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Editor's note:
What did the American Revolution sound like?
For many Americans, “Yankee Doodle” might come to mind. But hundreds of what John Adams called “liberty songs” were circulating in the Colonies. Several were written by an eccentric hymn writer named William Billings: a Boston tanner and self-taught singer who became America’s first notable composer.
Many songs of the independence movement were secular. Billings’, however, often drew on spiritual themes, such as “Lamentation Over Boston,” which adapts a biblical psalm about the Judeans’ exile in Babylon. “It may be the very first American protest song,” writes David Stowe, a religious studies professor at Michigan State University.
Billings wrote some 340 choral works, some of which are still performed. By the end of his life, though, Americans’ musical tastes had changed, and the composer's fortunes fell. He was buried in an unmarked grave on Boston Common. Yet, as Stowe explains, his anthems played a part in uniting colonists as they became an independent country.
Religion News
These houses of worship are older than America. How they outlasted wars, schisms and lawsuits
Only about 1% of houses of worship in the U.S. today existed in 1776. Here are four that predate the revolution – and still hold services. By Adelle M. Banks/Religion News Service
Soccer devotion runs deep in Latin America ahead of the World Cup
Soccer passions in Latin America extend far beyond the stadium. Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, fans across the region describe rituals, beliefs and emotional bonds tied to their teams that resemble forms of collective devotion. By Maria Teresa Hernandez, Nayara Batschke and Eleonore Hughes/The Associated Press
Jones is stepping down as president of Union Theological Seminary after 18 years. Her tenure has been defined by difficult, sometimes unpopular decisions that helped stabilize the institution even as mainline Protestantism declines. By Fiona Murphy/Religion News Service
Returning to the fold? Some young Spaniards embrace Catholicism and can’t wait for Pope Leo’s visit
Traveling soon to Spain, Pope Leo XIV will find a traditionally Catholic but now staunchly secular country with an abundance of historic churches but few people in the pews. But there are also signs of a revival of interest in faith among young people. By Giovanna Dell’Orto/The Associated Press
A secret bunker, tunnel and a Star of David tell a story of Jewish resistance in a Polish town
A secret bunker, an underground tunnel and an armband bearing the Star of David are among the rare findings in a house in southern Poland that was used by Jews, including young members of the resistance, to hide from the Nazis. By Rafal Niedzielski and Claudia Ciobanu/The Associated Press
Commentary and Analysis
Latter-day Saints have long valued the US Constitution’s promise of religious freedom – but the church has also tested its boundaries. By Benjamin Park and Nicholas Shrum for The Conversation
A scholar specializing in soccer explains why he believes this World Cup is debasing the world's secular religion. By Kirk Bowman/Religion News Service
The increasing percentage of Americans who are not married or in a long-term partnership is testing employers, marketers and religious institutions. By Peter McGraw for The Conversation
Tracking hate speech online is challenging even when terms are explicit. Coded speech is harder to detect – but pairing AI tools with human research teams can help. By Wendy Melillo, Jeff Gill and Nathalie Japkowicz for The Conversation
A Hindu woman performs rituals at Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna Rivers, in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
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