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February 2, 2016

Covering Religion and Politics

Lessons from Pope Francis' Visit and for the 2016 Campaign

Covering Religion and Politics
The day after the Iowa Caucuses, three respected young journalists examined the timeless topic of religion and politics and their experiences at the intersection of media, faith, and public life. Following Pope Francis' visit and in the midst of a surprising presidential campaign, what are the links between religious convictions and voters' choices and the connections between Catholic principles and public policy?
The Salt and Light Gathering was specifically for Catholic policy professionals and leaders under 40 and those interested in learning about the intersection of Catholic Social Thought and public policy. The panel included Time correspondent Elizabeth Dias, USA Today columnist and Fox contributor Kirsten Powers, and NBC News correspondent Luke Russert. John Carr, director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life, opened the discussion and Angela Miller McGraw, program director of the Initiative, moderated the discussion.

Elizabeth Dias is a Time magazine religion correspondent and author of What Did Jesus Ask?: Christian Leaders Reflect on His Questions of Faith.

Kirsten Powers
is a columnist for USA Today, contributor on Fox News, and author of The Silencing: How the Left is Killing Free Speech.

Luke Russert
is a Washington reporter and congressional correspondent for NBC News and host of "The Briefing" on msnbc.com.