Items of interest from various sources of religious news and opinion, in print and on the web.
Remembering Rover’s “Dog Mom” on That Special Day. Sixty percent of Americans believe that “pet moms” deserve Mother’s Day recognition, according to a recent survey. This aligns with similar societal trends: 76 percent of millennials say they prefer pets to children, while only 38 percent of Gen Z prioritize family over career and leisure. Blake, Suzanne. “Majority of Americans Want Pet Moms Celebrated on Mother’s Day.” Lifestyle. Newsweek.com, 9 May 2025. Web. 18 Mar. 2026.
AI Makes a Bad Marriage Counsellor. Recent studies show that spouses are increasingly utilizing ChatGPT and other large language models (LLM’s) as counsellors or surrogate therapists. The problem is that most LLM’s will tell you you’re right nearly every time, which isn’t a good way to resolve marital disputes. Experts warn that AI isolates individuals within a self-validating narrative, which tends strongly toward exacerbating conflict rather than resolving it. Simply put, AI is highly unlikely to encourage the sort of self-sacrificial love required in a healthy marriage. Dupré, Maggie. “ChatGPT Is Blowing Up Marriages as It Goads Spouses Into Divorce.” Ethics. Futurism.com, 18 Sep. 2025. Web. 18 Mar. 2026.
When the Court Says You Can’t Take Your Kid to Church. In Bickford v. Bradeen, a Maine judge recently barred a divorced mother from taking her twelve-year-old daughter to church or sharing Bible teachings. Labeling Christian instruction “psychologically harmful,” the court granted the non-religious father a “total veto” over the child’s Christian upbringing. It’s only the most recent troubling example of secular authorities pathologizing historic Christianity, abandoning judicial neutrality, and threatening the fundamental right of families to live according to their faith. Alexander, Robert. “Mom Battles Judge’s Order Banning Her Taking Daughter to Church.” U.S. News. Newsweek.com, 17 Nov. 2025. Web. 18 Mar. 2026.
Some are Returning to the Pews—Especially Young Men. While attendance at mainline Protestant churches remains in freefall, a small revival is stirring among an unlikely demographic: Gen Z men (born 1997-2012). According to recent surveys, young men, many of them highly educated professionals, are increasingly turning toward traditional faiths as a solution to the “spiritual vacuity” of modern life. Attracted by the aesthetic of antiquity and rigorous discipline of historic Christianity, young men are closing the “God Gap” between the sexes. In contrast to liberal denominations, these traditional expressions of faith provide a narrative of responsibility and objective truth in the midst an empty and materialistic culture. Kotkin, Joel and Mahlobo, Bheki. “Surprising Revival: Gen Z Men & Highly Educated Lead Return to Religion.” Religion. RealClearInvestigations.com, 17 Feb. 2026. Web. 18 Mar. 2026.