Faith Leaders Warn Unchecked AI Could Erode Human Relationships September 15: Evangelical, Catholic, and Latter-day Saint leaders at Washington’s Pro-Human Assembly urged stronger moral safeguards for artificial intelligence. While acknowledging benefits for translation and pastoral support, they warned that AI left unchecked could amplify religious bias, weaken relationships, and undermine our humanity. The speakers called for human control, regulatory oversight, and caution around superintelligence. (RNS)

Prayer Leads Young Adults’ Reasons for Attending Church September 15: Barna found 34% of Gen Z and Millennial adults attend church more often than a year ago, while 21% attend less. Growth is strongest among young men and Black adults, both at 41%, followed by Hispanic adults at 36%. Prayer ranks as the leading spiritual motivation at 45%, ahead of worshiping Jesus with others at 38%, suggesting increased attendance reflects devotional priorities rather than a sweeping revival. (Barna)

First New Faroese New Testament Since 1937 Completed September 14: The Faroese Bible Society has completed a modern translation designed to reach younger readers and serve Christians across denominations on the remote Atlantic islands. An ecumenical team led by former Lutheran bishop Hans Jacob Joensen translated from the original Greek. The edition includes explanatory footnotes, a glossary, and color maps. It is the first of three planned installments, with Psalms and a complete authorized Bible to follow. (Christian Daily)

Evangelicals Make Up Two-Thirds of Practicing UK Christians September 14: A survey of 8,400 people across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland estimates that 5.5 million UK residents identify with evangelical theology — nearly 8% of the population and about two-thirds of practicing Christians. (In the U.S., evangelicals comprise 23% of adults and about one-third of practicing Christians.) More than 40% are under 35, and around 30% belong to ethnic minorities. (Evangelical Focus)

Palm-Sized Silver Scrolls Preserve Oldest Known Biblical Text September 12: Two tiny silver scrolls discovered in 1979 at Ketef Hinnom near Jerusalem contain versions of Numbers 6:24–26, the Priestly Blessing still used in Jewish and Christian worship. Dating to around 600 BC, they predate the Dead Sea Scrolls by about 400 years. One no larger than a thumbnail, the amulets also preserve early examples of God’s name, YHWH, and show the blessing’s remarkable continuity. (Aleteia)

Scientists Stomp Grapes to Recreate Ancient Israelite Winemaking September 11: Researchers crushed four tons of Merlot grapes in a reconstructed Hasmonean winepress near Shiloh, testing how ancient winemakers fermented juice. Floor fermentation proved easier but spoiled through oxygen exposure, while vat-fermented wine survived. Though inconclusive, the experiment suggests biblical-era vintners possessed considerable skill. Continuing research may revive indigenous grape varieties used in biblical-era wines. (Times of Israel)

Florida Layman Builds Park Presenting Evidence for the Bible September 11: After struggling to answer skeptics’ questions, Bob Huisken devoted more than 30 years to studying Christian apologetics before creating Rocky Reflections Park in Niceville, Florida. Its 27 signs and exhibits guide visitors through scientific, archaeological, historical, manuscript, and eyewitness arguments for Scripture’s reliability. The path crosses a “Faith Bridge” before presenting passages from Romans and encouraging visitors to defend their faith. (Baptist Press)

American Christian Denominations Remember 9/11 September 11: On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Christians across traditions are looking back on their responses to the attacks. Evangelicals are reassessing reactions ranging from calls for repentance and revival to warnings against conflating faith and patriotism. Southern Baptists are honoring disaster-relief volunteers while one Catholic priest recalls blessing victims at Ground Zero, and the Episcopal Church is hosting vigils and bell-tolling at the “Little Chapel That Stood.” (Various sources)

Pope Leo Grants Guadalupan Jubilee Ahead of 500th Anniversary September 11: Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed a Guadalupan Jubilee for the 50th anniversary of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Tepeyac, Mexico. The yearlong observance opens October 12 and offers a plenary indulgence to pilgrims meeting customary conditions. The celebration falls midway through a nine-year novena preparing for the 500th anniversary of the reported Marian apparitions to St. Juan Diego in 2031. (Aleteia)

Evangelical Alliance Urges Confident Christian Response to New Age Spirituality September 10: The UK Evangelical Alliance has released a free guide addressing growing interest in tarot, astrology, crystals, manifesting, psychics, and related practices. Citing Ephesians 6:12 and Old Testament prohibitions on divination and necromancy, the resource encourages churches to consider this moment as an evangelistic opportunity, and to meet spiritual questions with biblical conviction, practical guidance, and compassion. (Christianity Daily)

Biblical Clothing Law Keeps Specialists Busy Before Rosh Hashanah September 10: Ahead of Rosh Hashanah, observant Jews are bringing new clothing to specialists who test for shatnez — the prohibited mixture of sheep’s wool and linen described in Leviticus 19:19 and Deuteronomy 22:11. Only about 200–250 certified testers work worldwide, examining hidden components such as collars, shoulder pads, and linings. Because modern garments combine globally sourced materials, labels cannot reliably reveal every fiber. (AP)

St. Paul’s Chapel at Ground Zero Honors 9/11 Victims September 9: St. Paul’s Chapel, which stood undamaged 100 yards from the Twin Towers and served recovery workers around the clock for nine months after 9/11, has opened “Ever Present” for the attacks’ 25th anniversary. Its centerpiece strings 2,977 paper cranes (one for each victim) in an infinity loop symbolizing enduring love. The exhibit also includes children’s letters, a clergy vestment bearing first-responder badges, and sculptures made from ground-zero metal. (RNS)

Who Is Actually Showing Up to Youth Group? September 9: Barna found that 57% of self-identified Christian teens attended youth group within the previous three months. Participation was higher among boys than girls, 63% to 52%, and slipped from 60% among ages 13–15 to 55% among ages 16–18. Racial differences were smaller. Yet only 29% of participants qualified as “Faith-Activated,” with particular weaknesses in service, evangelism, and belonging. (Barna)

At 100, the “Bible Belt” Label for the American South Persists September 9: Journalist H. L. Mencken coined “Bible Belt” in 1924 to describe an American South strongly influenced by Baptists and Methodists, though some say the label has always obscured the region’s racial, cultural, and religious complexity. Today, the South is increasingly diverse, with only 12% of residents identifying with the Southern Baptist Convention or United Methodist Church. Yet the phrase persists as familiar shorthand. (Religion Unplugged)

Most Pastors Worry AI Could Misinterpret Scripture September 7: Barna research found 94% of Protestant pastors worry AI may misinterpret the Bible, compared with 83% of practicing Christians and 74% of U.S. adults. Sixty percent of pastors want AI to present major interpretations of disputed passages without choosing one, versus 26% of practicing Christians. Researchers say pastors generally view AI as a tool for expanding reflection rather than an authority that should determine biblical meaning. (Christianity Daily)

Global Methodist Church Adopts Articles of Faith, Elects Eight Bishops September 7: Delegates at the denomination’s Johannesburg General Conference adopted new Articles of Faith addressing Scripture, salvation, sacraments, the church, and Christian life within the Wesleyan tradition. They also elected and consecrated eight full-time bishops for 2026–2032 while acting on 451 petitions. Since its 2024 conference, the church has grown from roughly 4,700 to 7,250 congregations and from 36 to 55 annual conferences. (Christian Daily)

Cairo Museum Restores New Kingdom Stele of Ramesses II September 5: The Egyptian Museum in Cairo completed the restoration and relocation of a black basalt stele depicting Ramesses II, whom many identify with the pharaoh of the Exodus. Measuring roughly 7.9 by 3.6 feet, the New Kingdom artifact was originally found in two pieces and has been displayed for more than a century. Conservators removed earlier supports, treated its joints and installed panoramic lighting. (Jerusalem Post)

Multimedia Album Invites Listeners Into the Story of Scripture September 4: Married artists Joshua and Kaitlyn Rose Leventhal have created Tapiseri, a multivolume project combining music, abstract painting, and a book. Its 25 songs span three albums, with individual painted tiles eventually forming a unified artwork. The first volume, out today, explores creation, the Fall, and redemption. The couple hopes the project will function both as art and as an embodied, participatory Bible-study and discipleship resource. (Christianity Today)

Spanish Bible Society Marks 190 Years of Expanding Scripture Access September 4: The Spanish Bible Society is celebrating its 190th anniversary during September’s Month of the Bible. Director Luis Fajardo says Scripture is “in good health” in Spain after centuries of censorship, with numerous modern translations now available. Current projects include new Reina-Valera and La Palabra study editions, a Bible in Basic Language, accessible Bible stories for neurodiverse readers, and ethical guidelines for using AI in translation. (Evangelical Focus)

That Time Legend of Zelda’s Link Knelt and Prayed Before Jesus September 3: Nintendo’s official 1991 guidebook for The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past included an illustration of Link kneeling before a crucifix. The original, Japanese 1986 Legend of Zelda also featured an item called “the Bible,” renamed the “Book of Magic” for American players under Nintendo’s religious imagery restrictions. But even after localization, crosses remained on Link’s shield and box art, and a prayer scene still appeared in the game. (RELEVANT)

Christians Urged to Meet New Age Curiosity With Confidence and Clarity September 3: The Evangelical Alliance has released a free guide addressing growing cultural interest in tarot, astrology, crystals, manifesting, psychics, and “WitchTok.” It warns Christians not to treat these practices as harmless, while framing spiritual curiosity as an evangelistic opportunity, and encourages churches to approach seekers without fear or hostility while clearly distinguishing Christian commitment from alternative spirituality. (Christian Today)

New Reading Links Ancient Ring More Closely to Pontius Pilate September 2: UCLA scholar Catherine Bonesho argues that a 2,000-year-old copper-alloy ring found at Herodium bears the Latin word PILATO — “to Pilate” or “for Pilate” — written in Greek letters. Rather than belonging to Pilate himself, the inexpensive signet likely belonged to an enslaved or formerly enslaved Judean worker who sealed materials sent to the Roman governor’s administration. (UCLA Newsroom)

Countries Celebrate Bible Month With Festivals and Exhibitions September 2: Bible societies in Argentina, Spain, Peru, and the Dominican Republic have designated September as Bible Month, marking the occasion with conferences, public readings, worship, exhibitions, and children’s and youth festivals. Why September? Because it commemorates both the 1569 publication of Casiodoro de Reina’s Biblia del Oso, the first complete Spanish Bible translated from Hebrew and Greek, and Jerome’s Latin translation legacy. (Christian Daily)

Wendell Berry Dies at 92, Leaving Literary and Agrarian Legacy September 1: Christian writer and farmer Wendell Berry died age 92 at his Kentucky home. Across more than 50 books, Berry challenged industrial agriculture and consumerism while celebrating conservation, community, and care for creation. A lifelong if unconventional Baptist, he drew deeply from Scripture and described himself as someone who took the Gospels seriously. His cross-partisan influence earned him recognition as a modern-day agrarian prophet. (Christianity Today; RNS)

Iranian Crackdown Reportedly Kills 33 Christian Ministers September 1: Texas-based Iran Alive Ministries says Iranian authorities have killed at least 33 ministers connected with its underground church network and arrested 131 Christians in recent months. Fourteen reportedly remain imprisoned, some facing death sentences, while 114 are unaccounted for. Despite the crackdown, the ministry has recorded 5,849 conversions this year and reports that imprisoned Christians continue evangelizing fellow inmates. (Christianity Daily)

Catch Up on August’s Bible News Stories  September 1: Don’t forget to catch up on all the biggest, strangest, and most inspiring Bible news stories of August 2026!