One presidential nominee is religious, has thought about what the Scriptures teach and was heavily influenced by Martin Luther King Jr. Guess which one.

The speaker of the House was thoroughly conservative in a Republican Party that had moved the goal posts on what constituted conservatism. But he could never be conservative enough for his critics on the right.

"God bless America" sounds banal coming from politicians but profound when spoken by the shepherd of 1.2 billion souls. In his historic address to Congress, Pope Francis delivered a blessing of encouragement, not admonition -- and spoke powerfully about the hot-button issues that keep our political leaders mired in bitter gridlock.

Ecuador is the first stop on the pontiff's highly anticipated weeklong South American trip, which includes visits to Bolivia and Paraguay.

In recognizing Palestinian statehood, the Holy See will join major international entities such as the United Nations and the European Parliament.

Although he may have shown a softer side to those who knew him, the Northern Irish politician did more to fan the flames of sectarianism than any other figure.