominent in the 2008 presidential campaign, and to the surprise of many observers, these voices include religious activists with liberal and progressive perspectives. Who are these activists? Where do they come from, and what impact might they have on the 2008 election?

To help answer these questions, we have three distinguished guests. Laura Olson is a professor of political science at Clemson University and has done extensive research on religion and American politics. She is the author of a forthcoming book with the working title of Generals Without an Army: The Protestant Left in American Politics.

Jennifer Butler is the Executive Director of Faith in Public Life. She is an ordained Presbyterian minister and recently represented her church at the United Nations. She is the author of the book, Born Again: The Christian Right Globalized.

Chris Korzen is the Executive Director of Catholics United. He was in charge of the Catholic Voting Project in 2004 and 2005, and is co-author of the forthcoming book, A Nation for All: How the Catholic Vision of the Common Good Can Save America from the Politics of Division.