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
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.
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
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
This issue of A Public Witness looks at what makes a new Missouri religious freedom lawsuit unique and considers the state of abortion and religion post-Dobbs as the national debate over these issues continues to smolder.
The ongoing decline of organized religion in America has led to an existential crisis for tens of thousands of congregations. Over the past two decades, the median size of a congregation has dropped from 137 people to 65 people. Rather than owning a building that
Among U.S. faith leaders and denominations, there are sharp differences over the bill advancing in the Senate that would protect same-sex and interracial marriages in federal law. The measure, a high priority for congressional Democrats, won a key test vote Wednesday.
Pastor Darron LaMonte Edwards argues that Missourians should help to repair the breach and vote "no" on Amendment 4. This measure would only further erode local control over crucial resources and punish certain communities in Kansas City for seeing the solution to their problems as
Missouri’s GOP-led House on Wednesday passed a bill that would allow guns in churches and on public transportation. The House voted 101-40 in favor of the measure, which now goes before the Republican-led Senate for approval.
In this issue of A Public Witness, we rewatch the plot twists as a state governor suggested there should be an unconstitutional religious test for office. Then before the credits roll, we reach the climax of our story with a lesson about faith and government service.