Religious And Spiritual Leaders Offer Hope For 2013

December 31, 2012 Subscribe · Forward Religious And Spiritual Leaders Offer Hope For 2013 It is easy to despair in our world where people say and do such horrific things, often in the name of religion. And there are serious challenges that face us in 2013 including inter-religious tension, racism, illness, hunger, misogyny, homophobia, environmental degradation and violence of all kinds. And yet I am hopeful for the future -- in part because my work introduces me to religious leaders around the world who are using the power of their beliefs to build bridges between people and work for the common good for the entire world. On HuffPost Religion, religious, spiritual and ethical leaders from all backgrounds share their spiritual wisdom and passion for making the world a better place. I have hope for the future because this diverse chorus of voices is increasingly joining together in the common causes of respect, dignity and justice for all people, and drowning out the voices who use religion to divide or as an excuse for violence of any kind. In seeking hope for 2013, I turned to some of those leaders and asked them to share their hope for the coming year. May they inspire you as they have inspired me.  Continue reading... Iconic Religion Photos Of 2012 Pope Benedict Marks End Of A Difficult Year At New Years Eve Service First Openly Gay Bishop Reflects On Historic Tenure Gene Robinson: First Gay Anglican Bishop Reflects On Tenure In New Hampshire Attack on Libyan Coptic Church Building Kills Two Religion 2012 In Review: Most Memorable Pictures Of The Year (PHOTOS) JOSEPH WARD III 2012's Top 10 Moments in Christian Faith & LGBT Equality In 2012, the voices of Christian faith for LGBT equality have advocated for change across the country. Keep reading to see Believe Out Loud's top ten moments of the year! Continue reading... ROBERT P. JONES, PH.D. After Divisive Election, Voters Support Balanced Approach to Budget Crisis In the looming shadow of the so-called "fiscal cliff," there is at least some early indications that elected officials are listening. Continue reading... RABBI ADAM JACOBS The 7 Things Everyone Wants The interesting thing about these ideas -- the things we most desperately want out of life -- is that they are all functions of mind, and it's clear that the human species can eat, live and reproduce just fine in the complete absence of them. Continue reading... PIERRE R. BERASTAÍN The Gospel of Art "Art gives us access to many different way of engaging and understanding God all at the same time and I think that is really valuable when engaging with a God who is beyond our understanding. " Continue reading... DAVID BRIGGS Counting U.S. Catholics: Signs of Growth and Decline on the Road to 100 Million There is only one U.S. religious group that is expected to grow to 100 million adherents by the middle of the century. Yet, to hear some critics, one might think the Catholic Church is slowly sinking in the U.S. religious landscape. Continue reading... Received this from a friend? Sign up for alerts from The Huffington Post here Unsubscribe here.