CrossWalk America's podcast Eric Elnes

This is a recording of a 9/16 radio interview on "The God Show" where host Pat McMahon talks with Eric Elnes, CWA Co-Founder, about the emerging Christian faith at the grassroots. Elnes contends that, based on CrossWalk America's experience of walking across the country and meeting with thousands of Christians at the grassroots, the Christian faith looks very different (and hopeful) than media reports suggest.

This week Eric reads from his new book, Asphalt Jesus: Finding a New Christian Faith Along the Highways of America. The book chronicles the surprising and inspiring encounters CrossWalk America walkers had last year as they walked across the U.S. meeting with Christians and the "spiritually homeless" at the grassroots. It offers a VERY different view of Christianity in the U.S. than is typically portrayed in the media and gives those with yearnings for a more inclusive, compassionate Christian faith solid reasons for hope.

Bishop John Shelby Spong writes of Elnes' book, "Asphalt Jesus is as exciting as the adventure it describes ... This is a 'must read' if you are concerned with what is happening to Christianity in the United States."

Asphalt Jesus was just released by Jossey-Bass and is available at your local bookstore and at www.Amazon.com and www.BarnesandNoble.com. For more info go to www.crosswalkamerica.org

Hear public response to CrossWalk America's new film, The Asphalt Gospel film, which is being released in a number of major cities and learn about the release of Dr. Eric Elnes' book, Asphalt Jesus: Finding a New Christian Faith Along the Highways of America, available in bookstores now.

Listen to CrossWalk America's special 1-yr anniversary interview marking the April 16, 2006 commencement of CWA's cross-country walk from Phoenix to Washington, DC! Core walkers give personal updates, share their favorite (and least favorite) experiences, reflect on the ongoing significance of the walk, and fill listeners in on CrossWalk America's exciting present activities and future plans.

CrossWalk America's Dr. Eric Elnes interviews Prof. Joan Roughgarden, evolutionary biologiest from Standford University and author of Faith and Evolution: Reflections of an Evolutionary Biologist. In this interview, Prof. Roughgarden offers a unique perspective on the Creation vs. Evolution debate, pointing to how the biblical faith itself is essentially compatible with modern scientific understandings of evolution.

When it comes to a Christian understanding of Creation, can faith and science coexist? Despite protests by fundamentalists over the Bible being read in light of modern science, the vast majority of the Christian tradition has answered this question with an overwhelming, "Yes!" The biblical worldview itself saw the realms of head and heart as seamlessly integrated.

One significant recent attempt to reclaim this affirmative Christian understanding in the public square is the Clergy Letter Project, headed by Michael Zimmerman - a biology professor and Dean of Students at Butler University in Indianpolis (www.clergyletterproject.org). A couple years ago in response to a local controversy in a public school in Wisconsin, Prof. Zimmerman sent out a letter for clergy to sign who affirmed that faith and evolution are compatible. This letter took on a life of its own and, to date, has been signed by over 10,500 clergy.

In this interview, CrossWalk America's Dr. Eric Elnes and Prof. Michael Zimmerman discusses faith, evolution, "intelligent design," and the Clergy Letter Project's effort to reclaim Christianity's heart AND mind.