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This issue of A Public Witness offers short highlights from four reflections by Catholic writers on Pope Francis and his papacy.

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.

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Church

The guidelines surfaced even as the denomination, over the past decade-plus, has tried to stake out a more compassionate approach on LGBTQ+ issues.

Almost half of US Orthodox churches remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to only 12% of all religious congregations.

Some 2,900 people have joined an ‘AMEs for Reform’ Facebook group and others have issued open letters as part of ‘AMEs for Justice and Accountability.’

Nation

A religious coalition won the first round of faith-based litigation against the Trump administration — but the scope of the preliminary injunction is limited.

Idaho pastor Doug Wilson referred to White-Cain as an ‘erratic woman preacher who has been all over the map.’

Interfaith Alliance conducted a briefing featuring several notable speakers who covered the Trump administration’s unprecedented violations of religious freedom during its first month and discussed the best ways to counter through collective action.

World

With a bloody cleric adding Valentine’s Day to his culture (and literal) wars, this issue of A Public Witness looks deeper into the subversive mythology behind St. Valentine.

If approved by Parliament, the law will allow the government to “disapply” sections of U.K. human rights law when it comes to Rwanda-related asylum claims and make it harder to challenge the deportations in court.

Churches are often suspected of sympathy with opposition groups, even though they are more commonly used as places of refuge for civilians seeking to shelter from fighting.

Editorials

When my son was younger, he had a few verbal ticks where he would say one thing when he meant another. A common example of this verbal confusion pops up today as I frequently hear people say “political” when they really mean “partisan.”

On Tuesday (Dec. 17), the state of Missouri installed a false god on top of the Capitol building. Or, at least that’s what a state representative claimed. But I wonder if the case should remind us of the difference between influence and worship.

Dear Luke, I am writing to complain about the start to your book — the one that, according to you, is a “Gospel,” not the sequel on the acts of the apostles. It’s mostly good. Some good stories, clever lines, interesting characters. However, I take offense at how you decided

Word&Way Voices

May 15, 1948 — 75 years ago — a human rights travesty began. Palestinians and those of us who are in solidarity with their liberation and human rights movement commemorate what is referred to as the Nakba, which means “catastrophe” in Arabic.

Contributing writer Greg Mamula offers the final entry in a six-part series on the future of the church. In this article, he focuses on the importance of developing multiple revenue streams.

We often imagine maturing in faith means putting aside more "childish" ways of viewing God. But Kelly Fremon Craig’s film adaptation of Judy Blume’s "Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret" shows that what's often needed is a more childlike approach so we don't mistake a means to God for

E-Newsletter

This issue of A Public Witness shows up like a hotdish with, dontcha know, a look at Minnesota Nice Lutherans and why, gosh darn it, the attacks on Walz’s church are worse than Wisconsin.

This issue of A Public Witness grabs some tinsel and some lights to unwrap some recent seasonally inappropriate “War on Christmas” rhetoric and rake the problematic attacks over the coals.

This issue of A Public Witness looks at a state gubernatorial campaign that demonstrates how Christian Nationalism is being normalized and adopted in politics today.

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Books

In his new book, David Hollinger argues that conservative evangelical churches flourished by providing a safe harbor for White Americans who wanted to be counted as Christian while avoiding a challenge that mainline leaders insisted must be faced: living a

Robert D. Cornwall reviews "The Arc of Truth: The Thinking of Martin Luther King Jr." by Lewis V. Baldwin with a foreword from Beverly J. Lanzetta. This book is a scholarly and focused look at King’s commitment to truth, underscoring

Robert D. Cornwall reviews "Becoming Human: The Holy Spirit and the Rhetoric of Race" by Luke A. Powery. This book draws upon theology, especially the theology of the Holy Spirit, to provide a theological foundation for responding to the racialization

Robert D. Cornwall reviews "Better Religion: A Primer for Interreligious Peacebuilding" by John D. Barton. This book provides a set of tools that can help us move toward a greater understanding of one another without jettisoning the distinctiveness of our