Podcasts

Paul Moses recounts the remarkable meeting between St. Francis of Assisi and Sultan al-Kamil in the midst of the Fifth Crusade. Moses explores why this meeting was glossed over for so many years, and what the encounter can teach in an era of tense Muslim-Christian relations.

Susan Windley-Daoust, a professor of theology at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, makes the case that birth is not simply an ordeal to endure, but a rich spiritual gift that is comparable in many ways of the prayer life. She argues that while medicine has made great strides in the area of childbirth, it has […]

James Martin, S.J., America‘s culture, editor, looks at the first few seasons of the AMC television show “Mad Men” and the literary and philosophical themes it invokes, from Jean-Paul Sartre and Richard Yates to Flannery O’Connor.

Ethicist Thomas Massaro, S.J., considers the legacy of Ted Kennedy and Robert McNamara, and explores the complexities of bringing the church’s social tradition to bear on political decisions.

Jesuit ethicist Thomas Massaro considers the legacy of Ted Kennedy and Robert McNamara, and explores the complexities of bringing the church’s social tradition to bear on political decisions.

Karen Sue Smith, editorial director of America, reports on obstacles to health care reform and why despite growing opposition the passage of a bill is more likely today than 1994. Also, a closer look at the uninsured. For more on this subject read Karen Smith’s blog posts on the path to health care reform.

Alon Ben-Meir of New York University analyzes U.S. strategy in Afghanistan under President Barack Obama and offers commentary on the upcoming Afghan election. Read Professor Ben-Meir’s article, “Obama’s Long War,” from the August 17-24 issue.

Now the dean of Fordham Law School in New York, William Michael Treanor served for three years in the president’s Office of Legal Counsel, a branch of the executive that was little-known to the general public until legal advisers to President George W. Bush released the infamous “torture memo” in 2002. Treanor, who served under […]

America‘s Book Club reviews Colm Toibin’s Brooklyn, a new novel that chronicles a young Irishwoman’s journey to adulthood in an unfamiliar country. Purchase Brooklyn from amazon.com.

Julie Irwin Zimmerman discusses the difficulties facing Catholics encountering infertility. Too often, she argues, Catholics feel bewildered by the moral implications of the choices offered by the fertility industry. In this environment, the church should do more to reach out to couples weighing these difficult matters, to listen and guide them to a life-affirming decision. […]