Democratic Texas state Rep. James Talarico drew comparisons between himself and the biblical figures of David and Jesus in a victory speech Tuesday after defeating Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the state's U.S. Senate election. “I'm reminded of that story from Scripture of a shepherd boy who goes up against a giant,” Talarico told supporters in Austin shortly before midnight.
A coalition of Christian pastors across Texas has announced its support for Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton as he faces a closely contested U.S. Senate race against Democrat James Talarico, with religious faith emerging as a prominent issue in the campaign. The newly formed “Pastors for Paxton” coalition consists of 27 religious leaders, primarily from Evangelical and charismatic congregations throughout the state.
New federal survey data shows a notable decline in the percentage of younger American teenagers who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual, prompting researchers and commentators to debate what may be driving the change. An analysis of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that the shift was especially pronounced among ninth-grade girls.
Christian leaders are divided over plans to livestream the firing-squad execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army major convicted of killing 13 people and wounding 32 others in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting. Hasan, who served as an Army psychiatrist, represented himself during his 2013 military trial, acknowledged carrying out the attack and was sentenced to death.
Two Republican senators have introduced legislation aimed at protecting students preparing for religious vocations from losing federal financial aid because their chosen careers may lead to lower earnings. Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, introduced the Religious Education Fairness Act last week to amend federal higher education law and protect certain theology and religious studies programs from becoming ineligible for Title IV aid based on graduate earnings.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito says the 2022 Dobbs ruling that ended the federal constitutional right to abortion was a case that demanded judicial courage, while predicting that the court is unlikely to overturn its 2015 same-sex marriage decision. Alito made the remarks in an interview with CBS News’ Jan Crawford ahead of the release of his book, *So Ordered: An Originalist’s View of the Constitution*, reflecting on major cases from his two decades on the high court.
Religious freedom advocates told a gathering in Texas that armed conflict and state surveillance are undermining the methods Christians have used to defend persecuted believers. They said a divided global church is poorly placed to respond.
A bipartisan group of 10 U.S. senators called on President Donald Trump to raise China’s persecution of Christian pastors and other religious minorities during his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington this week. Led by Sens. Ted Budd, R-N.C., and Tim Kaine, D-Va., the lawmakers thanked Trump for diplomatic pressure they said helped secure the July 3 release of Beijing Zion Church founder Ezra Jin after 266 days in detention.
President Donald Trump used his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday to draw attention to the persecution of Christians worldwide, criticizing the U.N. Human Rights Council for giving the issue little attention while condemning some of the world’s most repressive governments. “Christians are being persecuted all over the world; it's not even believable. I never thought I'd say it, but it's been happening for a long time.”
Vice President JD Vance criticized Democratic U.S. Senate candidate and United Methodist pastor Adam Hamilton at a campaign rally in Olathe, Kansas, accusing his church of financially supporting a Pride event associated with the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.Vance urged voters to back Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, who is seeking reelection against Hamilton, pastor of Resurrection, a multi-campus United Methodist congregation in Leawood.
President Donald Trump has nominated Cissie Graham Lynch to serve as U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, a State Department position focused on promoting religious liberty abroad. The White House announced that the nomination of Jane Lynch, better known as Cissie Graham Lynch, had been sent to the Senate for consideration.
Several pastors affiliated with the Calvary Chapel movement have publicly criticized Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa’s affirmation of women serving as pastors, following an announcement by Char Brodersen at the church that once served as the movement’s flagship congregation. The Calvary Chapel Association (CCA), through its Heartland Regional Team, reaffirmed its opposition to appointing women as pastors or elders.
A 20-year-old Egyptian Christian was reportedly killed by Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Libya after resisting repeated demands to abandon his Christian faith and embrace Islam while in captivity. Milad Malak, a Coptic Christian, was the only Christian among a group of Egyptian workers abducted by ISIS fighters, according to Open Doors, which cited accounts from two Muslim companions who were later released.
Three students were killed and six others injured when Myanmar's military launched an airstrike and drone assault on a Christian Bible school in Karen State. The attack occurred Tuesday in Day Bu Noh village in Hpapun District, an area largely populated by Christian Karen communities. Military aircraft reportedly dropped bombs before armed drones struck the village, with one exploding directly above the Bible school.
Iran has responded to just one of eight communications sent by United Nations human rights experts concerning Christians since 2011, with its sole response portraying Christian converts as national security threats, according to the U.N. Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran. Dr. Mai Sato, who assumed the position in August 2024, discussed the Iranian government's treatment of Christians.
Nearly two-thirds of churchgoers failed a test measuring their knowledge of the Bible, highlighting widespread gaps in biblical literacy, according to a report published Tuesday by Lifeway Research. The assessment used a traditional grading system ranging from A (90 and above) to F (below 60). The average score was 51, with 65% receiving an F, 9% a D, 9% a C, 8% a B and 9% an A.