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Featured
As White House Considers Abandoning Foreign Aid, Faith Groups Say They Can’t Do It Alone
A discussion centered on whether the federal government should be dispensing foreign aid, which government officials referred to as ‘philanthropy.’
African Theologians Look to Nicene Creed’s Anniversary Year To Reshape Spiritual Future
One theologian said Africa’s celebrations of the Christian framework would exhibit the continent’s rich theological heritage and highlight new ways of thinking about faith unbound by colonial legacies.
Giving Up Billionaires for Lent
As we enter a season of Lent amid the chaos of Elon Musk and an oligarchy-fueled administration, this issue of A Public Witness reads the Bible and the Forbes Billionaire List to decide this day who we will serve.
Church
United Methodists Vote to Restructure Worldwide Church Into Four Parts
Regionalization has been framed as an undertaking of decolonization. But the plan is also an acknowledgment that cultural and theological differences are driving Methodists apart, especially regarding sexuality.
Hiking, Disc Golf, Flower Arranging: UMC Initiative Connects People Around Non-Church Interests
'Fresh Expressions' is a denominational initiative intended to connect people who may not be interested in church but are interested in learning a new skill or making new friends.
After Traditionalist Churches Left, UMC May Be More — Not Less — Diverse
Even after the departures, 24% of North Carolina clergy remaining in the denomination disagree with allowing LGBTQ people to get married and ordained within the denomination.
Nation
A 15-Year-Old Girl Fatally Shoots a Teacher and a Teenager at a Christian School in Wisconsin
The girl also wounded six others in Monday's shooting at Abundant Life Christian School.
Ohio Could Mandate Public Schools To Allow Third-Party Religious Ed During School Day
School boards would be required to permit Christian groups and the Satanic Temple alike to provide off-campus instruction.
Faith Leaders Express Dismay Amid Report Trump Will Allow Immigration Raids at Churches
‘I have 30 kids in a Sunday school class — I don’t know who is documented and undocumented,’ said one Latino pastor.
World
Ukraine Moves Official Christmas Day Holiday to Dec. 25, Denouncing Russian-Imposed Traditions
The explanatory note attached to the law said its goal is to “abandon the Russian heritage,” including that of “imposing the celebration of Christmas” on Jan. 7.
Morocco’s Benzina Becomes the First Senior-Level Women’s World Cup Player to Compete in Hijab
A FIFA ban on playing in religious head coverings for “health and safety reasons” was overturned in 2014 after advocacy from activists, athletes, and government and soccer officials.
For Clergy Abuse Survivors, Sinead O’Connor’s Protest That Offended So Many Was Brave and Prophetic
O’Connor, 56, passed away Wednesday at her home in southeast London.
Editorials
Don’t waste opportunities to show thanks
Thanksgiving 2016 is already shaping up as one of my most memorable — for various reasons. Our household is experiencing change and with it stress as retirement and, in our case, relocation
For Pete’s sake — vote!
In case you haven’t noticed, we’re coming down the final stretch of an election year.
Participate in the process and affirm you are exercising the right — if not the privilege —
A colleague who lived up to his name
John was well known for all the right reasons. His sons Michael and Mark gave testimony that he did not dishonor the family name. But he handled himself in all that he did to honor his
Word&Way Voices
Herschel Walker and Davidic Kingship
Historian Thomas Lecaque argues that how the various scandals surrounding Georgia GOP Senate candidate Herschel Walker are understood by many evangelicals is based on a bad reading of Biblical narrative. The sins of Walker’s past are forgiven, regardless of the hypocrisy – and, in fact, they are an important component
A Response to the Faith & Freedom Coalition
Rev. Erin Dickey has penned an open letter to Ralph Reed, founder and chairman of the Faith & Freedom Coalition. Reed's group sent out “2022 non-partisan voter guides” to congregations around the United States that ask and answer a specific set of questions – but Dickey has come up with
What Exactly Is Biblical Wokeness?
Contributing writer Rodney Kennedy explores what "wokeness" means when applied to the Bible. There are numerous passages that concern what it means to become awake — a matter of being shaken out of apathy, the doldrums, or from being complacent. But who wants to struggle with a Holy Book that
E-Newsletter
The J6 Pastors
This issue of A Public Witness introduces you to six ministers who have been charged for storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, offering insights into the dangerous ways Christian Nationalism distorts the Christian witness.
Speaker Johnson Doesn’t Know How Walls Work
This issue of A Public Witness looks back at Thomas Jefferson’s letter to Baptists penned 202 years ago this week and explores why prominent figures deliberately misrepresent the metaphorical “wall of separation” between church and state.
2023 in Review
In this review of 2023, we count down our most popular pieces and then reflect on some other highlights from the year.
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187. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver on Faith & Politics [Reissue]
![Listen to 187. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver on Faith & Politics [Reissue]](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20100%20100'%3E%3C/svg%3E)
In this episode originally recorded in 2021, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) about faith and politics as a United Methodist minister and U.S. congressman. Cleaver also discusses his experience on Jan. 6, attacks on voting rights, and what gives him hope. First released four years ago, this episode is being… -
186. Elizabeth Hinson-Hasty on Authentic Christian Freedom
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with Elizabeth Hinson-Hasty, a professor at Union Presbyterian Seminary in North Carolina and author of the new book Authentic Christian Freedom: Deconstructing the American Gospel of Liberty. She discusses issues of Christian ethics, liberty, fundamentalism, ministry, and seminary education. Note: Don't forget to subscribe to our award-winning e-newsletter… -
185. Mara Richards Bim on Holding Prayer Vigils Outside an ICE Office
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with Mara Richards Bim about a weekly interfaith prayer vigil being held outside an ICE office in Dallas, Texas. She talks about how denominations are fighting back in court and the how Department of Homeland Security is co-opting Bible verses to justify ICE actions. She also discusses… -
184. Warren Throckmorton on Getting Jefferson Right
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with Warren Throckmorton, a retired professor who has spent years debunking false claims by Christian Nationalist pseudo-historian David Barton. Throckmorton is coauthor of Getting Jefferson Right: Fact-Checking Claims About Thomas Jefferson and author of the forthcoming The Christian Past That Wasn't: Debunking the Christian Nationalist Myths That… -
183. Shannon Fleck of Faithful America
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with Shannon Fleck, the new executive director of Faithful America. She discusses Christian Nationalism in Oklahoma and nationally. You can watch a video version of his conversation on YouTube. Fleck's predecessor, Rev. Nathan Empsall, previously appeared on episode 61 of Dangerous Dogma. He also wrote several columns… -
182. Ruth Braunstein on When the Wolves Came
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with sociologist Ruth Braunstein about her documentary podcast When the Wolves Came. You can also find her writings at her Substack newsletter Democracy Is Hard. Mentioned in the episode is Caleb Campbell, who previously appeared on episode 150 of Dangerous Dogma. Note: Don't forget to subscribe to… -
181. Angela Denker on Disciples of White Jesus
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with journalist and Lutheran minister Angela Denker about her forthcoming book Disciples of White Jesus: The Radicalization of American Boyhood. You can watch a video version of this conversation here. You can also hear an earlier conversation with Denker in episode 68, and a conversation with Caleb Campbell… -
180. David Swartz on Rebel on Main
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with historian David Swartz about his new narrative podcast project Rebel on Main, which offers a historical and contemporary exploration of a Kentucky county and its unusual Confederate statue. You can watch a video version of this conversation here. (You can also hear an earlier episode with… -
179. Munther Isaac on Christ in the Rubble
In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor talks with Rev. Munther Isaac, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, about his forthcoming book Christ in the Rubble: Faith, the Bible, and the Genocide in Gaza. He also talks about Donald Trump's plan to "take over" Gaza, the importance of using the terms "genocide"… -
178. State Senator Shows How NOT to Read Proverbs
On Tuesday (Feb. 25), a session of the Oklahoma Senate transformed into a spontaneous Bible study. Or perhaps more of a Bible study cosplay demonstrating how not to read the Bible, specifically how not to read the Book of Proverbs. In this episode, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor unpacks the errors in how Proverbs was cited…
![Listen to 187. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver on Faith & Politics [Reissue]](http://images.weserv.nl/?url=static.libsyn.com/p/assets/d/c/4/8/dc48d37e1c129b96d959afa2a1bf1c87/DANGEROUSDOGMA-20250903-9imi1p7mi1.jpg&w=100)
