Tim Berners-Lee

      Tim Berners-Lee was born on June 8th, 1955, in London (Britannica). Tim is a scientist that completely revolutionized our world through his invention of the World Wide Web. He did not invent the internet, but he basically made the internet into what we know it as today. He invented the World Wide Web while he was working at Europe’s physics lab called CERN in 1989. The first web client and server were made by him in 1990. At CERN, he also made the first web browser and editor, along with the first website in 1991 (BBC). The expansion of the World Wide Web through URL’s, HTTP and HTML was done after this, which allowed the Web to become the great interconnection of file systems that it is today (w3). Before this invention, Tim graduated from Oxford and had multiple software jobs at multiple companies.
  The invention of the World Wide Web is one of the greatest inventions of all time, and it happened very recently. There is still a lot of possible expansion and use for the World Wide Web, and this expansion is happening rapidly to this day, such as the integration of internet with mobile devices. The internet has become a source for so many great things and it is now used by 3.2 billion people (Time). It is a door to immense amounts of communication and information. Practically all information in our world is recorded some place on the World Wide Web. It’s a hugely positive contribution to our society and will change the world forever. Tim Berners-Lee will always be remembered for this creation.
  This ocean of information has also affected the church in a very positive way. Just like everything else, the church benefits from the ability to have a huge open port of communication. Anything that the church wants to do or communicate can simply be posted somewhere on the Web for anybody to see. The Web makes everything for the church easier. If a person has questions about Christianity, they can simply find that information on the Web. Tim Berners-Lee gave this world a gift that allows us to have access to whatever information we want.

You can actually still see the first website ever created by going to info.cern.ch This is very interesting to browse and is a great visual example with information about Tim Berners-Lee’s invention! 

References:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/berners_lee_tim.shtml

http://www.britannica.com/biography/Tim-Berners-Lee

https://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/

http://time.com/money/3896219/internet-users-worldwide/

Written by: Andrew Molitor

Mother Teresa

      Mother Teresa was born on August 26th, 1910, and died on September 5th, 1997. She was born in Macedonia and spent most of her life in India, which was where she was when she died (Biography.com). Mother Teresa is probably the most famous Catholic nun. She was beatified on October 19th, 2003, by Pope John Paul II. Pope Francis recognized a second miracle attributed to her and set September 4th, 2016, as her canonization date (Catholic.org). 
      Mother Teresa felt the call of God at the young age of 12. When she was 18, she left her parents’ home so she could join the Sisters of Loreto to be a nun. She trained in Dublin then spent most of her time in India doing missions. She also taught at St. Mary’s High School in Calcutta, India. In 1950, she started a missionary program called “The Missionaries of Charity,” which aimed at taking care of poor people. Pope Paul VI made this an International Religious Family in 1965. Mother Teresa won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, among many other prizes for her amazing work (NobelPrize.org). Her missionaries, devoutness to spreading the word of God, and help with the poor make Mother Teresa a very significant person. She is one of the greatest Christians that has lived in recent years. 
  I believe Mother Teresa gave a huge contribution to the Catholic Church. She dedicated the majority of her life working for the church, and she gave a great example of what it means to be a completely devout Christian. Two of the main missions of the church are to spread the word of God and to help those in need. Mother Teresa accomplished both of those on a regular basis throughout her life. It was her primary goal and she was very dedicated to doing so. Her life has been a blessing to so many poor people, and she is still a blessing to us today by being such an inspiring Christian. 

References:
http://www.biography.com/people/mother-teresa-9504160
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1979/teresa-bio.html
http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=5611

Written by: Andrew Molitor

Edward Snowden

      Mr. Snowden was born North Carolina in 1983. Known for being a computer genius, Snowden actually dropped out of high school but studied computer at Anne Arundel Community College. He later wanted to join the military to serve his country, but he broke both of his legs during training and was later discharged. Edward was a security officer at the University of Maryland Center. This place was in relations with the National Security Agency (NSA). In 2006, he was hired by the CIA for being highly intelligent with computers. They even put him in secret training for the CIA. Edward was arguably one of the best cyber security agents that worked for the CIA.
      Edward Snowden is most known for his role in gathering and releasing classified documents from the NSA. These documents contained much information on the role the NSA played in our everyday lives. He brought attention the acts of the government and their invading of the privacy of Americans. He did this because he felt it was not right and was in fact against the rights of the people. After the release of these documents in 2013, he was charged by the government charged with “theft of government property, unauthorized communication of national defense information, and willful communication of classified intelligence to an unauthorized person.” He sought after asylum in Russia where he remains at an undisclosed location. He quickly became known in the media as a possible spy, but people on social media saw him as a hero. There are many mixed opinions on Edward Snowden, but his actions have brought many people to the attention of the NSA and the government’s actions towards privacy.
      Snowden has greatly influence millions of people. The argument for Snowden being a traitor or a hero will not ever be unanimously decided, but none can deny the things he brought to light were things the public needed to know. The government was involved in their lives through their phones, computers and other things. He has around 2 million followers on twitter. This only partially shows that many people are standing with him and his actions of revealing the information. He is known internationally, and he will continue to work against the NSA.

Check out this video of Snowden explaining what the NSA can do!

References:

http://www.biography.com/people/edward-snowden-21262897

https://edwardsnowden.com/protection-overview/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Snowden

Written by: Isaac Giese

Pope Francis

      The current Pope of the Roman Catholic Church was born in Buenos Aires on December 17th 1936. He is the first pope of the Jesuit order, and he is also the first non-European pope since 741. At a young age, much of his education on faith came from his grandmother Rosa. She helped shape who Jorge Mario would later become. At the age of 16, he decided to become a priest. This began his journey to become a Jesuit priest. Jorge Mario studied for some months at Sankt Georgen Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology in Germany. He was ordained priest in 1969. On March 13th, Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis.
      Pope Francis is known for being a “Pope of the people.” He is very involved with the people, especially the poor. He has much humility. When elected pope, he chose to stay in the guest house as opposed to the main housing for the pope. He loves to take public buses and calls for the remembrance of the poor. Francis chooses to wear simpler vestments as well. He was quick to take on corruption in the Church. Archbishops lost their multi-million dollar homes. He has verbally stated that action against global warming is needed. He took the $40 million dollar house of Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst and turned it into a soup kitchen. He is known for frequently washing the feet of the people. On Holy Thursday he washed the feet of many Muslim, Orthodox, Hindu, and Catholic refuges and migrants. Pope Francis helped restore full diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba.
      Francis puts great emphasis on God’s mercy and forgiveness. Many have turned to God and confession because of his emphasis on God’s willingness and desire to forgive. This has been coined the “Francis effect.” He is liked by most Catholics in the Catholic Church. His most famous line is probably, “who am I to judge?” He stated this when talking about homosexual people if they are willing and seeking out the Lord. Pope Francis follows Francis of Assisi’s view on creation in that we should have respect for the whole creation and not exploit it for our greedy desires.
Anyone in the papal seat has extreme influence on the entire world. Pope Francis currently holds that seat, and his fruit can tell us that he is one for the people and not for himself.

Check out this video to learn more about Pope Francis and his work!

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Francis

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2014/08/us/american-archbishops-lavish-homes/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCuRU-V9eHc

Written by: Isaac Giese

Thomas Kinkade

      Thomas Kinkade, born on January 19th, 1958 in Sacramento, California, is known as the “Painter of Light.” His artwork has always provided me with peace and I have always admired his talent. Sadly, when I chose him as one of my report subjects, I did not even know that he had died. William Thomas Kinkade left this earth on April 6th, 2012. He passed away at his home in Monte Sereno, Califonia of acute intoxication of alcohol and valium.  
      Most of Kinkade’s paintings were serene settings of cottages, gardens, and mountain villages. His art is widely collected and his website posts are filled with messages from admirers and the hope that he gave them with his artwork. 
     That is not to say he is without critics though. Many art critics claimed he was too commercialized and his subject matter was too perfect, too cozy and almost sinister. I wonder if they were, in reality, subtly objecting to his attempts to bring God’s light into a world of freakish and humanistic art. 
      Kinkade professed to be a Christian and that was the guiding principles behind his style. He wanted people to see the light in the world rather than the darkness. He published several books filled with his paintings, stories, and scripture. He did also play a role in many charitable areas. He was part of Make A Wish Foundation, World Vision, and The Salvation Army. His role with these organizations varied from special paintings to being a spokesperson. 
      Thomas Kinkade received his schooling from several sources; The University of California and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. He also studied with several other artists. 
      It is my personal opinion that Thomas Kinkade clearly pointed people to God with his artwork and vocation. It is heartbreaking that his later years were filled with strife; a pending divorce, drug and alcohol abuse as well as erratic behavior at public events. Hopefully more people will remember him for his God given talents and the fact that he used them to glorify and praise Christ.

Check out this video of his life!

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Kinkade

Pictures from https://thomaskinkade.com

Sunrise by Thomas Kinkade

Split Rock Lighthouse by Thomas Kinkade

Written by: Mary Johnson

Franklin Graham

      Franklin Graham was born on July 14, 1952 to William, and Ruth Graham. He was raised in a log home in the Appalachian Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina. Franklin was born into a family steeped in Christian heritage. Everyone knows Franklin's father, the Reverend Billy Graham, who aside from his many evangelistic roles, also served as president of our very own University of Northwestern College from 1948 to 1952. Franklin Graham attended Stony Brook Christian School and later Appalachian State University as well as Letourneau University. After a time of typical 
young adult rebellion, he committed his life to Jesus Christ while alone in a Jerusalem hotel room.
      Shortly after committing his life to Christ, Franklin received an invitation to go on a six week mission trip to Asia. The invitation came from Dr. Bob Pierce, the founder of Samaritans Purse. This trip is where Franklin felt his calling to serve people in areas affected by famine, war, and natural disasters. Dr. Pierce passed away in 1978, and less than a year later, Graham stepped into the role of president of Samaritans Purse. He still maintains that role today as well as president of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
      Franklin continues to be a passionate servant of Christ. Through Samaritans Purse, he and thousands of others have facilitated the annual Operation Christmas Child Shoebox program. More recently, Samaritans Purse has purchased a “slightly used” airplane to deliver much needed supplies 
to disaster struck areas such as Nepal.
      He also continues to be a passionate spokesperson for Christianity. He is currently on a nationwide “Decision America” tour of all 50 state capitals. He is rallying Americans to bring Christ back into government. He is also a supporter of politicians trying to uphold the rights of Christian people and business owners. Many activists are angry with his views and rallies because of his thoughts on Islam, LGBT issues and other controversial issues. One has to admit thought, that Franklin is a powerful force at work in the world. 
      When not traveling and evangelizing, he resides in Boone, North Carolina with his wife. Personally, I believe Franklin Graham has contributed to the mission of the church. He believes in Jesus Christ. He is doing what he believes God wants him to do; lead others to salvation. From what I have read about him, his life and his rallies, I feel that he is trying to point people to God and not 
himself. I am planning to go to his rally on June 16th in St. Paul. I will have to see if my opinion of him changes after hearing him speak. You can learn more about Franklin Graham, Samaritans Purse and Decision America through the following links: http://www.samaritanspurse.org & https://decisionamericatour.com/ 

References:
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/franklin-graham-biography/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin-Graham

Written by: Mary Johnson

C.S. Lewis

            Clive Staples Lewis was born to a Protestant family on November 29, 1898 in Belfast, Ireland.  As a toddler, Lewis decided that he liked the name Jack so that is what his friends and family called him from then on (C.S. Lewis Biography).  Lewis was born into a family of book lovers.  He remembers there being books in almost every room of the house and unlike many other young child, he was allowed to handle every single book.  Lewis spent a large portion of his time reading and creating a fantasy land.  These activities greatly increased after his only brother, Warren, was sent off to boarding school in 1905.  After this event, Lewis became very reclusive and started to write and illustrate his own stories.  In 1908, Lewis’s mother died of cancer.  The passing of his mother came just months before his tenth birthday and greatly affected him.  It was that along with the added influence from a boarding school matron that pushed Lewis to reject Christianity and become an atheist (C.S. Lewis).

            C.S. Lewis started at Oxford in 1917 and was there for most of life, both as a student and teacher.  He graduated with a focus in literature and philosophy.  In 1919 Lewis published his first book, Spirits in Bondage under the pseudonym Clive Hamilton.  The following year he was elected a Fellow of Magdalen College, an Oxford college, where he tutored in English language and literature.  It was there that he joined a group of informal writers called The Inklings.  While in the group he realized that most of the members where Christians.  Through conversation with the Christian members of The Inklings, he eventually found himself accepting Christianity again. 

            After becoming a Christian, Lewis switched the path of his writing career.  He no longer wanted to be a poet.  Instead he wanted to write pieces that reflected his new found faith.  Lewis published The Pilgrim’s Regress: An Allegorical Apology for Christianity, Reason and Romanticism in 1933, just two short years after his conversion.  That book paved the way for a life of books on Christian apologetics and discipleship.

            C.S. Lewis died on November 22, 1963, just one week before his 65^th birthday.  He had suffered from various illnesses for the two years prior to his death but was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure mid-November, 1963.

References:
http://www.biography.com/people/cs-lewis-9380969
http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/musiciansartistsandwriters/cs-lewis.html

Written by: Renee Pachan