Some have called Flannery O'Connor our only great Christian writer, a Catholic from the Deep South who said her subject was "the action of grace in territory held largely by the devil."

Forty-five years after her death, how do Flannery O'Connor's views about the South, race, violence, Catholicism, and Christian realism hold up?

Brad Gooch is the author of Flannery O'Connor's biography FLANNERY: A LIFE OF FLANNER O'CONNOR. In describing his experience of writing the book, he says, "...I didn't have that biographer's being in love with your subject and then being let

Ralph Wood is a professor of theology and literature at Baylor University and author of FLANNERY O'CONNOR AND THE CHRIST-HAUNTED SOUTH. He recalls the first time he read A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND: "...I said to myself, if

Father Thomas Joseph White's decision to become a priest in the Dominican order was influenced in part by the writings of Flannery O'Connor. "Reading Flannery O'Connor for the first time did change my life a little bit. I mean it

As many of us prepare for Thanksgiving this coming week (November 26), sobering news about the rise of hunger. A new report from the Department of Agriculture says 49 million Americans had inadequate access to food this past year. That's

In Rome, a UN meeting on global hunger left many religious groups and humanitarian organizations disappointed. The three-day summit drew many top officials, including Pope Benedict XVI. Benedict told the leaders that fighting hunger is a moral responsibility. Still, the

The annual hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca begins this coming week (November 26), and many Muslims embarking on the journey are contending with fears of swine flu. Those arriving in Saudi Arabia are undergoing health screenings and check-ups. More than

Human rights and religious freedom activists say President Obama didn't take a strong enough stand on their issues during his visit to China. In meetings with Chinese officials, the president did encourage China to accept what he called universal rights,

The US Catholic bishops held their annual fall meeting this past week (November 16-18) and reaffirmed their positions on several controversial social issues. They approved a pastoral letter emphasizing that "true marriage" can involve only a man and a woman.