Today

Briefing for Wednesday, 30 September: church doorsteps, courtrooms and a name under review

By The FaithDaily Desk

Good morning. The most consequential item came from Religion News Service, which reported that over the past year the Trump administration has issued contradictory and, at times, seemingly false statements about whether federal immigration agents have conducted operations at churches. RNS's account holds that such arrests have in fact taken place, despite official denials. The question matters to any congregation weighing whether its doors remain a place of refuge.

The courts featured twice. Charisma News reported that a federal appeals court ruled a century-old, 10-foot wooden cross and a nativity display in Los Angeles will not be banned or torn down; the display had been challenged in a 2025 lawsuit. Separately, Religion News Service, carrying a piece from The Conversation, reported that a new application for a religious charter school in Oklahoma is reviving questions about the constitutionality of public aid to faith-based institutions, after an earlier deadlocked Supreme Court decision left the matter unresolved.

Within the churches, two stories spoke to identity and direction. Religion News Service reported that the Evangelical Press Association will vote on renaming itself the Christian Communicators Network, with members arguing that the word "evangelical" now carries too many political overtones and a poor public image. United Methodist News reported that organizers have begun a countdown to a Leadership Gathering meant to help United Methodists reimagine the denomination's future, and are providing resources to help people engage with it.

Abroad, Charisma News reported from Jerusalem that Christians representing 70 nations have gathered for Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, as airlines and tourists return to Israel after nearly three years of war. Religion News Service's photos of the week took in Pope Leo XIV's trip to France and Orthodox Meskel celebrations, and a separate RNS column reported that the pope's message on artificial intelligence is drawing interest among technology leaders.

Christianity Today offered longer reflection, examining what went wrong in America's addiction recovery policy and looking back at the author Os Guinness. The Gospel Coalition published essays on faithfulness in what it called a postliterate era and on making something beautiful of life.

Zoom out: Much of what was reported this day concerned the boundary between church and law, from church premises to charter schools to a Los Angeles cross.

What we're following

Sources

Do federal immigration agents make arrests at churches? Depends on what day you ask. Religion News Service
‘The Lord Roars from Zion’: Christians Representing 70 Nations in Jerusalem for Biblical Feast of Tabernacles Charisma News
Countdown begins to Leadership Gathering United Methodist News
What Went Wrong in America’s Addiction Recovery Policy? Christianity Today
Life Is a Canvas: Create Something Beautiful The Gospel Coalition
Evangelical Press Association to vote on dropping the ‘e-word’ Religion News Service
Are religious charter schools constitutional? After deadlocked SCOTUS decision, another Oklahoma case is trying to find out Religion News Service
Photos of the Week: Pope Leo in France, Meskel celebrations Religion News Service
Historic Los Angeles Cross and Nativity Will Not Be Torn Down, Appeals Court Rules Charisma News
Os Guinness Still Challenges Christians to Think Christianity Today
How Can Disciples Walk Faithfully in a Postliterate Era? The Gospel Coalition
The pope’s message on AI is breaking through in Silicon Valley and beyond Religion News Service

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