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Friday's Briefing: Christian leaders press Washington on global health as a migrant charity is cleared

By The FaithDaily Desk

Good morning. The most consequential item came from Religion News Service, which reported that 120 Christian leaders had written to Trump administration officials urging them not to withhold $1 billion in global health funds. RNS described the letter as an unusual instance of evangelical leaders pressing the administration to change course, and noted the signatories included a religious adviser to the president. The sum is large and the appeal is public; the outcome will bear on health programmes far beyond the United States.

Closer to home, Religion News Service also reported that the Department of Homeland Security had lifted a financial freeze on Sister Norma Pimentel's Catholic migrant charity, and that the investigation had been dropped. According to RNS, Pimentel announced the news during a conversation with the network's events host, Niala Boodhoo, at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin.

Two stories concerned the papacy. Anglican Ink reported on a new Vatican interfaith statement, published on 16 September 2026 with Pope Leo XIV's approval, which holds that God has not abandoned the Jewish people while insisting that Jesus Christ remains their Saviour — two convictions the document asks Christians to hold together. Separately, Religion News Service reported from Paris that Pope Leo XIV had denounced the "scourge of war" in the Middle East; the pope and President Emmanuel Macron agreed on promoting peace and building ethical safeguards for artificial intelligence, though the pope also pointed to tensions between the Catholic Church and a secularized France.

In the United States, United Methodist News reported that the Louisiana Conference is investing $15 million in local churches through a new Jubilee Initiative, helping congregations pay off debt, fund ministries and expand staffing.

Elsewhere, Charisma News reported that Jared Kushner, in a video posted by the Board of Peace, described what that body, a new International Stabilization Force and a governing committee for Gaza are building around Israel. Christianity Today revisited the kinship between the writers Annie Dillard and James Kilgo, and The Gospel Coalition reviewed the film "Heart of the Beast" on the theme that it is not good that man is alone.

Zoom out: Several of the day's stories turn on the same question — where the church's work meets the decisions of governments.

What we're following

Sources

DHS lifts financial freeze on Sister Norma Pimentel’s Catholic migrant charity Religion News Service
Jared Kushner Reveals What the Board of Peace Is ‘Building’ Around Israel Charisma News
Louisiana Conference invests $15M in churches United Methodist News
When Annie Dillard Met James Kilgo Christianity Today
‘Heart of the Beast’ Shows Why Man Should Not Be Alone The Gospel Coalition
Christ alone, but not Christians alone? Rome’s new statement on Jews and salvation Anglican Ink
120 Christian leaders urge Trump administration not to withhold $1B in global health funds Religion News Service
The medieval world had its own ‘deepfakes’ – church officials cited a fake imperial decree for centuries Religion News Service
Some climb for faith, others for the views. This Chinese sacred mountain draws them all Religion News Service
She lived to see ‘Deb’s law’ take effect. Now she can choose how she dies Religion News Service
Roy Cohn was an American Jewish Darth Vader Religion News Service
Shroud of Turin Breakthrough: DNA Discovery Points Back to the Holy Land Charisma News
In France, Pope Leo denounces ‘scourge of war’ in the Middle East Religion News Service
Talarico Leads Paxton Outside Margin of Error in New Poll Charisma News

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