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Featured
Would Jesus Belong to MAGA?
Contributing writer Rodney Kennedy makes the case that the best approach to this question is investigating how Jesus interacted with the Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, and Zealots throughout the Gospels.
From Vaccines to Gender: How Christian ‘Momfluencers’ Are Reshaping the American Right
By appealing to maternal concerns about what kids eat or learn and offering a sense of clarity, community, and stability, conservative influencers are creating an on-ramp for political engagement framed as part of a spiritual war.
1,700 Years Ago, Bishops and an Emperor Wrote a Creed. Millions Still Recite It in Church
Catholic, Orthodox, and most historic Protestant groups accept the Nicene Creed. Despite later schisms over doctrine and other factors, Nicaea remains a point of agreement — the most widely accepted creed in Christendom.
Church
Calvin Robinson, Dismissed for Nazi-Like Salute, Has Priestly License Rescinded, Again
Robinson responded in an Instagram story, saying that ‘perhaps God is sending me a message.’
Can the SBC’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission Survive Trump 2.0?
Years of controversy during the Trump era have some Southern Baptists arguing that the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission is more trouble than it is worth.
Forced Out of His Pulpit Weeks After Trump’s Election, He’s Starting His Own Church
Ben Boswell promises his new church will ‘dismantle systems of oppression and create justice, equity, and freedom for everybody — for all people.’
Nation
Judge Bars ICE From Taking Some Violent Actions Against Religious Activists, Journalists
The suit was primarily brought by journalists who allege they have been targeted by federal agents, but the list of plaintiffs also included the Rev. David Black, a Chicago-area Presbyterian minister.
The Impending Execution of a Prison Pastor
This issue of A Public Witness looks at Lance Shockley’s extensive history of Christian leadership while in prison, as well as the role restorative justice should play in our criminal legal system.
In Chicago, Clergy and Faith-Based Protesters Say ICE Is Threatening Their Religious Freedom
Despite potential danger, religious leaders and faith activists have been a visible presence at Chicago-area ICE protests, some waving signs with slogans such as ‘Love thy neighbor’ and ‘Who would Jesus deport?’
World
The Spiritual Heart of Paris Awakens: Notre Dame Hosts First Mass Since 2019 Fire
Notre Dame’s journey from ruin to resurrection was defined by extraordinary craftsmanship, nearly $1 billion in global donations, and a collective, unyielding determination to rebuild.
Bolsonaro’s Indictment in Brazil Stirs Conservative Christian Supporters’ Outrage
After police indicted 37 individuals, including a Catholic priest, evangelical Christian supporters of the right-wing former president called the investigation an effort by the current president to persecute Brazil's conservatives.
The World’s Oldest Printing Presses
This issue of A Public Witness looks at the unexpected revolution of the printed word and how journalism has changed since Word&Way started over 128 years ago.
Editorials
A Sign of the Times for White Evangelicals
Editor Brian Kaylor reflects on how many White evangelicals moved in less than five years from condemning Donald Trump as a dangerous man to backing Trump’s assault on American democracy.
The Road Between Marshall & Lafayette
Editor Brian Kaylor reflects on Jesus’s parable in Luke 10 about being a good neighbor after learning of the death of a man in the roadway on Christmas Eve just blocks from his church.
Oh, To Be the Magi
Editor Brian Kaylor reflects on the Magi in the biblical story and how they inspired his imagination as a child and still today. They’re mysterious, magical, powerful, wise
Word&Way Voices
No School Choice: A Letter From a Texas Public School Teacher
The state will likely begin to fund private Christian academies while also funding Bibles in schools — promoting the idea that the U.S. is a Christian nation.
Are Southern Baptists Ripe for a New Populist Movement?
Contributing writer Rodney Kennedy makes the case that the structure of populism cries out for a new rebellion against the 'elite' in every generation.
On Sackcloth and Grief Hoodies
Contributing writer Sarah Blackwell reflects on how we might treat each other differently if we literally wore our hearts on our sleeves.
E-Newsletter
Does Trump Really Talk About Jesus More Than Other Presidents?
This issue of A Public Witness explores which recent presidents actually talked about Jesus in their public remarks and what it means for protecting religious liberty.
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.
‘Baptizing America’ Wins Top Award From Associated Church Press
The oldest interdenominational religious press association in the U.S. also gave four awards to Word&Way, including two first place honors for A Public Witness.
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Rewriting the Ten Commandments (A Trick of State)
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor looks at legislation across the country that purports to want the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. But the version mandated by lawmakers cannot be found in any Bible. Kaylor unpacks where the edited language came from, why such legislation is an attack on religious liberty, and the… -
198. American Christianity Divided in Responses to ICE
This episode of Dangerous Dogma features a conversation between Word&Way Editor Brian Kaylor, Lutheran minister and journalist Angela Denker, and Disciples pastor and author Beau Underwood. The conversation includes discussion about ICE actions in Minneapolis, how many clergy are leading protests against ICE while others are supporting ICE, and new research worried about the loss… -
197. Anna Piela and Michael Woolf on Confronting Islamophobia in the Church
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with American Baptist ministers Anna Piela and Michael Woolf on Islamophobia, immigration, and how Christians can better engage with interfaith efforts. Anna and Michael are coauthors of the new book, Confronting Islamophobia in the Church: Liturgical Tools for Justice. Watch a video version of this conversation here.… -
196. Martha Bardwell on Faith Communities Responding to ICE in Minneapolis
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with Martha Bardwell, pastor of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on how faith communities are responding to ICE violence in the Twin Cities and the ICE killing of Renee Good. Watch a video version of this latest conversation here. The episode includes a discussion on… -
195. Attacking Venezuela & Gambling on Jesus
This episode of Dangerous Dogma features a conversation between Word&Way Editor Brian Kaylor, Lutheran minister and journalist Angela Denker, and Disciples pastor and author Beau Underwood. The conversation includes consideration of the U.S. attack on Venezuela and how Christians are responding, Pete Hegseth's pledge to change the military chaplaincy program, and how people are now… -
194. Dangers of Faith in the Pentagon & AI in Faith
This episode of Dangerous Dogma features a conversation between Word&Way Editor Brian Kaylor, Lutheran minister and journalist Angela Denker, and Disciples pastor and author Beau Underwood. The conversation includes consideration of U.S. strikes against Venezuelan boats, Pete Hegseth's Christian prayer services at the Pentagon, the use of AI in churches, and alarms about AI Christian… -
193. News Roundup: Elections, Government Shutdown, & Clergy Challenging ICE
This episode of Dangerous Dogma features a conversation between Word&Way Editor Brian Kaylor, Lutheran minister and journalist Angela Denker, and Disciples pastor and author Beau Underwood. The conversation includes consideration of religious attacks in elections this week, impacts of the ongoing government shutdown on churches, and clergy protesting against ICE. Watch a video version of… -
192. Hannah Kardon, United Methodist Pastor Arrested During Anti-ICE Protest
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with Hannah Kardon, a United Methodist minister in the Chicago area. Kardon was violently arrested during a protest outside an ICE facility on Oct. 17. Video of the incident can be viewed here. Other issues discussed in this episode include ICE actions at churches, the legal pushback… -
191. William Stell on Evangelicals & Antigay Christianity
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with William Stell, a religious studies professor and author of the forthcoming book, Born Again Queer: A History of Evangelical Gay Activism and the Making of Antigay Christianity. Kaylor is also joined by guest cohost Jared Burkholder, scholar in residence at Moravian Theological Seminary. This is the… -
190. Angela Parker on Evangelicals, Biblical Interpretation, & White Supremacy
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with Angela Parker, an associate professor of New Testament and Greek at the McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University, the author of If God Still Breathes, Why Can't I?: Black Lives Matter and Biblical Authority, and coauthor of the Unsettling Lent devotional. This is the second…
Books
Review: Thinking About Good and Evil
In "Thinking About Good and Evil: Jewish Views From Antiquity to Modernity," Rabbi Wayne Allen traces the most salient ideas about why innocent people suffer, why evil individuals prosper, and God’s role in such matters of (in)justice.
Review: Miracles for Skeptics
In "Miracles for Skeptics: Encountering the Paranormal Ministry of Jesus," Frank G. Honeycutt draws out the deeper truths in the weird incidents from the Bible.
Review: God After Deconstruction
In "God After Deconstruction," Thomas Jay Oord and Tripp Fuller write for people experiencing the traumatic realities of discovering that what they once believed about God is no longer sustainable.
Review: Believe Me
In "Believe Me: The Evangelical Road to Donald Trump," John Fea argues that the evangelical approach to public life is defined by the politics of fear, the pursuit of worldly power, and a nostalgic longing for an American past.