Arianna Huffington

This week, Jaweed Kaleem looks at threshold choirs, a growing movement using a capella song to soothe the dying. And Radley Balko puts the spotlight on Bisbee, Arizona, a town at the center of the state's debate over gay marriage.

Jennifer Harvey

Associate Professor of Religion, Drake University

We seem to be maybe, finally, oh so slowly going through a sea change on lesbian and gay rights. Cultural acceptance -- incomplete still, of course -- came first, and it seems like maybe political and religious acceptance may follow.

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche

Author, 'The Shambhala Principle,' 'Running with the Mind of Meditation'

When I teach in the West, people talk about self-loathing and self-aggression. Imagine what could happen if we all began to feel that we are good and to have confidence in ourselves that way.

Rev. Malcolm Boyd

Bestselling author, Episcopal priest, and gay elder

Fred was in serious trouble. He had cancer and kidney disease, was taking 12 different medicines a day on various prescriptions, suffered near sleeplessness and acknowledged he was suicidal. He called us in crisis.

Catherine Meeks, Ph.D.

Author, Community and Wellness Activist

We watch the stories of hoarders on television and feel sorry for them and we feel proud to not be one of them. But perhaps we have more in common than we realize.

Rabbi Geoffrey A. Mitelman

Associate Rabbi, Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester

True learning never stops; it pushes us out ever-farther into uncharted territory. As both space exploration and Torah study show us, each new discovery spurs new lines of inquiry.

Steve McSwain

Author, Speaker, Conscious Leader, Spiritual Teacher, the "Voice of the SBNR"

In our increasingly scientific and pluralistic world, fundamentalist theology unravels at almost every seam.

Rabbi Jack Bemporad

Director, Center for Interreligious Understanding (NJ) and of the John Paul II Center for Interreligious Dialogue (Rome)

Women will inherit 70 percent of the $41 trillion in the inter-generational wealth transfer expected over the next 40 years. That enormous potential philanthropic capital will propel women to the forefront of transformational giving. That gives me hope.

Rabbi Rachel Kahn-Troster

Director of North American Programs, T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights

Right now, the Jewish community is finishing up its annual marking of days, as each night we count the Omer, the 49 days between the second night of Passover and the beginning of Shavuot. Immediately after, we'll mark another set of days, one with only despair and no celebration.

Rev. Meg Riley

Senior Minister, Church of the Larger Fellowship

With the flourish of a signature, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton declared yesterday that, "Love is the law."

Malik Siraj Akbar

Editor in Chief, 'The Baloch Hal'; Author; Contributing Writer

By excluding the Ahmadis from the elections, Pakistan's democracy is indeed missing something very important on the election day.

Saleem H. Ali

Professor of environmental studies, University of Vermont; Research director, University of Queensland, Australia

As a Pakistani-American, I have sadly become a bit numb to terrorist attacks in Pakistan itself which are an almost routine news story. However, the terrorist attack on the Boston Marathon hit me far more acutely.

Amb. Ufuk Gokcen

Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, United Nations

While international efforts establish legal protections for freedom of expression and other freedoms, it is important not to end the discussion there. We must promote engagement and dialogue that remains focused on matters of human dignity.

Rev. Dr. Janet Edwards

Presbyterian minister

If community is like a beautiful quilt that binds all of us together, then marriage is one very important set of stitches that connect the fabric of humanity.

Chris Stedman

Author of 'Faitheist', Humanist Chaplain, Atheist and Interfaith Activist

I feel more convinced than ever that interfaith efforts should include LGBTQ voices; if such work is intended to bring together people with different and sometimes contradicting convictions and identities, then it has to.

Robert J. Morgan

Author, 'The Lord is My Shepherd'

The genuine followers of Jesus -- those who bear His name and espouse His values -- have flooded the world with good deeds, and their altruism is an apologetic for their truth.

Zach J. Hoag

Author & Freelance Minister

It's time to talk about complementarianism, the theological root of the demeaning, misogynistic evangelical fruit that I surveyed recently.