Bishop Mark Hanson, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and President of Lutheran World Federation outside his home. Photo: Stephan Crasneanscki, ©2007

ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson is one of 12  "of the world's most influential religious leaders" featured in a Prime time two-hour television special event on CBS, December 23 -- "In God's Name." Produced by Jules and Gedeon Naudet, the diverse and powerful voices offer provocative, compelling and enlightening perspectives on myriad issues in our post-9/11 world, including the rise of terrorism, fanaticism, intolerance and war.

"In God's Name" will explore the complex questions of our time through the intimate thoughts and beliefs of 12 of the world's most influential spiritual leaders, together for the first time in one program. The two-hour special will be broadcast in December on the CBS Television Network.

On the day of the terrorist attacks in September 2001, Jules and Gedeon Naudet were caught in the collapse of the World Trade Center. Jules was shooting inside when the South Tower fell. "On Sept. 11, we faced death and thought we had lost each other," said Jules Naudet. "This harrowing experience was the first step in a journey that would take us around the world searching for answers to the meaning of life." It also led to their production of the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning film "9/11" for the CBS.

This time the brothers' quest took them to Egypt, England, India, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Russia and the Vatican, as well as Illinois and South Carolina.

"We chose these 12 leaders because of the vast number of believers -- more than 4 billion -- that their faiths represent," said Gedeon Naudet. "We also wanted to explore the diversity of spirituality in our world today."

The program marks the first time that this distinct group of leaders has appeared in one broadcast. These spiritual beacons speak out about violence and hatred and reveal their own thoughts about faith, peace, unity, tolerance and hope. Viewers will see them in intimate settings, including their homes and personal places of worship. Ultimately, through the eyes of these 12 very different religious figures, the filmmakers discover the common ground among believers around the world.

The 12 leaders featured in this special, in alphabetical order, are:

• Alexei II, Patriarch of Moscow and head of the Russian Orthodox Church

• Amma (Mata Amritanandamayi), a Hindu spiritual leader

• Pope Benedict XVI, head of the Roman Catholic Church

• The Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso), spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists

• Ayatollah Muhammad Hussein Fadlallah, a prominent Shi'ite Muslim leader

• Bishop Mark Hanson, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and President of the Lutheran World Federation

• Michihisa Kitashirakawa, Jingu Daiguji (High Priest) of the Shinto Grand Shrine of Ise

• Yona Metzger, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel

• Dr. Frank Page, President of the Southern Baptist Convention

• Muhammad Sayyed Tantawi, Sheikh of Al-Azhar and a prominent Sunni Muslim leader

• Joginder Singh Vedanti, Jathedar of the Akal Takht, the Sikhs' highest authority

• Dr. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury and head of the Church of England

Read the ELCA New Release

Photos are available on http://www.cbspressexpress.com

Read the CBS Press Release