Religion Highlights

As we head into the weekend, Odyssey shares the stories we've been tracking in the news.

Irwin Kula, rabbi and president of CLAL, discusses the changes in spirituality in the modern age of technology. Kula sees heroism in waking up each day to risk hope and love, since there is as much reason to despair and be cynical.

Through their Gospel-style performances, recording artist Neshama Carlebach and The Green Pastures Baptist Church Choir are continuing the legacy of her late father, Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, a prolific Jewish singer and songwriter. Their original compositions and unique collaboration illustrate the intersection of faith and music.

Rev. Rock Schuler explains how to achieve balance in life in this series of Spirituality videos.

Kenneth D. Wald, the Samuel R. Shorstein Professor of American Jewish Culture and Society at the University of Florida, comments on the results of the Public Religion Research Institute 2012 Jewish Values Survey.

John Legend, singer and songwriter, talks about his relationship with faith and religion.

Has Obama waged a war on religion? Republican presidential hopefuls from Rick Santorum to Newt Gingrich to Mitt Romney have declared that Obama is hostile to religion, citing examples varying from the administration's take on the 'ministerial exception' in a recent Supreme Court case to Obama's recent insurance contraception mandate. Sarah Posner of Religion Dispatches, Michael Livingston of the National Council of Churches and John Garvey of the Catholic University of America.

The showcasing of distinctive instruments in a jazz ensemble illustrates how each faith brings a valuable perspective to our common life, says the Rev. Otis Moss III, pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. The piety of Islam, the sense of sacred history of Judaism, the Sikh commitment to equal rights -these traditions and more are something we should engage with.

Rev. Joseph McCloskey explains the basic attitudes of prayer. In this part he explains the contrition attitude to prayer.

Thirteen faith organizations recently joined the Anti-Defamation League in signing a statement that asks candidates to refrain from encouraging religious bias or stereotypes. Candidates, the "interfaith statement of principles" says, should feel comfortable explaining their religious convictions to voters, but "there is a point where an emphasis on religion in a political campaign becomes inappropriate and even unsettling."

A Ten Commandments display in the public schools in rural Virginia has sparked local protest among those who support it, and an ACLU lawsuit against it.

Tim Keller, pastor, redeemer at the Presbyterian Church and author, talks about African-American churches and desegregation.

As Mitt Romney continues his fight for the Republican presidential nomination, the media and political observers continue to highlight his Mormon faith. Evangelicals, especially, have been vocal on the subject, with some calling Mormonism a 'cult.' In this video, theologians The Rev. Dr. Serene Jones and The Rev. Dr. Richard Mouw explain the differences between the traditional Christian theology and Mormonism.

Rev. Rock Schuler explains how to deal with spiritual dry spells and religious doubts.

As we head into the weekend, Odyssey shares the stories we've been tracking in the news. Such as Larry Echohawk being named 'First Quorum of the Seventy' and the U.S. passing a resolution urging Iran to release Baha's leaders in captivity.