The birth of Christ is only the final stop when meditating this holiday season. An excerpt from Ancient-Future Time: Forming Spirituality Through the Christian Year.

Mine is no longer the house without an Advent Wreath.

'Tis the season when even the free-ranging revivalist pulls up a chair to the table of historic liturgy.

To an accompaniment of whale songs, the worshippers glory in God's creation; there's no service quite like the annual blessing of the animals at St. John the Divine.

Roman Catholics celebrate the Feast of the Assumption on Sunday. What's up with that?

Plus: California's two battles over displaying the cross, Danforth nominated as U.N. ambassador, and other stories from online source around the world.