This Week in Religion - Jewish organizations are again reevaluating safety after deadly shooting

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Lead story

After deadly shooting, Jewish organizations are again scrutinizing security

Editor's note:

The shooting that killed two Israeli Embassy staffers May 21 outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., has further increased American Jewish communities' feelings of vulnerability, validating their near-constant efforts to improve security. Many institutions and businesses are rushing to bolster already heightened safety measures, and seeking increased funding for it, as reporter Michele Chabin writes for RNS. “What happened last night did not happen in a vacuum,” said Holly Huffnagle, U.S. director for combating antisemitism at the American Jewish Committee, pointing to a global increase in antisemitic incidents after Oct. 7, 2023, and the ensuing war in Gaza. 

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Religion News

As Pope Leo XIV faces scrutiny, victims of abusive Catholic group say he helped when others didn't

Pope Leo XIV's record handling sex abuse cases while he was a bishop in Peru has come under renewed scrutiny since his election. But one group of people who are defending the former Robert Prevost’s record are the victims of a sect-like organization in the heart of the Latin American church. By Nicole Winfield and Franklin Briceno/The Associated Press

Pope Leo XIV will soon have to address the call for women deacons

A report of a study group on women deacons is expected as soon as June, putting the spotlight on the issue of women’s roles in the church once more. By Claire Giangravè/Religion News Service

The Supreme Court rejects a plea to block a copper mine on land in Arizona that's sacred to Apaches

The group Apache Stronghold is vowing to carry on the fight against a massive copper mining project on land the Apaches hold sacred, after a Supreme Court decision that is expected to let the mine proceed. The court rejected an appeal from Apaches who want to halt the project. By Mark Sherman/The Associated Press

A headscarf ban is keeping basketball players off the court. A new bill could make it law in France

Many young Muslim women in France are sidelined from competitive sport because of bans on uniforms and other clothing carrying a religious significance. Now, a contentious bill backed by right-wing politicians that would ban headscarves in all sports competitions has cleared its first legislative hurdle. By Samuel Petrequin and Alex Turnbull/The Associated Press

Hindu refugees from Bhutan are being deported to a country they cannot live in

As of now, no answers have been given from Homeland Security, the Trump administration or other federal bodies. "Our appeals are not being heard," said Robin Gurung. By Richa Karmarkar/Religion News Service

 

Commentary and Analysis

Supreme Court’s one-sentence order closes the door to Catholic charter school – but leaves it open for future challenges

An education law professor unpacks what the Supreme Court’s 4-4 order does and doesn’t say. By Charles J. Russo for The Conversation

Why we got arrested last week — and why we’d do it again

Not all of us will go to jail. But each of us can ask, what does courage look like right now? By Shane Claiborne and Ben Cohen/Religion News Service

Pope Leo XIV is the first member of the Order of St. Augustine to be elected pope – but who are the Augustinians?

The Rule of St. Augustine offered monks a firm structure for their daily lives of work and prayer, even before the mendicant order received papal approval in the 13th century. By Joanne M. Pierce for The Conversation

Christianity has long revered saints who would be called ‘transgender’ today

There are at least 34 documented stories of transgender saints’ lives, three of which had widespread popularity in medieval Europe. By Sarah Barringer for The Conversation

 

Photos of the Week: Five years after George Floyd, vigil for Israeli Embassy staffers and more

People attend a candlelight vigil at the Say Their Names Cemetery on the five-year anniversary of George Floyd's death, Sunday, May 25, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

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WCC news: WCC brings greetings to quincentennial celebration of Anabaptist confession

World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay brought joyful greetings to the commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the Anabaptist movement.  29 May 2025 “On behalf of the World Council of Churches and its global fellowship, I am honoured to bring greetings and best wishes to this your joyful and reverent quincentennial celebration of Anabaptist confession, witness, and discipleship,” he said. “Historically, the courageous yet extremely costly witness of the Anabaptist movement and its founders from 1525 offered a critical correction to the churches, prophetically pointing them to the radical message and example of Jesus and its pertinence for authentic Christian discipleship in the world.” Pillay reflected that, over the centuries and across the continents, Anabaptists have demonstrated their deep desire to adhere not only to the words of Jesus and the example of the early church but also to a radical commitment to nonviolence, insistence on religious freedom, a clear countercultural critique of secular power, and decisive confession and witness for peace and justice in the world.  “As a creative and committed minority, firmly rooted in the teachings of Jesus and the witness of the early churches, you stand as a beacon for all of us, illuminating for the larger church and society the ways of peace and hope,” said Pillay. “Indeed, we continue to learn from you.” Anabaptists have so much to contribute to today's most pressing challenges—whether of climate, inequality, racism, or war, Pillay noted. “Legitimated and inspired by your costly historical witness to the larger church, may you always be champions of unity, advocates for justice, and agents of reconciliation,” he said. “May that legacy of faith endure and flourish for many centuries henceforth.” Read the full message Learn more about the commemorations of the 500 years of the Anabaptist movement 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 352 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

WCC news: Armenian Heritage Conference urges coordinated action: protect "living expression of faith, identity, and memory”

An Armenian Heritage Conference has closed with a statement urging coordinated international action to protect Armenian religious and cultural heritage, the human rights of its people, and the future security of the Armenian nation. The conference was hosted by World Council of Churches (WCC) in collaboration with Protestant Church in Switzerland, in Bern, Switzerland on 27-28 May.  Ivars Kupcis/WCC 28 May 2025 The conference statement outlines a framework of responsibility and response to the 2023 forced displacement of the Armenian population and the ongoing destruction of their sacred heritage.  “The conference is a response to the call of the Armenian Apostolic Church and organised by the World Council of Churches and the Protestant Church in Switzerland, who recognize the inextricable link between cultural heritage, identity, and justice,” reads the statement. “The gathering in Bern represents a collective commitment to truth-telling, memory preservation, and coordinated international action to safeguard humanity’s shared legacy.” The statement acknowledges the the forced displacement of over 120,000 ethnic Armenians from Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh following the September 2023 military assault and blockade. “We bear witness to the erasure of millennia of Armenian Christian presence in the region and to the widespread destruction of churches, cemeteries, monuments, and other sacred and cultural sites, as documented by independent bodies such as Caucasus Heritage Watch, Save Armenian Monuments, and Monument Watch and other cultural actors,” reads the text. “Drawing on the insights of international legal experts and practitioners, we reaffirm that the destruction of cultural heritage constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law and can amount to a crime against humanity, and indicia of genocidal intent.” The statement calls on the international community to ensure accountability and uphold their mandates for the protection of cultural and religious heritage. “We also affirm the right of return of displaced populations to their ancestral lands under conditions of safety, dignity, and non-discrimination,” reads the text. “As churches and religious communities, we believe that protecting heritage is not only about monuments—it is about the living expression of faith, identity, and memory.” Religious leaders from Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Yezidi traditions joined voices at the conference to affirm that preserving religious heritage is an expression of their shared humanity and a path toward reconciliation. “We underline the role of interfaith collaboration in healing, rebuilding trust, and promoting the dignity of all people affected by displacement, war, and cultural cleansing,” reads the text, which calls for coordinated international action on many fronts. “Heritage, when protected, can be a source of reconciliation.” The statement expresses gratitude to those who shared testimonies of displacement, courage, and resilience, particularly survivors and representatives of Armenian communities from Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh. “Let this statement serve as a testimony to our shared responsibility and as a living document of solidarity, conscience, and commitment,” concludes the statement. “The heritage of Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh belongs not only to Armenians, but to the whole of humanity and it is our collective responsibility to protect it." Final statement of the Armenian Heritage Conference As Armenian Heritage Conference opens, “we are not here to be bystanders” (WCC news release, 27 May 2025) WCC, Swiss Protestant Churches unite in fight for justice in Artsakh/Nagorno-Karabakh (WCC news release, 28 May 2025) Photos from the Armenian Heritage Conference in Bern 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 352 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

RNS Morning Report - 90 days after judge's order, Trump administration has failed to restart refugee program

Top Stories 90 days after judge’s order, Trump administration has failed to restart refugee program (RNS) — Faith groups say thousands remain locked in limbo as the administration drags its feet.   Tim Dalrymple leaves Christianity Today to become new president of Templeton (RNS) — Dalrymple, a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and Harvard, has long had an interest in the spiritual questions Templeton pursues.   An interfaith group’s 1950s MLK comic book remains a prominent nonviolence teaching tool (RNS) — ‘You have done a marvelous job of grasping the underlying truth and philosophy of the movement,’ the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote to the creator of a comic book about civil rights.   Can Pope Leo XIV’s election revive Chicago’s Catholicism? CHICAGO (RNS) — The Catholic leaders of Leo’s hometown hold out hope that the new pope can help turn around ailing finances and a shortage of priests.   RNS Opinion Does Ye deserve redemption? (RNS) — Ye tweeted he is sorry for his antisemitism. Good. Now, go and prove it to us.   I’m not an antinatalist. But, as a rabbi, I do get where they’re coming from. (RNS) — The Talmud even concedes it is hard to justify the existence of humanity. Yet here we are.   Jesus’ prayer for unity still echoes. Are we listening? (RNS) — Let’s recognize and celebrate areas where evangelicals and Catholics can forge a path of collaboration — without diluting doctrine or surrendering integrity. ICYMI On anniversary of the first Council of Nicaea, Christian leaders seek to return to ecumenism (RNS) — Christian leaders stress that the council and its anniversary still have relevance in the modern day, despite theological divides.    Fuller says some churches allow same-sex marriage. But ban on married gay students remains. (RNS) — The school has cut ties with LGBTQ students and affirming staff in the past. It's unclear if the board's comments about "faithful Christians" who affirm same sex marriage will change anything. In Other News With a war on Harvard raging, religious colleges get big tax break in Trump spending bill Far from home: Uyghur workers in factories supplying global brands   Depend on our reporting? Help us out! As a nonprofit newsroom that covers all faiths, RNS sits uniquely at the intersection of freedom of the press and freedom of religion. You can support this work! 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