Hello and welcome to the Economist's Ask, I'm your host Anne McElvoy and this week we're

asking what's the role of religion in a divided society?

I'm here in New York City to meet the most reverent Michael Curry.

He's the first African-American presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, the American branch

of Anglicanism.

He's been active in many arguments often fraught ones in the church about gay marriage and

he's also described President Trump's America First Doctrine as Theological Heresy.

He sparked a debate along the way about the role of religion in an era of populism and

of Donald Trump.

His renowned outside the ranks of the faithful sawdust May when he gave a very spirited

sermon at the marriage of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.

Imagine this tidal world when love is the way, when love is the way, unselfish, sacrificial,

redemptive, when love is the way, then no child will go to bed hungry in this world ever

again.

When love is the way, we will let justice roll down like a mighty stream and righteousness

like an ever-flowing group.

When love is the way, poverty will become history.

When love is the way the earth will be a sanctuary.

When love is the way, we will lay down our swords and shields down by the riverside to study

war.

No more.

And he became world famous overnight and water-ized in a Saturday night life sketch to boot.

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