Weekly religion news roundup (November 14-20, 2025)
Photograph by Utsav Srestha via Unsplash
Rev. Dr. Anna Piela
Democrats urge Trump administration to keep banning churches from endorsing politicians. A letter from Democratic lawmakers warned that repealing the Johnson Amendment, set to be discussed in a hearing next week, would fracture a ‘foundation stone in the nation’s wall of separation between church and state.’ (RNS)
Methodist pastors march into courtroom to support ‘boring suburban dad’ indicted for protesting. ‘If you come for one United Methodist, you have come for all of us,’ said a Chicago area UMC pastor. (RNS)
United Methodists ratify plan to unify denomination while decentering US church. Under the new restructuring plan, called ‘regionalization,’ the denomination’s nine regions will be equal partners with greater freedom to tailor church life to their own customs and traditions. (RNS)
Texas Baptists elect ordained woman as convention president. Texas Baptists elected an ordained female clergywoman as convention president this week for the first time ever. (Baptist News Global)
Texas governor seeks to ban Muslim organizations. The Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations are “foreign terrorist organizations” and are banned from owning property in Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott declared in a Nov. 18 proclamation. (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.
Christian leaders declare solidarity with Palestinian Christians. U.S. Christian leaders are circulating a declaration pledging solidarity with their Palestinian counterparts and pledging to advocate for a permanent and lasting ceasefire in Gaza. (Baptist News Global)
Beliefs clash among students, parents and teachers as the Ten Commandments go up in Texas classrooms. Texas is undertaking the nation’s largest attempt to hang the Ten Commandments in public schools, and in the rush to navigate the Republican-led mandate that took effect in September, the rollout has forced some districts to confront hard choices. (Associated Press)
Pope strongly backs US bishops in blasting Trump immigration crackdown, urges humane treatment. Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday strongly backed U.S. bishops who condemned the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, as he urged the American people to listen to them and treat migrants humanely. (Associated Press)
‘Trump is inconsistent with Christian principles’: why the Democratic party is seeing a rise of white clergy candidates. From Texas and Iowa to Arkansas, faith leaders are wading into politics to counter the rise of Christian nationalism (The Guardian US)
US decline in religion among biggest in world. The United States has experienced one of the largest declines in religiosity globally over the past decade, new research shows. (Newsweek)
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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