Plus: other stories where religion and culture intersect ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌
The Conversation

When I reflect on 2025, I immediately think of Pope Francis. Like many newsrooms, for years we had kept the obituary of Pope Francis ready. Each time he fell ill, we were relieved not to use it. But 2025 did not spare his failing health.

We quickly published stories on the funeral, the succession, the meaning of the black smoke, and what comes next. Yet the piece that resonated most with readers was one about how each pope signals his style of leadership – the moment he steps onto the balcony for the first time — and how Pope Leo XIV’s appearance compared with Pope Francis’ own debut.

Another obituary my colleague Molly Jackson had prepared years in advance was for Russell M. Nelson, president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Soon after his death at the age of 101, the story about the new president, Dallin H. Oaks – and his style of leadership – also drew strong reader interest.

Interestingly, another widely read story was one that I would call counterintuitive. This story explained new research showing that most Christian religious leaders indeed accept the reality of climate change, but many have never addressed it with their congregations.

I took a short sabbatical in 2025 and am now working remotely from Malaysia – a constitutionally secular country whose official religion is Islam. I have encountered extraordinary diversity and watched festivals across traditions being celebrated with equal joy.

Some of my favorite stories on the religion and ethics desk this year reflect that richness: a piece explaining New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s Khoja Muslim identity, tracing a family history that includes Uganda; a story on Nat King Cole’s often overlooked role in the Civil Rights Movement; and an insightful piece on Puerto Rican Muslims who, despite marginalization, find ways to express both cultural heritage and faith.

As I write this, from my balcony in Kuala Lumpur I see the soft glow of a mosque and wake each morning to the call to prayer. On Diwali, I watched fireworks burst into the sky, their sounds mingling with Islamic prayer. This, to me, is belonging, or pluralism, or coexistence.

Whatever word you choose, I hope the year ahead brings you clarity, curiosity and moments that remind you – as these stories have reminded me – of the many ways faith, culture and humanity intersect.

[How faith and religion drive the world. Sign up for our weekly newsletter This Week in Religion.]

Kalpana Jain

Senior Religion + Ethics Editor, Director of the Global Religion Journalism Initiative

Readers' picks
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV waves to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square shortly after his election on May 8, 2025. Vatican Media via AP

From the moment he steps onto the balcony, each pope signals his style of leadership – here’s how Pope Leo XIV’s appearance compares with Pope Francis’ first

Daniel Speed Thompson, University of Dayton

From his new name to the title he uses to introduce himself, a pope’s first appearance involves symbolic choices that signal his intentions as leader of the Catholic Church.
Missionary Sayon Ang holds up a sign signifying she speaks Cambodian during the twice-annual conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 4, 2014, in Salt Lake City. AP Photo/Kim Raff

New president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints inherits a global faith far more diverse than many realize

Brittany Romanello, University of Arkansas

The church, whose members are often known as Mormons, has grown from a small community to 17.5 million members around the world – but not without some tensions.
A multi-faith assembly of religious leaders and lay people in Manhattan in 2023 protest investments in fossil fuel. Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images

Research shows that a majority of Christian religious leaders accept the reality of climate change but have never mentioned it to their congregations

Stylianos Syropoulos, Arizona State University; Gregg Sparkman, Boston College

Churchgoers who think their religious leaders don’t believe humans are driving climate change are less likely to discuss it with fellow congregants or take action to mitigate the effects.

Editors' picks
Zohran Mamdani takes photos with union members during a campaign rally at the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council headquarters in New York on July 2, 2025. AP Photo/Richard Drew

Zohran Mamdani’s last name reflects centuries of intercontinental trade, migration and cultural exchange

Iqbal Akhtar, Florida International University

Mamdanis belong to the Khoja community, who were categorized by the British in the early 19th century as “Hindoo Mussalman” because their traditions spanned both religions.
Nat King Cole performs in Copenhagen, Denmark, in April 1960. Ebbe Wrae/JP Jazz Archive/Getty Images

Nat King Cole’s often overlooked role in the Civil Rights Movement

Donna M. Cox, University of Dayton

March 17 marks 106 years since the birth of musician Nat King Cole, whose success paved the way for future generations of Black artists.
The Mezquita Al-Madinah in Hatillo, Puerto Rico, about an hour west of San Juan, is one of several mosques and Islamic centers on the island. Ken Chitwood

Bad Bunny and Puerto Rican Muslims: How both remix what it means to be Boricua

Ken Chitwood, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences; Bayreuth University

Like Bad Bunny’s music, Puerto Rican Muslims’ lives challenge ideas about race, religion and belonging in the Americas.