Half of all pastors say they use AI for brainstorming or idea generation, according to the Barna Group, a firm that studies U.S. faith trends. And roughly a quarter use AI to help write their sermons, up from 12% in 2024. The trend has drawn theological pushback all the way to the Vatican. (Bhutani, The Wall Street Journal)
Read MoreThe adolescent boys indicated in the questionnaire that they found themselves frequently thinking about social media. They wanted to use it less often, but felt unable to stop. A year later, when their parents were asked about their children’s behavior, those same boys were more likely to demonstrate rising symptoms of ADHD. (Gibson, The Washington Post)
Read MoreMany Christians in the UK worry that a recent proposal by their government could lead to the criminalization of consensual conversations about sexuality due to a vague definition of what constitutes conversion practices. (Thompson, Christianity Today)
Read MoreIf passed, the bill would give Americans an extra hour of sunshine in the evenings during the winter. But it would also push winter sunrises one hour later. That's of concern to Orthodox Jews, who pray three times a day, beginning with the Shacharit morning prayer service, which by tradition cannot begin in the dark. (Shimron, NPR)
Read MoreTraditionalist Catholics have been coming to this tiny town 90 miles west of Kansas City for more than 40 years, drawn to the teachings of the global Society of St. Pius X, which embraces the Latin Mass and rejects other modernist changes of the Catholic Church. (Gowen & Faiola, The Washington Post)
Read MoreIn Luminate’s annual midyear report for 2026, a few key takeaways are apparent: R&B/hip-hop continues to lose ground, but remains the biggest streaming genre in the U.S.; dance/electronic music is on the come up; and the kids are loving CDs. (Robinson, Billboard)
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