We are living in a time of deep division, and this week we have been looking at the forces driving us apart. But people in communities across the country are working to combat this division, and today, we meet some of Iowa's community builders using the tools at their disposal — from giant trolls to the local bar. We meet Gabi Torres and Ari Lewerenz of Clinton, Jessica Bolton of Cedar Rapids, Maggie Reyes of Storm Lake, Byron of Pomeroy and Leslie Jackson and Caroline Peterson of Des Moines.
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In this episode of the 'Talk of Iowa' book club, author Sarah McCammon and expert readers discuss 'The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church.' The book is a blend of memoir and reporting, focusing on McCammon's life growing up in an evangelical church in Missouri and attending an evangelical college before parting ways with the church as a young adult. McCammon also writes about the experiences of other so-called "exvangelicals." (This episode was originally produced April 15, 2025.) -
Democrat Rob Sand is trying to connect with Iowa voters through his Christian faith as he campaigns for governor. He weaves religious references into his stump speech as he explains his positions and values, and that has drawn a strong reaction from some Republicans. -
State officials have denied The Satanic Temple Iowa’s request to hold a holiday event in the Iowa Capitol for the second year in a row, as the state faces a religious discrimination complaint related to last year’s denial.
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Author Sarah McCammon and expert readers discuss The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church.
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Should patient spirituality be considered as a determinant of health? Some public health experts say yes. -
A new Iowa PBS documentary tells the story of the 30 days organizers had to prepare for Pope John Paul II's visit to Iowa in 1979.
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Growing up in a deeply evangelical Midwest family, NPR's Sarah McCammon was strictly taught to fear God, obey him and not question the faith. -
On this Talk of Iowa, we hear the wide-ranging views of Jewish Iowans amid the war in Gaza.
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Growing up in a deeply evangelical Midwest family, NPR's Sarah McCammon was strictly taught to fear God, obey him and not question the faith.
