Easter Partisans
We cannot remain quiet — and let just the rock stars cry out, “Is nothing sacred anymore?” In this issue of A Public Witness, we report on three moments from this weekend when Easter hope was weaponized for partisan politics.
The Case for Lent
Contributing writer Greg Mamula makes the case that we are not spiritually, emotionally, or physically ready for Easter until we have journeyed through Lent. If we over-emphasize the cross, our spiritual and scriptural imaginations have the potential to become closed off to the power of
Pope Says ‘Lord of Money’ Leads to the Denial of the Resurrection
Pope Francis on Monday said the “lord money” has the power to lead some to deny that the Resurrection of Jesus happened. Read full piece
Sen. Raphael Warnock’s Deleted Easter Tweet Reflects Religious & Political Chasms About Christianity
U.S. Sen. Raphael G. Warnock, as pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, gave a sermon Sunday for Easter. But it was a tweet from the Georgia Democrat’s account that day that has triggered far more discussion about theology and politics and what it means to
Hymns Through Masks: Christians Mark Another Pandemic Easter
Christianity’s most joyous day was celebrated worldwide with the faithful spaced apart in pews and singing choruses of “Hallelujah” through face coverings on a second Easter Sunday marked by pandemic precautions.
On an Easter Shadowed by the Lorraine Motel, Recommit to Justice
J. Lawrence Turner writes that this Easter morning will be especially poignant and meaningful: It coincides with the 53 anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee.
At Second Easter Under Pandemic Rules, Christians Glimpse Church’s Future
As U.S. Christians celebrate a second Easter under pandemic rules — their own or those imposed by government or denominational guidelines — churches are reckoning with new ways of volunteering, stewardship and, above all, worshipping.
Holy Days Arrive for the Faithful as Pandemic Eases in US
For Christians across the United States, Easter services on Sunday will reflect an extra measure of joy as the nation experiences rising optimism after a year of pandemic. Even if still observing restrictions, many churches may draw the largest numbers of in-person worshippers in months.
A reminder that Holy Week is Prime Time for Anti-Christian Violence
Every year on major Christian feast days, somewhere in the world, Christians will be killed for no reason other than that they chose to attend religious services. Because Christmas and Holy Week are the holiest periods on the Christian calendar, churches tend to be especially
With Vaccinations Rising, Religious Groups See Hope on Horizon as Major Holidays Approach
When the country came to a near standstill a year ago, most houses of worship closed their doors and turned to online services to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. This year, with cases plummeting and vaccinations on the rise, religious leaders across the nation