The Inclining Christian

What does it mean to "incline" oneself to the things of God?

We know that the campanile of the cathedral in Pisa, Italy, leans. This is why it is known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It tilts at 3.99 degrees, but the angle used to be 5.5 before restoration work began in the 1900s to save and protect the tower.

However, it is not the only such tower that inclines at an angle. The Albert Memorial Clock (more commonly referred to as the Albert Clock) is a clock tower situated at Queen's Square in Belfast. Built in 1869, it is several feet off perpendicular because it was built on marshy land.

Even Big Ben in London has a tilt of 0.28 degrees.

Some leaning towers lean because they were designed to lean. One of the most spectacular examples of this is the Montréal Tower, which at more than 540 feet is the tallest inclined tower in the world! It tilts at an angle of 45 degrees -- impressive when you remember that Pisa's bell tower leaned at a mere 5.5 degrees (before preservation work).

This incredible 'lean' is possible because the top of the...