Ben Carson knows a lot about risk. As one of the leading pediatric neurosurgeons in the world, Carson makes life and death decisions nearly every day, and he has gained international fame for his work separating twins joined at their heads. Carson believes risk can be a good thing. But he says most Americans are obsessed with security.

The number of Hispanics in the U.S. Catholic Church is growing rapidly. Their devotional practices and fervent style of worship are giving the church a different look, and some observers expect Hispanics to make up half the U.S. church over the next few years.

Mandeans share some rituals, symbols, and variations of stories found in Jewish and Christian scriptures but their belief system sets them fundamentally apart.

An important element in the celebration of Christmas is the Star of Bethlehem. In the story, a star marked the birth of Jesus and led Wise Men to find the child in Bethlehem. For centuries, the star has intrigued astronomers, historians, artists, and theologians alike: was the Star of Bethlehem an actual astronomical occurrence? Now, modern technology may be providing new answers.

Two and a half years after Hurricane Katrina destroyed 475 homes and damaged many more in D'Iberville, Mississippi, people are rebuilding. From all over the country, 6,500 volunteer builders have come in to help, and displaced families have a place to call home again.

Mitt Romney gave a long-awaited speech to talk about his Mormon faith, but was it enough to reassure evangelicals and others who might have concerns about the notion of a Mormon president? Watch our discussion with Shaun Casey, associate professor of Christian ethics at Wesley Theological Seminary and the author of a book about religion and John F. Kennedy's 1960 presidential campaign.

The war in Iraq has forced millions to leave the country. Most refugees have stayed in the Middle East, but some have ventured to other countries. Even though it had no troops involved in the invasion, Sweden has taken in more Iraqis than any other nation, including the United States. Despite being open to helping, the influx of refugees there is causing concern among Swedish natives.

There is no generally agreed figure on the human cost of the crackdown in Myanmar on Buddhist monks and others protesting dictatorial rule. The mass exodus from the country, formally and more widely known as Burma, continues.

She was the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, and has since become an international ambassador for care of the environment.

In the aftermath of the epic fires in southern California, worship communities have joined the relief effort well beyond their congregations. Their services are now as much practical as spiritual.

Many Latinos observe what they call the Day of the Dead, when it's believed the spirits of the departed return to Earth. There are different traditions for this across Latin America, and Hispanics in the U.S. are celebrating as well.

Mary Gordon is a novelist, essayist, and English professor at Barnard College in New York. Her new book, CIRCLING MY MOTHER, is a memoir of Gordon’s late mother and of the Catholic Church in which she was raised. Gordon is an outspoken critic of the Church as an institution, but at the same time, she remains strongly committed to her Catholic faith.

Religious conservatives appear to have come out of their 2007 Values Voter Summit just as divided as they were going in. All of the major Republican candidates spoke to the gathering, but so far, evangelicals have not rallied around any one candidate.

West Virginia is experimenting with a Medicaid program that gives patients extra medical and pharmacy benefits if they sign a contract to take better care of themselves. But is that fair? Does it leave out many of those who need care the most?

Evangelical churches, both black and white, have long been accused of not doing enough to promote HIV/AIDS testing and awareness in their congregations. But Kathi Winter is one evangelical trying to change that. It's a very personal crusade for her - she's HIV positive.

Monks from the Dalai Lama's private monastery in India spent five days building a sand mandala at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City. The mandala is a symbolic structure that represents a Buddha's dwelling. It is said to bring peace and harmony to the area where it is being made. Karen Humphries Sallick, who organized the monks' tour, explains.

As the race for the White House moves forward, religion is playing a prominent role in the campaign. We look at indecision among evangelical voters about which presidential candidate to support in 2008.

In public life, separation of church and state is widely approved, but what about separation of religious beliefs from official acts? Should a public official be guided by his or her faith? Granting clemency is a form of mercy or forgiveness, and governors can see it in very different ways.

In Myanmar in Southeast Asia, tens of thousands of Buddhist monks have been marching against the military government and where the regime has harshly cracked down.