---
title: "Religion Weekly Update, Sept. 30, 2026"
description: "Religion & Public Life A weekly digest of the Center’s latest research on religion and public life in the U.S. and around the world · Subscribe ↗ Media mentions These Democrats are making Christianity a centerpiece of their midterm campaigns Sept. 27 – NPR In the news Religious scholars met with Anthropic. What they heard stunned them […]"
date: "2026-09-29"
authors:
  - name: "Rebecca Leppert"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/newsletter/religion-weekly/religion-weekly-update-sept-30-2026/"
---

# Religion Weekly Update, Sept. 30, 2026

---

September 29, 2026

## Religion & Public Life

*A weekly digest of the Center's latest research on religion and public life in the U.S. and around the world · [**Subscribe ↗**](https://pewresearch.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=434f5d1199912232d416897e4&id=3e953b9b70)*

---

## [**Religion and spirituality among Hindu Americans**](https://www.pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/religious-tradition/hindu/)

Hindu Heritage Month begins tomorrow, commemorating the history, culture and social contributions of Hindu Americans. Roughly 1% of U.S. adults identify religiously as Hindu, according to Pew Research Center’s [2023-24 Religious Landscape Study](https://www.pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/religious-tradition/hindu/) (RLS). Most Hindu Americans are Asian.

In [the Center’s 2022-23 survey of Asian Americans](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2023/10/11/hinduism-among-asian-americans/#importance-of-religion-among-hindus), 79% of Asian American Hindus in the U.S. said they have a shrine for worship in their homes, and 33% said religion is very important in their lives.

Explore [more about Hindu Americans](https://www.pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/religious-tradition/hindu/), including their demographics and political and social beliefs, in the RLS.

#### Media mentions

[These Democrats are making Christianity a centerpiece of their midterm campaigns](https://www.npr.org/2026/09/27/nx-s1-5979946/these-democrats-are-running-for-congress-on-christian-faith-will-it-pay-off)
Sept. 27 - NPR

#### In the news

[Religious scholars met with Anthropic. What they heard stunned them](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/29/us/anthropic-claude-morals-ai.html)
Sept. 29 - The New York Times *

[Democrats are running pastors for office. Republicans are attacking their religious comments](https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/29/talarico-hamilton-christian-democrats-republican-attacks-01096657)
Sept. 29 - Politico

[Democrats in Congress embrace a more punitive posture toward Israel](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/29/us/politics/democrats-congress-israel.html)
Sept. 29 - The New York Times *

[Mamdani releases plan to combat antisemitism amid concerns over his criticism of Israel](https://apnews.com/article/zohran-mamdani-combat-antisemitism-jewish-e633e3343d23d2f32aa5784851aeca3b)
Sept. 29 - The Associated Press

[Eiffel Tower chief to quit after female staff replaced by men during religious visit](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crn8e069v7p7o)
Sept. 29 - BBC News *

[Anti-abortion divide could complicate Missouri Amendment 3 campaign](https://missouriindependent.com/2026/09/28/anti-abortion-divide-could-complicate-missouri-amendment-3-campaign/)
Sept. 28 - Missouri Independent

[Pope Leo XIV stands firm on bioethics and AI in Paris speech](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2026/09/25/pope-leo-xiv-stands-firm-on-bioethics-and-ai-in-paris-speech_6757959_7.html)
Sept. 25 - Le Monde *

[Oklahoma must allow taxpayer-funded religious charter school, judge rules](https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/oklahoma-must-allow-taxpayer-funded-religious-charter-school-judge-rules-2026-09-24/)
Sept. 24 - Reuters *

[‘America’s bishop’ was beatified. 50,000 Catholics showed up](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/24/us/fulton-sheen-catholic-saint.html)
Sept. 24 - The New York Times *

[Italy decrees limits on non-Italian speakers and veils in school classrooms](https://apnews.com/article/italy-school-foreign-students-classrooms-veil-migrants-education-3d7cf97f62c8e9a3f8855ef018fc6112)
Sept. 24 - The Associated Press