Weekly religion news roundup (May 1-7, 2026)
Photograph by Utsav Srestha via Unsplash
Hannah Estifanos
Melkite Catholic bishops express concern over Israeli demolitions in southern Lebanon. The Council of Melkite Greek Catholic Bishops in Lebanon urged the Lebanese government and the United Nations to protect the property of civilians and religious institutions in southern Lebanon. (Religion News Service)
ADL reports a sharp drop in US antisemitic incidents in 2025, driven by a steep fall on campuses. The number of antisemitic incidents in the United States tallied by the Anti-Defamation League declined sharply in 2025 — the first drop in five years — due in part to what the ADL said was a dramatic decrease of incidents on college campuses. (Associated Press)
For Christians in Israel and Jerusalem, intolerance is becoming normal. Despite official framing, for Christians there is little new in last week’s assault on a French nun in East Jerusalem. (Al Jazeera)
Muslim women are suing jails over hijab removal at booking. And winning. More Muslim women across the United States are turning to the courts to challenge prison and police policies that force them to remove their hijabs for booking photos, arguing the practice violates their religious freedom and leaves them exposed to lasting harm. (The Christian Century)
Does frequent worship lead to better mental health? Often, but not always, experts say. A positive view of religious faith’s relation to mental health is shared by several prominent U.S. mental health organizations, including the National Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health America. The American Psychological Association takes a nuanced approach. (National Catholic Reporter)
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.
Faith leaders go door to door in Congo preaching peace amid renewed war. With conflict escalating in eastern Congo, faith leaders are going into homes and displacement camps to promote peace, heal trauma and keep grief from turning into revenge. (Religion News Service)
Experts say anti-Christian bias task force report is full of bias. A new Justice Department report accusing President Joe Biden of discriminating against Christians is “absurd” on multiple levels, said Melissa Rogers, who led faith-based initiatives under the former administration. (Baptist News Global)
Evangelical groups warn Trump's deportations could leave 1.3M ‘torn apart’ from families. A new report created by a pair of evangelical Christian organizations is raising alarms about the effects of President Donald Trump’s mass deportation effort on families, arguing that more than 1 million people could be “torn apart” from their families if current immigration policies continue at expected rates. (The Christian Century)
Young King: revealing book shines light on Martin Luther King Jr’s early days. Lerone Martin’s new book offers fascinating insight into the civil rights icon’s younger years. (The Guardian)
The tiny Tokyo shrine where people pray for concert tickets. While Tokyo is home to hundreds of similar Shinto shrines, I soon learned that this one draws devotees for a very specific reason. Instead of asking the kami, or Shinto gods, for good fortune or health, believers come here for a very specific wish: concert tickets. (BBC News)
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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