THE CONTINENT WILL DESECULARIZE EVEN FASTER THAN IT SECULARIZED:

In Europe, skylines reflect the rise of Islam: After decades of worshiping in basements and courtyards, Muslims are building hundreds of new mosques across the continent. (Isabelle de Pommereau, 7/26/07, The Christian Science Monitor)

In the Rhine Valley city of Mannheim, the glittering minaret of Germany's biggest mosque overshadows what was once the region's most vibrant church, testifying to Muslims' new confidence as Christian churches are closing down.

Years ago, 180 sisters of the Catholic order of the Sisters of the Divine Savior were the pulse of the city. Today, eight remain. Every weekend, roughly 150 Roman Catholics attend mass at the Liebfrauen Church, while up to 3,000 Muslims throng the Yavuz-Sultan-Selim mosque. Since the mosque was opened in 1995, Muslim shops and youth centers have become a magnet for the Muslim community.