Robert Putnam, the Peter and Isabel Malkin Professor of Public Policy at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government will give a lecture on the role of religion in public life. His 2010 book 'American Grace: How Religion Divides Us and Unites Us,' co-authored with David Campbell, distills data from two of the most comprehensive national surveys on religion and civic engagement ever conducted. Some of their conclusions in the book:

• Even in the midst of the greatest economic crisis since the Depression, religion's influence has largely held steady.

• The God Gap is as wide as ever, as religion and right-wing politics remain tightly intertwined.

• Even though the Tea Party movement is characterized by a relentless desire to shrink the size of government, what really distinguishes rank-and-file Tea Party supporters from other Americans and even other Republicans, is their desire to bring more God into government.

• The withdrawal of young people from organized religion has accelerated over the last five years. And the primary reason for this creeping secularism is the ever-tightening connection between religion and right-wing politics.

Putnam's talk is part of the Deitchman Family Lectures on Religion and Modernity.