57. He directed The 40-Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, This is 40, Funny People, Trainwreck and The King of Staten Island. Comment by Donna C. on December 16, 2017 at 8:39 am. He founded the pro-life Radiance Foundation alongside his wife, Bethany. He has spent time in over 45 different countries, dedicating a significant portion of that period to advocate for human rights. Catherine Earnshaw from Wuthering Heights source. He then established himself as a leading man in studio films, including the disaster film Armageddon (1998), the war drama Pearl Harbor (2001), and the thrillers The Sum of All Fears and Changing Lanes (both 2002). Brooks eventually started a comedy act and also worked in radio and as Master Entertainer at Grossinger's Resort before going to Stan Lee was an American comic-book writer, editor, and publisher, who was executive vice president and publisher of Marvel Comics.Stan was born in New York City, to Celia (Solomon) and Jack Lieber, a dress cutter. Inspired by that experience, he returned to Northwestern where he received a bachelor's degree in speech/theater. Mathew Staver A constitutional attorney, Staver founded Liberty Counsel, an international nonprofit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and the family. Kim Shin-jo. Remember , God had 7000 folks who had not bowed the knee to Baal when Elijah went into a depressed state. Many are folks IRDs staff have interacted or collaborated with during the course of our work. Kate Shellnutt Associate editor of Christianity Today, Shellnut writes about Christian women and the issues they face in the current day. Mark Batterson Pastor of the National Community Church in Washington, DC since 1996, Batterson has been continually active in the urban church planting movement and has seen his church expand from just 19 congregants to having eight different locations. Celebrity is another requirement. In addition, Ashford is a research fellow for the ERLC and author of Every Square Inch: An Introduction to Cultural Engagement for Christians and One Nation Under God: A Christian Hope for American Politics. Richard B Mellon was a lifelong and devout Presbyterian Christian. Some famous actresses who are Catholic include Selena Gomez, Nicole Kidman, and Denise Richards. 81. His father is from Russia and Austria, while Zach's mother, who is from a family with deep roots in New England. Kate Bowler. His mother is from a working-class Jewish family from Poland and Curtiz began acting in and then directing films in his native Hungary in 1912. Here are 20 such Hollywood celebrities who have actually professed their faith in Christ and who continue to live as close to His teachings as possible. He is also the U.S. Representative of the Barnabas Fund, a ministry to persecuted Christians. 66. Bilie Holiday. Rosaria Butterfield The former Syracuse University professor published her memoir The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert detailing Butterfields journey out of a lesbian lifestyle and into Christianity. He accompanied his mother on assignments for the Village Voice, and credits her with making him feel comfortable in front of the David William Duchovny was born on August 7, 1960, in New York City, New York, USA. He is the author of Fault Line: How a Seismic Shift in Culture Is Threatening Free Speech and Shaping the Next. Albert Mohler Once described by Time.com as the reigning intellectual of the evangelical movement in the U.S. The president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is a preeminent voice strengthening Christians public witness amid secular political and cultural issues affecting the Church via his popular podcast The Briefing. 7. At 17, he took his first step towards becoming a stand-up comedian when he spontaneously took Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller was born on November 30, 1965, in New York City, New York, to legendary comedians Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. 90. Rebekah Lyons With a passion to inspire and empower women, Rebekah, wife to Gabe Lyons, is cofounder of Q Ideas. Others on our list are better known but missed making the Newsmax list. Though sometimes, as in the case of Creflo Dollar, they end up facing no repercussions and actually follow through with their shocking extortions. My only joys therefore are that when God has given me a work to do, I have not . Lee co-created Spider-Man, the Hulk, Aubrey Drake Graham was born in Toronto, Ontario, the son of Dennis Graham, an African-American musician born in Memphis, Tennessee, and Sandi (Sher) Graham, a Canadian Jewish educator. All are leading Evangelical and Protestant influencers who you should know. He was a composer and actor, known for Equator (1983), Je t'aime moi non plus (1976) and Death Proof (2007). About 10% of the South Korean population is Catholic, including some of the country's most famous pop stars. Jett is best known for her work as the frontwoman of her band Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, and for earlier founding and performing with the Runaways, which recorded and released the hit song "Cherry Bomb". James K. A. Smith Smith is the editor-in-chief of Comment magazine and a professor of philosophy at Calvin College. Donald Trump (1946 - ) Businessman, US President. Actor | Invictus. From young singers to famous actors, they all follow God. The Preacher's Wife. This is a list of people who were, but no longer are, followers of Protestant churches. 53. The film established her as a horror icon and scream queen; she reprised the role in the sequel Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977), for which she earned a nomination for a Saturn Award. Serge Gainsbourg was born on April 2, 1928 in Paris, France. An Evangelical who was instrumental in Baracks Obamas re-election campaign in 2012 by leading faith outreach programs to engage both the White House and the general public in religious issues throughout the country. He is the son of Julie Cowell (ne Josie Dalglish), a ballet dancer, and Eric Selig Phillip Cowell, a music industry executive. CHBC is the flagship of Devers 9Marks Ministries, a resource aiding church leaders in establishing church structure and discipline policies. Roys writings have appeared in notable news sources such as World Magazine, Christianity Today, and The Christian Post. Black attended the University of California at Los Angeles. Billy Graham was on Gallup's list for most-admired American men and women a record 61 times. Updated: Sep 12, 2022. His father, Amram Ducovny, was a writer and publicist who was from a family of Jewish immigrants (from Ukraine and Poland), and worked for the American Jewish Committee. Here, a collection of all the stars with religious backgrounds, including those who practice Buddhism, Islam, Ju Martin Luther (1483-1546) Martin Luther was born in Eisleben, Germany. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. he restores my soul. 262. Michael Gerson Previously a chief speechwriter for President George W. Bush and senior fellow for the Council on Foreign Relations, Gerson is now an op-ed columnist for The Washington Post. It is organized by what church they left; when applicable, the religion they joined is mentioned. Joe Carter A Christian cultural influencer and senior editor at the Acton Institute, a think-tank promoting freedom and virtue in the marketplace of ideas. Howl, Six gallery, Sunflower Sutra His themes: drugs, against American actor and producer Harvey Keitel was born on May 13, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York City, to Miriam (Klein) and Harry Keitel. His mother, St. Monica, was a devout Christian, who raised her son with a Christian education; however, he was not baptized . 1. Mahatma Gandhi (1869 - 1948) Leader of Indian independence movement. She is co-author of Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion and Truth in the Immigration Debate. Marvin Olasky After being born into a Jewish-Russian family, becoming an atheist and then a Marxist, and joining and then leaving the Communist Party, Olasky converted to Christianity in 1976. Bible-believers believe that the Bible is more important than the church because, ultimately, there wouldn't . The jazz musician was openly bisexual throughout her life. Screen legend, superstar, and the man with the most famous blue eyes in movie history, Paul Leonard Newman was born on January 26, 1925, in Cleveland, Ohio, the second son of Arthur Sigmund Newman (died 1950) and Theresa Fetsko (died 1982). He gained further recognition for the HBO series Curb Your Leonard Cohen was born on September 21, 1934 in Montral, Qubec, Canada. While we here at the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD) did scratch our heads at the sight of a United Church of Christ author and Catholic philosopher on the list, we thought the concept a grand idea and decided to compile our own list of influential religious leaders. Her father, Walter Green, is a dentist who appeared in the 1966 film Au hasard Balthazar (1966). Actor Jim Caviezel is a devout Catholic . John Locke: English Enlightenment philosopher, theorized "tabula rasa" (1632 - 1704) . Simon started his career in the music industry working in the mailroom at EMI Music Chris Cornell was a rock icon who thrived on contradictions. 97. Prior to joining ADF, Centofante served as communications coordinator for Concerned Women for America, a conservative Christian public policy organization. Witherington also serves on the doctoral faculty at St. Andrews University in Scotland. 43. 1575 Hadrianus Junius [Adriaen de Jonghe], Dutch physician, historian and humanist, dies at 63. Tweed is also known for Gene Simmons Family Jewels, a television reality show that portrayed the life of her family from 2006 to 2012. This list features surprisinglyreligiouscelebrities, like notable Christians Alice Cooper and Stephen Colbert. Tom Hanks is one of the Christians in Hollywood. While he was playing for the Yankees, as . Stanley Kubrick was born in Manhattan, New York City, to Sadie Gertrude (Perveler) and Jacob Leonard Kubrick, a physician. This Christian celebs list features all of the religious celebrities who consider themselves Christians. Jimmy Stewart was a lifelong and devout Presbyterian. This Christian celebs list features all of the religious celebrities who consider themselves Christians. Helena Bonham Carter is an actress of great versatility, one of the UK's finest and most successful.Bonham Carter was born May 26, 1966 in Golders Green, London, England, the youngest of three children of Elena (ne Propper de Callejn), a psychotherapist, and Raymond Bonham Carter, a merchant Mel Brooks was born Melvin Kaminsky on June 28, 1926 in Brooklyn, New York. 15. Committed to God and his Word, McAfee has also been named the Director of Community Engagement for the recently opened Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. 28. He made over 40 movies, often complex and emotional, but seldom overly sentimental. He was a Unionist politician who founded the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and became the First Minister of Northern Ireland from 2008-18 and served . Duyzer, Peter M. (2014). Bishop Julian Dobbs Originally from New Zealand, now a U.S. citizen, Dobbs serves as Bishop of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA) East diocese and also holds the title of CANA Missionary Bishop. His father is from a Northern Irish Protestant . Morgan Freeman. Gabe Lyons Lyons has striven to help the masses understand the role faith plays in cultural issues by co-finding Q Ideas, a non-profit that strives to help Christians be prepared to positively influence current culture. Jennifer grew up in Brooklyn Heights, just across Hardly the dumb blonde of Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997), Lisa was born in Encino, California on July 30, 1963. Comment by Jeffrey Walton on December 18, 2017 at 10:08 am. Trillia Newbell Dedicated to writing and speaking on womanhood, church, family, and racial reconciliation informed by the Gospel, Newbell serves as Director of Community Outreach for the ERLC. Lewiss pen pal, Keller began to revere Lewis at a young age, and the two began to exchange friendly letters. David French French is a man who wears many hats being a senior writer for National Review, an attorney, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and an accomplished author. Jenny Hazan, review of "Strangers No More". Her family moved to Screen legend, superstar, and the man with the most famous blue eyes in movie history, Paul Leonard Newman was born on January 26, 1925, in Cleveland, Ohio, the second son of Arthur Sigmund Newman (died 1950) and Theresa Fetsko (died 1982). The character of Superman, however, has always been depicted as having been raised with a solidly Protestant upbringing by his adoptive Midwestern parents - Jonathan and Martha Kent. Brooke Ellen Bollea (born May 5, 1988), better known by her stage name Brooke Hogan, is an American television and media personality, actress, singer, model and former on-screen personality for Impact Wrestling. Murffs research and writings on marriage, education, motherhood, and family have been cited by The Christian Post, Christian Broadcasting Network, Christianity Today, and the Institute for Family Studies. 40. 27. James Gunn, American film director and screenwriter for Guardians of the Galaxy who abandoned his Catholicism at the age of 11. Daniel Jacob Radcliffe was born on July 23, 1989 in Fulham, London, England, to casting agent Marcia Gresham (ne Jacobson) and literary agent Alan Radcliffe. Her parents are both from Jewish families (from Belarus, Russia, and Actor | Amen. 83. Birthdate: August 29, 1958. This IRD list is designed to highlight lesser-known Christians whom we believe our readership would benefit from knowing. Garrett Kell Pastor of Del Ray Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, Kell also serves as an associate Council member of The Gospel Coalition. Getty Images. Heup Young Kim. Affleck gained wider recognition when he and childhood friend Matt Damon won the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for writing Good Will Hunting (1997), which they also starred in. He now is an ambassador for Care for Children and is the author of best-seller Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God. Christopher Yuan An author and instructor at Moody Bible Institute, Yuan uses his inspiring personal testimony to minister to those struggling with sexuality, gender identity, and addiction. St. Victor, on Holloway Drive, sits in the . He . He graduated from An actor, comedian and writer, Seth Rogen has come a long way from doing stand-up comedy as a teen.Rogen was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, to Sandy (Belogus), a social worker, and Mark Rogen, who worked for non-profits. In 1946, the Arkins moved from Brooklyn to Actor | Born in Atlanta, King is best known for advancing civil rights through nonviolence and civil disobedience, tactics . James Cone. Kim Yong-ki. 67. He has a younger sister who also acts. Micheal W. Smith "Surrounded" on Amazon. Comment by Robert E. Hays on December 15, 2017 at 1:30 pm, Comment by Kyle H. on December 9, 2017 at 7:40 pm. and Libby Blankenship Chair in the History of Liberty. A key figure in the Protestant Reformation, it is generally believed to have begun when Martin Luther pinned his 95 theses to a church door in Wittenberg in 1517. Monson is the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has more than 15 million members worldwide. Commonly nicknamed the "Piano Man" after his single and signature song of the same name, he has led a commercially successful career as a solo artist since the 1970s, having released 12 pop and rock studio albums from 1971 Matisyahu was born on June 30, 1979 in West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA. 29. Jason Isaacs was born in Liverpool. Here are the 20 most famous prayers of all-time. Comment by John D smith on December 16, 2017 at 10:54 am. Jerry Johnson Johnson is President and CEO of the National Religious Broadcasters, which is an international coalition of Christian communicators. For over 45 years, she ministered to the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying, while guiding the Missionaries of Charity's expansion, first throughout India . Warren Cole Smith A journalist and prolific author, Smith serves as the Vice President for Mission Advancement at the Colson Center. He has been married to Kim Garfunkel since September 18, 1988. 20. Kerri Kupec The religious liberty public advocate serves as legal counsel and communications director for Alliance Defending Freedom. He is the son of Robyne (Ropell), a freelance writer, and Serge Victor Baruchel, an antiques dealer. She is the daughter of professional wrestler Hulk Hogan and television personality Linda Hogan. 37. Muhammad Ali (1942 - 2016) American Boxer and civil rights campaigner. Michael W. Smith is a Contemporary Christian artist whose songs have topped the music charts in both CCM and mainstream categories. The Freemasons Are the Oldest Fraternal Organization in the World. Indiana University Press. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Julie Galambush from HarperCollins Publishers", "Allez-allez - a Go-Go decides to turn French", "Ananda Claude Dalenberg Biographical Notes", "Losing Faith: Who Did and Who Didn't - How Scholarship Affects Scholars", "More Protestants Find a Home in the Orthodox Antioch Church", "Former UH professor shared compassion of Shin Buddhism", "Louis Bouyer: Author's Page at Ignatius Insight", http://www.derechemet.org/english/cgi-bin/show.cgi?27&luth, "j. Prior to the Protestant Reformation, Western Christendom by and large responded and adhered to the Roman Catholic Church. His Seth Green has starred in numerous films and television series including the Austin Powers trilogy, The Italian Job (2003), Without a Paddle (2004), Party Monster (2003), Can't Hardly Wait (1998), Old Dogs (2009) and dozens more, including starring roles in Sexy Evil Genius (2013), The Story of Luke Zach Braff was born and raised in South Orange, New Jersey, to Anne Hutchinson (Maynard), a clinical psychologist, and Harold Irwin Braff, a trial attorney. At the time, the Catholic Church's " Sale of Indulgences " prospered; sinful men and women could obtain . Mark Dever The pastor of the Capitol Hill Baptist Church (CHBC), a much-beloved church among the young and reformed in Washington, DC. Late Show host Stephen Colbert is open about his devout Catholic faith. He also developed the television shows Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared, Girls, Love and Crashing. and Marriage Is: How Marriage Transforms Society and Cultivates Human Flourishing. In some films of the brothers- Ethan & Joel wrote, Joel Sidney Lumet was a master of cinema, best known for his technical knowledge and his skill at getting first-rate performances from his actors -- and for shooting most of his films in his beloved New York. Kim Shin-wook. Kelly Rosati Focus on the Familys Vice President of Advocacy for Children initiatives. 20. and found that Mel Brooks was a great influence on his screen writing. The family moved to California when Lenny was ten. Wonder who is on Gods list? History Famous Ranking. Weaver, C. Douglas (2000). 39. #94 of 100 on. Simmons was actually born Chaim Witz in August 1949 in Haifa, Israel, the son of Hungarian Jewish parents, Flra "Florence" (Klein or Kovcs) and Feri Yechiel Witz. In addition, he is an ordained priest serving at Judes Anglican Church in Richmond, Virginia. The Hollywood Reporter. #35 of 53 on. Tablet unveils Top 100 Catholics in UK today (2015) May 13th, 2015. He and Jerry Seinfeld created the television sitcom Seinfeld, on which David was head writer and executive producer for the first seven seasons. 73. Viola Davis and Julius Tennon got married in June 2003 and celebrated 18 years together in June 2021. The surname "Efron", which is Hebrew and a Biblical place name, comes from Zac's Polish Jewish paternal David John Franco was born in Palo Alto, California, to Betsy Franco, an author, and Douglas Eugene "Doug" Franco, who ran a Silicon Valley business. The museum hosted Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas, Olivia Rodrigo, Jared Leto, Machine Gun Kelly, Lana Del Rey, Kelly Rowland, Karen O, Trent. Political commentator Ann Coulter is a Christian and is often listed as evangelical. Michael Jackson. Credo, a higher education consulting firm, awarded Phipps the Courageous Leadership Award for 2017. Institute on Religion and Democracy1023 15th Street NW, Suite 200Washington, DC 20005Contact us | Media requests. - Ex-Christian ministers now active Orthodox Jews", "St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary - Dr Jaroslav Pelikan falls asleep in the Lord", "The religion of Sam Brownback, Senator from Kansas", "Lesson 11: "The Field Is White Already to Harvest", "GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY - THE SIR ARNOLD LUNN PAPERS: COLLECTION DESCRIPTION", "Rabbi Dr. Asher Wade | A WordPress site", "Former Evangelical Pastor Explains Why He Closed His - on A7 Radio - Israel News - Arutz Sheva", http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2009/02/07/faith/4334541.txt, "Events | St Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary", "Yahweh ben Yahweh cult - headed by Hulon Mitchell Jr - The Crime library", "Franciscan University of Steubenville - Dr. Scott Hahn", "Fundamentalists to the Right, Fundamentalists to the Left", "Forex trading course online - Learn Forex trading for beginners", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_former_Protestants&oldid=1120028558. He has been married to Liz Cackowski since 2010. He has a younger brother, Dylan. To make our list, the atheist must have a public identification with atheism and must have made some public impact by challenging religion and/or promoting atheism, either in print or on the Internet. His father, born in England and raised in Wales, was of Eastern European Jewish descent, while his mother was born Jay Baruchel was born in Ottawa, Ontario, and was raised in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He has authored two books and is considered the lead writer of Mere Christianity. Burk also teaches Biblical Studies at Boyce College while also serving as an Associate Pastor at Kenwood Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky. Bob Smietana The senior writer for Lifeway Christian Resources Facts and Trends magazine, covering polling and trends affecting the Church. Mother Teresa (1910 - 1997) was a Roman Catholic nun originally from who founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, in 1950. Diaz is the author of the book Be Spent: Winning the Fight for Freedoms Survival. He brought his faith to the big screen with his 2004 film The Passion of the Christ. 16. An actor with over fifty years of experience in theatre, film, and television, Michael Douglas branched out into independent feature production in 1975 with the Academy Award-winning One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975). 46. He has authored several books and Bible studies, including The Explicit Gospel and The Apostles Creed: Together We Believe. ", celebrities became religious later in life, Guests You Hope to See on Late Show with Stephen Colbert, American Public Figures Who Are National Treasures, The Greatest Characters Played by Tom Hanks, Ranked. He is the brother of music manager Jordan Feldstein and actress Beanie Feldstein. Andrew was raised in a middle class family, Winona Ryder was born Winona Laura Horowitz in Olmsted County, Minnesota, and was named after a nearby town, Winona, Minnesota. He is of Russian Jewish descent. He combined both talents with directing in'The World's Greatest Cleft-chinned, steely-eyed and virile star of international cinema who rose from being "the ragman's son" (the name of his best-selling 1988 autobiography) to become a bona fide superstar, Kirk Douglas, also known as Issur Danielovitch Demsky, was born on December 9, 1916 in Amsterdam, New York. As a public advocate for the dignity of human life, adoption, and foster care, Rosati addresses such cultural issues on various media outlets and as a frequent conference speaker. Known for his breakthrough starring role on Freaks and Geeks (1999), James Franco was born April 19, 1978 in Palo Alto, California, to Betsy Franco, a writer, artist, and actress, and Douglas Eugene "Doug" Franco, who ran a Silicon Valley business. Fred Sanders Identified as a systematic theologian, Sanders is a professor at the Torrey Honors Institute and a historian of Biolas institutional history. Chad Curtis, Retired MLB. Michael W. Smith. Neymar da Silva Santos Jnior (Brazilian Portuguese: born 5 February 1992), known as Neymar, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazil national team. His younger brother is actor Jon Foster. I'll start there. amon Gilmore, Tnaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) of Ireland (2011-2017) Kathy Griffin, American comedian and actress. Some have been practicing their entire lives, while other Christian celebrities became religious later in life. With an authoritative voice and calm demeanor, this ever popular American actor has grown into one of the most respected figures in modern US cinema. His parents worked in an acting company run by his Lawrence Gene David is an American comedian, writer, actor, director, and television producer. Simon still wrote and Art Garfunkel was born on November 5, 1941 in Forest Hills, New York, USA. Peeta Mellark src. Comment by Loren Golden on December 7, 2017 at 12:05 pm. His father was of Hungarian Jewish descent, while Jerry's maternal grandparents, Salha and Selim Hosni, were Syrian Jewish immigrants (from Aleppo). 1361 John Tauler, German mystic (Gottesfreunde), dies at about 61. He was educated at St. Judd Apatow is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and comedian. 16 Warren Buffett. In 1988, along with Richard Dreyfuss is an American leading man, who has played his fair share of irritating pests and brash, ambitious hustlers.He was born Richard Stephen Dreyfus in Brooklyn, New York, to Geraldine (Robbins), an activist, and Norman Dreyfus, a restaurateur and attorney.