Saturday Lagniappe: 'New study casts doubt on talk of religious revival in US' And More

New study casts doubt on talk of religious revival in US
Speculation about a possible religious revival in the US has been contradicted by new nationwide research suggesting that little has changed with Americans’ faith habits or identities over the past year.

The latest 2025 Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) Census of American Religion finds that religious affiliation has remained broadly stable, with no clear evidence of a widespread return to church life across the US.

Christians in UK feel free to worship but sense growing cultural pressure - report
Christians in the UK can largely practise their faith openly and without legal restriction, but many are increasingly concerned about a cultural shift affecting these freedoms, according to a new report by the Evangelical Alliance.

The study titled, Confident Faith, Contested Culture, is based on a survey of 884 evangelical Christians across the UK conducted in late 2025, alongside additional polling of nearly 1,500 respondents.

Archbishop of Canterbury to 'shine a light' during visit to four dioceses
The Archbishop of Canterbury will make pastoral visits to four dioceses before the end of the year "to shine a light on where God is at work in local churches and communities."

Most Rev Dame Sarah Mullally will meet clergy and congregations in parishes, chaplaincies, schools, healthcare settings and church-run projects across the Church of England.

No mystery: Long Island church is the place to be this week for Hamptons Whodunit festival
If you’re visiting East Hampton, New York, this week and want to find out “whodunit,” the plot twists and suspenseful storytelling likely will lead you to the parish hall of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church.

For the third year, the congregation is hosting a series of events as part of the Hamptons Whodunit, a four-day international celebration of mystery writing that bills itself as “the premier boutique mystery and true crime festival in New York State.”

Albert Mohler Says Trump’s AI Image Was ‘Blasphemous,’ Regardless of Intent
Dr. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a prominent voice in the Southern Baptist Convention, called an AI-generated image posted by President Donald Trump “blasphemous.”

On Sunday, April 12, President Donald Trump posted an image of himself as Jesus Christ on Truth Social. The image sparked “blasphemy” claims from many Christians.

Why Trump’s delusions are so dangerous: Psychologist
President Donald Trump has crossed from grandiosity into full-blown psychosis, psychologist Dr. John Gartner has warned.

Gartner, a former professor at Johns Hopkins University, told The Daily Beast Podcast that the 79-year-old president is engaged in “magical thinking,” as evidenced by his belief—as reported by Dr. Mehmet Oz—that Diet Coke kills cancer cells.

At SBC seminary, Hawley says USA founded on covenant with God
U.S. government and society must be remade to conform with a 17th-century pact made by Protestant settlers to establish a Christian colony in America, Republican U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley said.

“This country was founded on a covenant, and I don’t mean primarily our Constitution — I mean something older than that,” Hawley said during the 2026 Duke K. McCall Leadership Lecture delivered April 16 at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.

ln England the Puritans sought to replace the monarchy with a theocracy from the reign of Elizabeth I to that of Charles II. Early in Charles' reign non-conforming Puritan ministers were deprived of their livings, ejected from their churches, and were prohibited from holding conventicles, meetings of people with similar views as theirs. The Puritans were not champions of separation of church and state but objected to the Book of Common Prayer, episcopacy, and religious beliefs and practices other their own. Interestingly the early Baptists (not to be confused with the Anabaptists) were the ones who championed the separation of church and state

Why some U.S. conservatives want Catholicism to shape the country
The Hill's Bill Sammon and Chris Stirewalt discuss the tension between conservatives like Vice President JD Vance and the Vatican. What is Catholic integralism and how does it play into the divide?

Dallas City Council mulls plan to regulate churches feeding homeless
Councilman warns proposed ordinance 'raises serious concerns, especially when it comes to religious freedom'.

Sacred Music Composer Raquel Mora Martínez Dies at 86
This is the official obituary of Raquel Mora Martinez, musician, composer and sacred music scholar, most noted for the creation of The United Methodist Church’s first Spanish-language hymnal, “Mil Voces Para Celebrar.” It is republished from the website of Mission Parks Funeral Chapels and Cemeteries, San Antonio, Texas.

Also See: Raquel Martínez Embodied Legacy of Immigrant Women on Worship

Anxiety around AI is growing rapidly in the US, research shows
People are increasingly anxious about artificial intelligence and the impact it is having on their lives, according to a new report.

More than half of the people surveyed in Stanford University’s 2026 AI Index Report said that products using artificial intelligence made them fell nervous, while excitement surrounding the technology has fallen over the last few years. 

The Memory Maker

OpenAI’s Sora allowed you to deepfake yourself. Users started to remember things that never happened.

Campus ministry helps students find connection and purpose
Offering connection for students is a vital part of campus ministry. As the Anglican Journal reached out to Anglican chaplains and students at universities across the country, those who responded highlighted the ability of this ministry to provide fellowship and meaning for students at a transitional time in their lives.

The 5 Love Languages of Volunteers (and How to Use Them!)
Become fluent in the five “love languages” so your volunteers feel just how much you appreciate them!

Image Credit: Church of the Holy Trinity, Georgetown, Kentucky