Home - Word&Way
logo
mobile-logo

Featured

Brian Kaylor reacts to claims that God is sending a message through a 4.8 magnitude earthquake shook the northeastern part of the U.S. on Friday or a solar eclipse going across much of the U.S. on Monday.

Science is part of God’s wonder,’ said one pastor. ‘And I think it’s good for us to celebrate that as Christians.’

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling in June 2022 has given new hope to those who want the Ten Commandments publicly displayed.

No posts were found.

Dangerous Dogma

Church

This issue of A Public Witness gives you an inside look at disgraced former Lt. General Michael Flynn’s latest QAnon crusade called “Get in the Fight” being held in sanctuaries around the country.

A prominent Southern Baptist church in Fort Worth, Texas, will host a two-day event this weekend featuring disgraced former Lt. General Michael Flynn and other activists who have pushed QAnon conspiracy theories about alleged sex trafficking rings.

These are the latest in a series of expulsions in recent years, most notably when it ousted one of its largest, California's Saddleback Church, and a Louisville, Kentucky congregation for having women in ministry leadership roles.

Nation

The biggest change came among those who said they quit their religious upbringing because of its treatment or teachings of LGBTQ people.

The presumptive Republican nominee released a video on his Truth Social platform urging his supporters to buy the 'God Bless the USA Bible,' which is inspired by country singer Lee Greenwood’s patriotic ballad.

This issue of A Public Witness looks at recent and dangerous efforts from Donald Trump, Michael Flynn, Charlie Kirk, and others to define religious adherence by partisanship.

World

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.

Many Christian converts have lost their spiritual connection to the forests and lore. Meghalaya is 75% Christian in a country that is almost 80% Hindu.

The weeklong gathering outside Kenya's capital focused on gender-based violence, teenage pregnancy, and HIV/AIDS, saying the Anglican churches in Africa have been silent on these issues affecting many African women.

Editorials

MAGAchurch preaching occurs in sanctuaries across the country. But the prominence of First Baptist in Atlanta and his involvement in an important Senate campaign makes Rev. Anthony George a particularly important case study. So, in this issue of A Public Witness, I introduce you to George and his sermons before

This piece was originally published as the cover story of Word&Way magazine in October 2020, but which has never been published online. Read the piece online in our e-newsletter A Public Witness.

Word&Way Editor-in-Chief Brian Kaylor reflects on dangers of rhetoric by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as the Republican politician misquotes Ephesians 6 to demonize his opponents.

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 explores the wild Superbowl dreams of Lance Wallnau — a key figure in the New Apostolic Reformation movement — to consider the heresy of the MAGAchurch 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.

This issue of A Public Witness looks at feedback we received on social media from proponents of the lesser magistrates philosophy and explores why Christians should instead value democracy.

Sign up to receive full essays in your inbox!

Podcasts

In episode 82 of Dangerous Dogma, Alan Streett, an emeritus professor of biblical theology at Criswell College, talks about his new book Songs of Resistance: Challenging Caesar and Empire. He also discusses songs in the Christmas biblical texts, public and

Robin Lovin, an ordained United Methodist minister and a former professor of ethics at Southern Methodist University, talks about his new book What Do We Do When Nobody Is Listening?: Leading the Church in a Polarized Society.

David Hollinger, an emeritus history professor at the University of California, Berkeley, about his new book Christianity's American Fate: How Religion Became More Conservative and Society More Secular. He also discusses why evangelicals grew in the 20th century, what Donald

In episode 79 of Dangerous Dogma, Dave Verhaagen, a psychologist, talks about his new book How White Evangelicals Think: The Psychology of White Conservative Christians. He also discusses fear, conspiracy theories, and collective narcissism.

Books

Carolyn Chen’s "Work Pray Code: When Work Becomes Religion in Silicon Valley" explores how work has displaced religion in so many people’s lives. If we can’t serve both God and mammon, it feels like a lot of people have chosen

In "The Gospel According to James Baldwin: What America's Great Prophet Can Teach Us About Life, Love, and Identity," Greg Garrett invites new readers and longtime lovers of the great writer into a thoughtful exploration of his continued relevance.

For this issue of A Public Witness, Brian and Beau briefly highlight 15 of their favorite books beyond those from our monthly giveaway reviews.

In "Unexpected Abundance: The Fruitful Lives of Women Without Children," Episcopal priest Elizabeth Felicetti deepens our understanding of the many ways to be fruitful.