Global Scans · Religion · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Huge growth is expected over the next several decades as the world's Muslim population grows faster than every other major religious demographic, and as urbanization and rising incomes in developing countries with large Muslim populations mean more will be buying, rather than producing their own food.

• [New] Appelbaum warns that failure to agree on a shared understanding could have severe consequences for the US: 'A nation defined by blood and soil - built around a shared religion or ethnicity - can survive divergent narratives. Spiked
• [New] The US Department of Defense has announced a reduction in the number of religious affiliations recognised by chaplains as they plan their service. Religion Media Centre
• [New] The written government response sets a precedent that could help other detained Christians gain access to Scripture too - a small but significant legal breakthrough for Chinese Christians. Bible Gateway News & Knowledge
• [New] The Iranians and the Turks plan to replace Israel with the multi-ethnic, multi-religious state of Judea. Prepare for Change
• The executive committee recognizes the emergence and development of a Palestinian Christian theology shaped by their distinct lived experience and grounded in Scripture, which affirms steadfastness, nonviolence, hope, justice, and the equal God-given dignity of all people. World Council of Churches
• Pakistan recognized Christian and even Hindu celebrations and national holidays, yet today it has driven its Hindus and Sikhs out; Christians and Ahmadis fear lynchings justified by false blasphemy charges. Middle East Forum
• The 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) defines a refugee as anyone who is unable to return to their home nation due to a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political viewpoint. / USA The Guardian
• Diaspora media consumers in UK, USA and Canada should expect a steady rise in coordinated narratives designed to inflame ethnic and religious cleavages over the next 18 months. NaijaNewsFeeds
• Non-religious groups will actually shrink as a share of the global population in the coming decades, and religion will remain widespread globally. Our World In Data
• In India, Indonesia, and Egypt, the significant proportion of the Muslim population, whose religious beliefs prohibit alcohol consumption, could explain the lower prevalence of weekly drinking. Nature
• Christian Aid is warning that the taste of the British cuppa is under threat from climate change, with rising temperatures and extreme weather in Kenya, India and Sri Lanka, threatening the chemistry of tea leaves. Religion Media Centre
• Sunni citizens in Iran, despite limited formal recognition in certain legal contexts, face widespread restrictions in access to senior administrative positions, employment opportunities, religious activity, and freedom of religious expression. NCRI
• For decades, international policy toward Iran has oscillated between two failed approaches: appeasement of the ruling religious dictatorship and the threat or reality of foreign military confrontation. NCRI
• In a desperate bid to maintain power and instill fear following the nationwide January uprisings, the religious dictatorship in Iran has resorted to brutal repression. NCRI
• Christianity in Europe is gradually declining, with numbers projected to fall further in the coming decades. Hope 103.2
• Global Christianity is growing and shifting, with new challenges and opportunities shaping how believers live out their faith today. Hope 103.2
• North America's Christian population, currently estimated at 275 million, is shrinking with an annual decline of 0.16% to an estimated 262 million in 2075. Vision Christian Media

Last updated: 06 July 2026