Weekly religion news roundup (August 1-7, 2025)
Photograph by Utsav Srestha via Unsplash
Rev. Dr. Anna Piela
Palestinian nonviolent activist killed by Israeli settler is buried after IDF releases body. A 31-year-old English teacher at a regional school, Awdah Hathaleen was committed to nonviolence and had befriended many Muslims, Jews and Christians across the world in his quest to secure equal rights for Palestinian Bedouins in his village, who have been increasingly hemmed in by Israeli settlements. (RNS)
Pastor and father of 3 arrested in Maryland for overstaying visa a quarter-century ago. A Maryland pastor who fled Honduras 24 years ago to escape poverty and violence is waiting to hear when he will face an immigration judge after his arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement for overstaying his visa in 2001, his family said. (CNN)
New Jersey church on solid ground against potential property seizure, legal experts suggest. A New Jersey church was thrust into the national spotlight in recent months when town officials targeted the property for seizure, by eminent domain if necessary, to create new public parkland. Episcopal leaders insisted Christ Episcopal Church in the town of Toms River was not for sale. (Episcopal News Service)
From Bibles to prayer groups: What Trump’s new religion memo for federal workers means. The memo provides guidance on religious expression for federal workers. Backers say it mirrors Clinton-era policies. But to others, the overtly Christian language raises First Amendment concerns. (USA Today)
Interfaith prayer vigil held outside ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ amid reports of hunger strike inside facility. Organizers said this is the first of what will be weekly prayer vigils outside “Alligator Alcatraz.” (7 News Miami)
Each Friday 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.
Church membership may be declining, but many churchgoers are double-dosing. Amid a collapse of loyalty to religious institutions, many churchgoers say they are attending multiple congregations on Sunday morning. (RNS)
Aid cuts will push Nigerians into arms of Boko Haram militants, UN warns. Drastic cuts to humanitarian aid in north-eastern Nigeria could prove a boon to one of the world's most deadly militant groups, Boko Haram, aid agencies have warned. (BBC News)
Spanish discovery suggests Roman-era ‘church’ may have been a synagogue. Oil lamp fragments point to presence of previously unknown Jewish population in Ibero-Roman town of Cástulo. (The Guardian)
Federal judge stops Arkansas from posting Ten Commandments in public schools. A federal judge has blocked Arkansas from implementing a new law requiring Ten Commandments displays in public-school classrooms. (Baptist News Global)
Inside The Rightward Drift Of Kerala’s Syrian Christians. Once known for its secularism and high levels of literacy and political consciousness, the Indian state of Kerala is witnessing a quiet but significant ideological shift — one surfacing not only in its mainstream politics but also within its religious communities. (Religion Unplugged)
Rev. Dr. Anna Piela is senior writer at American Baptist Home Mission Societies and assistant editor 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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