“Obama is back on message. Echoing Franklin Roosevelt, he preached economic liberty to the poor and justice to the oppressed without pandering to religious prejudices.”

We discuss the major religion and ethics stories anticipated in 2012, including religion in the upcoming elections, faith-based activity in the budget debates and immigration policy, key religion cases before the Supreme Court and mainline denominations and issues of homosexuality.

Watch excerpts of interviews with people of faith who are supporting the Occupy Wall Street protests.

"The government is trying to tell us what we can or can’t do in terms of works of mercy, works of charity, which are fundamental to our faith," says Father Tom Ackerman of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham.

“There is acute embarrassment that the second-fastest growing economy in the world has almost half of its children malnourished,” says social researcher Biraj Patnaik.

Religious leaders of this largely Christian country will have a key role to play in successfully managing its wealth and in fostering its adherence to democratic values.

"It’s a matter of sharing the burdens of a free society and a good society. That’s, morally speaking, what taxes are about," according to political philosopher and Harvard government professor Michael Sandel.

As the debate over the federal budget continues in Washington, religious leaders such as Jim Wallis of Sojourners are urging members of both parties to protect the poor. "A budget is a moral document," he says, "and the common good has to outweigh ideological political battles in this town."

“When they ask for public monies to fund putting out their particular point of view, that’s where we have a problem,” says Rev. Joseph Phelps of the Highland Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky.

Watch more of our conversation with Cherie Harder about religion and politics in 2012.