This edition of the Journal features three renowned scholars—Cornel West, Serene Jones, and Gary Dorrien—who team-taught a provocative and insightful course called “Christianity and the U.S. Crisis” at Union Theological Seminary. Together they offer a fresh take on what America’s religious traditions and core ethics and values say about the nation’s politics and policies as well as the challenges of balancing capitalism and democracy. The program also checks up on the struggle of food banks and soup kitchens around the nation to feed the growing ranks of those in need. Broadcast date: July 3, 2009. (57 minutes)