Walter Ratliff
Encyclopedia
Walter Ratliff is an award-winning journalist and religion scholar based in Washington, DC. He is currently a religion editor and content manager at the Associated Press. In 2011, he won a gold medal for nonfiction war writing in the Reader's Favorite book awards for Pilgrims on the Silk Road: A Muslim-Christian Encounter in Khiva. He was also the producer/director of the documentary Through the Desert Goes Our Journey: The Mennonite Trek to Khiva. Ratliff won an Emmy Award
from the Heartland
chapter of the NATAS
for his work with guitarist Andrew Gingerich and the Bethel College (Kansas)
Concert Choir on the title track of the documentary. His most recent book is Christians and Muslims at the Epicenter: How the Sept.11th Attacks Shook and Transformed American Evangelicalism.
Pilgrims on the Silk Road and Through the Desert Goes Our Journey chronicle the story of Mennonites who fled the Russian Empire
for Central Asia
in search of religious freedom and a refuge from the Tribulation
, and found themselves in the care of a Muslim king
.
Ratliff has worked as a documentary consultant and researcher for German television, including ZDF
and Arte
. At the Associated Press
, he produced a series of documentary reports on Islam in Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood
, Great Britain’s immigrant community
and America’s prisons
. He also won a "Beat of the Week" award for his work on AP's Pope John Paul II multimedia profile.
In 2004, Ratliff earned a master’s degree in Islam and Muslim–Christian Relations from Georgetown
, the leading Jesuit university. This followed an M.A. from Wheaton College
, an Evangelical
institution. He also holds a joint degree in Journalism and Religious Studies from the University of New Mexico
.
In 2001, Ratliff pioneered the use of online video for the Associated Press in Washington, DC, becoming the first to produce reports from AP's Broadcast News Center. Just prior to joining the world’s largest newsgathering organization, he produced a documentary on Muslim-Christian violence in Northern Nigeria
, and covered the funeral of executed human rights leader Ken Saro-Wiwa
in the Niger Delta
region. He also worked closely with Arabs, Israelis and Europeans delivering news from the United States. He began his broadcasting career at KLYT
-FM in Albuquerque, NM, and his journalism career at KOAT-TV
.
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
from the Heartland
Heartland Emmy Awards
Heartland Emmy Awards are a division of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The Highlands Ranch, Colorado division was founded in 1986...
chapter of the NATAS
Natas
Natas may refer to:*King Natas, the villain of the TurboGrafx-16 game Dungeon Explorer*Natas Kaupas, an American professional skateboarder*Natas , a Detroit hip hop group consisting of Esham, Mastamind and T-N-T...
for his work with guitarist Andrew Gingerich and the Bethel College (Kansas)
Bethel College (Kansas)
Bethel College is a private college affiliated with Mennonite Church USA. The college is located on the edge of the Flint Hills and the vast wheat fields of south central Kansas in the town of North Newton...
Concert Choir on the title track of the documentary. His most recent book is Christians and Muslims at the Epicenter: How the Sept.11th Attacks Shook and Transformed American Evangelicalism.
Pilgrims on the Silk Road and Through the Desert Goes Our Journey chronicle the story of Mennonites who fled the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
for Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
in search of religious freedom and a refuge from the Tribulation
Tribulation
The Great Tribulation refers to tumultuous events that are described during the "signs of the times", first mentioned by Jesus in the Olivet discourse...
, and found themselves in the care of a Muslim king
Khanate of Khiva
The Khanate of Khiva was the name of a Uzbek state that existed in the historical region of Khwarezm from 1511 to 1920, except for a period of Persian occupation by Nadir Shah between 1740–1746. It was the patrilineal descendants of Shayban , the fifth son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan...
.
Ratliff has worked as a documentary consultant and researcher for German television, including ZDF
ZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
and Arte
Arte
Arte is a Franco-German TV network. It is a European culture channel and aims to promote quality programming especially in areas of culture and the arts...
. At the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, he produced a series of documentary reports on Islam in Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood
Muslim Brotherhood
The Society of the Muslim Brothers is the world's oldest and one of the largest Islamist parties, and is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states. It was founded in 1928 in Egypt by the Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna and by the late 1940s had an...
, Great Britain’s immigrant community
Islam in the United Kingdom
Islam has been present in the United Kingdom since its formation in 1707, though it was not legally recognised until the Trinitarian Act in 1812. Today it is the second largest religion in the country with estimates suggesting that by 2010 the total Muslim population had reached 2.869 million.The...
and America’s prisons
Rikers Island
Rikers Island is New York City's main jail complex, as well as the name of the island on which it sits, in the East River between Queens and the mainland Bronx, adjacent to the runways of LaGuardia Airport. The island itself is part of the borough of the Bronx, though it is included as part of...
. He also won a "Beat of the Week" award for his work on AP's Pope John Paul II multimedia profile.
In 2004, Ratliff earned a master’s degree in Islam and Muslim–Christian Relations from Georgetown
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, the leading Jesuit university. This followed an M.A. from Wheaton College
Wheaton College (Illinois)
Wheaton College is a private, evangelical Protestant liberal arts college in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago in the United States...
, an Evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
institution. He also holds a joint degree in Journalism and Religious Studies from the University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
.
In 2001, Ratliff pioneered the use of online video for the Associated Press in Washington, DC, becoming the first to produce reports from AP's Broadcast News Center. Just prior to joining the world’s largest newsgathering organization, he produced a documentary on Muslim-Christian violence in Northern Nigeria
Northern Nigeria
Northern Nigeria is a geographical region of Nigeria. It is more arid and less densely populated than the south. The people are largely Muslim, and many are Hausa...
, and covered the funeral of executed human rights leader Ken Saro-Wiwa
Ken Saro-Wiwa
Kenule "Ken" Beeson Saro Wiwa was a Nigerian author, television producer, environmental activist, and winner of the Right Livelihood Award and the Goldman Environmental Prize...
in the Niger Delta
Niger Delta
The Niger Delta, the delta of the Niger River in Nigeria, is a densely populated region sometimes called the Oil Rivers because it was once a major producer of palm oil...
region. He also worked closely with Arabs, Israelis and Europeans delivering news from the United States. He began his broadcasting career at KLYT
KLYT
KLYT is a radio station broadcasting a Christian rock format. Licensed to Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, the station serves the New Mexico area. The station is currently owned by Calvary Chapel of Albuquerque, Inc. Marketed as "Static Radio," the station's format targets listeners ranging from...
-FM in Albuquerque, NM, and his journalism career at KOAT-TV
KOAT-TV
KOAT-TV, channel 7, is an ABC network affiliated television station serving Albuquerque, New Mexico. Its transmitter is located on Sandia Crest, northeast of Albuquerque. Syndicated programming on KOAT includes: Entertainment Tonight, Ellen, The Dr...
.