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Religion finds its way into the media every day and these stories often have a way of shaping our culture and our lives. Here are just a few highlights from the top religion news of 2007:

James Cameron claims to have discovered the lost tomb of Jesus in an ossuary outside of Jerusalem. Experts respond to the award-winning director with a collective shrug as they wonder why no one told Cameron that the name "Jesus" was very common during biblical times.

The price for a 30-second ad in Superbowl XLI: $2.6 million. Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy giving God the glory for the Superbowl victory on National television: priceless.

Mormonism gains a platform of presidential proportions as former governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney, joins the race for the presidency in '08.

The $27 million Creation Museum opens in Petersburg, Ky. The museum combines high-tech Universal Studio-like attractions with young earth creationism displays, including an interactive Eden with animatronic dinosaurs, a planetarium and stunning special effects.

Jerry Falwell, pastor, television evangelist and founder of the Moral Majority and the religious right, died at age 73. Ruth Graham, the wife of evangelist Billy Graham, died at 87.

The biblical story of Noah garners a big screen adaptation from director Tom Shadyac in "Evan Almighty." Noah is played by none other than Steve Carell of "The Office."

Episcopals continue to struggle, both here and abroad, about the issue of homosexuality in the church.

The posthumous autobiography of Mother Teresa, "Come Be My Light," by Brian Kolodiejchuk is published 10 years after her death. In a collection of personal letters we discover a struggling and often doubting disciple.

Gillian Gibbons, a British primary school teacher, was arrested in Sudan for letting her class of 7-year-olds name a teddy bear Mohammed, which is against the rules of Islam.

Christopher Hitchens tries to resurrect atheism with his book, "God is not Great," and the first movie from Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy, "The Golden Compass," launches an e-mail forwarding frenzy among Christians because of the author's possible atheist agenda. The film opens to mixed reviews as Compass e-mails are simultaneously sent to spam folders.

Tragic same-day shootings at two religious centers in Colorado, a Youth With A Mission office in Arvada and New Life Church in Colorado Springs, left five people dead, including the gunman.

Brian Orme is an associate pastor at Community Church in West Milton and a freelance religion writer. Send e-mail to mjorme@gmail.com or read more at www.brianorme.com.