How Churches Helped Build and Give Away the Panama Canal
While Trump fantasizes about retaking the waterway, this issue of A Public Witness digs into American colonialism and the roles Christian leaders and denominations played.
Global Baptists Pass Resolution Condemning Christian Nationalism
During the annual gathering of the Baptist World Alliance, members of the body’s general council unanimously passed a resolution on religious nationalism that specifically denounced Christian Nationalism. Two other unanimous resolutions addressed issues of world hunger and the Israel-Gaza conflict.
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.
Hateful Faith and Violence Against Palestinians in the ‘Holy Land’
Liberation theologians Allan Boesak and Wendell Griffen make the case that people who care about love, justice, and peace should be disgusted by U.S. complicity in the Israeli oppression of Palestinians.
Western Churches Called for Cease-Fire. Palestinian Christians Heard Empty Words.
Palestinian Christians have felt abandoned by global Christian church leaders’ statements on the Israel-Hamas war, with some viewing the war as a moment for Western denominations to reckon with their colonialist past.
Lutherans Launch Initiative Joining Indigenous-Led Truth and Healing Movement
The head of the country’s largest Lutheran denomination announced Wednesday that the ELCA is launching an initiative to help its members better understand the “colonizing impacts” the church has had.
Visiting the World’s Oldest Colony
This issue of A Public Witness takes you on a trip to Puerto Rico to explore the development of this separate and unequal system of justice and economics, hear from Puerto Ricans about the impact of colonialization today, and consider the complicity of Christian churches.
Review: Decolonizing Christianity
Robert D. Cornwall reviews "Decolonizing Christianity: Becoming Badass Believers" by Miguel A. De La Torre. This book is a strongly worded prophetic statement calling for Christians of color to decolonize their minds, that is, set themselves free from the message drummed into them by white
United Methodists’ Native American International Caucus Calls for End to Columbus Day
The Native American International Caucus, which advocates for Native Americans both inside and outside of the UMC, is calling on lawmakers to get rid of Columbus Day. To replace the federal holiday, which this year falls on Oct. 10, the caucus is asking Congress to
Preserving Stories of Hindu, Muslim and Sikh Friendships Through India’s Partition
The feuding that the Partition initiated between Indian and Pakistani Hindus and Muslims has not ceased. Increasingly it is fueled by governments on both sides that stoke religious nationalist feelings among their citizens. But in this 75th anniversary year of the Partition, many Indians and