Barbara Rossing is a professor of New Testament at Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. She is the author of The Rapture Exposed (Basic Books, 2005), and The Choice Between Two Cities: Whore, Bride, and Empire in the Apocalypse (Trinity Press International, 1999).

Jonathan Bloom is co-holder of the Norma Jean Calderwood Chair of Islamic and Asian Art at Boston College and of the Hamad bin Khalifa Chair in Islamic Art at Virginia Commonwealth University. The author of many books on the history of Islamic art and architecture and the history of paper, he teaches courses on Islamic art, […]

Sheila Blair is co-holder of the Norma Jean Calderwood Chair of Islamic and Asian Art at Boston College’s fine arts department and the Hamad bin Khalifa Chair in Islamic Art at Virginia Commonwealth University. Her expertise includes Islamic art, especially of Iran and Central Asia, art and architecture produced under the Mongols, and calligraphy and books.

The Holocaust Educational Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization founded by Holocaust survivors, their children and their friends to promote awareness of the Holocaust. The foundation sponsors teacher and faculty training, as well as educational programs for youth. It is based in Skokie, Ill.

Spertus College is the transdenominational academic branch of the Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies in Chicago. It offers master’s and doctoral degrees in Jewish studies and Jewish education.

America’s Second Harvest is a network of more than 200 food banks and food-rescue groups coordinated by Craig Nemitz. By the end of November 2005, America’s Second Harvest, based in Chicago, had sent more than 1,900 truckloads carrying close to 59 million pounds of food to survivors of Katrina and Rita.

Gary G. Porton is a professor of religious studies, history and literature at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he teaches courses in American Judaism, Jewish customs and ceremonies and the Holocaust.

Eboo Patel is the founder and president of Interfaith America, a Chicago-based international nonprofit that focuses on encouraging interfaith dialogue. Request an interview through Teri Simon at Interfaith America.

Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries was formed in 1990 in resistance to ELCA’s policy on forcing celibacy on its gay clergy. Following the ELCA’s decision in 2009 to drop this policy, Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries continues to provide support for LGBTQ clergy. Contact executive director Amalia Vagts.