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Reviving a 1976 decision against a fundamentalist Christian school will likely fail, say legal experts. But if it succeeds, it could trigger conservative Christians’ ‘nightmare scenario.’

‘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.

For years, churches and separation of church and state activists have been frustrated at the way the IRS has handled allegations of church electioneering.

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Videos

Church

Rev. Jennifer S. Leath hopes to help her denomination avoid the schisms that ruptured many mainline Protestant denominations as they dismantled LBGTQ+ bans.

Leaders from a variety of denominations and organizations gathered on International Human Rights Day to call for Christians to stand for justice and dignity for Palestinians.

Even if members are politically active and many leaders are often outspoken about issues and candidates they support, most congregations make great efforts to keep politics out of the church when they gather.

Nation

The hearing in the case comes in the wake of a Feb. 25 ruling which sided with Church World Service, HIAS, Lutheran Community Services Northwest, and individual refugees and their families.

This issue of A Public Witness cracks opens the books to study problems with the new social studies standards where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain.

Most US religious groups remain broadly supportive of non-discrimination laws and policies toward LGBTQ+ people. Far fewer support gender-transition medical care for minors.

World

False charges of forced conversion are used to target Christians, who cite attacks on church properties and institutions, the harassment of pastors, and raids on private parties.

Rev. Hkalam Samson, a human rights advocate from Myanmar’s Kachin ethnic minority, was first arrested in December 2022.

The letter comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the U.S., where he is expected to address Congress on Wednesday and meet with President Joe Biden on Thursday.

Editorials

President Donald Trump will leave the White House next month after overseeing a deadly year of federal executions. We should pause and reflect on this moment. After all, our government conducts this killing spree in our names and with our resources.

Using prayer to cover up our own misdeeds or guilty inaction isn’t just upsetting but can also be dangerous. Consider the latest move to fight coronavirus undertaken by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt. Instead of issuing a life-saving statewide mask mandate, he called for an official day of prayer.

Editor Brian Kaylor reflects on the ministry and impact of Word&Way this year, and he expresses thanks to our readers and donors who helped make it all happen.

Word&Way Voices

Rev. Nathan Empsall, executive director of Faithful America, writes that we begin to calm our anxieties only when we learn to accept the presence of divine mystery in our lives.

Rev. Janna Louie, chief of staff for the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, reflects on Psalm 80 and how anxieties can be transformed by collective grief and lament.

Word&Way trustee and scholar of American evangelicalism William Trollinger argues that Johnson’s association with Ark Encounter makes sense given the strong connection between Young Earth Creationism and Christian Right politics.

E-Newsletter

This issue of A Public Witness reconsiders King Herod to move beyond a flat, culture wars depiction of the religious-nationalism-pushing ruler.

This issue of A Public Witness recommends some recent documentary films on issues of faith in the public square, Christian Nationalism, and patriarchy.

For this issue of A Public Witness, we briefly highlight 15 of our favorite books — beyond those from our monthly giveaway reviews.

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Recent Episodes

Books

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.

This issue of A Public Witness delves into Kathryn Cramer Brownell’s new book “24/7 Politics: Cable Television & the Fragmenting of America from Watergate to Fox News” exploring why our current media landscape looks the way it does.

In "Church Conflicts: The Cross, Apocalyptic, and Political Resistance," noted New Testament scholar Ernst Käsemann explores the significance of Christian apocalyptic for the church in times of crisis.

Henri Nouwen's "Community" provides a complete picture community and why it is such a necessary and integral part of the spiritual life.