What we loved in 2025 — and what can carry you into 2026
Here’s what carried the Outlook staff through 2025 — culture, prayer, public faith, and small joys.
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Decline of religion remains stalled, says new Pew report. But there’s no revival yet.
For the past five years, the decline of religion in America has stalled, after years of decline.
Meet Jimmy Stewart
American actor, military aviator, and Pennsylvania native James Stewart was a born-and-raised Presbyterian.
Born out of national division, ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ is a balm for Christmas
A century and a half after Phillips Brooks wrote this haunting carol, there is much once again to lament, fear and grieve, writes Karen Swallow Prior.
Evangelism in an Age of Despair: Hope Beyond the Failed Promise of Happiness
Aaron Pratt Shepherd praises Andrew Root’s "Evangelism in an Age of Despair" as a timely, theologically rich call for the church to reclaim evangelism.
The long way to Bethlehem
Palestinian Christians have developed one of the most important liberation theologies of our time — and most American churches have never encountered it, writes Christopher Tweel.
Why ‘Wake Up Dead Man’ may be the most Christian film of 2025
A priest. A murder. A question at the heart of faith. “Wake Up Dead Man” isn’t just a locked-room mystery — it’s a theological reflection, writes Brendan McLean.
Order of worship — January 4, 2026
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation.
Second Sunday of Christmas — January 4, 2026
What does predestination really mean? Ephesians 1:3–14 invites us to see election as adoption, belonging and God’s choosing love, writes Matthew Rich.
Books for church leaders: AI, healthy boundaries and engaging new generations
These books equip church leaders for ministry in a changing world.
Pittsburgh Presbyterians erase $14 million of families’ medical debts
Thousands of Allegheny County residents will have their medical debt wiped out — paid for by contributions from the members of the 117 churches in Pittsburgh Presbytery.
Our most-read opinions of 2025
What Presbyterians were thinking — and wrestling with — in 2025.
The Bondi Beach attack confirms our fears about antisemitism. But it tells another story.
Among lessons of Bondi Beach is Hanukkah's eternal lesson that there is more light to be found than we imagine.
Why church choirs matter more than we realize
Hunter Steinitz remembers the day her church's choir sang carols with a beloved member on hospice — and how music became family, worship and farewell all at once. Music binds the church together, she writes.
A blessing for the year to come
Walter Canter offers a month-by-month prayer for ordinary frustrations, unexpected joys and the sacred reminders.
In Chicago, Faith Leaders Reflect on Legacy Supporting Immigrants’ Rights: ‘We Have to Stand Up for Every Person’
From sanctuary efforts in the ‘80s to Trump’s latest deportation efforts, Chicago’s faith leaders lean into commitment to immigrants.
Got a startup with purpose? Apply now for the 2026 Epiphany Grant
Funding, coaching, and navigating a dynamic market are all free as part of this unique opportunity.
Learning to pray through breath and music
Karie Charlton offers a reflection on embodied faith, music and mindful breathing.
A prayer for Advent: Because Christ has come
Teri McDowell Ott invites us to rest in Christ’s tender and healing presence in a weary world. Through Jesus, nothing lies beyond redemption.
Order of worship — December 28, 2025
You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation.
First Sunday of Christmas — December 28, 2025
Matthew 2:13-23 reveals the shadow side of Christmas, where Christ enters real-world suffering with God’s promise, presence and hope, writes Philip Gladden.
Horizons – The Gift of the Woman who was Poor, Mark 12
Rosalind Banbury argues that the story of the widow in Mark 12 reveals God’s deep concern for the vulnerable, exposing unjust systems while embracing generosity and justice.
Podcast review: “Theology of Hip-Hop”
Discover “Theology of Hip-Hop,” a new podcast exploring how artists’ lyrics reveal faith, justice and God’s presence in hip-hop culture.
A prayer for courage and hope in the new year
Entering the new year with more questions than answers? You’re not alone. This prayer by Karie Charlton offers a path toward hope, peace and renewal.
Lost, Hidden, Small: Finding the Way of Jesus Where We Never Think to Look
Discover the grace found in smallness. "Lost, Hidden, Small" invites us to follow Jesus not through striving, but through trust, surrender and delight, writes Amy Pagliarella.
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