Every so often, there is a swell of complaints that America has strayed from its Christian roots. But others question whether the U.S. was ever designed to be a Christian nation. Notre Dame historians Mark Noll and George Marsden, authors of many works on early American history and on evangelical Christianity, consider current interpretations of the founding fathers. Skot Welch is guest host.

Too many people trudge through life battling mental accusations that trap them in destructive cycles. Anneshia Freeman, an addiction counselor with Arbor Circle in Grand Rapids, describes how she helps people identify what may be blocking them from a more positive lifestyle. Shirley Hoogstra hosts.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) often function better in developing countries by working around broken governmental systems. But could more people be helped if the NGOs focused on fixing the broken systems? Calvin sociology department's Kurt Ver Beek, co-founder of the Association for a More Just Society, describes his team's inclusive approach to justice in Honduras. Shirley Hoogstra hosts.

We hear about prisoners, but not so often from prisoners. When bestselling novelist Wally Lamb (She’s Come Undone, I Know This Much is True) tried his hand at teaching prisoners to write, he had no idea how many lives would be impacted. Hear how their compelling personal stories were published after considerable opposition from the prison. Karen Saupe hosts.

Out of curiosity, a woman walks into a church. She’s offered communion, and it changes her life. She ends up turning the feast into a food pantry, which nurtures others (as well as herself) beyond what she ever imagined. Sara Miles, director of St. Gregory's Food Pantry in San Francisco, shares thoughts from her memoirs Take This Bread and Jesus Freak: Feeding Healing Raising the Dead. Karen Saupe hosts.

Imagine being asked to take charge of one of the bloodiest prisons in America, where cell-mates chose to sleep in shifts in order to protect each other. Burl Cain, Prison Warden of the Louisiana State Penitentiary (also known as Angola) was given this charge, and became committed to changing the reputation of the prison. He describes his winning mixture of devotion and discipline. Shirley Hoogstra hosts.

People across Africa were actually living well until European colonialists took control of the natural resources to enhance their own wealth. Now that the occupiers are gone, new governments are still sending wealth offshore--into personal foreign bank accounts! Economist George Ayittey, President of the Free Africa Foundation and author of Africa Unchained: the Blueprint for Africa’s Future, shares his ideas for how Africa can take control of its own riches, starting in the village square. Karen Saupe hosts.

Journalists have been embedded in military units since the early stages of the Iraq War. While this positions them to show the complexities of war, it also exposes them to more danger. CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozier, author of Breathing the Fire: Fighting to Report--and Survive--the War in Iraq, shares her perspective on the benefits and costs, including the day she and her colleagues became the top news story. Karen Saupe hosts.

The US Constitution guarantees a host of freedoms. But as we watch the economic freedom of some people come at the expense of other people, many Americans are wondering if capitalism can exist more fairly. Arthur Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute, suggests who deserves the blame that the free enterprise system gets these days. Karen Saupe hosts.

We call it the Holy Land, and it’s an extremely important region to followers of several religions. But the relationships within it are anything but holy. Archbishop Elias Chacour of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church in Galilee has spent his life building bridges between the groups with amazing success. His landmark school for Jewish, Christian, and Muslim children reveals a story of unwavering vision for peace. Shirley Hoogstra hosts.