RELIGION HEADLINES TUE 7-29-25

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(SRN NEWS)-While most wealthy countries have witnessed steep declines in religious faith in recent years, the United States is an outlier by comparison.  Multiple polls do indicate that the percentage of Americans belonging to a religious congregation is declining. However, the percentage of Americans who are intensely religious has remained unchanged over the past several decades. Around 29 percent of Americans report praying several times a day, for example. The Trump administration has vowed to encourage faith and make it easier for Christians to practice their religion and make their voices heard in the public square.

(  )  Faith leaders across the U.S. are hoping a bipartisan bill in Congress might finally provide relief to an immigration issue that has been vexing them for more than two years. In March 2023, the Biden administration made a sudden change in how the government processes green cards for religious workers that has threatened the ability of many to continue ministering in the United States. No exact numbers exist, but it is estimated that there are thousands of religious workers who are now backlogged in the green card system and/or haven’t been able to apply yet. The bill would allow the government to extend religious workers’ visas as long as their card application is pending.

(  )  The Trump administration is investigating the Oregon Department of Education for allowing boys to compete on girls sports teams. The probe follows a complaint by America First Policy Institute saying that a number of high-school aged female athletes in the state had lost medals and other competitive opportunities to males. The administration says transgender athlete policies such as the one in Oregon violate Title Nine, the 1972 federal law that bans discrimination in education based on sex.  The investigation is the latest effort by President Trump to protect female sports in the country from encroachment by males.