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While Donald Trump’s win understandingly dominates the headlines, it’s also important to consider the results in the numerous other federal, state, and local races.

In “American Christian Nationalism: Neither American nor Christian,” Michael W. Austin offers us a better form of civic engagement.

Faithful America’s executive director argues that since Trump and the religious right distort faith for their own gain, calling them out is not an attack on religion but rather a necessary democratic and Christian action.

This issue of A Public Witness details the religious background of Kamala Harris, now one of the two leading contenders to be the 47th president of the United States.

Dangerous Dogma

Church

Theologian Candice Marie Benbow said, ‘We live at this intersection of being Black faith people and Black people who are in Greek letter organizations who are committed to communal uplift.’

On Thursday (Oct. 31), Curry, 71, completed his nine-year term as presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, and it’s his casual style and his capacity to adapt and improvise that may be his signature.

Fear of violence recently prompted Grace United Methodist Church’s pastor to join Choices and Voices for Peace, a coalition of faith leaders from across the state.

Nation

While Donald Trump’s win understandingly dominates the headlines, it’s also important to consider the results in the numerous other federal, state, and local races.

This Election Day issue of A Public Witness considers the idea that where you vote might influence how you vote.

A coalition of Christians, Jews, Muslims, and other people of faith has gained power and influence at the ballot box and the Legislature in the past decade especially, becoming one of the most influential forces in state politics. 

World

Strikes in the traditionally ’safe’ areas where many displaced families have fled are raising fears among local Christian residents. Many feel they have to choose between helping compatriots and protecting themselves.

There has been sustained outreach by Ukrainian Baptists and other evangelicals to their American counterparts who hold sway politically within the GOP — an increasingly isolationist party with standard bearers who remain skeptical of Ukrainian aid.

Protests broke out on Sunday at the New Georgia United Methodist Church in Monrovia over the suspension of an outspoken critic of same-sex marriage. The protests spread to other churches in the capital, prompting riot police to intervene.

Editorials

While messengers to last week’s annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention debated how to treat churches with women in pastoral roles, Baptist Women in Ministry showed up to offer a counter witness.

The thinning of the UMC’s conservative ranks makes this week’s conference a perfect time to address the issue.

Missing in all the jokes and news reports about the Trump Bible is that this isn’t the first time a presidential stamp of approval was sought for the Good Book.

Word&Way Voices

Faithful America’s executive director argues that since Trump and the religious right distort faith for their own gain, calling them out is not an attack on religion but rather a necessary democratic and Christian action.

Contributing writer Rodney Kennedy argues that MAGA evangelicals have basically accepted the conclusion that Trump is not a good person — but this doesn’t change their vote due to the power of figurative language.

Palestinian journalist Daoud Kuttab documents how a leading evangelical group recently took a bold step away from pro-Trump American evangelicals.

E-Newsletter

While Donald Trump’s win understandingly dominates the headlines, it’s also important to consider the results in the numerous other federal, state, and local races.

This Election Day issue of A Public Witness considers the idea that where you vote might influence how you vote.

The upcoming election is certainly important, but the journey of addressing Christian Nationalism in our churches and nation will continue in the weeks, months, and years to follow.

Sign up to receive full essays in your inbox!

Podcasts

We had a lot of great podcast conversations this year. So let’s count down the top 10 most-downloaded of episodes of Dangerous Dogma in 2023.

In episode 104 of Dangerous Dogma, Jay Augustine, senior pastor at St. Joseph AME Church in Durham, North Carolina, talks about his book When Prophets Preach: Leadership and the Politics of the Pulpit. He also discusses preaching about current events,

In episode 103 of Dangerous Dogma, Craig Lamar Brown and Andrea Summer talk with about their movie Between Mercy and Me. They also discuss issues of racism, church worship, and creating music and movies. 

In episode 102 of Dangerous Dogma, Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, talks about attending the ReAwaken America Tour and a Pastors for Trump meeting at Trump Doral in Miami, Florida.

Books

In “American Christian Nationalism: Neither American nor Christian,” Michael W. Austin offers us a better form of civic engagement.

The upcoming election is certainly important, but the journey of addressing Christian Nationalism in our churches and nation will continue in the weeks, months, and years to follow.

In “Hope Is Here!: Spiritual Practices for Pursuing Justice and Beloved Community,” Luther E. Smith Jr. prepares us to engage racism, mass incarceration, environmental crises, divisive politics, and indifference.

Jerome Copulsky’s “American Heretics: Religious Adversaries of Liberal Order” is a tour de force documenting the religious illiberalism that has challenged democratic values from the very beginning.