While news headlines point to the decline of Christianity in Australia and the fact that Christians no longer constitute a majority, people over the age of 55 are increasingly converting to Christianity, and people ages 15 to 24 are more open to the faith. (Lewis, Christianity Today)
Read MoreWhile reporting relatively low levels of attendance at Mass, almost half of U.S. adults (47%) say they have a personal or family relationship to Catholicism, a new Pew Research Center survey finds. The survey found that 1 in 5 U.S. adults identify as Catholic, and another 9% say they don’t identify with Catholicism religiously but answered yes when asked “whether ‘aside from religion’ they consider themselves Catholic in any way.” (Hertzler-McCain, Religion News Servcie)
Read MoreThe US government is pressuring states to halt funding for puberty blockers for children and follow the UK’s Cass Review. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which provides health coverage to more than 160 million Americans, urged directors to adopt the findings of the report, which concluded children who think they are transgender should not be rushed into treatment they may regret. (Stringer, The Telegraph)
Read MoreToday, public opinion on whether abortion should be legal or illegal varies considerably from state to state, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. That survey, the 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study, was large enough to break out results in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, although the margins of error for the state-level estimates are much larger than for the survey’s national estimates. (Diamant & Alper, Pew Research Center)
Read MoreAbout two-thirds of American Catholics have a “very” or “somewhat” favorable view of Pope Leo, according to the new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, while about 3 in 10 don’t know enough to have an opinion. Very few Catholics — less than 1 in 10 — view him unfavorably. (Henao & Thomson-DeVaux, AP News)
Read MoreJune 17 marks 10 years since a deadly mass shooting at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church shocked the nation. A white supremacist, intent on starting a race war, opened fire during Wednesday night Bible study, killing nine Black worshippers as they bowed their heads in prayer. (Elliott, Craig & Balaban, NPR)
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