Mother Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Now-Closed Christian Boarding School in Missouri
Former Agape students came forward with abuse allegations in 2020.
For 200th Anniversary, Church Honors 53 People Enslaved by Its Founders
As First Baptist Church in Columbia, Missouri, celebrates its bicentennial, the church dedicated its worship service on Sunday to truth-telling and lament regarding its founders who practiced and defended slavery.
Progressive Baptists Say It’s Time for More Advocacy
In this issue of A Public Witness, we virtually meet in St. Louis to hear from the Progressive National Baptist Convention as they advocate for an engaged faith on the ninth anniversary of Michael Brown's death in nearby Ferguson, Missouri.
Missouri Set to Execute Man Suffering From Severe Mental Illness
Missouri plans to execute Johnny Johnson on August 1, a man so severely mentally ill that he believes Satan is using the state of Missouri to kill him and bring about the end of the world.
‘The Devil Is Going To Be in the Details’ of Public School Bible Courses in Missouri
A Missouri bill could encourage more public schools to teach the Bible. But designing a course that respects students’ First Amendment rights can be tricky.
Ministers Reflect on Praying in Death Chambers
Four ministers who have been in a death chamber in recent months during state executions shared their experiences Saturday during the annual meeting of Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty.
Nun Whose Body Shows Little Decay Since 2019 Death Draws Hundreds to Rural Missouri
Hundreds of people flocked to a small town in Missouri this week and last to see a Black nun whose body has barely decomposed since 2019. Some say it's a sign of holiness in Catholicism, while others say the lack of decomposition may not be
We Didn’t Start the Fire
Even though this piece for A Public Witness starts as a story about one college, it deals with something many churches, schools, and organizations need to consider: taking steps to address their history.
Denying Religious Freedom During an Execution
This issue of A Public Witness explores how Leonard “Raheem” Taylor was killed without a spiritual advisor at his side, the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent record of requiring states to allow clergy in the death chamber, and the advocates who were pushing Missouri’s leaders to
Clergy Protest Legislation Targeting Transgender Children in Missouri
Jewish and Christian clergy have taken an active role in protesting what one advocacy group has called the “most dangerous” session of the Missouri Legislature for the LGBTQ community it has seen in years. All told, Missouri lawmakers have introduced 27 anti-LGBTQ bills — more