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
Clergy Sue to Challenge Missouri Abortion Ban
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.
A Once-Dying Church Hopes To Reinvent Itself With Coffee and Kindness
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
Faith Groups Split Over Bill to Protect Same-Sex Marriage
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.
Voting No on Missouri’s Amendment 4
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 House OKs Guns on Buses, in Churches
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.