Using data from three surveys of religion in El Salvador from 1988 to 2009, this research looks at changes in the demographic characteristics, religious orientations and practices, and political attitudes of Salvadorans as they transition from civil war to democracy and participation in global capitalism, and from mostly Catholic affiliation to increasing affiliation with Pentecostal Protestant churches. Over the two decades encompassed by the study, the Protestant population has become less clearly differentiated from the Catholic majority in terms of education, income, occupation, and even political beliefs, while remaining distinct in terms of religious beliefs and practices. Unlike much previous research, this study allows for comparisons among practicing and nonpracticing Catholics as well as Protestants and those identifying themselves as unaffiliated.

The crystal structure of a genomic hepatitis delta virus (HDV) ribozyme 3′ cleavage product predicts the existence of a 2 bp duplex, P1.1, that had not been previously identified in the HDV ribozymes. P1.1 consists of two canonical C-G base pairs stacked beneath the G[bull ]U wobble pair at the cleavage site and would appear to pull together critical structural elements of the ribozyme. P1.1 is the second stem of a second pseudoknot in the ribozyme, making the overall fold of the ribozyme a nested double pseudoknot. Sequence comparison suggests the potential for P1.1 and a similar fold in the antigenomic ribozyme. In this study, the base pairing requirements of P1.1 for cleavage activity were tested in both the genomic and antigenomic HDV ribozymes by mutagenesis. In both sequences, cleavage activity was severely reduced when mismatches were introduced into P1.1, but restored when alternative base pairing combinations were incorporated. Thus, P1.1 is an essential structural element required for cleavage of both the genomic and antigenomic HDV ribozymes and the model for the antigenomic ribozyme secondary structure should also be modified to include P1.1.

IN May 1622 a series of private discussions on religion was held in London between representatives of the Anglican Church and the Jesuit, John Percy, alias Fisher. The occasion was the announcement by the Countess of Buckingham, mother of King James I’s favourite, George Villiers, Marquess (later Duke) of Buckingham, of her intention to become a Catholic. The King and the Marquess arranged the discussions which occupied three successive days, the 24th, 25th and 26th of May. Two eminent Anglican divines were enlisted to debate with Percy. On the first day the Anglican case was argued by Francis White, at this time a royal chaplain and later a bishop. He was opposed by Percy, in the presence of the Countess, the Marquess and Marchioness (Lady Catherine, who had also influenced her husband's decision to hold these discussions by declaring her intention to return to the Catholic faith in which she had been brought up), Bishop John Williams, (the Lord Keeper), and—possibly—the King. On the second day the King himself took the leading part in putting the Anglican case. On the third day the chief Anglican protagonist was William Laud, at this period Bishop of St. David's, who took the place of Francis White.

Theologically and ecclesiologically James I of England was a “Gentleman of Wide Swallow.” Although he did not possess the type of skepticism that later emerged in post-Restoration latitudinarianism, he did endorse as orthodox only those essential doctrines which Christians had agreed upon in the early centuries of the church, which were grounded in the “expresse word of God” and given their most basic formulation in the creeds. The king viewed himself as an irenic monarch, one who could bring peace to Christendom by promoting an accommodation to these essentials and compromise between conflicting parties. This was an ecumenical approach to religion for his day, and he believed he could help disagreeing Christians “meet in the middest which is the center and perfection of all things.”