Weekly religion news roundup (April 24-30, 2026)
Photograph by Utsav Srestha via Unsplash
Hannah Estifanos
Pope prays with Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally in historic encounter, vows dialogue. Pope Leo XIV prayed Monday in the Vatican with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, and vowed to keep working to overcome differences "no matter how intractable they may appear," in a historic meeting with the first female leader of the Church of England and spiritual leader of the global Anglican Communion. (National Catholic Reporter)
Washington Attack Suspect Sought to Justify Himself to Christians. In writings, Cole Tomas Allen thanked his church and argued that his attempt to assassinate Trump administration officials was compatible with his faith. (Christianity Today)
Pete Hegseth’s Iran war messaging echoes sermons from his extremist church. US defense secretary’s openly Christian nationalist church continues to have growing influence in the White House. (The Guardian)
Church attendance up for the first time in decades, according to new report. The past 25 years have been rough for churches and other houses of worship in the US. Yet a new report from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research shows signs of a shift—for the first time in two decades, attendance is up. More people are volunteering, and there also seems to be a renewed sense of optimism among pastors and other clergy. (The Christian Century)
Citing Wexner's Epstein ties, Jewish leaders direct money to survivors. More than 100 alumni of Wexner Foundation fellowships and professional development programs have started a fund to aid survivors of sexual abuse and exploitation. Established by retail billionaire Leslie Wexner, the foundation headquartered in New Albany, Ohio, had been highly regarded for its competitive and rigorous fellowships that train midcareer Jewish leaders, both clergy and lay. (Religion News Service)
Each week in The Christian Citizen, we publish a Religion News Roundup with summaries of religion news stories and links for those who want to read more.
New imaging uncovers hidden text in ancient Christian manuscript. The discovery offers insight into how early Christians read and understood Scripture — and provides a point of connection for contemporary Christians. (Religion News Service)
Study traces anti-Muslim campaign to Greg Abbott. The current surge in anti-Muslim hatred from elected Republicans can be traced to a social media post by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott early last year, according to a new study by the Center for the Study of Organized Hate. (Baptist News Global)
‘A husband expects a yes’: how wife schools are shaping submissive Christian women. A cottage industry of women are selling courses aligned with a conservative movement that claims feminism is the source of women’s discontent. (The Guardian)
U.K. police arrest 9 in raids on religious sect over alleged modern slavery, forced marriage, sex offenses. Some 500 British police officers conducted raids on facilities linked to the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL) group Wednesday morning, arresting nine people on suspicion of various offenses including modern slavery, forced marriage and sexual assault. (CBS News)
Texas Education Board Advances Bible Reading List, Igniting Legal Debate. Critics argue that mandatory Bible readings in public schools would violate the religion clauses in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. (Religion Unplugged)
Hannah Estifanos is the copyeditor of The Christian Citizen.
The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of American Baptist Home Mission Societies.
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