This Week in Religion - Metta: Discovering an ancient meditation practice

Click here for the web version of this email

Lead story

What loving-kindness meditation is and how to practice it in the new year

Editor's note:

One week into 2026, the quiet of the holidays already feels long gone. Venezuela, vaccine schedules, Greenland – amid the past few days’ flood of news, it’s hard to hold on to any feelings of rest, reflection and resolve for the new year.

But about 1 in 3 Americans tend to make a resolution, with the most common ones focused on well-being: health, mental health, relationships. For some, that means starting to meditate. And one form of mindfulness meditation, called “metta,” is focused on cultivating loving-kindness, reaching out from within.

In Buddhism, metta practice “is meant to grow people’s ability to be present for themselves and others without fail,” explains Jeremy David Engels, a professor at Penn State. But there are both secular and religious forms of metta meditation, all aimed at strengthening connection with other people.

Loving-kindness, Engels argues, is a practice that benefits democracy, where we must all “work together with friends, strangers and even purported ‘opponents.’ This is difficult to do if our hearts are full of hatred and resentment.”

Forward this email to a friend

 

Religion News

How Maduro's Indian guru became a household name in Venezuela

The very first, unofficial Sai Center, named for guru Sri Sathya Sai Baba, opened in Caracas in the 1970s. Now, there are almost 30 centers or groups connected to the guru across the country. By Richa Karmarkar/Religion News Service

Israel clears final hurdle to start settlement construction that would cut West Bank in two

Israel has cleared the final hurdle before starting construction on a contentious settlement project near Jerusalem that would effectively cut the West Bank in two, according to a government tender. By Julia Frankel and Abby Sewell/The Associated Press

Silicon Valley's Christ-curious moment: The evangelical groups courting tech elites

'Whatever you're doing here in San Francisco is more important than everything everybody's doing in Christian work in the rest of the world, combined,' said tech billionaire Peter Thiel in a recent lecture for evangelical group ACTS 17. By Hayden Royster/Religion News Service

The pope convenes cardinals and signals reforms ahead

Pope Leo XIV opened a new phase of his pontificate by gathering the world’s cardinals to Rome and indicating some reform-minded priorities by calling the modernizing teachings of the Second Vatican Council the 'guiding star' of the church. By Nicole Winfield/The Associated Press

Faith leaders minister to an anxious diaspora with Venezuela's future in flux

Faith leaders who minister to Christians in Venezuela and the Venezuelan diaspora in the United States are urging prayers for peace as they attend to congregations roiled by uncertainty and high emotions following the U.S. capture of deposed leader Nicolas Maduro. By Luis Andres Henao and Giovanna Dell’Orto/The Associated Press

 

Commentary and Analysis

Getting peace right: Why justice needs to be baked into ceasefire agreements – including Ukraine’s

Just war theory, a centuries-old field of ethics, deals with how and when to start conflicts. It can also guide decisions about how and when to end them. By Valerie Morkevicius for The Conversation

Recognizing a Palestinian state isn't an antisemitic act

Security for one people should not come at the expense of another’s freedom. By Daoud Kuttab/Religion News Service

How a niche Catholic approach to infertility treatment became a new talking point for MAHA conservatives

Mainstream medical organizations have criticized ‘restorative reproductive medicine,’ but some Catholics who follow church teachings consider it a welcome alternative. By Emma Kennedy for The Conversation

The celibate, dancing Shakers were once seen as a threat to society – 250 years later, they’re part of the sound of America

‘The Testament of Ann Lee,’ Mona Fastvold’s 2025 film, depicts part of the long history of Shaker worship. By Christian Goodwillie for The Conversation

 

Photos of the Week: Orthodox Christmas, Epiphany and more

Worshippers gather on the eve of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christmas, hosted by the Ethiopian Jandereba Generation, at Meskel Square in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/ Amanuel Sileshi)

Did a friend or colleague forward this to you? Click here to subscribe.

About the Global Religion Journalism Initiative

 

 

• This Week in Religion is a publication of the Global Religion Journalism Initiative, a collaboration among the Religion News Service, The Associated Press and The Conversation U.S.
• The three news organizations work to improve general understanding and analyze the significance of developments in the world of faith.
• The Associated Press Newsletter Hub
• Religion News Service newsletter sign-up page
• The Conversation U.S.'s daily and weekly newsletters

RNS Morning Report - Minneapolis clergy exposed to pepper-spray after rushing to scene of deadly ICE shooting

Top Stories Minneapolis clergy exposed to pepper-spray after rushing to scene of deadly ICE shooting (RNS) — ‘There was a request for clergy to show up’ at the scene, said one Minneapolis minister. ‘I was out the door.’ Liberal Christian denominations condemn US actions in Venezuela, call for peace (RNS) — Four days after the raid that extracted the Venezuelan leader and his wife and brought them to face federal charges in New York, nearly every mainline Protestant group has condemned the US actions. ‘God is using Trump’: Latino evangelicals celebrate Maduro’s capture as divine victory (RNS) — Latino evangelicals maintain that their shared faith was key to Maduro’s capture and that the church will play a critical role in charting the country’s future. Vatican faces ‘complicated’ balancing act in responding to US arrest of Maduro VATICAN CITY (RNS) — As cardinals gather in Rome for their first consistory under Pope Leo XIV, Venezuela has become a test case for the church’s quiet but consequential diplomacy. Philip Yancey, beloved evangelical author, retires after admitting affair (RNS) – In books such as ‘What's So Amazing About Grace?’ and ‘Where Is God When It Hurts?,’ Yancey spoke to evangelicals struggling with doubts and dealing with hardship. Opinion The government’s idea of ‘Judeo-Christianity’ doesn’t sound very Jewish (RNS) — If this is Judeo-Christianity, it seems that what comes after the hyphen is doing most of the work. When the church, like an aquarium, is built for the predators (RNS) — Minnows and guppies are expendable. It’s the big fish that bring in the crowds. ICYMI Two events remember the 5th anniversary of the Jan. 6 riot, appealing to two divine truths WASHINGTON (RNS) — A mile apart, supporters of the Jan. 6 rioters and clergy whose churches were assaulted five years ago, commemorated the historic events at the U.S. Capitol. How Maduro’s Indian guru became a household name in Venezuela (RNS) — The very first, unofficial Sai Center, named for guru Sri Sathya Sai Baba, opened in Caracas in the 1970s. Now, there are almost 30 centers or groups connected to the guru across the country. Support Our Work As a nonprofit newsroom that covers all faiths, RNS sits uniquely at the intersection of freedom of the press and freedom of religion. News tips or feedback? Email comments@religionnews.com. Like the Morning Report? Share it with a friend. Forwarded this newsletter? Subscribe here. We rely on reader donations to power our reporting. Donate here. Or send a check to: Religion News Foundation PO Box 1808 Columbia, MO 65205

Copyright © 2026 RNS, All rights reserved.

WCC News: Lutheran Church in Great Britain chaplain reflects on hospitality, accompaniment, and shared spiritual life

Rev. Rebecca Daniel is head of Chaplaincy and Development for the Council of Lutheran Churches in Great Britain. She took time to reflect on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and on a recent visit with the World Council of Churches (WCC).  Church leaders from Anglican, Lutheran, Greek Orthodox, Pentecostal movement and Salvation Army worshipping together on the Reformation Day in London as an expression of ecumenical unity. 4th from the right side - Rev. Rebecca Daniel of the Lutheran Church in Great Britain, head of Chaplaincy and Development of the Council of Lutheran Churches in Great Britain. Photo: courtesy of Rev. Rebecca Daniel 07 January 2026 Would you share a few thoughts on the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity? Rev. Daniel: As the pastor of the Lutheran Church in Great Britain, I make it a point each year to observe the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity as an integral part of our worship life. For me, the opportunity for shared prayer, as part of the global church, enables us to grow in fellowship as we attune our hearts and ears to listen to and learn from stories of Christian witness from different parts of our world.  This year’s theme, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling” (Ephesians 4:4), comes as a timely reminder that the call to unity is inseparable from the call to work for hope for all people, everywhere. This message is especially crucial in our current global context, marked by division and fragmentation. As churches shaped by many traditions and doctrines, we are called to engage in dialogue and discernment with humility, repentance, and openness—seeking the unity Christ already desires for his church. I also continue to emphasize that Christian unity does not require uniformity. This week invites us to listen attentively to how other traditions read Scripture, worship, and live out the Gospel. In doing so, we often discover dimensions of Christ that we may have underemphasized or even forgotten. Within higher education chaplaincies—particularly among multi-faith chaplaincy teams where various Christian traditions are represented—the Week of Prayer liturgy is regularly used, drawing on resources developed by the WCC. Jesus himself links unity directly to mission: “that they may all be one… so that the world may believe” (John 17:21). The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, therefore, is not only about healing divisions within Christianity, but about strengthening our shared witness to justice, peace, and love in a deeply fractured world. During your visit to the WCC, what did you take away regarding the wider ecumenical landscape? Rev. Daniel: During my visit to the WCC, I was deeply struck by the breadth and vitality of the wider ecumenical family. The WCC embodies a space where diverse Christian traditions—Orthodox, Lutheran, Protestant, Anglican, Evangelical, and others—come together not by minimising their differences, but by committing to walk with one another in faith, dialogue, and shared mission. While we were there, we witnessed virtually an historic commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea which was taking place in Iznik, Türkiye.   One key takeaway was the strong emphasis on relationship before resolution. The ecumenical movement today is less about forcing consensus and more about cultivating trust, mutual respect, and honest listening. This relational approach creates space for difficult theological and ethical conversations to take place without fracturing communion. I was also encouraged by how closely unity is linked to lived witness. The WCC consistently connects ecumenism with justice, peace, care for creation, and human dignity. Unity is not treated as an abstract theological ideal, but as something that must be embodied in collective action and prophetic engagement with the suffering of the world. Another important insight was the growing recognition of contextual theology. Voices from the Global South, Indigenous communities, and minority churches are shaping ecumenical conversations in fresh and necessary ways, broadening our understanding of what Christian unity looks like across cultures and histories. Overall, my visit reaffirmed that the ecumenical journey is ongoing—marked by patience, prayer, prophetic advocacy for human rights, the pursuit of a just community of women and men, commitment to climate justice, and perseverance. While challenges remain, the WCC reflects a hopeful vision of the church as a diverse yet connected body, called to witness together to Christ in a divided world. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is observed by international university students at the Luther Hub at St Mary’s German Lutheran Church. Working among international students is one of the key ministries of the Council of Lutheran Churches (CLC). Photo: courtesy of Rev. Rebecca Daniel Would you like to say something specific about the UK context? Rev. Daniel: In the UK context, the ecumenical landscape has a distinctive character shaped by history, diversity, and longstanding relationships. Bodies such as Churches Together in England (CTE) and Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) play a vital convening role, creating spaces where churches pray together, engage in dialogue, and collaborate in mission and public witness. Their work sustains ecumenism at both national and grassroots levels, ensuring that unity is not only discussed by church leaders but lived out in local communities. The Council of Lutheran Churches in Great Britain (CLC) is an active member of these ecumenical bodies. Notably, the Bishop of the Lutheran Church in Great Britain, Bishop Paulina Hlawiczka-Trotman, serves as one of the Presidents of Churches Together in England. The Fourth Presidency Group brings together the Church of Scotland (Presbytery of England), Evangelical Lutheran Church of England, Council of Lutheran Churches, Synod of German-Speaking Lutheran, Reformed, United Congregations in Great Britain, and the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers in Britain). This breadth of representation reflects the depth of unity already present among the churches. The CLC also seeks to build a collaborative relationship with the Anglican churches, especially, the Church of England which occupies a unique place within the ecclesial landscape of the UK. A key example of our collaboration is the Anglican–Lutheran Society (ALS), where Anglican and Lutheran ordained and lay people learn together, explore their traditions, and collaborate in mission. I am one of the founders of ALS Young Voices, a network for those under 35 years of age—both ordained and lay—created to foster ongoing learning, mutual accompaniment, and intergenerational ecumenical leadership. Under the Porvoo Agreement and other local ecumenical arrangements, and with permission from Anglican diocesan bishops, Lutheran and Anglican clergy share pulpits and, in certain contexts, sacramental life. These practices offer a tangible expression of communion lived out in everyday ministry. What is especially significant in the UK is the strong emphasis on practical ecumenism. Churches work together in chaplaincy, social care, refugee support, food banks, and advocacy for justice and peace. In a context marked by secularisation and social fragmentation, this shared witness speaks powerfully to the Gospel and strengthens the credibility of the church’s mission. The CLC actively supports higher education chaplaincy, and several Lutheran pastors serve as university chaplains, particularly among international students. As a chaplain myself, I host a Week of Prayer for Christian Unity service each year for university students who gather at the Luther Hub at St Mary’s German Lutheran Church. This is one example of how ecumenism is lived through hospitality, accompaniment, and shared spiritual life. At the same time, the relationship within and between churches in the UK are not without their tensions – on doctrinal, moral, and pastoral grounds. Yet organisations such as CLC and CTE provide frameworks for holding these tensions faithfully, reminding the churches that unity does not mean agreement on everything, but a commitment to remain in relationship. Overall, ecumenism in the UK reflects a mature and resilient practice—rooted in prayer, sustained by dialogue, and expressed through common action. It offers a hopeful model of how churches can live into Christ’s call to unity while honouring their distinct identities within the one body of Christ. Learn more about the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Council of Lutheran Churches in Great Britain WCC member churches in UK See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.  Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland