Eric Liddell: The Olympian Who Gave Up Gold for God

Eric Liddell was a Scottish sprinter, rugby player, and Christian missionary who lived from 16 January 1902 until 21 February 1945. Born to Scottish missionary parents in Tianjin, China, he went to boarding school close to London and spent as much time as he could with his family in Edinburgh before enrolling at the University of Edinburgh. Because the 100-meter race was scheduled for a Sunday at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, Eric Liddell declined to run in the heat. Instead, he participated in and won the 400-meter event…

Gregor Mendel: The Monk Who Became the Father of Genetics

Father of Genetics Austrian biologist, meteorologist, mathematician, Augustinian friar, and abbot of St. Thomas’ Abbey in Brno (Brünn), Margraviate of Moravia, Gregor Mendel OSA was born on July 20, 1822, and died on January 6, 1884. Mendel, who became famous after his death as the father of modern genetics, was born into a German-speaking family in the Silesian region of the Austrian Empire (now the Czech Republic). Many of the laws of heredity, today known as the laws of Mendelian inheritance, were established by Mendel’s pea plant studies between 1856…

Isaac Newton: The Christian Faith of a Scientific Genius

Who is Isaac Newton? English polymath Sir Isaac Newton was active as a mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, theologian, and writer from 4 January 1643 to 31 March 1727. During the Scientific Revolution and the ensuing Enlightenment, Newton played a significant role. First published in 1687, his book Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy) developed classical mechanics and accomplished the first great unification in physics. Although he created calculus years before German mathematician Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Newton is credited with creating infinitesimal calculus and made significant advances to…

Elisabeth Elliot: A Biography of Faith & Through Gates of Splendor

Who is Elisabeth Elliot? Elisabeth Elliot (née Howard) was a Christian speaker, author, and missionary who lived from December 21, 1926, until June 15, 2015. While trying to establish missionary contact with the Auca people (now known as Huaorani; alternatively translated as Waorani or Waodani) of eastern Ecuador, her first husband, Jim Elliot, was killed in 1956. Later, she served as a missionary to the tribal members that murdered her husband for two years. She spent several years in South America before coming back to the United States, where she…

Charlie Kirk: How A Christian Nationalist Gained Influence with Gen Z

Who is Charlie Kirk? Charlie Kirk was an American novelist, television personality, and political activist who lived from October 14, 1993, to September 10, 2025. In 2012, he served as executive director of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), an organization he co-founded. He was a member of the Council for National Policy (CNP) and the CEO of Turning Point Action (TPAction). He reflected the rise of Christian nationalism in the Republican Party and was one of the most well-known representatives of the populist MAGA movement in his final years. He grew…

Viola Davis: The Faith That Shaped an EGOT-Winning Career

Who is Viola Davis? Viola Davis is an American actress and film producer who was born on August 11, 1965. EGOT and the Triple Crown of Acting are among her honors. In 2012 and 2017, Time named her one of the world’s 100 most influential people. She came in at number nine on the New York Times’ 2020 list of the finest actors of the twenty-first century. In 2025, Davis was granted the Cecil B. DeMille Award. After graduating from Juilliard, Viola Davis started her career in small-scale theatrical performances…

From Homelessness to Billionaire: The Inspiring Story of Tyler Perr

Who is Tyler Perry? Tyler Perry is an American dramatist, actor, and filmmaker who was born Emmitt Perry Jr. on September 13, 1969. In addition to playing her brother Joe Simmons and her nephew Brian Simmons, he is the creation and performer of Mabel “Madea” Simmons, a feisty old woman. The manner of Perry’s films ranges from traditional filmmaking methods to filmed versions of live stage plays, several of which have since been turned into feature films. Madea made her debut in the 1999 Chicago production of I Can Do…

The Faith of Reba McEntire: From Country Star to Gospel Singer

Reba McEntire, also known as just Reba, is an American country singer and actress who was born on March 28, 1955. She is known as “The Queen of Country” and has sold over 75 million records globally. She has had more than 100 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart since the 1970s, 25 of which peaked at number one. McEntire is a television and movie actress who starred in the six-season television series Reba. She also owns a number of companies, such as a clothing company and a…

Patricia Heaton: The Christian Faith of America’s Mom

Actress Patricia Heaton was born in the United States on March 4, 1958. Her career started with a recurring role in the ABC drama series Thirtysomething (1989–1991). She went on to appear in the comedic movies Beethoven (1992) and Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1989). Before securing the position of Debra Barone in the CBS comedy Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005), Heaton starred in the brief sitcoms Room for Two (1992–93), Someone Like Me (1994), and Women of the House (1995). She won the 2000 and 2001 Primetime Emmy honor for…

Biography of Tom Hanks: His Career, Movies, Conversion, & Net Worth

Who is Tom Hanks? Actor and director Thomas Jeffrey Hanks was born in the United States on July 9, 1956. Tom Hanks is considered an American cultural icon and is one of the most well-known and well-liked movie stars in the world, known for both his serious and humorous roles. Hanks is currently the fourth highest-earning actor in American cinema. He has won four Golden Globes, seven Emmys, two Academy Awards, and been nominated for five BAFTA Awards and a Tony Award, among other honors. He was honored with the…