THE ARTS WITHIN RELIGION, an interfaith religion special, will be broadcast Sunday, April 22 on the CBS Television Network.  Please check your local station for exact time.     

            This special  profiles an Islamic Hip-Hop group called Native Deen, who use rap music to promote a message of tolerance and understanding while maintaining their religious and cultural identity. The members, Joshua Salaam, Naeem Muhammad and Abdul-Malik Ahmad call themselves "Native Deen" drawing from the Arabic word "deen" meaning Religion.  Their music and lyrics are meant to inspire peace among Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Naeem says, "I think what they (listeners) will see is that this music is something that they can relate to because it has a sound and feel that they're used to. But we're talking from a different perspective." The segment also features clips from their music video "Small Deeds," and footage from live performances and  a recent recording session.

            The program also looks at "Bharata natyam," the classical dance of South India. This art form originated five thousand years ago in the temples of ancient India. The roots of this tradition are from the Hindu Vedas, the holy books of India. Through a performance and interview with Swati Gupte Bhise, the program explains how this colorful dance is a reflection of the religious and cultural history of India.  It is an oral tradition through which the art form is handed down from one generation to the next, Guru (teacher) to student.  Swati Bhise is one of this traditions foremost performers.  A native of India, Swati now lives in the United States where she performs and teaches, continuing the oral tradition and assumes the role of Guru. 

            The program also features The Church of Holy Apostles soup kitchen, where a weekly arts program was created to foster a sense of community and provide those in need a chance to express themselves through music and art. The Church of Holy Apostles is an Episcopal church located in  New York City and is best known for its ambitious ministry to the hungry. It serves  eleven hundred hot meals a day, five days a week, making it the largest emergency food program in the city.  Since 2005, the church has offered an arts program, known as "ArtSpirit," to guests of the soup kitchen.  We hear from the program's founder, Marion Williams, who shepherds the group from week to week . She is  an artist and a student at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. She says, "It's God working through the person, through their own creative energy. Despite the external circumstances, they still have that spiritual core.  And art can help to open the door to that and channel it into something constructive for their lives." After drumming and rhythmic instruction, the group works with different mediums to create artistic representations of themselves.  Their artwork was recently featured at a gallery exhibition at the Cathedral Church  of St. John the Divine and they have  been invited to participate in services at other churches.  Finally , we hear directly from some members  of the art drumming group, and gain additional insights from the Program Director at Holy Apostles , Reverend Elizabeth Maxwell. 

          John P. Blessington is the executive producer of the special, Liz Kineke is the producer. The special is produced with the cooperation of the National Council of Churches, The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, The Islamic Society of North America, and a consortium of Jewish organizations.

Press Contact:              Jeremy Murphy            212/975-4577              jeremy.murphy@cbs.com