A Year of Faith and Politics: 2025's Biggest Religion Moments

In 2025, religion and politics made headlines together. The Religion News Association picked the year's top stories. Two big events shared the top spot in the U. S. : the election of a new pope and the heated debates around immigration. Pope Leo XIV, the new pope, made waves early on. On Pentecost Sunday, he spoke about opening hearts and borders. He said, "The Spirit opens borders, first of all, in our hearts. " He also talked about overcoming fear and prejudice. His words resonated with many, making him the top religion newsmaker of the year. Meanwhile, immigration debates raged on. President Donald Trump's call for sweeping deportations sparked protests from Catholic bishops and other faith groups. They spoke out against the fear and anxiety surrounding immigration enforcement. The U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops even approved a statement rejecting this climate of fear. Pope Leo XIV weighed in on the issue too. He acknowledged that countries have the right to control their borders. But he also criticized the "extremely disrespectful" or "inhuman" treatment of long-term immigrants. His words sparked a lot of discussion. Other notable events included the assassination of evangelical activist Charlie Kirk. His wife's public forgiveness of the accused gunman added another layer to the story. Meanwhile, Zohran Mamdani made history as New York City's first Muslim mayor. His election sparked both pride and anti-Islamic rhetoric.Violence against faith communities continued, with deadly attacks on Mormon, Catholic, and Jewish targets. These incidents led many congregations to consider increasing security measures. The Anti-Defamation League reported record-high antisemitism, while the FBI noted that Jews were the most frequent victims of religious hate crimes. Trump's return to the presidency brought more religious and political debates. He claimed to be "saved by God to make America great again. " His stands on religious liberty and free speech were backed by conservative Christians, but liberals saw them as threats to church-state separation. The Trump administration's freeze on refugee admissions and funding also made waves. Faith-based networks cut services, and critics claimed that persecuted refugees were in danger. Progressive religious groups protested various administration policies, including crackdowns on immigration and rollbacks in diversity hiring programs. Lastly, the IRS reinterpreting the Johnson Amendment sparked debate. This change exempted political speech within religious groups from enforcement. Leaders on the right had long claimed they were targeted, while liberal faith leaders were rarely criticized.