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This issue of A Public Witness unpacks the unique angle explored in the latest Mike Graves book “Jesus’ Vision for Your One Wild and Precious Life: (on Things Like Poverty, Hunger, Polarization, Inclusion, and More).”

In "Reckoning With Power: Why the Church Fails When It's on the Wrong Side of Power," David E. Fitch argues that the church should cooperate with God's power through presence among the least powerful.

There is also growing concern among an array of religious Americans that their beliefs are in conflict with mainstream American culture.

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Dangerous Dogma

Church

Best known for launching a round-the-clock prayer and missions group, Bickle admitted to ‘past misconduct’ earlier this month.

Young musicians have taken to the organ at a time when there has been a decline in the number of instruments and in the professionals who play them.

The pastor of a prominent Little Rock, Arkansas, church is under fire for not telling his congregation about an abusive former staffer, even after the person had been charged by police.

Nation

His Cornerstone Baptist Church in the New York City borough of Brooklyn has long been part of the National Baptist Convention, the largest Black denomination in the U.S.

Theological opinions on IVF, let alone political ones, are difficult to ascertain and are far from universal across denominations.

Training sessions in Tallahassee and in Orlando will feature curriculum companies whose products could enhance those wishing to teach Black history in schools and churches.

World

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.

The Rev. Lydia Chituku Neshangwe, a Presbyterian minister, became the first woman to lead the ecumenical All Africa Conference of Churches.

This issue of A Public Witness offers a crash course lesson from one of the preeminent experts on Ukrainian religious freedom to consider what’s happening in the besieged nation and how religious freedom rights are undermined by Russia.

Editorials

Editor-in-Chief Brian Kaylor responds to critics of a Word&Way clergy statement urging Christians to get a COVID-19 vaccine. And Kaylor challenges the anti-vaxxer message of “faith over fear.”

Editors Brian Kaylor and Beau Underwood outline the theological reasons for a COVID-19 vaccination outreach effort centered around clergy. Such an act is not only a matter of public health, it is also a witness to what we believe about the Gospel.

Editor-in-Chief Brian Kaylor argues that as the delta variant of COVID-19 fuels a new spike in cases in some parts of the U.S., conservative Christians who refuse vaccination are putting people at risk and undermining the teachings of Jesus.

Word&Way Voices

Edward Walsh reflects on his experiences in the Middle East and what following the teachings of Jesus should look like in this time of conflict.

Contributing writer Sarah Blackwell champions the idea that churches can offer counter-cultural recreational programs to put youth sports back at the right size and scale.

While Texas Gov. Greg Abbott lampooned sanctuary cities by sending buses full of desperate people seeking safety for themselves and their families, he did not anticipate that they would be received with open hearts, houses, and churches.

E-Newsletter

This issue of A Public Witness goes to church with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to contrast his recent “sermon” with how the stories of the first Christmas deal with politicians.

For this issue of A Public Witness, Brian and Beau briefly highlight 15 of their favorite books beyond those from our monthly giveaway reviews.

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.

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Podcasts

In episode 59 of Dangerous Dogma, Diana Butler Bass, author of Freeing Jesus, talks about her writings on religion, history, and fundamentalism. She also discusses her Substack newsletter The Cottage.

In episode 58 of Dangerous Dogma, Max Finberg, president and CEO of Growing Hope Globally, talks about the organization he leads. He also discusses advocacy, working in government, and ending global hunger.

Marcia Pally, a professor at New York University and guest professor at Humboldt University-Berlin, talks with Word&Way President Brian Kaylor about her new book White Evangelicals and Right-Wing Populism: How Did We Get Here? She also discusses Jan. 6, political history, and economics.  

In episode 56 of Dangerous Dogma, Terri Hord Owens, General Ministery and President of The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), talks about her experiences in leading a Mainline Protestant denomination today. She also discusses racism, COVID, and communion.

Books

In "The Word Made Fresh: Preaching God's Love for Every Body," George A. Mason offers us a collection of progressive sermons preached during his thirty-year ministry at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas.

Ryan Burge’s "The Nones: Where They Came From, Who They Are, and Where They Are Going" shines new light on our transformational moment in American religious life.

The book "Theology and Star Trek" explores how creator Gene Roddenberry may not have wanted to include God-talk in his franchise, but the rich science fiction universe still provides numerous opportunities for theological reflection.

In "Dancing in My Dreams: A Spiritual Biography of Tina Turner," author Ralph H. Craig III illuminates the often overlooked spiritual dimensions of the Queen of Rock and Roll's life.