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Review: The Eucharistic Spirit
In “The Eucharistic Spirit: A Renewal Theology of the Lord’s Supper,” Pentecostal theologian Florian M. P. Simatupang makes the case for an open table and universal salvation.
Faith Leaders, Health Care Advocates Arrested While Protesting GOP Budget Bill in Capitol
Capitol police said nine people were charged with ‘crowding, obstructing, and incommoding.’
Berliners Are Rediscovering Their Faith Outdoors Through Local Pilgrimages
Christian pilgrimage walks are a way for Berliners and visitors of all ages to engage with their faith without stepping foot in a church.
Church
Black Churches Back Embattled Smithsonian African American History Museum After Trump’s Order
In a March 27 executive order, Trump alleged that Smithsonian exhibits had disparaged the nation's history via a ‘divisive, race-centered ideology.’
The Fight for the Empty Tomb
This issue of A Public Witness explores an intra-Catholic Easter weekend as well as multiple Easter sermons from progressive ministers around the United States.
Black LGBTQ Christians Ask: Where Is the Black Church’s Prophetic Voice on Our Rights?
‘I think most of the major Black denominations, in terms of its membership, is divided,’ said Bishop Reginald Jackson, leader of mid-Atlantic African Methodist Episcopal churches.
Nation
Proposal Aimed at Getting More Religion in Nebraska Schools Sidetracks Ed Committee
The logjam on a possible mega-bill indicates the climb facing some Republicans in their quest to infuse more conservative Christianity into public schools.
The Gospel According to Trump Stores
This issue of A Public Witness takes us inside MAGA merchandise shops in Branson, Missouri, to explore some surprising theological messages that mix partisan politics with the worship of violence.
To Put Pressure on Trump, Democrats Turn to Religion — and Religious Activists
‘Faith leaders have been at the forefront of every progressive movement in our nation’s history … so I’m glad to see faith leaders speaking out and getting into good trouble in opposition to the upcoming reconciliation bill,’ Delaware Sen. Chris Coons told RNS.
World
1 in 7 Global Christians Faces ‘High-Level’ Persecution: Open Doors Report
Christians around the world are being attacked and killed, forced to flee and driven underground, the annual report finds.
Despite Growing Consensus, Many Jewish and Christian Groups Loath To Admit Genocide in Gaza
A growing list including the United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Doctors Without Borders, and dozens of Holocaust scholars have concluded that Israel is committing genocide.
How Churches Helped Build and Give Away the Panama Canal
While Trump fantasizes about retaking the waterway, this issue of A Public Witness digs into American colonialism and the roles Christian leaders and denominations played.
Editorials
Al Mohler Fumbles
Editor-in-Chief Brian Kaylor responds to comments by Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Al Mohler, who attacked Americans United for Separation of Church and State while he advocated for government prayers in public schools.
Pandemic Year #3
Editor-in-Chief Brian Kaylor reflects on starting a third year of a global pandemic. Looking at coverage of this pandemic and the flu pandemic of a century before, he offers some lessons to consider.
Eric Schmitt Fails a Moral Test on School Masks
Brian Kaylor reacts with satirical humor and sharp criticism to Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filing lawsuits against dozens of public school districts after school officials enacted mask rules to keep children and teachers healthy amid the omicron surge.
Word&Way Voices
Unsettling Advent 2024, Day 7
Reflecting on Advent in a time of rulers clinging to power, Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons explores the connections between “Wicked” and the story of Christmas.
Unsettling Advent 2024, Day 6
Reflecting on Advent in a time of rulers clinging to power, Jeremy Fuzy explores the lessons we can learn from a true 20th-century ‘power broker.’
At Christmas, We Celebrate Light Dispelling Darkness
What is the true meaning of the Christmas story for all who claim to believe in and follow Jesus?
E-Newsletter
When the Wolves Came
Sociologist Ruth Braunstein recently decided to try a different way of analyzing religion, politics, and money: a documentary podcast exploring divergent evangelical responses to Christian Nationalism.
Nearly 200 Missouri Faith Leaders Urge Lawmakers to Promote Religious Liberty, Not Ten Commandments
The letter follows a contentious hearing over Senate Bill 594 last week that several ministers attended to testify against the proposal.
Thou Shalt Not Covet State-Sponsored Religion
This issue of A Public Witness takes you inside a contentious hearing in the Missouri Senate, offers context for Ten Commandments mandates spreading across the country, and highlights the strong Christian opposition to an attempted Christian Nationalist power grab.
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183. Shannon Fleck of Faithful America
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with Shannon Fleck, the new executive director of Faithful America. She discusses Christian Nationalism in Oklahoma and nationally. You can watch a video version of his conversation on YouTube. Fleck's predecessor, Rev. Nathan Empsall, previously appeared on episode 61 of Dangerous Dogma. He also wrote several columns… -
182. Ruth Braunstein on When the Wolves Came
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with sociologist Ruth Braunstein about her documentary podcast When the Wolves Came. You can also find her writings at her Substack newsletter Democracy Is Hard. Mentioned in the episode is Caleb Campbell, who previously appeared on episode 150 of Dangerous Dogma. Note: Don't forget to subscribe to… -
181. Angela Denker on Disciples of White Jesus
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with journalist and Lutheran minister Angela Denker about her forthcoming book Disciples of White Jesus: The Radicalization of American Boyhood. You can watch a video version of this conversation here. You can also hear an earlier conversation with Denker in episode 68, and a conversation with Caleb Campbell… -
180. David Swartz on Rebel on Main
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with historian David Swartz about his new narrative podcast project Rebel on Main, which offers a historical and contemporary exploration of a Kentucky county and its unusual Confederate statue. You can watch a video version of this conversation here. (You can also hear an earlier episode with… -
179. Munther Isaac on Christ in the Rubble
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with Rev. Munther Isaac, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, about his forthcoming book Christ in the Rubble: Faith, the Bible, and the Genocide in Gaza. He also talks about Donald Trump's plan to "take over" Gaza, the importance of using the terms "genocide"… -
178. State Senator Shows How NOT to Read Proverbs
On Tuesday (Feb. 25), a session of the Oklahoma Senate transformed into a spontaneous Bible study. Or perhaps more of a Bible study cosplay demonstrating how not to read the Bible, specifically how not to read the Book of Proverbs. In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor unpacks the errors in how Proverbs was cited… -
177. Countering Sean Feucht with Karrie Gaspard-Hogewood
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with Karrie Gaspard-Hogewood, a sociology doctoral fellow at Tulane University, about a protest march she organized to counter an event by Christian Nationalistic musician Sean Feucht in New Orleans on Feb. 8, 2025. You can learn more about Feucht at A Public Witness, including reports on his… -
176. Paul Raushenbush & Trump's Targeting of Christians
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with Rev. Paul Raushenbush, president and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, about various ways the Trump administration has targeted Christian groups, including Episcopalians, Catholics, and Lutherans. You can read more about the recent attacks on Lutheran charity work in a report at A Public Witness and in a memo from… -
175. Mariann Budde, John Danforth, & Prophetic Preaching
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with John Danforth, a former U.S. Senator and Episcopal priest, about the controversy over Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde's sermon during an inauguration prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral. You can read more about the issue at A Public Witness, including a report on the sermon, a look… -
174. Joe Blosser on To Love Our Neighbors
Joe Blosser talks with Word&Way President Brian Kaylor about her new book To Love Our Neighbors: Radical Practices in Solidarity, Sufficiency, and Sustainability. He also discusses understandings of how a neighbor is, church food pantries, and economic neoliberalism. Note: Don't forget to subscribe to our award-winning e-newsletter A Public Witness that helps you make sense…
Books
Review: A Visible Unity
In “A Visible Unity: Cecil Robeck and the Work of Ecumenism,” Josiah Baker explores the efforts of Pentecostals towards reconciliation as something significant for how we understand the church.
Review: American Christian Nationalism
In “American Christian Nationalism: Neither American nor Christian,” Michael W. Austin offers us a better form of civic engagement.
Looking Back and Forward
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.
Review: Hope Is Here!
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.