Churches have always been at the center of American life. Rigid New England pews played host to town meetings before the Revolution and afterward, and today modern megachurches have become virtual towns unto themselves, complete with swimming pools, cafeterias, and counseling centers. Read the rest of this entry »

At the zenith of Muslim dominance in Spain, in the year 997, ruler Mohammed ibn Abu-Amir al-Mansur led a raiding party through the northern parts of the country, marching his troops as far as Santiago de Compostela. There, according to legend, his horse drank holy water from the church fountain while al-Mansur ordered the massive chapel bells hauled some 500 miles, on the backs of Christians, to the southern city of Córdoba, the center of Muslim power. The bells were melted down and made into lamps to illuminate the grand mosque, Córdoba’s most magnificent and revered structure. Read the rest of this entry »

Every fall, thousands of pilgrims and tourists descend on Qufu, in China’s Shandong province, to celebrate the birth of the famed philosopher Confucius. It’s a ritual that has been repeated for 2,500 years at one of the largest historic building sites in China, second only to the once imperial Forbidden City in Beijing. Read the rest of this entry »

EarlBerry may have the unenviable distinction of eating his last meal twice. After consuming a feast of pork chops, sausage, and salad (heavy on the onions), the Mississippi inmate was a mere 19 minutes from meeting his maker before a call from the United States Supreme Court stayed his execution by lethal injection. Read the rest of this entry »