Ba'al Shem Tov

(August 27, 1698, Okup, Podolia, Ukraine-May 23, 1760, Medzibusch, Ukraine). Jewish Founder of Hasidism. Born Israel ben Eliezer. Orphaned at an early age. Worked as a heder, a synagogue watchman, quarry worker, and an inn-keeper. Gained a reputation as a miracle healer and mystic. Reveled himself as the Ba'al Shem Tov (Master of the Good Name) or Besht, May 22, 1734. Experienced enlightenment from heavenly teachers. Taught that God must be worshipped with joy and emphasized prayer as a way to reach the divine world. Opposed by traditional Jewish religious leaders.

Most Reverend Metropolitan Archbishop Jan Babjak, S.J.

(October 28, 1953, Hazine nad Cirichou, Czechoslovakia-Alive). Byzantine Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archbishop of Presov, Slovakia, 2008-Current. Ordained Priest, Byzantine Roman Catholic Church, June 11, 1978. Incardinated into the Society of Jesus, June 18, 1987. Byzantine Bishop of Presov, Slovakia, December 11, 2002-January 30, 2008. The Eparchy of Presov became a Metropolitan See on January 30, 2008. Metropolitan Archbishop of Presov for Catholics of the Byzantine Rite, January 30, 2008-Current.

His Eminence Audrys Juozas Cardinal Backis

(February 1, 1937, Kaunas, Lithuania-Alive). Roman Catholic Archbishop of Vilnius, Lithuania, 1991-Current. Ordained Priest, Roman Catholic Church, March 18, 1961. Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to the Netherlands and Titular Archbishop of Meta, August 5, 1988. Roman Catholic Archbishop of Vilnius, Lithuania, December 24, 1991-Current. Elevated to the Sacred College of Cardinals, February 21, 2001.

Right Reverend Bishop Rune Backlund

(1937, Skelleftea, Sweden-Alive). Bishop of Lulea, Sweden, Church of Sweden, 1993-2002. Ordained Priest, Church of Sweden, 1962. District Chaplain, Ethiopian Church Mekane Yesus, 1963-1967, Secretary of the Synod, Mekane Yesus, 1967-1969. Principal, Mekane Yesus Institute of Theology, 1972-1975. Secretary of Mission for East Africa and the Middle East, Church of Sweden, 1975-1990, Head of Department, 1990-1993. Bishop of Lulea, Sweden, Church of Sweden, August, 1993-August 1, 2002.

Right Reverend Alexandra Abiodun Bada

(December 4, 1930, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria-September 8, 2000, London, England). 2nd Pastor and Prophet, Celestial Church of Christ, 1987-2000. Supervisor, Stock Control, Nigerian Breweries Linmited, 1950-1952. Appointed Senior Elder, Celestial Church of God, 1954. Promoted to rank of Leader, 1955. Senior Leader, December 25, 1960. Evangelist, December 25, 1964. Senior Evangelist, December 24, 1972. Supreme Evangelist, December 25, 1980. Proclaimed Pastor and Prophet, Celestial Church of Christ, December 24, 1985, and installed, December 25, 1987. His succession to the position of Pastor was challenged in court by Evangelist J. K. Owodunni, and Bada's installation was declared null and void on January 10, 1992. Reinstated when the appeals court ruled Owodunni had no standing to sue, August 2, 1994. Served as Pastor until his death. Known as Asiwaju.

Most Reverend Bishop Alfonso Badini Confalonieri

(August 1, 1944, Valenza, Italy-Alive). Roman Catholic Bishop of Susa, Italy, 2000-Current. Ordained Priest, Roman Catholic Church, June 29, 1978. Bishop of Susa, Italy, December 13, 2000-Current.

Rabbi Leo Baeck

(May 24, 1873, Lissa, Prussia-1956). Jewish Rabbi. Ordained Rabbi, 1897. Rabbi, Berlin, Germany, 1912. Chairman, National Association of German Rabbis, 1922. Opposed the Nazis rise to power in Germany, but refused to leave the country. Twice arrested by the Gestapo, but released. In 1943, he was deported to the Theresienstadt concentration camp, where he was appointed one of the leaders of the Jewish Council. Marked for extermination, but saved by a confusion in names. Liberated in 1945. Chairman, World Union of Progressive Judaism, London, England, 1945-1948. Emigrated to the United States, 1948. Professor, Hebrew Union College, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1948-1956. The Leo Baeck Institute was founded and named in his honor, 1955. Today, Baeck is remembered as a symbol of spiritual resistance to evil, ethical integrity, and Jewish nationalism.

His Eminence Corrado Cardinal Bafile

(July 4, 1903, L'Aquila, Italy-Alive). Roman Catholic Diplomat and Vatican Official. Ordained Priest, ajpril 11, 1936. Titular Archbishop of Antiochia di Psidia and Apostolic Nuncio to Germany, February 13, 1960. Attended Vatican II Council, 1962-1965. Pro-Prefect, Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints, July 11, 1975, Prefect, May 25, 1976. Elevated to the College of Cardinals, May 24, 1976. Participated in Conclaves of 1978. Resigned Prefecture, June 27, 1980.

His Eminence Sebastiano Cardinal Baggio

(May 16, 1913, Rosa, Italy-March 21, 1993, Rome, Italy). Roman Catholic Diplomat and Vatican Official. Ordained Priest, December 21, 1935. Titular Archbishop of Efeso, June 30, 1953. Apostolic Nuncio to Chile, July 1, 1953. Apostolic Delegate to Canada, March 12, 1959. Apostolic Nuncio to Brazil, May 26, 1964. Attended Vatican II Council, 1962-1965. Elevated to College of Cardinals, April 28, 1969. Archbishop of Cagliari, June 23, 1969. Prefect, Sacred Congregation for Bishops, February 26, 1973. Participated in Conclaves of 1978. President, Pontifical Commission for Latin America, August 28, 1978. Resigned Prefecture, April 8, 1984. President, Pontifical Commission for the State of Vatican City, April 8, 1984. Cardinal patronus, Sovereign Military Order of Malta, May 26, 1984. Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, March 25, 1985. Resigned Presidency, October 31, 1990.

Right Reverend Bishop Hannington Bahemuka

(March 21, 1955, Bundibugyo, Uganda-Alive). Bishop of the Mountains of the Moon Missionary District, International Charismatic Episcopal Church. Ordained Priest, International Charismatic Episcopal Church, 1985. Bishop of the Mountains of the Moon Missionary District, Bundibugyo, Uganda, 2001-Current.

Most Reverend Bishop Robert Joseph Baker

(June 4, 1944, Willard, Ohio-Alive). Bishop of Charleston, South Carolina. Ordained Priest, Roman Catholic Church, March 21, 1970. consecretated Bishop of Charleston, South Carolina, September 29, 1999.

Reverend James Orson "Jim" Bakker

(January 2, 1940, Muskegon, Michigan-Alive). Televangelist. Ordained Minister, Assemblies of God, 1964. Co-Star, "Come On Over" children's television show, Christian Broadcasting Network, to 1972. Co-Founder, Trinity Broadcasting. Co-Host, "Praise the Lord" television show. Founder, "PTL Club" (People That Love) television show, January 13, 1974. Program became immensely successful, carried on 70 commercial stations and 20 cable services, with about 13.5 million viewers. Founder and Developer, Heritage USA, a Christian-theme park. Became involved in a sexual scandal with Jessica Hahn, 1980. Upon discovery of his extramarital relationship, he was forced to resign from PTL, March 19, 1987. Defrocked by Assemblies of God, 1987. Convicted of 24 counts of fraud and conspiracy, October, 1989, and sentenced to 45 years in prison (reduced to 18 years, 1991). Divorced from his wife, Tammy Faye Bakker, 1992. Released from prison, January, 1995. Remarried and renewed ministry. Father of Tammy Sue Bakker.

Tammy Faye La Valley Bakker Messner

(March 7, 1942, International Falls, Minnesota-July 20, 2007, near Kansas City, Missouri). Televangelist and Gospel Singer. Former wife of Jimmy Bakker (married, 1961; divorced, 1992) and Co-Founder of Heritage Park, U.S.A. Noted for her flamboyant fashion accessories and her emotional participation in religious television fund-raising. Co-Star, "The Jim and Tammy Show" (Christian puppet show), 1965. Co-Host, "700 Club," Christian television program, 1966-1973. Co-Host, "PTL Club," 1973. Divorced Jimmy Bakker while he was in prison, 1992. Married Roe Messner, 1993. Shortly thereafter, Messner was convicted of bankruptcy fraud. She later divorced Messner. Sold wigs in recent years.

Reverend Tammy Sue Bakker Chapman

Evangelist. Daughter of Reverend Jimmy and Tammy Faye Bakker. Minister, New Convenant Ministries, Largo, Florida.