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Featured
Unsettling Advent 2024, Day 10
Exploring Advent in a time of dangerous pregnancies, Angela Parker reflects on Black mothers dying preventable deaths.
Review: Dancing with Metaphors in the Pulpit
In “Dancing with Metaphors in the Pulpit,” Word&Way contributing writer Rodney Kennedy explores how the hard work of preaching takes place in the thinking, reading, and writing.
From DC to the Vatican, Baby Jesus Is Wearing a Keffiyeh
The pro-Palestinian creche is intended to point out the disconnect between the idealized Bethlehem of most representations and the reality in present-day Gaza and the West Bank.
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173. Bruce Chilton on the Herods [Reissue]
![Listen to 173. Bruce Chilton on the Herods [Reissue]](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20100%20100'%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Bruce Chilton, professor of religion at Bard College, talks with Word&Way President Brian Kaylor about his new book The Herods: Murder, Politics, and the Art of Succession. He also discusses the political issues at play in New Testament stories like the birth, teachings, and death of Jesus. This episode is being reissued and was originally released… -
172. Christi Harlan on Jimmy Carter's Sunday School Lessons in Washington, D.C.
Christi Harlan talks with Word&Way President Brian Kaylor about her new books Mr. President, The Class Is Yours: Jimmy Carter's Sunday School Lessons in Washington, D.C. and Normal Lives: President Jimmy Carter and His Church. She also discusses Carter's teaching style and humor, as well as the church's history. Note: Don't forget to subscribe to… -
171. Samuel Perry on Religion for Realists
Samuel Perry, a professor of sociology at the University of Oklahoma, talks with Word&Way President Brian Kaylor about his new book Religion for Realists: Why We All Need the Scientific Study of Religion. He also discusses issues of religious identity, partisanship, and Christian Nationalism. He previously appeared on episode 46. Note: Don't forget to subscribe… -
170. Tony Campolo on Faith as Babylon Falls
This episode features a conversation originally recorded in May 2020 for the podcast Baptist Without An Adjective. In it, Word&Way President Brian Kaylor interviewed author and sociologist Tony Campolo. The author of 35 books and a longtime professor at Eastern University, Campolo died on Nov. 19 at the age of 89. This conversation is being…
Church
Settlement Talks With Johnny Hunt Fail. SBC and Former President Likely Headed to Trial.
A defamation lawsuit filed by Hunt has cost the nation's largest Protestant denomination $3 million so far. A trial date is set for Nov. 12 in Nashville.
After a Crackdown on Sexuality, Two Dozen CRC Churches Head for the Exits
At its 2024 synod in June, the Christian Reformed Church instructed LGBTQ-affirming congregations to repent and comply with the denomination’s beliefs on sexuality. Some are now choosing to leave.
Abyssinian Baptist Church’s Kevin Johnson Has History of Following Prominent Clergy
‘We're still going through a healing process here at the church,’ Johnson said in an interview about grief over the death of his predecessor in 2022.
Nation
Oklahoma Schools Superintendent Mandates Students Watch Announcement of New Religious Department
In the video, Ryan Walters says religious liberty has been attacked and patriotism mocked ‘by woke teachers unions’ then he prays for U.S. leaders.
From ‘The Exorcist’ to ‘Heretic,’ Why Holy Horror Can Be a Hit With Moviegoers
Beyond the jump scares, the supernatural elements of horror and its sublime nature pair easily with belief and spirituality — and religion’s exploration of big existential questions.
Ohio Offers a New Way To Use Public Money for Christian Schools. Opponents Say It’s Unconstitutional
Around the country, advocates for conservative Christian education have been finding legal ways to tap taxpayer money used more typically for public schools.
World
After UMC Approves Same-Sex Marriage, Unrest Breaks Out in Liberian Church
Protests broke out on Sunday at the New Georgia United Methodist Church in Monrovia over the suspension of an outspoken critic of same-sex marriage. The protests spread to other churches in the capital, prompting riot police to intervene.
This German Church Is the Tallest in the World. Until Spain’s La Sagrada Familia Is Done, Anyway
The Ulmer Münster in southern Germany is the world's tallest church. For now, anyway. The Gothic-style Lutheran church's reign — begun in May 31, 1890 — could end in 2025.
Calling It ‘Religious Duty,’ Jordanians Boycott Products From Israel-Allied Countries
Christians in Jordan compose about 2% of the population and many are committed to the boycott, driven by ethical principles and a desire to show empathy and a shared sense of humanity with suffering Palestinians.
Editorials
Holiday Gift Guide for the Christian Nationalist on Your List
In this issue of A Public Witness, Brian Kaylor introduces us to 10 gifts the proud “Christian Nationalist” on your list will love. But please don’t buy these unless you want to end up on the naughty list (and make the baby Jesus cry). Instead, these gift suggestions show us
Unsettling Advent 2022, Day 1
For day 1 of our Unsettling Advent devotionals, Brian Kaylor reflects on the importance of learning from those who have lived under authoritarian occupation like what is happening today in Ukraine.
How I Became a Marxist Pastor
Editor-in-Chief Brian Kaylor reacts to being called a "Marxist pastor" by political trickster Roger Stone. The incident arose because of Kaylor's critiques of the ReAwaken America Tour at which Stone has spoken.
Word&Way Voices
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.
Staying Grounded: Ten Rules for Engaging in Politics Without Losing Your Mind
A practical guide to navigating the chaos of modern politics with clarity, empathy, and purpose.
E-Newsletter
Stopping the ‘Jezebel Spirit’
This issue of A Public Witness looks at the origins of the unbiblical phrase ‘Jezebel Spirit’ and the danger it poses in today’s politics.
Trump Invokes Patron Saint of Far-Right Catholics
This issue of A Public Witness unpacks the devotion to Saint Michael the Archangel, why Donald Trump recently posted about him, and what it means for our politics today.
When Christian Nationalism Becomes Public Policy
This issue of A Public Witness explores alarming new moves to implement Christian Nationalistic ideas in Indiana and Oklahoma before considering a glimmer of hope in Texas.
Podcasts
Dave Verhaagen on How White Evangelicals Think
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.
Adriene Thorne of Riverside Church
In episode 78 of Dangerous Dogma, Adriene Thorne, the new senior pastor at the Riverside Church in New York City, talks about pastoring at this historic congregation. She also discusses becoming the first African American woman to lead Riverside and the
Lee Spitzer on Sympathy, Solidarity, and Silence
Lee Spitzer, historian for the Baptist World Alliance and affiliate professor of church history at Northern Seminary in Chicago, talks about his new book Sympathy, Solidarity, and Silence: Three Europeans Baptist Responses to the Holocaust.
Pamela Cooper-White on the Psychology of Christian Nationalism
Pamela Cooper-White of Union Theological Seminary talks about her book The Psychology of Christian Nationalism: Why People Are Drawn In and How to Talk Across the Divide. She also discusses pastoral counseling and her perspective as an Episcopal priest.
Books
Review & Giveaway: The Good News of Church Politics
Theologian and pastor Ross Kane articulates a vision of how Christians can engage in public life that begins with the premise that all politics is local.
Review: Judaism Is About Love
In "Judaism Is About Love: Recovering the Heart of Jewish Life," Shai Held explores how a dramatic misinterpretation of the Jewish tradition has shaped the history of the West.
Review: Claiming the Courageous Middle
In "Claiming the Courageous Middle: Daring to Live and Work Together for a More Hopeful Future," Shirley A. Mullen tackles the political and cultural polarization has led to suspicion and animosity in our churches.
Review: The Emancipation of God
In "The Emancipation of God: Postmarks on Cultural Prophecy," Walter Brueggemann grinds away at biblical texts that have been muffled, silenced, and disabled to free the text from its cultural entrapments.