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] By 2075, over 80% of the population of the Global South will be Christian. Evangelical Focus
• [New] A fundamental fault line has emerged that threatens to reshape the traditional relationship between Christian Churches and Christian Democratic parties: the contentious issue of migration and asylum policy. Nature
• [New] The strategic repositioning of the CDU/CSU on migration could further erode its traditional religious base, with profound implications for the future of religious politics in Germany and Europe. Nature
• [New] Current U.S. travel advisories for much of the Middle East remain at the higher end of the four-level warning system, reflecting a volatile environment in which religious sites, symbolic locations and soft targets can face elevated risk. The Traveler
• [New] Considering Putin's almost religious devotion to Russian greatness, Putin will not shrink from a dangerous escalation below the nuclear threshold if he sees no other way to prevent long-term infringements of Russia's international standing. SpringerLink
• The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) will disburse more than $8 million from its wakaf-generated income in 2026. ST
• The US and Israeli war with Iran has increased threat actors' intent to target Jewish, Israeli and US interests, including individuals and religious or cultural sites. Seerist
• California private and religious K-12 schools will have to stand up new policies to promote safe learning environments and comply with abuse prevention procedures that already apply to public schools. Fisher Phillips
• The dissolution of the Unification Church in Japan could set a dangerous precedent for religious freedom in democratic countries. Religion Media Centre
• Other democracies could follow Japan's example in seeking to dissolve unpopular religious groups. Religion Media Centre
• The Trump administration has proposed a new rule that could devastate Christian higher education by tying student loans to the earning potential of degree programs. Baptist News Global
• The statement called for Australia to encourage India to ensure journalists and human rights advocates could work free from intimidation and address discrimination of religious and ethnic minorities. The Guardian
• 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

Last updated: 10 August 2026