Weekly Outlook - Harmful theology hiding in plain sight

Dear readers, May you find God in the ordinary and grace in the imperfect. May there be laughter around your table, courage for tough moments, and enough quiet to hear whispers from God. When the world feels heavy, may you remember that God's love covers you. Peace, Dartinia Hull Managing Editor Presbyterian Outlook  P.S. Have you started your Advent plans? We've got daily devotionals and a plethora of liturgies to make your life easier. Learn more.

No other God: Voting, faith, and state intimidation by Rev. Dr. Serene Jones Harmful theology hiding in plain sight by Teri McDowell Ott Polity matters: Faithful governance and the Book of Order by Kyle Walker Faith leaders on the ballot: 11 races to watch by Religion News Service

In case you missed it... At This Time: Dialogues in Theological Education What does theological education look like beyond enrollment and budgets? — Amy Pagliarella Workshop unpacks post-pandemic finances and attendance data for churches Insights include church growth patterns, online trends and the impact of technology on giving. When a Presbyterian elder is taken by ICE After Pedro Garcia Luna was detained and deported to Mexico, his North Carolina congregation was left grieving his absence and navigating fear — while finding the faith to carry on. — Harriet Riley ‘The Shack’ author Paul Young returns with a sequel set on Death Row Two decades after his first novel became a runaway hit, William Paul Young returns to the world of ‘The Shack’ in a story where a grieving father meets the man who killed his daughter. “God loves them and so do we”: How a church became sanctuary following a school shooting When a school shooting brought hundreds of children and anxious families to Westminster Presbyterian Church, a congregation became a place of refuge, offering comfort, care and a tangible reminder of God’s love.  — April H. Cranford Presbyterian Association of Musicians director leaves for a new opportunity Kelly Abraham, PAM executive director for nine years, will be the new president of the Texas Presbyterian Foundation. Hope amid uncertainty Presbyterian seminary classes are shrinking, but Naomi McQuiller says theological education offers something nothing else can. — Naomi McQuiller

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RNS Morning Report - Flashy AI campaign ads use religion to stir emotions and attack candidates

Top Stories Flashy AI campaign ads use religion to stir emotions and attack candidates (RNS) — In some key races, AI has been used in campaign ads to depict candidates’ religious views and convey religious messaging, ranging from highly realistic to provocative and eccentric. Hispanic evangelicals are turning on Trump. But will they vote for Democrats? (RNS) — In the absence of strong outreach from the Democratic Party, it’s an open question whether Hispanic evangelicals defecting from Trump will hold their nose to vote for Democrats or Republicans — or whether they’ll sit the race out altogether. New Vatican document cautions against ‘triumphalism’ over rise in baptisms VATICAN CITY (RNS) — A new Vatican document welcomes rising baptisms as signs of hope but warns against triumphalism, urging Catholic communities to help converts build lasting faith. Multisite churches — also known as franchises — are now a staple of American life (RNS) — A new study of multi-site churches has found that such congregations have become commonplace, found in almost every state in the nation. Many of the 1,800 multisite churches have started a new location by merging with another church.   Opinion Democratic candidates must be bad Christians (RNS) — After half a century of portraying itself as the Party of God, the GOP is understandably annoyed to find a slew of Christian clerics running for office on the other side. They've got to be PINOs — Pastors in Name Only. ICYMI AME Church retirees to receive tens of millions more in funds lost amid scandal  (RNS) — Some retired clergy who once served as ministers in the AME Church have said that after their retirement plans were allegedly mismanaged, they've had to depend on their children or return to work for financial security. Landslides, fires, El Niño: Big Sur’s spiritual centers ‘living with precariousness’ BIG SUR, Calif. (RNS) — For those who visit, work and live at the remote spiritual centers, ruggedness goes hand in hand with sacredness. But as climate change amplifies the region’s volatility, some — like the monks of New Camaldoli Hermitage — are weighing the costs.       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 Religion News Service, All rights reserved.

This Week in Religion - How taxpayers are helping Christian schools

Lead story Editor's note: Scholarships from taxpayers are helping classical Christian school leaders reshape American education Classical Christian schools are booming in the U.S., driven partly by conservatives joining forces to use new taxpayer-funded scholarships.  Classical Christian education blends rhetoric and Western history with a Christian worldview. Supporters include Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and controversial pastor Doug Wilson, founder of the Association of Classical Christian Schools – an early leader in the movement. The association recently joined Turning Point Education and the Heritage Foundation in a coalition seeking to create 5,000 new classical Christian schools over the next decade.  The Associated Press’ Tiffany Stanley interviewed more than 30 ACCS leaders and parents, along with more than a dozen other experts and advocates. Critics warn that the movement could harm public schools and raise church-state concerns. Supporters see a chance to secure public funding and educate future Christian leaders.

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Religion News As Texas Gov. Abbott targets Muslim groups, his PAC receives millions from Muslim oil exec While Abbott has been a vocal opponent of what he calls the 'Islamification' of Texas, he also has received more than $15 million in donations from S. Javaid Anwar, a philanthropist and oil industry exec. By Ulaa Kuziez/Religion News Service America's politically divided Jewish community braces for Israel's elections Jewish Americans have a lot at stake in next week's contentious election in Israel. But they are sharply divided along political, religious and often generational lines on the preferred outcome. By Giovanna Dell’Orto/The Associated Press How an Orthodox Jewish scholar found an unexpected home among the Amish 'They know that there is electricity and internet and smartphones and that they could drive, but they choose not to,' Rivka Neriya-Ben Shahar said of the Amish. 'When you talk with them, they look at you, they listen to you, they wait before they respond.' By Michele Chabin/Religion News Service Faith leaders unite across religions to counter voter intimidation on Election Day Poll chaplains and lay peacekeepers have maintained a calm presence over the last few election cycles. This year, Faiths United in Saving Democracy is mobilizing hundreds to deploy to battleground states. By Deepa Bharath/The Associated Press Pastor who led Kenyan cult is convicted of 191 murders after ordering followers to starve The leader of a Kenyan doomsday cult was convicted of murdering 190 children and one adult after ordering followers to starve themselves to death to meet Jesus. By Evelyne Musambi/The Associated Press

Commentary and Analysis What the failed attack on an Illinois temple reveals about anti-Hindu hate in the United States

Hostility toward Hindu worship practices draws on a long history of prejudice portraying the faith’s followers as idolaters, argues a scholar of Hindu studies. By Arun Brahmbhatt for The Conversation Belonging and belief: Why evangelical churches draw many migrants in the US Many migrants find community in evangelical churches in the U.S. – part of wider shifts in the country’s religious landscape. By Johanna Bard Richlin for The Conversation An attack on the Hindu temple and the growing politics of places of worship An attempted terrorist attack against a Hindu temple near Chicago shows the growing prominence of minority places of worship in the West. That prominence brings greater visibility and new risks. By Tilak Parekh/Religion News Service Today's irreverent politics ignore ancient wisdom: The need to know your limits Many Americans have decried today's politics as 'shameless.' The antidote, a political philosopher argues, may be more reverence – awe at just how difficult democracy is. By Robert A. Ballingall for The Conversation Photos of the Week: Peruvian procession, Dalai Lama and more Devotees attend a procession marking the feast day of Peru's patron saint, The Lord of Miracles, in Lima, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) 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 Conversation U.S.'s daily and weekly newsletters The Associated Press Newsletter Hub Religion News Service newsletter sign-up page