Weekly religion news roundup (July 4-10, 2025)
Photograph by Utsav Srestha via Unsplash
Rev. Dr. Anna Piela
Things to know about the UN special rapporteur sanctioned by the US. A U.N. special rapporteur was sanctioned by the United States over her work as an independent investigator scrutinizing human rights abuses in the Palestinian territories, a high-profile role in a network of experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council. (Associated Press)
Nation’s largest teachers’ union votes to endorse proposal that would cut ties with the Anti-Defamation League. The National Education Association, the nation’s largest teachers’ union, has endorsed a proposal to cut ties with the Anti-Defamation League, an Israel-supporting civil rights group focused on combatting antisemitism, according to an NEA spokesperson. (CNN)
A 500-year-old Sikh tradition returns to Capitol Hill to resist bigotry in politics. Langar began as a radical act of equality to reject caste divisions that often prevented Indians from sharing a meal. (RNS)
After immigration raids, Southern California Catholic bishop lifts Mass obligation. San Bernardino Bishop Alberto Rojas cited ‘concerns expressed by many of our brothers and sisters regarding fears of attending Mass due to potential immigration enforcement actions by civil authorities.’ (RNS)
Florida faith leaders plead with DeSantis to slow executions. More than 100 Florida faith leaders signed a letter pleading with Gov. Ron DeSantis to pause the fast pace of executions in the state this year. (Baptist News Global)
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.
A century after a man was convicted of teaching evolution, the debate on religion in schools rages. One hundred years ago, a public high school teacher stood trial in Dayton, Tennessee, for teaching human evolution. His nation is still feeling the reverberations today. (Associated Press)
Trump administration says it won’t enforce Johnson Amendment. In a year already chock-full of wins for conservative evangelicals in their culture wars, the Internal Revenue Service said July 7 it no longer will enforce the Johnson Amendment that prevents churches and other nonprofits from endorsing political candidates. (Baptist News Global)
‘Dad, imam, God’: children living with self-declared pope in former UK orphanage. Followers of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light urged to sell possessions and donate their salaries to the cause. (The Guardian)
US Catholic school fires teacher after husband’s obituary reveals his marriage to a man. Mark Richards says a parent complained to New Orleans’ St Francis Xavier school after reading his late husband’s obituary. (The Guardian)
Apocalypse in the Tropics review – how Brazilian politics succumbed to rightwing fundamentalism. Petra Costa explains how screeching evangelical Christian leaders have become kingmakers to all politicians in a chilling documentary that shows democracy on the brink. (The Guardian)
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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