November 12

Richard Baxter (1615–1691) was an influential English Puritan minister, poet, and theologian. Known for his pastoral skill, he served congregations during the English Civil War and Restoration era. His best-selling work, 'The Reformed Pastor', offered practical guidance on church leadership and personal holiness. Baxter's ecumenical spirit led him to seek unity among Protestants, advocating moderate positions amid sectarian conflict. A prolific author, his writings include devotional manuals, hymns, and autobiographical accounts. His emphasis on personal piety and social ethics left a lasting imprint on English religious life.

Diego Luis de San Vitores (1627–1672) was a Spanish Jesuit missionary renowned for evangelizing the Marianas Islands. He founded the first Catholic mission on Guam in 1668, baptizing thousands of Chamorro Islanders. San Vitores built churches, schools, and helped establish the Archdiocese of Guam and the Marianas. His efforts met resistance, and he was ultimately killed in a conflict over religious and cultural tensions. He is venerated as a martyr in the Catholic Church, beatified in 1985. His mission laid the spiritual foundation for Catholicism in Micronesia.

Juana Inés de la Cruz (1651–1695) was a self-taught scholar, poet, and nun in colonial Mexico. Born in New Spain, she mastered Latin, philosophy, mathematics, and theology at a time when women's learning was discouraged. Her poetry, including 'First Dream', blends Baroque imagery with sharp critiques of social norms. As a Hieronymite nun, she defended intellectual rights in her famous 'Reply to Sor Philothea'. She maintained a vast library and performed scientific experiments, corresponding with European thinkers. Her life and works have made her an icon of feminist and literary studies in the Spanish-speaking world.

Bahá'u'lláh was a Persian nobleman who proclaimed a new religious movement promoting unity. Exiled by the Ottoman Empire, he wrote numerous texts outlining his vision of world harmony. His teachings emphasize the oneness of humanity, equality of men and women, and harmony of science and religion. Bahá'u'lláh established principles of universal education, social justice, and elimination of prejudice. He gathered followers across Persia, the Middle East, and eventually the world, laying the foundation of the Baháʼí Faith. Today, his writings guide millions of adherents in more than 180 countries.

Born in 1901 in Minneapolis, James Luther Adams studied theology at Harvard Divinity School. He served as a minister in Germany before fleeing Nazi persecution and returning to the United States. Adams taught at the University of Chicago, shaping generations of ministers and theologians. He authored numerous works on ethics, religious freedom, and the role of faith in social justice. A strong advocate for civil rights, he emphasized the importance of moral responsibility in public life. Until his death in 1994, Adams remained a leading voice in progressive religious thought.