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Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed two lawsuits against the Trump administration today as part of their investigation into government worship services.

The defense secretary’s tattoos of the Jerusalem Cross and “Deus Vult” are frequently invoked as literal signs of his Christian Nationalism — and rightly so. But the same symbols on his Bible were overlooked until now.

'This is one important step in our struggle for justice and my call to live out Jesus’s command to care for the captives,' said the Rev. Susie Hayward, who is cited in the legal case and was in court for the ruling.

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Church

The announcement came after former Racial Reparations Task Force members expressed doubts over the diocese’s commitment to deliver on its 2021 promise and uncertainty about its ability to secure funding.

Leaders of the American Baptist Home Mission Societies issued a statement Tuesday (Nov. 18) offering support for clergy who have been arrested while protesting ICE, including an American Baptist pastor in the Chicago area.

After decades of fierce controversies over sexuality and theology, some leaders of a conservative coalition say it's time to make a final break from what has long been one of the world's largest Protestant church families.

Nation

In a surprise move, Gov. Kay Ivey commuted the death sentence of Charles “Sonny” Burton — sparing the life of a Muslim during his faith’s holiest time of the year.

Minnesota branches of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the United Church of Christ sued the government in February for being ‘categorically denied’ the opportunity to provide pastoral care.

The Trump administration's campaign to end ‘wokeness’ in the military is reshaping its relationship with education, breaking off longstanding ties with prestigious universities while building new bonds with evangelical schools like Liberty and Hillsdale.

World

The first American pope weighed in on a controversy roiling the Chicago diocese, telling journalists the Catholic Church’s political positions include more than opposing abortion.

The Rapture is near — at least according to a viral apocalyptic prophecy by one South African man. Here’s a look at the theological concept of the Rapture and its role in history.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople has long been critical of the Russian Orthodox Church and its support for the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Editorials

With the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference beginning this coming Sunday in Egypt, we are offering a piece originally published as the cover story of Word&Way magazine in October 2019 but which has never been published online. In addition to making an argument for why Christians should care about

MAGAchurch preaching occurs in sanctuaries across the country. But the prominence of First Baptist in Atlanta and his involvement in an important Senate campaign makes Rev. Anthony George a particularly important case study. So, in this issue of A Public Witness, I introduce you to George and his sermons before

This piece was originally published as the cover story of Word&Way magazine in October 2020, but which has never been published online. Read the piece online in our e-newsletter A Public Witness.

Word&Way Voices

Described as ‘Michael Scott meets Moses,’ the new workplace comedy from Mitch Hudson tells the story of the exodus from Egypt and the Israelites’ life in the wilderness with humor and grace.

Within a single week, two historic milestones took place in Amman: the European Baptist Federation celebrated its 75th anniversary and the Baptist World Alliance appointed its first Ambassador to the Middle East.

In the latest effort to sidestep the separation of church and state, Republicans in the Texas legislature want an official month dedicated to God.

E-Newsletter

William Schultz, a historian of American religion at the University of Chicago Divinity School, makes a compelling argument that there was a moment where Colorado Springs was a place of enormous cultural influence.

This issue of A Public Witness takes you inside a very Catholic governmental Christmas celebration that also featured a Trumpian rabbi commemorating Hanukkah.

For this issue of A Public Witness, we briefly highlight 15 of our favorite recent books beyond those from our longer giveaway reviews. It can be a great resource for gifts or your own wishlist.

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Books

In this new book, Thomas A. Tweed offers a sweeping retelling of American religious history that shows how religion has enhanced and hindered human flourishing from the Ice Age to the Information Age.

Questions about slavery and abolitionism stand at the heart of Daniel Lee Hill’s book, "Bearing Witness: What the Church Can Learn from Early Abolitionists." Hill seeks to retrieve resources from America's abolitionists, while thinking theologically about the church's public witness

In the novel “Green Street in Black and White: A Chicago Story,” Dave Larsen takes us back to a 1960s summer of social upheaval, when youthful mischief collided with the weight of adult fears.

We’ve once again asked several Word&Way writers to recommend books perfect for wherever you find your happy place this summer.