Novelist and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has awarded Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service $15 million in donation funds, the single largest contribution in the advocacy organization’s 83-year history. Scott’s $15 million donation comes as the group works to resettle Afghan refugees, people fleeing Russia’s invasion of
Greg Locke, a Tennessee pastor known for his viral videos about COVID-19, election conspiracies and witchcraft, claims another social media giant has given him the boot. A Donald Trump supporter who has been featured at Christian nationalist events such as America’s Revival and disgraced former
Robert D. Cornwall reviews "Church on the Move: A Practical Guide for Ministry in the Community" by G. Travis Norvell. Churches can easily become insulated from the surrounding world. They create silos by turning turn inward, seeking to protect whatever space they have accumulated over
When the pandemic hit, many Americans lost the habit of churchgoing after almost every church in the country closed their in-person services and shifted online. But did some of them give up on God? In a new study, sociologists raise questions about the rapid decline
As Twitter’s new owner bumbles along and risks destroying the very network he just purchased for $44 billion, we thought we’d take a look at why this matters — even to people not on Twitter. In this issue of A Public Witness, we look at
Pastor Dawn Darwin Weaks explores what it was like for a once large and vibrant church community to decide to make a major change. With only a few dozen active people left, they made the choice to relocate, rename, and relaunch together. Before the 116-year-old
Phoenix pastor Caleb Campbell has a theory about the growing number of Americans who are labeled as Christian nationalists. Most would rather go to Cracker Barrel than storm the Capitol. Many see themselves as good Christians who love their country. But somewhere along the way,
For months, we’ve documented the appearances, rhetoric, and political activities in religious settings of candidates running for office on a platform of Christian Nationalism. Many voters rejected this worldview to a shocking degree in Tuesday’s midterm elections. In this edition of A Public Witness, we
As the Supreme Court hears Brackeen v. Haaland, what is at stake for most interested parties is the decades-old Indian Child Welfare Act. The act was meant to stop Native American families from being separated by child welfare agencies and private adoption services and instead
Robert D. Cornwall reviews "How to Inhabit Time: Understanding the Past, Facing the Future, Living Faithfully Now" by James K. A. Smith. This book explores how we experience time and with past and future framing our life experience, the question we face concerns how we