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By Holly Meyer and David Crary |
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By Holly Meyer and David Crary |
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Happy Friday, World of Faith readers.
This week, Pope Leo XIV is on a four-country Africa tour, but it's his high-profile disagreement with U.S. President Donald Trump over the Iran war that’s dominating the news cycle. We also look at the religious gender gap in the U.S. and a new report criticizing China for its treatment of Catholics. |
Pope Leo XIV arrives to celebrate Mass at Bamenda Airport, Cameroon, on the fourth day of his 11-day pastoral visit to Africa. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) |
Trump challenges Pope Leo’s critique of Iran war amid the pontiff’s African peace tour |
Pope Leo XIV began his papacy nearly a year ago seemingly content to stay out of the headlines. This past week, however, he has been constantly in the media spotlight, embarking on an ambitious four-nation trip to Africa while engaging in a dramatic exchange of words with U.S. President Donald Trump. It has changed the world’s perception of Leo and his mission. Read more.
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The pope, who had customarily avoided singling out world leaders for criticism, made clear that he considered aspects of Trump’s approach to the war with Iran “unacceptable.” Leo held firm, even as Trump assailed him as “weak” and soft on crime.
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In Algeria, Leo highlighted themes of peace and unity, promoting Christian-Muslim coexistence in the majority Muslim nation at a time of global conflict, and honoring the locally born inspiration of his spirituality, St. Augustine.
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In Cameroon, Leo blasted the “handful of tyrants” who are ravaging Earth with war and exploitation, preaching a message of peace in the epicenter of a separatist conflict that's considered one of the world’s most neglected crises.
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What a new Gallup poll shows about young men’s religious revival |
A new Gallup poll shows more young men in the U.S. say religion is “very important” in their lives compared to young women — the first time young men have surpassed young women on this measure of religiosity going back 25 years. Gallup's latest data shows that 42% of men in the U.S. ages 18-29 said religion is very important to them, a notable increase from 28% in 2022-2023. Over the same time, young women's attachment to religion has stayed low, at about 30%. Read more.
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This marks the first time young men have overtaken women by a big margin on this measure, which goes back to 2000. Gallup reports aggregate findings every two years to ensure the estimates are stable.
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Several decades ago, young women were much more attached to religion than young men, but that's shifted. More recently, young men and women's religiosity was roughly similar. The new increase in young men's religiosity also contrasts with the minimal change seen since 2022-2023 among older men and women.
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The gender gap reversal is only happening among adults under 30, according to Gallup's data. Among adults aged 30 and older, women remain more religious than men.
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Human Rights Watch: China raises pressure on underground Catholics to join official church |
Chinese authorities are increasing pressure on underground Catholic communities to join the state-controlled official church while tightening surveillance and travel restrictions on all of China's estimated 12 million Catholics, according to Human Rights Watch. A report from the U.S.-based group said the heightened pressure was part of a decade-old campaign to ensure that religious denominations and independent churches are loyal to the officially atheist Communist Party. A Chinese Foreign Ministry statement said China protects religious freedom and accused Human Rights of falsehoods. Read more.
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China’s Catholics have been divided between an official, state-controlled church that didn’t recognize papal authority and an underground church that remained loyal to Rome through decades of persecution.
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Pope Francis, in 2018, sought to ease Vatican-China tensions with a deal giving the state-controlled church a say in naming bishops — a task traditionally exclusive to the pope.
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Despite that deal, “Catholics in China face escalating repression that violates their religious freedoms,” said Yalkun Uluyol of Human Rights Watch. “Pope Leo XIV should urgently review the agreement and press Beijing to end the persecution and intimidation of underground churches, clergy, and worshippers.”
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