An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship. Today they are used particularly in Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Shinto, Taoism, as well as in Neopaganism and Ceremonial Magic. Judaism did so until the destruction of the Second Temple. Many historical faiths also made use of them, including Greek and Norse religion.

Altars (Hebrew: מזבח‎, mizbe'ah, "a place of slaughter or sacrifice") in the Hebrew Bible were typically made of earth or unwrought stone. Altars were generally erected in conspicuous places. The first altar recorded in the Hebrew Bible is that erected by Noah . Altars were erected by Abraham, by Isaac, by Jacob, and by Moses, (Adonai-nissi).

After the theophany on Mount Sinai, in the Tabernacle—and afterwards in the Temple—only two altars were used: the Altar of Burnt Offering, and the Altar of Incense.

The word "altar", in Greek θυσιαστήριον (see:θυσία), appears twenty-four times in the New Testament. Significantly, Hebrews 13:10 shows Christians having an altar of which those who did not believe in Jesus could not partake, a reference to the eternal, once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ, thus fulfilling the sacrificial laws of the Old Testament. In Catholic and Orthodox Christian theology, the Eucharist is a re-presentation, in the literal sense of the one sacrifice being made "present again". Hence, the table upon which the Eucharistic meal (the Bread and the Wine) is eaten is called an altar.

Ray Boltz (born 1953 in Muncie, Indiana, United States) is a singer-songwriter who first came to wide notice in contemporary Christian music, many of his songs tell stories of faith and inspiration. He was raised by his parents William and Ruth Boltz, and was married to his wife Carol Boltz for over 30 years prior to coming out as gay in 2008. They have four children.

Boltz was virtually unknown when he wrote "Thank You", which won the Song of the Year prize at the 1990 GMA Dove Awards. His song "I Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb" also won a Dove Award for Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year at the 25th GMA Dove Awards in 1994. After the release of Songs from the Potter's Field in 2002, and his last tour in 2004, Boltz retired from the music industry and moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

In a September 2008 interview with the Washington Blade, Boltz came out of the closet and announced he was gay Since then, Boltz has performed at several churches of the Metropolitan Community Church, a gay-affirming Christian denomination.

Jeanie Tracy is a female African American R&B, Dance-pop, Hi-NRG and house singer-songwriter and actress, born in Houston, Texas and raised in Fresno, California.

Growing up Tracy sang in a church and school choir in addition to studying opera and classical piano. Tracy moved to San Francisco and quickly began singing in night clubs and special events. Tracy went on to do the lead role in Sing Mahlia Sing upon Jennifer Holliday leaving the show, and director George Coates Right Mind. Tracy was noticed by Harvey Fuqua who hired to her to write and produce for gospel group Voices of Harmony on his Milk and Honey record label. Tracy provided vocals for the experimental soundtrack of Francis Ford Coppola's film, Apocalypse Now.

Gustavo Cerati (Born Gustavo Adrián Cerati Clark on August 11, 1959), is a singer-songwriter, composer, and rock producer. He is primarily known as the lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist of Soda Stereo (1982–1997), considered by many to be one of the most important and influential bands of Latin Rock. His work inside and outside of Soda Stereo makes him one of the most recognizable figures in Ibero-American rock. His solo career began in the early 1990s when on hiatus from Soda Stereo Cerati recorded his first solo album Amor Amarillo (Yellow Love).

Cerati has experimented with various musical genres, including electronic music (Plan V) and symphonic music. Throughout his career Cerati has been nominated for various Grammy, MTV, and Gardel awards. In 2007, Cerati reunited with Soda Stereo for a reunion tour Me Veras Volver Tour. On the 15th of May 2010 Cerati suffered a cerebral stroke after a show in Venezuela. Since then he remains in a coma under respiratory aide.

Cerati was born on the 11th of August 1959 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was the oldest son of the engineer and accountant Juan José Cerati, and Lilian Clark. From an early age Cerati showed an interest in music. His first incursion into music was a broomstick band that he formed in elementary school. Besides music, Cerati enjoyed drawing. He would spend long hours drawing superheroes such as “Superbrain" (similar to Superman, minus the predilection to kryptonite). He was an able athlete who practiced swimming and athletics. He won second place in a competition for the Billiken magazine after running 100 meters in an intercollegiate competition. One of Cerati’s main activities during his youth was directing the choir for the College, where he was suspended for burping during mass (he was later pardoned after winning a singing competition). As a teenager he worked as a medical assistant at the Boehringer laboratory in Argentina in 1981. A few years later he served in the Argentinian military.