An ordained United Church of Christ and American Baptist minister, "On Faith" panelist Dr. Willis E. Elliott has been a pastor, teacher, lecturer, administrator, consultant (to Newsweek for 38 years), church executive, and the author of six books. His five earned degrees in religion include a PhD, University of Chicago, where he was divinity research librarian. He taught in colleges, seminaries, & universities--including the University of Hawaii, where he taught "The World's Great Religions" and "Religion and the Meaning of Existence." At the 1966 Triennium of the National Council of Churches, he was the interlocutor with Billy Graham.

Rev. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite is professor of theology at Chicago Theological Seminary and senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. She was president of CTS from 1998-2008. Her area of expertise is contextual theologies of liberation, specializing in issues of violence and violation. An ordained minister of the United Church of Christ since 1974, the “On Faith” panelist is the author or editor of thirteen books and has been a translator for two translations of the Bible. Her works include Casting Stones: Prostitution and Liberation in Asia and the United States (1996) and The New Testament and Psalms: An Inclusive Translation (1995). She edited and contributed to Adam, Eve and the Genome: Theology in Dialogue with the Human Genome Project (2003).

"On Faith" panelist Mathew N. Schmalz is Director of the College Honors Program and Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester, Mass. His main area of expertise is global Catholicism. His research has particularly focused on Catholic converts from Untouchability in rural India. Before coming to Holy Cross, he had lived in India and Pakistan as a student and researcher for four years. In addition to writing on aspects of global Catholicism, Schmalz has published in the fields of South Asian Studies (both Hinduism and Islam) and Modern Religious Movements, particularly the Watchtower (Jehovah's Witnesses) and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormons). He has also written on Catholic spirituality and his work has most recently appeared in the Best American Spiritual Writing series. He received his B.A. from Amherst College and a Ph.D. in History of Religions from the Divinity School of the University of Chicago. Schmalz lives in the Worcester area with his wife, two daughters, and a large poodle named Harold.

Matt Maher is a recording artist on Essential Records. A Catholic musician originally from Newfoundland, Canada, he later relocated to the Phoenix area of Arizona. His latest album is "Emtpy and Beautiful." Since his debut album entitled "The End and the Beginning," his success and popularity have soared. In 2003, he released his highly anticipated second album "Welcome to Life." In 2006, Matt released his third album "Overflow." "Overflow" recently was #47 on the top 100 Christian & Gospel Albums on iTunes. His record label is Spirit and Song. Matt gained further acclaim when fellow worship leader, Chris Tomlin, recorded "Your Grace Is Enough" which Maher had written for his sophomore album, "Welcome to Life."