Faithfully Liberal scores an interview with Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.

Q: How will faith play a role for the 2008 Democratic candidates during the primary and then for the eventual nominee for the general election?

A: The ever growing scandals in the Bush administration has helped to weaken the authority of the Christian right. It is hard to claim to be on the side of righteousness after the war in Iraq, Katrina and the treatment of veterans. Moreover, none of the Republican candidates have as yet captured the passion or commitment of the religious right.

In contrast, the religious left is growing in strength as they have joined with the right on particular policy questions. And, a number of the Democratic presidential candidates have hired staff to conduct outreach to the religious community. My hope is that my book—Failing America’s Faithful and similar books will help to shift the debate from a narrow morality to one that is more inclusive with a greater attention to the common good.

Along with Keith Olbermann, JSpot takes umbrage that DeLay compares himself to the Jews in Germany by associating the people who disagree with him with Hitler.

The Rev. Chuck Currie remembers former Sen. Thomas Eagleton who cared about faith and politics and stopping war.

And the Pastor Dan, of the Street Prophets notes the trouble for Christian theologians that supported the Iraq war on the basis of just war theory.

Weighing in on that, Dr. Bruce Prescott of Mainstream Baptist calls Richard Land the Court Priest for the War Denomination. And he gets some angry comments. . .

And with a Street Prophets diary, kingdomemariner notes the power drunkeness of not-so-focused-on-the-family James Dobson.

Racking up the comments, Amy Sullivan blogs again at God's Politics, quoting polls showing that Republicans don't own evangelicals.

Eamon takes on the myth of abstinence-only education.

City of Brass notes the new Islamophere blog.

Catholics United for the Common Good calls for small farmer support.

Danny Fisher remembers the official Buddhist chaplain for the 1984 Olympic Games.

The Rev. Debra W. Haffner just got back from the National Religious Leaders Roundtable of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

Provoke Radio has a show on Corporate Social Responsibility: Beyond the Bottom Line.

Independent Catholic priest Even the Devils Believe saw Into Great Silence and loved it.

Power to the churches -- Philocrates gives you "this week in UUworld.org"

Here's a little scripture comic from Radical Torah.

Check it out! WoodMoor Village is getting ready for his Faith in Public LIVE blog exchange with the Rev. Eric Elnes.

A bona fide invitation to engage in a conversation about public discourse and religion. Cool, eh? Since this semester I'm teaching RHET365: Rhetoric of Religion, this conversation dovetails quite well with the curriculum and with my own scholarly interests.

What might I be able to contribute? I ask because, as I hinted at above, and as I make clear in my about pages, mine is a non-religious voice. I identify more readily as atheist and deeply agnostic, certainly as "Zen Humanist" or "Post-Humanist" whatever that might mean (I'm well aware that a post on that is seriously needed). Again, what might I bring to this exchange? Mostly questions. To be sure, goodwill, compassion, kindness, and good looks too... ahem (sorry, I can't take myself too seriously). Persistent questions about how we might best live together with all our comprehensive views, identities, and dispositions in plural democratic society. I believe in building bridges, and these conversations can help in that regard. Moreover, my ethical inclinations, as well as my academic/scholarly interests come together precisely around questions of the formative power of public discourse, especially religious discourse, and also on questions of political thought and democratic life. I'm always intrigued by arguments about democratic deliberation.

Over at CrossWalk America, the Rev. Eric Elnes writes: "Starting Thursday and continuing for the next several days, we’ll be conversing on how to account for America’s religious diversity in talk of religion and progressive politics. "

It's coming tomorrow. . .here.