WASHINGTON, D.C. (WordNews.org) Jan. 5, 2013 – Christian persecution in the Middle East will continue to ramp up, leading to mass emigration. Mormonism’s popularity will continue to grow. Sexual liberalism will spread in evangelical colleges and universities.

Those are three of the predictions made by the Institute on Religion in Democracy that will be among the top church stories of 2013.

Other predictions include:

• Evangelical/Catholic Partnerships Grow: Both groups have been leaders in anti-sex trafficking movements in the past 10 years. With the implementation of the Obamacare mandate active Protestants and Roman Catholics will grow closer together in the public square, especially as religious freedom cases continue to unfurl.
• Evangelical Liberal Disenchantment: The distance between the Evangelical Left and the liberal political establishment will increase, especially differences with President Obama over religious liberty and abortion.
• Sexual Liberalism: Post Sexual Revolution mores will spread in evangelical colleges and universities. At church, meanwhile, transgenderism and polyamory will be increasingly touted openly, even in in old line church circles.
• Ecumenical Councils Struggle: While the National Council of Churches struggles to stay afloat, the National Association of Evangelicals will experience further liberalization and marginalization. At least two old line seminaries will shutter, and the most liberal church bodies, such as the United Church of Christ, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the Metropolitan Community Churches, will continue to move closer towards eventual consolidation.
• Mormonism will continue to grow: Mormons nearly ties United Methodists for member and will be increasingly seen as mainstream in conservative circles and hard to ignore in liberal circles. The growth of Mormonism, along with Pentecostalism and Nondenominational Evangelical Christianity, will continue to contrast with diminishing old line Protestantism.