Marianne Williamson was Googled more than any other candidate after last week's Democratic debate. Voters liked her call for "some deep truth-telling" and a "politics that speaks to the heart." But to understand Williamson's words, we need to first understand A Course in Miracles, the almost 1,300 page spiritual text she has built a career on interpreting.
Williamson has become a self-appointed guru of a text that claims no hierarchy, organizational structure, or leader. Its authority comes directly from Jesus, channeled through a clinical psychologist who heard the words in her dreams. Course hit a cultural nerve in the counterculture of the 1960's, especially among intellectuals and celebrities looking to find more love and empathy in their lives.
Williamson promotes love and kindness in a world that feels increasingly hostile. Can she ride it to the presidency?
GUESTS:
- Sam Kestenbaum - Independent journalist who writes about religion for The New York Times and a contributing editor for The Forward.
- Jon Mundy - Author of several self-help books based on A Course in Miracles, former university lecturer, and the publisher of Miracles magazine; he’s the Executive Director of All Faith Seminary International in New York City
- Russell Graves - One time student of A Course in Miracles
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Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.
