Weekly Outlook - A murmuration of clergy

Dear readers, This March, during the season of Lent, Presbyterian Outlook is dedicating a special issue to grief and loss.  Lent invites us to slow down, to sit with what is broken, and to tell the truth about what hurts. It is a season shaped by dust and tears, by confession and longing, by the ache for what has been lost and the hope for what might yet be made new. In a world full of layered grief — from personal loss to collective trauma — this issue meets readers, not with easy answers, but with faithful companionship. Our contributors include pastors, theologians, writers, chaplains, counselors, and professors who teach and tend in the midst of sorrow. Together, they offer: Theological reflection on grief and loss Reflective writing prompts for healing and self-understanding Prayers shaped for seasons of sorrow Personal essays that name what loss feels like from the inside An exploration of anticipatory grief A “grief bookshelf” of trusted resources for pastors and church leaders This is not an issue that rushes people through grief. It walks with them. It names sorrow without trying to fix it. It offers language when words are hard to find. And it holds space for lament, remembrance, and quiet hope. Lent reminds us: we do not heal by skipping the hard parts. We heal by walking through them — together. Orders placed by Wednesday, February 4, will be delivered in early March. Supplies are limited, so reserve your extra copies at this low price today — the cost per copy will increase after this initial promotion. Peace, Rose Schrott Taylor Digital Content Editor Presbyterian Outlook

A murmuration of clergy: Presbyterians and partners gather in Minneapolis by Harriet Riley  Why the PC(USA)’s Book of Confessions is too long — and how to fix it by Charles Aden Wiley, III A prayer after the killing of Alex Pretti by Teri McDowell Ott Faith leaders call for action after violence in Minneapolis by Harriet Riley When Jesus feels absent — and the work feels impossible by Kate Murphy 2026: A year for the rural church by Phillip Blackburn In case you missed it... Meeting Jesus on the Road: A Lenten Study With weekly walking prompts, reflection questions and a pastoral tone, "Meeting Jesus on the Road" encourages us to meet Jesus in our neighborhoods, writes Amy Pagliarella. Rapsody: The holy work of formation In this episode, Chris Burton explores how Rapsody pairs uncompromising lyricism with a lived commitment to community, mentoring young artists, and investing in others as an act of faithful formation. Holy Disruption: A Manifesto for the Future of Faith Communities  In "Holy Disruption," pastors Amy Butler and Dawn Darwin Weaks tell bold, hopeful stories of congregations that looked outward, listened to their neighbors, and invested their resources for justice. — Amy Pagliarella Unification Commission approves the majority of a proposed Organization for Mission The remainder will be addressed during an online UC meeting Feb. 12. — Mike Ferguson We Can Be Brave In "We Can Be Brave," Bryan Bliss adapts Mariann Budde’s call to courage for young readers — weaving faith, fear and hope through stories both sacred and familiar. Amy Pagliarella offers a review of the book. Inside the effort to organize clergy nationwide to resist ICE Hundreds of clergy from around the country gathered in Minneapolis to learn from Minnesota faith leaders how to protest against ICE enforcement. Then they took to the streets and helped block the city's airport. — Jack Jenkins

Order today!  Explore how to live faithfully amid division and uncertainty through Matthew’s Gospel.

WCC news: Bossey graduates celebrate "the hard and beautiful work of bridge-building”

A graduation event held 28 January at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey began with a student-led prayer for Thanksgiving in the chapel that included music, followed by a graduation ceremony with speeches, and ending with a banquet celebrating the milestone for all.  Photo: Grégoire de Fombelle/WCC 29 January 2026 Throughout, students shared humor, gratitude, and a sense that their work is not yet done.  They earned Certificates of Advanced Studies in Ecumenical Studies or Complementary Certificates in Ecumenical Studies after studying, living, praying, and laughing together.  As student Johan Wahlstrom from Sweden said: “It is now time to bring forward the many things that we as students are grateful for.” On behalf of the student body, Wahlstrom and student Charlotte Fritz, from the Federal Republic of Germany, Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Hanover, joined in a humorous dialogue featuring their favorite quotes from their peers.  In moments of seriousness, they also offered a heartfelt thanks to their professors. “You taught us to never stop asking you questions, that listening is sometimes more important than talking,” said Fritz.  Photo: Grégoire de Fombelle/WCC The students also expressed gratitude to local churches for giving them a spiritual home during they stay at Bossey.  Fr. Dr Lawrence Iwuamadi, academic dean of the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey, reflected that the students have shared not only knowledge but hope as well.  “We have just returned from Rome,” he reflected, referring to the recently completed annual study trip in conjunction with the Week of Prayer of Christian Unity. “You are the first group to meet Pope Leo.” He added that, as Bossey approaches its 80th anniversary on 6 October this year, this graduating class now becomes part of a legacy that spans over generations. “You are stepping into a story much bigger than yourself, and you carry it forward with grace, humor, and a remarkable ability to adapt,” he said. “As you leave, remember that your journey with Bossey does not end here.” Photo: Grégoire de Fombelle/WCC Rev. Dr Kuzipa Nalwamba, WCC programme director for Unity, Mission, and Ecumenical Formation, reflected that the graduates are celebrating not just an academic conclusion, but the fruition of a transformative journey on the Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity. “You, our graduates, came here from every corner of the world and every corner of the Christian family,” she said. “You brought your distinct stories, your theological accents, and your liturgical rhythms.” The students learned that unity is not uniformity, but “the hard and beautiful work of bridge-building,” said Nalwamba. "You have been immersed in the ecumenical method, seeking truth together in love, believing we see God more clearly through the eyes of our neighbour.” The students are practitioners of reconciliation, she added. “Carry this Bossey spirit with you,” she said. “Be translators between divided communities.” The road continues, Nalwamba advised. “There will be setbacks,” she said. “Carry the fire of dialogue into cold prejudice. Carry the water of shared understanding into parched landscapes of division.” Prof. Dr Cristophe Chalamet, dean of the Autonomous Faculty of Protestant Theology, University of Geneva, expressed great joy over what the students have achieved.  “It is a gift that you have received, I think, in coming here to Bossey and sharing the life, and sharing studies,” he said. “I have been coming to Bossey for over a decade and I have witnessed also the difficulties of arriving. But there’s a lot of beauty in the encounter of differences among a shared faith, a shared baptism. The journey does not end here, of course.” Photo gallery Learn more about the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey 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

This Week in Religion - Bearing witness after the witnesses

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Lead story

Bearing witness after the witnesses are gone: How to bring Holocaust education home for a new generation

Editor's note:

Holocaust survivors gathered at Auschwitz on Tuesday, commemorating 81 years since the Nazi death camp’s liberation.

Each year, however, the number of witnesses around the world grows smaller. An estimated 200,000 Holocaust survivors are alive today – most of whom were children during the war and are now in their 80s or 90s.

For years, survivors’ voices have been a pillar of Holocaust education, giving a human face to history lessons. What happens when they’re gone?

There are other ways to “bring this history home,” says Chad Gibbs, a professor at the College of Charleston – making it local and personal. In classes on the Holocaust, for example, he uses letters sent by a family of Polish Jews to relatives in South Carolina, and he trains students to conduct oral histories with survivors’ descendants.

“What’s most heartening about these methods and their successes is what they reveal about what today’s students value,” Gibbs writes. “In the age of AI, Big Tech and omnipresent social media, I believe it is still – and maybe even more than ever – the real human connection.”

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Religion News

As Springfield's 15,000 Haitians brace for deportations, local churches train to resist ICE

Over a year since Donald Trump and JD Vance spread falsehoods about the city's migrants eating pets, Haitians’ temporary protected status is set to run out Feb. 3. By Kathryn Post/Religion News Service

The first female head of the Anglican Communion is sworn in, inheriting a church in turmoil

Sarah Mullally has been sworn in as the archbishop of Canterbury, becoming the first woman to lead the Church of England. By Danica Kirka/The Associated Press

In fire-scarred Altadena, displaced congregations remain 'in the wilderness'

Of the 9,400 structures destroyed by the Eaton Fire, more than a dozen were houses of worship. Today, those communities gather in temporary spaces, drawing on decades of interfaith connections. By Hayden Royster/Religion News Service

Cuba's Santeros offer gifts and ask deities for peace as tensions rise with U.S.

As Cuba braces for more economic difficulties, priests and priestesses of the Afro-Cuban religion known as Santería held ceremonies offering gifts to deities and asking for peace. By Andrea Rodriguez/The Associated Press

World pauses to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Holocaust survivors, politicians and regular people gathered at somber events across Europe and beyond to reflect on Nazi Germany's killing of millions of people. By Vanessa Gera/The Associated Press

 

Commentary and Analysis

Trump’s framing of Nigeria insurgency as a war on Christians risks undermining interfaith peacebuilding

President Donald Trump described a Dec. 25 airstrike on suspected insurgent camps as a 'Christmas present' from the US. Many in Nigeria are not viewing it as such. By Aili Mari Tripp for The Conversation

The 'theology of showing up' is making Minneapolis a holy place

The people of Minneapolis, too, are responding and resisting in unspeakably brave, radically loving ways that we will speak of for years to come. By Sunita Viswanath/Religion News Service

The hidden power of grief rituals 

Grief can inspire concrete acts of loyalty and generosity. By Claire White for The Conversation

Thecla, the beast fighter: The saint who faced down lions and killer seals is one of many ‘leading ladies’ in early Christian texts

The Christian apocrypha, texts not included in the New Testament, include stories of Jesus’ female followers – including St. Thecla. By Christy Cobb for The Conversation

 

Photos of the Week: Clergy mobilize against ICE, Hindu Magh Mela festival and more

Faith leaders demonstrate against ICE tactics in the departures area of Terminal 1 of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (RNS photo/Jack Jenkins)

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RNS Morning Report - Exhibit depicting Black church leaders removed

Top Stories Faith leaders criticize Trump administration’s removal of Philadelphia slavery exhibit (RNS) — One of the removed panels featured images of Richard Allen and Absalom Jones. Both born as enslaved persons, they were instrumental in starting their churches. In new letter, Orthodox rabbis say Jewish law forbids ‘conversion therapy’ (RNS) — Orthodox institutions in the U.S. and Israel have made only halting steps toward LGBTQ+ equality. Christian nationalism isn’t limited to US, say scholars meeting in Chicago (RNS) — A conference at the University of Chicago Divinity School will look at the tension between Christianity as a moral force and as a weapon for politics around the world. Khartoum Anglican cathedral comes to life, three years after war forced its closure (RNS) — As government-aligned troops return to Sudan’s capital, its Anglican cathedral begins its recovery from years of civil war. Opinion We say ‘Never again’ as we remember the Holocaust. But what do we do to make it true? (RNS) — As the author’s state of Maine reckons with how to protect a threatened group of neighbors, she’s guided by those who helped her own family. Trump is destroying America; he must be stopped (RNS) — At the ballot booth and in the streets, we must show that nonviolent collective action is still alive in America. What is at stake is the soul of our nation. ICYMI Walz’s Anne Frank comment shows how Holocaust remembrance has become contentious (RNS) — Educators and museums are conflicted on whether the lesson of the Holocaust should be understood as a tragedy with universal implications for humankind, or one more narrowly, pertaining to the Jews. US Catholic bishops make urgent pleas to rein in ICE after recent deaths (RNS) — ‘We ask — for the love of God and the love of human beings, which can’t be separated — vote against renewing funding for such a lawless organization,’ Cardinal Joseph Tobin said. 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

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