Weekly Outlook - Our most-read opinions in 2025

Dear readers, I've been thinking a lot about the mystery of dormancy. Here in Ohio, we've entered the season when dead leaves piled on the road become a gray, textured sludge. Even the afternoon sun — when it manages to stream through my office window — seems to be pale. The world around me appears devoid of life, asleep, as we move towards the shortest day of the year. And yet, the mystery of dormancy is that life is always at work. In "Every Riven Thing" poet Christian Wiman instructs readers to "think of the atoms in a stone" — even the most stoic, solid creation hums with movement. Perhaps the gift of winter is a calling to subtly. Perhaps it trains our eyes to see how death and life feed one another. Dormancy calls us to still ourselves — to watch, to wait and to hope. I led my first Blue Christmas service in 2020 as a part of my seminary internship at a Unity Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh. December of that year was saturated with loss — lost plans, lonely holidays, the deaths of loved ones. A service designed to hold grief amid the brightness of the season felt necessary. Theologian Barbara Brown Taylor's Learning to Walk in The Dark became a close companion as I helped plan the service.  In the book, Taylor reminds us that darkness is not foreign to God. It is from darkness that God speaks in Genesis. Darkness is the envelop of God's glory. Whether it is a seed in the ground, a baby in the womb or Jesus in the tomb, life comes out of the dark.  This year, I am leading another Blue Christmas service — this time at my home church, Rose Run Presbyterian. And I find myself turning back to Taylor's wisdom. COVID no longer looms as a universal threat, but pain still spreads through our lives like dye in water. I find myself grieving, aching over injustice that shows up alongside us like death itself. And I also long for the dark of winter — for rest that softens what has grown hard, for the falling away that makes room for life. If you are moving through this season with grief, weariness or quiet ache, a Blue Christmas service offers space to tell the truth — without fixing, without pretending. We’ve gathered Blue Christmas liturgies and prayers to support congregations and individuals who need room to lament, breathe and rest in God’s gentle presence. As we approach the shortest day of the year: May you have the eyes to see the atoms dancing within a stone. May you embrace winter's wisdom and let your hard shell melt into fertile soil. May new life  — slow, stubborn and holy — take root in you, in God's good time. Peace, Rose Schrott Taylor Digital Content Editor Presbyterian Outlook  P.S. Our Lenten devotional is out! You can preorder "Discipleship in a divided age" today! The full product will be available January 8.

Our most-read opinions of 2025 by the Outlook  The Bondi Beach attack confirms our fears about antisemitism. But it tells another story. by Brad Hirschfield Why church choirs matter more than we realize by Hunter Steinitz Top 10 Presbyterian news stories of 2025 by the Outlook In Chicago, Faith Leaders Reflect on Legacy Supporting Immigrants’ Rights by Stephen Franklin A prayer for courage and hope in the new year by Karie Charlton In case you missed it... Podcast review: “Theology of Hip-Hop” Discover “Theology of Hip-Hop,” a new podcast exploring how artists’ lyrics reveal faith, justice and God’s presence in hip-hop culture. — Dartinia Hull A blessing for the year to come Walter Canter offers a month-by-month prayer for ordinary frustrations, unexpected joys and the sacred reminders. Got a startup with purpose? Apply now for the 2026 Epiphany Grant Funding, coaching, and navigating a dynamic market are all free as part of this unique opportunity. — First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta Learning to pray through breath and music Karie Charlton offers a reflection on embodied faith, music and mindful breathing. A prayer for Advent: Because Christ has come Teri McDowell Ott invites us to rest in Christ’s tender and healing presence in a weary world. Through Jesus, nothing lies beyond redemption. Presbyterians organize to continue international mission sending 17 former mission co-workers have secured arrangements to remain in service or are working toward that goal. — Pat Cole The top Outlook book recommendations of 2025 Discover the titles that most engaged Presbyterian Outlook readers, from theology and memoir to devotionals and cultural commentary.

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

This Week in Religion - Grief and anger after Hanukkah attack in Australia

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Lead story

Bondi attack came after huge increase in online antisemitism: research

Editor's note:

Like many Americans, I woke up Dec. 14 to news of the Bondi Beach terrorist attack, in which two gunmen killed at least 15 people in Sydney, Australia. Ages 10 to 87, most were there to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah, the Jewish “festival of lights.”

Over the past few days, there’s been an international outpouring of grief. But alongside it is anger: accusations that Australia has done too little to stanch rising antisemitism.

Part of the challenge in tracking antisemitism, in Australia and around the world, is how to define it – particularly the question of when criticism of Israel crosses a line. Matteo Vergani, who researches extremism at Deakin University in Victoria, Australia, distinguishes between two types: “old” antisemitism, which “targets Jews as Jews,” and “new” antisemitism, which “blames Jews collectively for Israel’s actions.” In either case, his research suggests a sharp increase since the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023.

“I am horrified,” he wrote after this week’s mass shooting. “But as a researcher who studies hate and extremist violence, I am sadly not surprised.”

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Religion News

Grief, tears and anger as funerals for people slain in Australian antisemitic mass shooting begin

An accused gunman in Sydney’s Bondi Beach massacre was charged with 59 offenses, including 15 charges of murder, as hundreds of mourners gathered to begin funerals for the victims slaughtered as Jews celebrated Hanukkah. By Charlotte Graham-McLay, Kristen Gelineau and Rod McGuirk/The Associated Press

White Christian clergy running for Congress as Democrats face skeptics in their own party

At least six white clergy and one seminarian – some from evangelical Christian backgrounds and others from mainline Protestant denominations – have declared they will run as Democrats in 2026. By Malcolm Foster/Religion News Service

Faith-based entertainment sees a revival in Hollywood. Defining what it is can be a challenge

Faith-based films are gaining traction in Hollywood, with recent successes sparking renewed interest. For example, Angel's animated biblical film "David" has already exceeded $11 million in pre-sale tickets. By Krysta Fauria/The Associated Press

Homeless man whose death moved the pope features in altar displayed at the Vatican

In 2018, a German artist asked a homeless man in Rome to pose for a drawing, thinking he'd make an ideal model for St. Peter. The man’s likeness is now on show at the Vatican, a few steps from his grave. By Geir Moulson, Kerstin Sopke and Nicole Winfield/The Associated Press

Mosque cafes brew community for younger, less religious generations of Muslims

A growing number of U.S. mosques are adding cafes or similar ‘third spaces’ for young Muslims to gather without the formality of religious events. By Ulaa Kuziez/Religion News Service

 

Commentary and Analysis

‘Yes’ to God, but ‘no’ to church – what religious change looks like for many Latin Americans

Protestant churches’ growth in Latin America gets lots of attention, but another important shift is happening, too: people leaving organized religion altogether. By Matthew Blanton for The Conversation

The feds are asking universities to provide lists of Jews. This is never a good thing.

One University of Pennsylvania professor notes, ‘This is how Nazis found many of my family members.’ By Beth Kissileff/Religion News Service

The Bible says little about Jesus’ childhood – but that didn’t stop medieval Christians from enjoying tales of him as holy ‘rascal’

Legends about Jesus’ early years that circulated in medieval Europe often drew on apocryphal texts. By Mary Dzon for The Conversation

How the meaning of Hanukkah has shifted over time

Zionists draw on the military imagery of Hanukkah, while others look to the synagogue prayers that focus on the miracle of divine light. By Joshua Shanes for The Conversation

 

Photos of the Week: Hanukkah, Our Lady of Guadalupe feast day and more

Rabbi Motti Feldman speaks during a menorah lighting ceremony at a floral memorial for victims of Sunday's shooting, at the Bondi Pavilion at Bondi Beach on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, in Sydney, Australia. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

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RNS Morning Report - Will Mamdani's successor in Albany be Muslim? Rana Abdelhamid eyes his vacant Assembly seat.

Top Stories Will Mamdani’s successor in Albany be Muslim? Rana Abdelhamid eyes his vacant Assembly seat. NEW YORK (RNS) — Like Mamdani, Abdelhamid is part of a generation of young Muslim progressives who have sought to invest in the city’s halls of power in recent years. AI is enlisted to rescue Jews’ cultural heritage and give new life to ancient languages (RNS) — Researchers are using a very modern tool to transcribe and read hundreds of thousands of medieval manuscripts from the lost age of Eastern European Jewry. Photos of the Week: Hanukkah, Our Lady of Guadalupe feast day (RNS) — This week’s photo gallery includes solemn and celebratory Hanukkah observances, Our Lady of Guadalupe feast day and more. Australia to hold funerals for the 15 victims of an antisemitic mass shooting at Bondi Beach MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The victims were between 10 and 87 years old. Twenty-two people who were injured in the attack remained in Sydney hospitals Wednesday, six of them in a critical condition. Opinion After Trump called Somalis ‘garbage,’ Minnesota faith groups answer with tea and coffee (RNS) — For people of faith, hospitality is not an optional extra but a requirement. We must stand with our Somali brothers and sisters facing persecution within our shared home. Born out of national division, ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ is a balm for Christmas (RNS) — A century and a half after Phillips Brooks wrote this haunting carol, there is much once again to lament, fear and grieve. ICYMI ACNA Bishop Stewart Ruch found not guilty on all counts after tumultuous church trial (RNS) — The decision comes more than six years after a 9-year-old child first came forward with sexual abuse allegations against a lay minister in the Upper Midwest Diocese, which is led by Ruch. ‘An alien in the house of God’: Canterbury’s gay dean wrestles with inaction on LGBTQ+ rights (RNS) — Ahead of a vote in the Church of England's House of Bishops on same-sex marriage, David Monteith feels the church has given up on its commitment to reconciliation. In Other News Flag linked to Christian nationalism, Jan. 6 hung at Education Dept. LDS Church breaks with long-standing tradition, embraces modern English translations of the Bible 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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