Why Do Some Americans Leave Their Religion While Others Stay?
Many U.S. adults (35%) have moved on from the religion of their youth. Yet most Americans have not, including a majority – 56% – who still identify with their childhood religion. Another 9% weren’t raised in a religion and still don’t have one today. Read more

Nativity scenes, art spotlight immigration
There’s no getting around it. Mary, Joseph and the newborn Jesus were vulnerable people at the mercy of the Bethlehem community. “Jesus made it very clear that the way we treat the vulnerable among us is a reflection of how we treat God’s own self,” said the Rev. Abby Holcombe, pastor of River Forest United Methodist Church and Urban Village Church in River Forest, Illinois, near Chicago. Read more

Southeast Florida church depicted in jigsaw puzzle designed by internationally renowned artist
[Episcopal News Service] The holiday season is a time for loved ones to do fun activities together, like completing a jigsaw puzzle. For jigsaw lovers who happen to be Episcopalian, an ideal puzzle may be a new 500-piece “Sunday in Palm Beach” puzzle. The image depicts the Gothic Revival exterior of the historic Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach. Read more

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. Read more

How an LA interfaith coalition is using ‘freedom schools’ to defend against ICE 
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — One LA is convening faith-based ‘freedom schools’ that help residents learn what to do if confronted by immigration enforcement. The movement also led to a recent public hearing. Read more

Massive menorah installed in New York City ahead of Hanukkah
NEW YORK (RNS) — The Chabad-Lubavitch movement of New York installed a 36-foot menorah on Wednesday (Dec. 10) at Grand Army Plaza near Central Park. The menorah, which the Chabad chapter believes is the world’s largest, is among 15,000 public menorahs to be installed around the globe by the international Chabad movement to celebrate Hanukkah, this year from sundown Sunday to Dec. 22. Read more

Pope criticizes US bid to ‘break apart’ US-Europe alliance, insists on Europe role in Ukraine peace
ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV insisted Tuesday that Europe must have a role in any Ukraine peace deal and criticized what he said was the Trump administration’s effort to “break apart” the long-standing U.S.-European alliance. Read more

‘Yes’ to God, but ‘no’ to church – what religious change looks like for many Latin Americans 
(The Conversation) — Protestant churches’ growth in Latin America gets lots of attention, but another important shift is happening, too: people leaving organized religion altogether. Read more

Two governors — a Mormon Republican and a Jewish Democrat — team up to stop political violence
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Govs. Spencer Cox and Josh Shapiro — a Mormon and a Jew — critiqued members of both political parties who they think are not doing enough to combat political violence. Read more

Christmas — and hope — return to Bethlehem after two somber years
(RNS) — After two somber and muted Christmas seasons, the city where Christ was born is preparing to celebrate again. The Palestinian town of Bethlehem, a symbol of hope for Christians worldwide, will light its Christmas tree in Manger Square, signaling not only the start of the holiday season but the resilience of a people determined to reclaim joy after years of grief. Read more

Vatican report says church teaching bars women deacons, but stops short of final ruling 
(RNS) — A Vatican-appointed commission says current church teaching does not allow women to be ordained as Catholic deacons. Advocates for women deacons describe the decision as discouraging and warn it could push some women away from the church. Read more

In Minneapolis, clergy mobilize to manage expected ICE raids targeting Somali immigrants
(RNS) — In recent days, faith leaders across the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area have organized to protect Somali communities and houses of worship as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents launched an operation targeting undocumented Somali immigrants. Read more  

Pew Center: Key facts about Black Americans and religion
Black Americans are among the most religious groups in the United States. But religion differs substantially among Black Americans. Similar to patterns seen among the U.S. population overall, older Black adults are more religious than younger Black adults, and women are more religious than men. Read more

Muslim students warn of spate of harassment by far-right Christian agitators 
1(RNS) — Over the last two months, at least seven Muslim student groups in the U.S. have been harassed by right-wing Christian activists, said Mohamad Altabaa, a Texas student who is tracking harassment cases. Read more