US Institute on Religion & Democracy Predicts Top Church News of 2013

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Political shifts, continued economic hardship and changing religious trends could make 2013 a big year for church news. Below are IRD's predictions for what religious news stories have the most potential to make headlines in the coming year.

New Archbishop of Canterbury: After succeeding Rowan Williams in March as head of the world's almost 80 million Anglicans, Justin Welby cautiously leads the Church of England and the worldwide Anglican Communion in a more orthodox direction, with a nod to Global South Christianity's growing influence on the Western Church.

Evangelical/Catholic Partnerships Grow: Both groups have led in anti-sex trafficking efforts over the last decade. Thanks to the Obamacare HHS mandate, however, active Protestants and Roman Catholics will grow closer together in the public square, especially as religious freedom cases continue to unfurl.