Corwin E. Smidt is a research fellow at the Paul B. Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics and a professor of political science at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich. He is author, editor or co-author of books on religion and public life, including In God We Trust? Religion and American Political […]

The Rev. Nihal C. deLanerolle is a professor of neurosurgery and neurobiology at Yale University School of Medicine and chaplain-in-residence of the Episcopal Church at Yale in New Haven, Conn. A specialist in the analysis of human seizure foci, he believes that the dialogue between science and religion informs and clarifies assumptions of both endeavors.

The Rev. Traci West is professor of ethics and African-American studies at Drew University in Madison, N.J. Among her specialties are welfare policy and justice issues in church and society. She wrote the entry “Agenda for the Churches: Uprooting a National Policy of Morally Stigmatizing Poor Single Black Moms” for the book Welfare Policy: (Feminist Critiques).

The Rev. Thomas J. Massaro is dean of the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, Calif. He wrote the book Catholic Social Teaching and United States Welfare Reform. He also co-wrote the article “Compassion in Action: A Letter to President Bush on Social Policy” for the journal America (2001).

Read a statement from the Center for Media and Democracy’s PR Watch saying the budget worried Ryan’s former parish priest.

Watch a commentary from Word on Fire comparing Ryan’s budget with Catholic social teaching.

Rabbi Deborah Brin and the Nahalat Shalom Jewish community are involved in peace and reconciliation work in Albuquerque, N.M.

Rabbi James L. Mirel is chair of the Washington Coalition of Rabbis. He co-authored, with local Muslim and Christian leaders, a Seattle Times column urging moderate Jews, Christians and Muslims to persuade the American government to engage actively in pursuing peace between Israelis and Palestinians. He is rabbi of Temple B’nai Torah (Reform) in Bellevue, Wash.