washingtonpost.com and Newsweek's On Faith Introduce New Blogs by Special Olympics Chairman Timothy Shriver & Portfolio Contributing Editor Claire Hoffman

Business Wire, Feb 11, 2008

Explore Role of Religion and Spirituality in Public Action and News

WASHINGTON -- On Faith, the joint washingtonpost.com and Newsweek special section devoted to the convergence of religion and news, introduces blogs by Timothy Shriver and Claire Hoffman, advancing On Faith's mission to understand the roles that religion and spirituality play in shaping culture, politics and news.

One of the driving forces that pushed Chairman of the Special Olympics and author of On Faith's "Religion From the Heart" Timothy Shriver throughout his life and in his career is the search for purpose--the search to make sense of the larger world and his place within it. Today, the passion that has driven Shriver to help 2.5 million Special Olympics athletes realize their dreams has only made his search for meaning more intense. In "Religion From the Heart" Shriver will explore the ways that faith and spirituality help to drive public action, welcoming readers of all backgrounds to participate in the dialogue.

Shriver, a leading educator in youth development, created the New Haven Public Schools' Social Development Project, the preeminent school-based prevention effort in the United States, and co-founded and currently chairs the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning. He holds both master's and doctorate degrees in religion and education and is the recipient of numerous honors. As a co-producer of Hollywood films and with work appearing in The New York Times, The Washington Post and education journals, Shriver has brought spirituality and public action to the forefront of mainstream media and will provide a rich perspective on On Faith.

Complementing Shriver and the diverse array of religious leaders and scholars who contribute to On Faith, Claire Hoffman's blog "Under God" offers her unique viewpoint on the actions that nations and individuals take in the name of religion. A Contributing Editor to Portfolio magazine who has also written for The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and Rolling Stone, Hoffman plans to focus online on the way religious beliefs influence everything from campaigns, legislation, and armed conflicts, to trials over textbooks, blockbuster movies and the latest deals on Wall Street.

Hoffman, who received a master's degree from the University of Chicago's Divinity school, will include a variety of voices--from religious scholars, to her ten-year-old nephew--in her daily posts as a way of connecting people from all backgrounds and examining religion's role in the news and in everyday affairs.

"More than a conversation about religion, On Faith examines the spiritual issues that drive individuals and shape global events," said Sally Quinn, Founder and Co-moderator of On Faith. "Tim Shriver and Claire Hoffman's voices will expose faith's role in public action and the news, complimenting our diverse panel of scholars, religious and political figures, journalists and celebrities."

To visit On Faith see the following link:

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/

About On Faith

As a global interactive online feature on washingtonpost.com and Newsweek.com, On Faith tackles one of the world's most pervasive yet least understood topics by offering varied perspectives and open dialogue. Each week moderators Sally Quinn of The Washington Post and Newsweek Editor Jon Meacham post a question for On Faith's more than one hundred panelists of varying faiths from around the world. The result is a global multi-denominational conversation that readers can join by offering their own opinions and by posting comments and questions at any time.

About Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive (WPNI)

The online publishing subsidiary of The Washington Post (NYSE:WPO), Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive strives to produce thought-provoking and engaging content on its suite of Web sites, which include washingtonpost.com, Newsweek.com, Slate.com, TheRoot.com, Budget Travel Online and Sprig.com. Reaching a combined 16 million unique users each month, WPNI aims to inform and to stimulate debate while encouraging audience participation.

The company is headquartered in Arlington, VA.