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.

Evangelicals are a key Republican constituency, especially in the primary season, and they still appear to be up for grabs.

Watch excerpts of three leading Republican presidential candidates talking about religion.

Ten years after 9/11, the American public is “like an individual suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder,” writes ethicist Robin Lovin. “We are unable to return to the old world we thought we understood, but we cannot tolerate the noise and uncertainty of the new world, either.”

"We ought to pray here every day until Congress proves worthy of the calling of the nation to govern," said Rev. Michael Livingston, director of the National Council of Churches poverty initiative, at a gathering of religious leaders on Capitol Hill.

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."

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

As Congress debates the budget, religious conservatives say the debt is a moral issue, and an interfaith coalition has launched a campaign to reduce military spending and prevent cuts for the poor.

As protests and rebellion break out across the Arab world, R & E looks back at insights from interviews with scholars and experts on the compatibility of democratic values and Islam.

What did people of faith think about President Obama’s State of the Union address? Watch our panel of religion analysts assess the speech.