The Connecticut chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CT) issued a statement condemning the vandalism of a menorah at a synagogue in Bridgeport. The organization spoke out against religious intolerance following the incident, though the article content was partially obscured by security filters.

This NAUA Academy session from December 2025 features a presentation by Joyce Francis regarding the growing demographic of ‘Nones’—individuals who do not identify with any specific religion. The discussion focuses on whether this social shift acts as a challenge or an opportunity for Unitarian communities, examining new congregational models and evaluating if traditional Unitarian activities still resonate with the religiously unaffiliated.

In floor remarks delivered in December 2025, Senator Chuck Grassley challenged claims by the Russian Orthodox Church regarding religious persecution in Ukraine. He argued that while religious freedom is maintained in Ukrainian-controlled areas, it is the Russian forces who are actively persecuting Orthodox believers, Catholics, and Evangelicals in occupied territories, while the Moscow-aligned church provides propaganda for the invasion.

U.S. Representative Josh Gottheimer introduced the bipartisan Sikh American Anti-Discrimination Act in December 2025 to address the rising tide of hate crimes against the Sikh community. The bill proposes a Department of Justice task force to define anti-Sikh hate, enhance educational programs, and improve reporting to better protect one of the most-targeted religious groups in the United States.

China is conducting its most significant crackdown on unofficial ‘house churches’ since 2018, leading to the detention of over 100 individuals and several prominent pastors. The report highlights the personal toll on families and the broader political move toward the ‘Sinicization of religions’ as the state seeks to eliminate religious activity outside of official control.

The Church of Norway, Norway’s largest faith community, formally apologized to LGBTQ+ individuals for the “shame, great harm and pain” inflicted through discrimination and unequal treatment, which sometimes led members to lose their faith. Presiding Bishop Olav Fykse Tveit delivered the apology at the London Pub, one of the venues targeted during Oslo’s 2022 Pride shooting. Historically, the evangelical Lutheran church marginalized the community, banning gay pastors and church marriages, and deeming homosexuality a “social danger” in the 1950s. The institution slowly shifted as Norway legalized same-sex partnerships (1993) and marriage (2009). While the apology was welcomed as an “important reparation” by some LGBTQ+ leaders, others noted it arrived too late for those who suffered due to the church’s past condemnation, particularly regarding the AIDS epidemic. This follows apologies from other denominations worldwide, such as the Church of England and the United Church of Canada, although acceptance of same-sex marriage remains varied among religious bodies.

The American Humanist Association and The Humanist Society issued a joint statement condemning Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for his criticisms of the Army Spiritual Fitness Guide. The groups accused Hegseth of attacking religious pluralism and promoting conservative Christian nationalism while calling for equal access to emotional and spiritual care for all service members, including humanists.

Rabbi Seth Farber criticizes a new Israeli bill that criminalizes interference with Orthodox religious practices in public spaces and mandates the installation of mezuzahs in public buildings. Farber argues that legislating faith undermines both democracy and Jewish identity, turning religion into a coercive political instrument that restricts civil liberties and freedom of association.

This long-form article examines the alarming transformation of Buddhism in countries like Sri Lanka and Myanmar, where monks have abandoned the central tenet of non-harming (ahimsa) to spearhead violent, nationalist, and anti-minority movements. The author contrasts the Western idealized image of peaceful Buddhism with the political reality, detailing how figures like Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara (Sri Lanka) and Ashin Wirathu (Myanmar) exploit religious authority to incite hatred, particularly against Muslim communities, driven by a quest for dominance and influenced by historical factors like colonialism and economic envy.