“For decades, evangelical Christians, particularly those in the US, have viewed the Middle East through the lens of Christian Zionism, a staunchly pro-Israel &, recently, pro-war outlook. Recent developments, however, show the rest of the evangelical world moving away from a politically centered theology toward one rooted in Christ’s teachings of justice, mercy & the need to spare all lives made in God’s image.” | Daoud Kuttab, RNS https://religionnews.com/2025/10/03/in-the-middle-east-evangelicals-are-abandoning-politically-centered-theology-for-peace/

‘The #Vatican's top diplomat sharply criticised #Israel's "ongoing massacre" in #Gaza… Cardinal Pietro Parolin also called [the #7Oct #Hamas' attack on Israeli communities] "inhuman & indefensible" & urged Hamas to free remaining #hostages… [Pope] Leo…[said], “The cardinal has expressed very well what the opinion of the Holy See is.’ | Reuters https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/top-vatican-cardinal-says-israel-carrying-out-massacre-gaza-2025-10-06/

From Peter Beinert.

I Visited Pete Hegseth’s Former Megachurch. Here’s What I Found.

https://barnraisingmedia.com/megachurches-streaming-to-a-barn-near-you/

'This is domestic terror': Shaken by ICE raids, pastors rethink ministries | RNS https://religionnews.com/2025/08/04/when-ice-detains-people-on-church-grounds-pastors-say-congregations-suffer/

Trump's religious rhetoric clashes with Canada's secular politics |
By Luis Andres Henao & David Crary, AP News https://apnews.com/article/canada-us-religion-politics-trump-mark-carney-42ec8367f2092919582a1e9358bd7f0e

“Brent Leatherwood, president of the #SouthernBaptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, resigned…July 31…
Leatherwood, who took office in 2022 after serving as interim leader for a year, is the 3rd ERLC president in a row to step down under fire. …Leatherwood was criticized for not being in line with…Trump’s #MAGA agenda. Critics also say the agency …has become too liberal on issues such as #immigration.” | RNS https://religionnews.com/2025/07/31/brent-leatherwood-head-of-embattled-sbc-public-policy-arm-steps-down/

“…#PeterBeinart sits down with #JonStewart to discuss his book, "Being Jewish After the Destruction of #Gaza: A Reckoning" & speaking out against #Israel. They talk about learning from #Jewish history to be…saviors rather than…oppressors, America & the UN’s failure to hold… #Netanyahu accountable, the urgency of engaging in critical discourse with other Jews, & how listening to #Palestinian stories can illuminate the dehumanizing conditions.“ | The Daily Show - YouTube https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=X5kXCdzt_us

#US: As #deportation fears keep immigrants from work, their #churches feel financial strain. “We have people who are locked in their homes out of fear, or only leaving to go to work. No leisure, no outings with their families, no vacations — sometimes not even coming to church. … They are terrified… Before, deportations happened, but … this tone of declared targeting…has quietly legitimized hostile attitudes among people who already held anti-immigrant views..” ’ | RNS https://religionnews.com/2025/07/24/as-deportation-fears-keep-immigrants-from-work-their-churches-feel-financial-strain/

What Is the “Seven Mountains Mandate” and How Is It Linked To Political Extremism in The U.S.?

https://www.yahoo.com/news/seven-mountains-mandate-linked-political-160746888.html

OPINION: How a person reacts to the sight of armed, masked men assaulting immigrants in the United States defines a person’s character.
https://religionnews.com/2025/07/08/immigration-policy-has-become-a-question-of-character/

OPINION: Many of us are intimately familiar with the dehumanization and scapegoating on display right now, and we will not stand by as a vulnerable group is blamed for the ills of society.
https://religionnews.com/2025/07/02/were-still-fighting-for-migrants-dignity-in-los-angeles/

OPINION: Trump said he didn’t realize the term "Shylock" was offensive. That is hard to believe, but never mind. Even alleged ignorance of offense doesn’t negate its harm.
https://religionnews.com/2025/07/07/shylock-trump-antisemitic/

OPINION: One hundred years after the Scopes trial, the culture war over evolution and creationism remains intense.
https://religionnews.com/2025/07/01/1-in-4-americans-reject-evolution-a-century-after-the-scopes-monkey-trial-spotlighted-the-clash-between-science-and-religion/

Praying the world halts climate change? There's now a Catholic Mass for that. “This new thematic Mass indicates the Church's recognition of the serious threats human-caused climate change is now fully realising," [Jesuit priest Rev. Bruce Morrill] said. The new Vatican rite comes 2 days after Catholic bishops from Asia, Africa & Latin America called on global governments to do more to address climate change, publishing a joint appeal...” | Reuters https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/cop/praying-world-halts-climate-change-theres-now-catholic-mass-that-2025-07-03/

On the Christian Education of Dr. Vance Boelter. When a bullet is a "prayer" | Jeff Sharlet, Scenes from a Slow Civil War https://open.substack.com/pub/slowcivilwar/p/on-the-christian-education-of-dr

Spiritual warfare and the roots of political violence | Katherine Stewart, Contrarian https://contrarian.substack.com/p/spiritual-warfare-and-the-roots-of

Pope Leo XIV faces major test over Opus Dei reforms | National Catholic Reporter

https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/pope-leo-xiv-faces-first-major-test-over-opus-dei-reforms

SCOTUS unanimously ruled ‘that a Catholic charity in Wisconsin can’t be required to pay unemployment taxes when other religious groups are exempt. The…court said the state’s tax decisions created an advantage for groups with a more overtly religious tone…, a violation of the First Amendment. “It is fundamental to our constitutional order that the government maintain ‘neutrality between religion & religion,’” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote...’ | RNS https://religionnews.com/2025/06/06/supreme-court-sides-with-catholic-charity-in-religious-rights-case-over-unemployment-taxes/ #FoRB

Prime Minister Carney must take decisive action to end genocide in Gaza. Letter from “…412 Canadians, including academics, lawyers, former & retired ambassadors…ministers & public servants, UN human rights experts, & civil society, labour & faith leaders, all deeply concerned with the catastrophic human rights & humanitarian crisis in #Gaza.” Full letter at
https://www.alexneve.ca/blog/prime-minister-carney-must-take-decisive-action-to-end-genocide-in-gaza . Pdf English https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5fc01c8f405d5340f3254abf/t/6846de7ab896526efd011be0/1749474938595/2025-09-06+Letter+to+PM+Carney+EN.pdf. Français: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5fc01c8f405d5340f3254abf/t/6846de919c131f4de09994f0/1749474961766/2025-09-06+Letter+to+PM+Carney+FR.pdf. Signatories: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5fc01c8f405d5340f3254abf/t/6846dea741a542236b2b25be/1749474983246/Endorsement+list.pdf