ST. LOUIS (RNS) Terrorism stories are rarely happy stories, and yet the path Timothy O'Leary has taken -- from bringing the controversial opera ``The Death of Klinghoffer'' to St. Louis last year to the Sheldon's second annual Sept. 11 memorial concert this Sunday -- ends with a hopeful, permanent pairing of faith and the arts in St. Louis. By Tim Townsend.

Two heartening developments on the foreign scene. Mitt Romney attacks Democrats on religion. Why Sept. 17 is an important date. 

President Obama invokes Abraham Lincoln who was "driven to my knees." God as prop. Missouri Bishop Robert W. Finn is sentenced to two years probation.

Dems welcome back God and Bill Clinton. A Jerusalem Syndrome. The Rev. Benedict Groeschel loses his TV show. 

Former Ohio governor Ted Strickland cites the Gospels for an Old Testament jeremiad against Mitt Romney’s offshore wealth. The GOP likes "God" more. 

Here's the prayer lineup for the DNC. The Rev. Sun Myung Moon's heirs have a history of squabbling over his money. And how did the marijuana get into the churchyard? 

Mitt Romney says his neighbors never cared he was Mormon. Fransican friar Benedict Groeschel apologizes for saying children were often responsible for their sexual abuse.. Mormons may imbibe cola.

Mike Huckabee calls President Obama a "self-professed evangelical" (really?), New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan will talk to "anyone anywhere about anything" and Muslim clerics can't decide whether it's sinful for Muslims to dance.

Mormon motifs in Ann Romney's speech. Sikh temple shooter's death ruled a suicide. Catholic priest says pedophiles shouldn't be jailed for first offense.

The beard-cutting Amish trial gets underway. Jewish Republicans say they can do better in 2012. And the Catholic Church in Scotland battles same sex marriage.

Will Isaac spare Mitt? Spiritualists in Florida are making no predictions, an Israeli rabbi prays for Iran's end, and the Vatican defeats porcupines.

Is Cardinal Timothy Dolan's benediction at next week's RNC an endorsement? A Norwegian court declares Anders Breivik sane and sentences him to jail. Tropical Storm Isaac may be a chance for Mormons to showcase emergency preparedness.

But Dolan won't play the Values Voter Summit. ChiSox third baseman Kevin Youklis will play for Israel. And old-fashioned nuns make a comeback.

WASHINGTON (RNS) Spike Lee’s not about to give up filmmaking but – at least for a moment or two – he sounded a bit like an expert on the challenges facing the church as he promoted his new movie “Red Hook Summer.” By Adelle M. Banks.

Obama and Romney talk religion. Bryan Fischer agrees with Todd Akin on rape. German rabbi arrested for circumcision.