Weekly religion news roundup (July 24-30, 2026)
Photograph by Utsav Srestha via Unsplash
Hannah Estifanos
Religion isn’t just for the right: five ways progressives are invoking ‘religious freedom’ laws. Progressive faith communities are increasingly leveraging religious freedom laws to protect civil liberties across the US. (The Guardian)
Fringe Israeli settler group is sneaking into Syria to try to claim land for a Jewish outpost. Formed early last year, the Pioneers of Bashan are a group of right-wing Israeli activists aiming to establish Jewish settlements inside Syria. They have their sights set on an area of southwestern Syria that includes the provinces of Quneitra, Daraa and Sweida. (Associated Press)
This historic divinity school is offering the first doctoral degree in ‘AI and Moral Agency.’ Shaw University Divinity School hopes to be the first theological school accredited by the Association of Theological Schools to offer a doctoral degree in AI. Its first cohort begins in January. (Religion News Service)
USDA employees go to court again to stop secretary’s proselytizing. Employees already suing U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins over religious freedom violations have urged a judge to stop her continued proselytizing through agency-wide emails as litigation continues. (Baptist News Global)
Released Texas pastors say immigration agents threatened family separation. The assistant pastors at Comunidad Cristiana Emanuel, an Assemblies of God church, were released on Saturday, two days after immigration agents detained the married couple on their way to a retreat with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. (The Christian Century)
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.
Orthodox monks are the first to live and pray at a monastery in Estonia for 80 years. Founded last year in one of Europe’s most secular societies, the Kirikla Orthodox Monastery is the first monastery the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church has established in decades. (Associated Press)
Long overlooked and newly energized, Black Buddhist studies challenges US Buddhist history. Buddhism is an American religious tradition that intersects meaningfully with African American religious history, experts in the emerging field of Black Buddhism say. (Religion News Service)
“A deal with the devil”: Religion motivates data center opponents in Texas. Some see the AI facilities as a sign of the apocalypse, others see an opportunity to advocate for environmental stewardship. (The Texas Tribune)
Heritage Foundation’s new legal group joins Colorado book ban case. The Heritage Foundation, the think tank behind the Project 2025 blueprint for Trump 2.0, announced its new Legal Action Center July 8. In its first case, the center will help conservative Christian groups defend a Colorado school district that enacted a book ban and was sued by the ACLU. (Baptist News Global)
‘Future at stake’: India moves to demolish university Muslim leader founded. Authorities in BJP-governed Uttar Pradesh state allege 38 of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University’s 40 buildings were built illegally. (Al Jazeera)
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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