No matter our religious beliefs, we can all celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. But there's far more benefit to giving thanks than we ever imagined. Even scientists have discovered the good that being grateful brings to our minds, our bodies and our spirit. Diana Butler Bass, the author of "Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks", talks about the healing we can have personally when we give thanks, but also, how we can heal a divided world by becoming a "thankful society."

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No matter our religious beliefs, we can all celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. But there's far more benefit to giving thanks than we ever imagined. Even scientists have discovered the good that being grateful brings to our minds, our bodies and our spirit. Diana Butler Bass, the author of "Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks", talks about the healing we can have personally when we give thanks, but also, how we can heal a divided world by becoming a "thankful society."

The Catholic Church is in crisis mode as it looks to solve the clergy sex abuse scandals. It's become a global problem. But art historian Elizabeth Lev, a provocative and intellectually gifted academic professor based in Rome, has a solution: Art. It's what helped keep the faith alive following the Protestant Reformation more than 500 years ago. And many experts are drawing parallels between then and now. We discuss her amazing book, "How Catholic Art Saved the Faith: The Triumph of Beauty and Truth in Counter Reformation Art."  The title is a mouthful, but Lev breaks it down for the untrained mind, and makes art history sound like an action film. Some of the incredible works Lev discusses and includes in her book are:

The Ecstasy of St. Teresa by Gian Lorenzo Bernini

The Entombment of Christ by Caravaggio

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The Catholic Church is in crisis mode as it looks to solve the clergy sex abuse scandals. It's become a global problem. But art historian Elizabeth Lev, a provocative and intellectually gifted academic professor based in Rome, has a solution: Art. It's what helped keep the faith alive following the Protestant Reformation more than 500 years ago. And many experts are drawing parallels between then and now. We discuss her amazing book, "How Catholic Art Saved the Faith: The Triumph of Beauty and Truth in Counter Reformation Art."  The title is a mouthful, but Lev breaks it down for the untrained mind, and makes art history sound like an action film. Some of the incredible works Lev discusses and includes in her book are:

The Ecstasy of St. Teresa by Gian Lorenzo Bernini

The Entombment of Christ by Caravaggio

Renowned theologian and pastor Dr. Timothy Keller takes a look at the well-known story of Jonah and the Whale in his new book, The Prodigal Prophet. The narrative of Jonah in the Old Testament is an account of a the prophet who was swallowed whole by a great fish. The story seems improbable, until its deeper spiritual meaning is exposed. Jonah's running from God, according to Keller, is a universal understanding of rebellious anger at God, lessons about racism, nationalism, self-righteousness, and political power. This is not your Sunday School take.

Renowned theologian and pastor Dr. Timothy Keller takes a look at the well-known story of Jonah and the Whale in his new book, The Prodigal Prophet. The narrative of Jonah in the Old Testament is an account of a the prophet who was swallowed whole by a great fish. The story seems improbable, until its deeper spiritual meaning is exposed. Jonah's running from God, according to Keller, is a universal understanding of rebellious anger at God, lessons about racism, nationalism, self-righteousness, and political power. This is not your Sunday School take.

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A miserly old man who hates Christmas is Charles Dicken's classic story that has been made into a myriad of film, stage and TV adaptations. But the narrative of Ebenezer Scrooge's redemption is filled with Christian symbolism that most versions miss or just cut out. Pastor Cheryl Kincaid shares the details of her research for her book, "Hearing the Gospel Through Charles Dickens's 'A Christmas Carol" showing the biblical meaning of Scrooge's first name, Tiny Tim's illness as a social commentary, and how the three ghosts who visit Scrooge on Christmas Eve animate the Church's Advent Lessons about the true meaning of Christmas. Scholars have debated whether Charles Dickens was really a Christian, but Kincaid lays that controversy to rest. She also talks about how it was Tiny Tim's words that helped her after a car accident rendered her partially paralyzed. She says, "He thought it might be pleasant if people saw him in church, that they might remember who made the lame people walk and blind people see. And it touched my heart because he wasn't asking to be healed. He was asking for God to use him where he was at."  It was those words that sent her on a journey to discovering the hidden meaning of "A Christmas Carol."

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Christmas is a time for caroling, and there's hardly a more known writer of Christian music than Keith and Kristyn Getty. Each year they have a Christmas Concert tour, "Sing! An Irish Christmas" that has grown to be one of the largest and most popular Christmas concerts in the country.  This year's concert is part of his larger movement called 'Sing' to bring caroling and hymn singing back to churches. Music has the power to heal the wounds of the soul like no other salve there is. Keith will take you to the depths of music's power and give you a new understanding to the sounds of music.

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Christmas is a time for caroling, and there's hardly a more known writer of Christian music than Keith and Kristyn Getty. Each year they have a Christmas Concert tour, "Sing! An Irish Christmas" that has grown to be one of the largest and most popular Christmas concerts in the country.  This year's concert is part of his larger movement called 'Sing' to bring caroling and hymn singing back to churches. Music has the power to heal the wounds of the soul like no other salve there is. Keith will take you to the depths of music's power and give you a new understanding to the sounds of music.

Children all over the world hang their stockings up in wild anticipation of Santa's visit on Christmas eve.  Whether you call him St. Nick, Kris Kringle, or Santa Claus, there was a real St. Nicholas that started it all. He was a Greek Orthodox priest who was born in 280 AD, in the early days of Christianity. He was present at, and participated in the Council of Nicaea, where Christian bishops debated the tenets of the faith from which came the Nicaean creed, which Christians still recite today. So how did we go from St. Nicholas to Jolly Old St. Nick in a red suit, black belt and shoes and a snowy white beard? Bestselling Author, William Federer has the fascinating answers.