“Nearly 40 years after Time magazine posed the question “Is God Dead?” signs of His resurrection are everywhere: Mel Gibson’s ‘The Passion’ is on its way to becoming the highest-grossing independent film of all time, while the apocalyptic ‘Left Behind’ novels, based on the Book of Revelations, have sold 58 million copies, a publishing jackpot… The nation’s born-again president pronounces Jesus his ‘favorite philosopher’ and trumpets America’s mission to battle evil in the world. And faith avowals are all but requisite on the campaign trail – with hell to pay for anyone who demonstrates biblical illiteracy… Is all this ferment a result of post-Sept. 11 anxiety? Or has spirituality become just another commodity in a world where consumerism has become the ultimate value?”