Faith In Focus: 5 Religion Trends To Watch In 2026
(ANALYSIS) With 2025 now behind us, it was a year filled with significant developments in religion, faith and spirituality — and 2026 will likely be just as eventful.
While 2025 revealed a possible slowing in the long-term decline of Christianity in the United States, new data this year could either confirm that trend or upend it entirely.
At the same time, surveys continue to show that even as formal religious affiliation declines, spiritual belief remains widespread. How that tension shapes American society, politics and culture remains an open question.
Globally, the biggest driver of religious change remains demographic. Muslims continue to be the fastest-growing major faith tradition, largely due to higher birthrates.
Here are five key religion-related issues and trends to watch in 2026:
Rise in antisemitism
Antisemitism continues to manifest across the political spectrum, with incidents rising sharply since Hamas’ 2023 attack on Israel and throughout Israel’s two-year war in Gaza. Left-wing campus protests against Israel during that period were viewed by many as crossing into antisemitism, while antisemitic incidents more broadly increased in the U.S. and worldwide.
On the political right, Tucker Carlson’s interview with white nationalist Nick Fuentes intensified debates over antisemitism within conservative circles. The fallout reverberated across the American conservative movement and evangelical Christians — groups that have traditionally been strongly pro-Israel.
Midterm elections and ‘culture war’ issues
The 2026 U.S. midterm elections are expected to center on bread-and-butter concerns such as the economy and the cost of living. The 250th anniversary of America’s founding, which falls on July 4, will only add to this tension. In fact culture-war issues (like legalization of doctor-assisted suicide) are likely to play a prominent role. President Donald Trump successfully mobilized voters in 2024 by emphasizing debates over abortion, transgender rights — including participation in sports — and school curriculum content.
Many of those same issues are expected to resurface in congressional races this November, particularly in Bible Belt states, where they resonate with Republican and independent voters. Democrats, meanwhile, are increasingly a party of secular voters. How effectively they engage religious communities could prove decisive in their efforts to regain majorities in the House and Senate.
Leo XIV’s first year as pope
This coming May 8 will mark the first anniversary of Pope Leo XIV’s election. The American-born pontiff assumed one of the most scrutinized spiritual roles in the world amid intense global expectations. In his first year, Leo has resisted the urge to immediately exercise the full scope of papal authority available to him under canon law. That could change in 2026 as the pope names new cardinals and addresses issues associated to doctrine.
Instead, he has taken a measured approach while facing a growing to-do list, including long-awaited financial reforms within the Vatican. Unlike Pope Francis, who often shaped the papacy around his personal style, Leo appears intent on shaping himself to the office. Whatever direction he chooses in the year ahead is certain to draw close attention across the Catholic world.
Christian persecution in Nigeria
The long-running persecution of Christians in Nigeria came into sharper focus in 2025 and is expected to continue in 2026. Christians, particularly in the northeast and region, are likely to face ongoing insecurity stemming from Islamist terrorists and communal conflicts between herders and farmers — violence that often affects Christian communities. The U.S.’s Christmas Day attack on Islamic terrorists will certainly keep this story in the news cycle.
While security efforts may improve in some areas, they are expected to remain uneven. Increased international pressure, particularly from the Trump administration, could prompt stronger protective measures. As a result, humanitarian needs and internal displacement will likely to remain a challenge throughout the region.
AI and its impact on faith
Artificial intelligence is reshaping nearly every corner of society, and religion is no exception. AI offers new opportunities for faith communities, from assisting with scholarly research and translating sacred texts to generating sermon ideas and educational resources.
At the same time, it raises profound ethical and theological questions. AI will challenge believers to reflect on what it means to be created in the image of God and where the boundaries between technology and the sacred should lie. As with the emergence of the internet decades ago, faith traditions will be tasked with discerning how to embrace AI’s benefits while protecting core beliefs about human dignity and meaning.
Clemente Lisi is the executive editor at Religion Unplugged.