Weekly religion news roundup (March 6-12, 2026)
Photograph by Utsav Srestha via Unsplash
Hannah Estifanos
War in the Middle East ensnares many Muslim pilgrims in travel chaos. The travel chaos from the war in the Middle East has ensnared many of the Muslims who have converged on Saudi Arabia for the Umrah pilgrimage, leaving them stranded and scrambling to find other ways home. Others had to scrap their planned visits altogether. (Associated Press)
Cardinal Sako, head of Chaldean Church in Iraq, retires as war engulfs the region. The patriarch of one of the most important Christian churches in the Middle East retired on Tuesday, setting the stage for new leadership as war engulfs the region. (Religion News Service)
Israeli family who buried 3 of their children after missile attack clings to faith. They were among nine people killed when an Iranian missile strike demolished a synagogue and homes in Beit Shemesh. Israel’s rescue services said 65 people were hospitalized in the attack, including two seriously wounded. (Associated Press)
Conservative Anglican bishops seek ‘disengagement’ from Canterbury without naming rival leader. Weeks before Sarah Mullally is officially installed as the first female archbishop of Canterbury, a group of conservative Anglican prelates known as GAFCON renamed their body the Global Anglican Communion and elected a set of leaders to exercise “principled disengagement” from the archbishop and the historic center of Anglicanism in England. (The Christian Century)
Pope announces resignation of US bishop accused of embezzling $270K from California parish. The bishop of a small Chaldean Catholic community in the San Diego area has resigned amid charges that he embezzled $270,000 from his parish, Pope Leo XIV announced Tuesday. (Associated Press)
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.
Only 15 Texas districts opt in for prayer and Bible reading. All but 15 of more than 1,200 Texas school districts and charters rejected a state law that encourages students and staff to pray and read the Bible during the school day, The Texas Tribune reported. (Baptist News Global)
Mike Johnson says Rep. Andy Ogles’ anti-Muslim remarks reflect ‘popular sentiment.’ Claims that Muslim Americans are seeking to impose Islamic religious law on the country have become popular talking points among Republican lawmakers recently. (Religion News Service)
Georgia Senate unanimously approves clergy sexual abuse bill. The Georgia Senate voted 55–0 last Friday to pass Senate Bill 542, legislation aimed at strengthening criminal accountability for clergy sexual abuse in Georgia. Advocates say the measure closes a gap in state law and creates a path to justice for survivors of abuse by religious leaders. (Baptist News Global)
Texas Ministries Help International Students Face Job Uncertainty. As H-1B visas become more difficult to obtain, ministry workers provide housing, community, and biblical hope. (Christianity Today)
Twisted Yoga: how a search for enlightenment turned into a dangerous cult. A shocking new Apple TV series goes behind the yoga camps where women alleged criminal behavior from a guru wanted for sexual exploitation charges. (The Guardian)
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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