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In his new book, acclaimed sociologist Robert Wuthnow seeks to both illuminate what has been hidden and to add complexity where a story has been too simply told.

Set in modern-day Tehran, the new film premiering in Chicago this weekend is both a forbidden love story and a depiction of the steadfast faith of the Baha’i community amidst ongoing oppression.

The Reformed Church in America is the latest group to speak out against the ideology, with regional United Methodist bodies and two Presbyterian denominations among those also addressing the issue this summer.

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Church

Jones is stepping down as president of Union Theological Seminary after 18 years. Her tenure has been defined by difficult, sometimes unpopular decisions that helped stabilize the institution even as mainline Protestantism declines.

Translating the Bible into Cherokee began early in the 19th century, shortly after Protestant missionaries arrived in the Cherokee Nation – centered mainly in what are now western North Carolina, north Georgia, and eastern Tennessee.

‘We need accountability. We need to set goals, track registrations, follow up to ensure that those who register actually vote,’ a Church of God in Christ bishop said at an ‘emergency’ meeting.

Nation

The fast-evolving list was met with blowback from critics who suggested its changes were an attempt to impose Christian Nationalism on the military.

Unitarian Universalists and Deists, who were reportedly excluded from the latest list, are among two categories represented among signers of the Declaration of Independence.

This issue of A Public Witness takes you inside a recent gathering to hear from leading scholars as they offer constructive ways to push back against a dangerous and heretical ideology.

World

He said God doesn't listen to the prayers of those who make war or cite God to justify their violence, just after Israeli police prevented the Catholic Church’s top leadership from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Sarah Mullally's appointment instantly makes her one of the most recognized Christian figures in the world, alongside the pope.

In lieu of the Palm Sunday procession, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem called on Christians around the world to commit to a moment of prayer for the Holy City of Jerusalem.

Editorials

Exploring Advent in a time of violence in Lebanon, Brian Kaylor reflects on how history shows us that even mighty empires won’t last forever.

Editor-in-Chief Brian Kaylor reflects on the meaning of peace declared by the heavenly host on that first Christmas in light of a “Let There Be Peace On Earth” Christmas decoration at the White House.

Exploring Advent in a time of dangerous pregnancies, Brian Kaylor reflects on how powerful leaders often seek ways to make women’s journey difficult.

Word&Way Voices

While each aspect of the killing of Renee Good and Alex Pretti has been dissected and analyzed under a microscope, contributing writer Rodney Kennedy takes a macro approach to examine how American Christians approach violence.

Comedian Druski’s latest viral church parody contains some truth in its critique, however uncomfortable it may be. The Church and the Christians within it should face that openly.

From the beginning, the U.S. has prided itself on being a haven for persecuted believers. But it has also demanded those believers demonstrate their loyalty in ways that blur the line between conscience and citizenship.

E-Newsletter

Given Pete Hegseth’s insistence on co-opting a biblical term and employing it out of context as an insult against reporters doing their job, this issue of A Public Witness takes a look at the real Pharisees and the lesson the ‘secretary of war’ is missing.

Join us as we celebrate five years of our ‘A Public Witness’ newsletter and highlight the best from the 115 pieces we’ve published over the past 12 months exploring the intersection of faith, culture, and politics.

This week, Rev. William Barber II gathered in front of the White House along with dozens of other clergy to protest the conflict that the Trump administration started against Iran.

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Recent Episodes

Books

Indigenous scholars Chris Hoklotubbe and Danny Zacharias explore what it means to read the Bible from the lens of Indigenous peoples in North America.

Political theorist Laura Field provides an intellectual tour of the MAGA New Right, a movement that has twice carried Donald Trump into the White House.

Combining gifted storytelling with keen analysis, Ryan Davis illuminates lived experiences within the LDS community and offers thoughtful reflections on what it might mean to share one heart and one mind in today’s polarized world.

Jennifer Houston McNeel explores the literary, historical, feminist, and theological significance of mothers and motherhood in the New Testament.