Our 2023 Books of the Year
For this issue of A Public Witness, Brian and Beau briefly highlight 15 of their favorite books beyond those from our monthly giveaway reviews.
Review: Unexpected Abundance
In "Unexpected Abundance: The Fruitful Lives of Women Without Children," Episcopal priest Elizabeth Felicetti deepens our understanding of the many ways to be fruitful.
Amid War in Gaza, Churches Urged to Leave Peace Candle Unlit This Advent
Inspired by Palestinian Christians canceling Christmas lights and festivities in Bethlehem, British Christians urge Christians elsewhere to show solidarity by not lighting the “peace candle” that is traditionally lit on the second Sunday in Advent.
Warren Throckmorton Takes On David Barton and ‘Christian Nationalists’ Revisionist History’
Despite past controversy, Barton’s influence has found an eager audience with the rise of Christian Nationalism in the age of Trump.
The Episcopal Church Reckons With Tangled Protocol on Clergy Abuse and Accountability
As the denomination evaluates its Title IV clergy misconduct policy, abuse survivors say the process needs to be trauma-informed.
Leading African Ecumenical Group Elects First Female President
The Rev. Lydia Chituku Neshangwe, a Presbyterian minister, became the first woman to lead the ecumenical All Africa Conference of Churches.
No Room at the Political Inn
This issue of A Public Witness looks back at the attacks on Syrian refugees in 2015 and the abysmal U.S. record on assisting refugees since then to help us consider what to make of efforts to ban refugees from Gaza today.
Review: Speak with the Earth and It Will Teach You
In "Speak with the Earth and It Will Teach You: A Field Guide to the Bible," Daniel Cooperrider analyzes the Bible's treatment of the environment and intersperses his own reflections on experiences in nature.
Kansas Clergy Place Faith in State Legislators Embracing ‘Moral Truth’ of Medicaid Expansion
A diverse group of pastors and religious leaders participated in a forum at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church to discuss Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s campaign to convince the 2024 Legislature to end its embargo on Medicaid reform.
Bethlehem Pastors Arrive in DC, Urge Lawmakers To Embrace Cease-Fire, Peace Plan
'All we want for Christmas is a constant and comprehensive cease-fire and an end to this war,' said the Rev. Munther Isaac, pastor of Bethlehem’s Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church.