Home - Word&Way
logo
mobile-logo

Featured

This issue of A Public Witness takes you inside the Summit for Religious Freedom to hear about why church-state separation matters for democracy and the vitality of the Christian witness.

In "A Faith of Many Rooms: Inhabiting a More Spacious Christianity," Debie Thomas takes readers on a deeply personal and profoundly theological odyssey.

The Rev. Frederick Haynes III said he felt it was 'necessary' to move on in light of 'challenges that continue to exist,' but declined to elaborate further.

No posts were found.

Dangerous Dogma

Church

In an open letter, the Chicago pastor compares the California pastor to King opponents George Wallace and J. Edgar Hoover, calling MacArthur 'them in postmodern dress.'

The happier, healthier future of ministry is in part-time clergy.

This issue of A Public Witness digs into the recent Paul Pressler news and responses from leaders to investigate the roots of the SBC’s “conservative resurgence” and consider a more appropriate response than just continuing to water the tree.

Nation

Many chaplains and interfaith organizations oppose the campaign, calling the motivation offensive and dangerous — especially without standards around proselytizing or serving students from different religious backgrounds.

The allegations are the latest against people associated with Christian boarding schools in Missouri.

‘Everyone’s still kind of rattled and trying to figure things out,’ said the Rev. Joshua Messick, who has Bibles ‘in every conceivable language’ to distribute upon request.

World

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.

Nicaragua’s government released a prominent Catholic bishop and 18 other clergy members imprisoned in a crackdown by President Daniel Ortega and handed them over to Vatican authorities who welcomed them in Rome. 

Editorials

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.

On Sunday evening, a man opened fire in a shopping mall in Greenwood, Indiana, killing three people and wounding two others before also being shot dead. What city officials said in response sparked some odd headlines.

Word&Way Voices

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.

Many churches hold Blue Christmas services that allow people a sacred space for mourning. Perhaps the laments that come from political loss also need to be acknowledged in this season of anticipation.

E-Newsletter

This issue of A Public Witness cues up the soundtrack of American evangelical Christianity as covered in Leah Payne’s “God Gave Rock and Roll to You: A History of Contemporary Christian Music.”

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.

Sign up to receive full essays in your inbox!

Podcasts

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, 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 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.

Mike McMahon, executive director of the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, talks about the work of the Hymn Society. He also discusses music and issues like COVID, welcoming immigrants, and scandals involving Hillsong.

Books

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.

In "Speak with the Earth and It Will Teach You: A Field Guide to the Bible," Daniel Cooperrider analyzes the Bible's treatment of the environment and intersperses his own reflections on experiences in nature.

This issue of A Public Witness delves into Kathryn Cramer Brownell’s new book “24/7 Politics: Cable Television & the Fragmenting of America from Watergate to Fox News” exploring why our current media landscape looks the way it does.