Time magazine’s recent cover article, “The 100 Most Influential People in the World,” is a fascinating look at people—male and female, young and old, North American and international, recognized and unrecognized—who are making significant contributions to their respective fields. Time editors and readers voted on the 100 honorees, and the recipients are arbitrarily categorized as leaders, artists, thinkers and heroes.
Recipients vary from singer Lady Gaga to U.S. President Barack Obama to Chinese blogger Han Han to golfer Phil Mickelson. In the list are politicians, businesspersons, soldiers, musicians/singers, economists, TV and stage personalities, humanitarians, comedians, writers, designers, restaurateurs, scientists, physicians, philanthropists, educators, philosophers, lawyers, sports personalities, and a firefighter. The article does not often list religious affiliation, but I suspect that among the list are those who claim Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Atheism, or any number of other belief systems as their faith.

