A Five Part Series from TTBOOK!

Public Radio International

Wisconsin Public Radio

TALKING ACROSS RELIGIONS

Program 08-03-23-A

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Imagine a country where Islam is the dominant religion but Christians, Jews and Muslims still live together peacefully – a place where philosophers from all three religions talk and debate openly. Well, there was once such a culture in the Middle Ages. For centuries, Al Andalus was the beacon of European civilization. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge we'll talk with novelist and historian Tariq Ali about this remarkable culture.

SEGMENT 1:

Tariq Ali is a historian, novelist and political commentator. He talks with Steve Paulson about Al-Andalus, the largely forgotten Muslim society on the peninsula that's now Spain and Portugal where Christians, Jews and Muslims once lived together in relative harmony. Also, three women - Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver and Priscilla Warner- a Muslim, a Christian and a Jew- tell Jim Fleming how they came together after 9-11 with the goal of writing a children's book and shared their experiences and religious perspectives. Their book is called "The Faith Club."

SEGMENT 2:

We revisit the biblical story of Abraham and Isaac, then Bruce Chilton, professor of religion at Bard College and author of "Abraham's Curse" tells Steve Paulson why the story of Abraham and Isaac has inspired generations of religious martyrs. According to Chilton, martyrdom is a misinterpretation of the message of the story in all three Abrahamic religions.

SEGMENT 3:

Peter Bebergal and Scott Korb are writers who became friends around such secular interests as sex, rock-n-roll and popular culture. Then they discovered they're both alive to the search for God and their friendship deepened. Peter is Jewish and Scott grew up Catholic. Together they've written a book called "The Faith Between Us." They talk with Anne Strainchamps about how their friendship developed and the role faith played in it.

CD copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 08-03-23-A.

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Books:

Peter Bebergal & Scott Korb, The Faith Between Us: A Jew and a Catholic Search for the Meaning of God (Bloomsbury)
Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver, Priscilla Warner, The Faith Club: A Muslim, A Christian, A Jew – Three Women Search for Understanding (Gale Group)
Bruce Chilton, Abraham's Curse : The Roots of Violence in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (Doubleday)

Music:

• Return: Anouar Brahem w/ “Un point blue”
  On “Le pas du chat noir”
  ECM Records

• After Ali:
  Musafir w/ “Moria Badnawa”
  On “Dhola Maru”
  Sounds True

• After Faith Club:
  Haran w/ “Ven Hermosa”
  On “Pharaoh’s Daughter”
  Oy!hoo Records

• Before Chilton:
  Genesis 22 excerpts from “The Bible Experience”
  Zondervan

• After Chilton:
  Joan Baez w/ “Isaac & Abraham”
  On “Play Me Backwards”
  Virgin Records

• After Bebergal & Korb:
  Neutral Milk Hotel w/ “Two-Headed Boy, Part Two”
  On “In the Aeroplane over the Sea”
  Merge Records

• Close:
  Anouar Brahem w/ “C’est ailleurs”
  On “Le pas du chat noir”
  ECM Records

Distribution dates: week of 03/23/2008 - hour 1

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Questions and comments can be addressed to: flemingj@wpr.org

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