Rededicating to the Wrong Example
This issue of A Public Witness unpacks why the upcoming ‘Rededicate 250’ gathering was planned for May 17 and the Christian Nationalist fight to remake the past and present.
SNL, Congress, and a Newsletter
Join us as we celebrate five years of our ‘A Public Witness’ newsletter and highlight the best from the 115 pieces we’ve published over the past 12 months exploring the intersection of faith, culture, and politics.
Did the Founders Create a Christian Nation? No, but Religion Did Shape Their Thinking
‘Most — nearly all — serious historians agree that America was not founded as a Christian nation in any meaningful legal, philosophical, or constitutional sense,’ says the group Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Evangelical Broadcasting Group Asks FCC to Investigate ABC Over Jimmy Kimmel Joke
TV host Jimmy Kimmel joked about the first lady having ‘a glow like an expectant widow,’ during a sketch about the White House Correspondents' Dinner that aired two days before the actual reception.
Hey, Fifth Circuit: Keep John Leland’s Name Out of Your Mouth!
A court of appeals ruling just overturned Supreme Court precedent on posting the Ten Commandments in public schools — and the majority opinion conscripted a legendary colonial Baptist figure who fought for church-state separation to justify their actions.
Texas Can Require Public Schools to Display ‘Ten Commandments’ in Classrooms, US Appeals Court Rules
The ruling sets up a potential clash at the U.S. Supreme Court over the issue in the future. Arkansas and Louisiana have passed similar laws, which have also been challenged in courts.
Turning Point USA’s High School Push in GOP States Meets Free Speech and Religion Concerns
The Republican administrations of Nebraska, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Montana, Florida, Tennessee, and Indiana have each announced partnerships with Turning Point USA to promote school chapters in every high school.
Church-State Separation Is a ‘Lie,’ Says Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission Chair
‘Church-state separation ensures we are all free to live as ourselves and believe as we choose, as long as we don’t harm others,’ Rachel Laser of Americans United for Separation of Church and State countered.
Bible Stories Would Be Part of a New Texas Public Schools Reading List Drawing Attention
Biblical stories like Jonah and the whale would be required reading for Texas public school students under proposals that are putting the state at the center of another contentious wrangling over the role of religion in classrooms.
Supreme Court Rules Against Colorado Ban on ‘Conversion Therapy’ for LGBTQ+ Kids
An 8-1 high court majority sided with a conservative evangelical counselor who argues the law banning talk therapy violates the First Amendment.