Word&Way

02/03/2025

The first week of the new Trump administration was filled with attacks on the religious liberty rights of Episcopalians and Catholics.

Over the weekend, another Christian group found itself in the crosshairs of Trumpian figures: the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

We might need to update that famous saying by German Lutheran theologian Martin Niemöller. First they came for the Episcopalians … then they came for the Catholics … then they came for the Lutherans.

02/01/2025

Here’s the weekly roundup from Word&Way.

This week we had original stories looking at sermons across the country about Luke 4, exploring a new book about Christian Nationalism, and hearing from John Danforth about prophetic preaching.

Here’s the weekly roundup from Word&Way. This week at A Public Witness, we published a look at sermons across the country about Luke 4, a review of a new book about Christian Nationalism, and a conversation with John Danforth about prophetic preaching.

01/31/2025

Check out our fresh roundup featuring all the best religion-related news, analysis, and commentary from the past week.

Here’s the weekly roundup from Word&Way. This week at A Public Witness, we published a look at sermons across the country about Luke 4, a review of a new book about Christian Nationalism, and a conversation with John Danforth about prophetic preaching.

01/31/2025

With an Episcopal sermon at the Washington National Cathedral sparking headlines and political moves on Capitol Hill, we wondered what John Danforth thought about it all.

Few people have thought as much about faith and politics as John Danforth.

01/30/2025

Few people have thought as much about faith and politics as John Danforth.

01/30/2025

“What (Bishop Budde) did was preach biblical truth to power,” (former GOP Senator and Episcopal priest) Danforth said. “Now, it fell on deaf ears as far as Trump is concerned. But even falling on deaf ears, I mean, that’s Isaiah 6. So that’s what the prophetic ministry does.”

Few people have thought as much about faith and politics as John Danforth.

01/30/2025

For over a decade, Stewart has been a must-read author in understanding Christian Nationalism and efforts to establish a fundamentalist version of Christianity in public schools, government laws, and beyond.

The week after the November presidential election, I found myself walking in Washington, D.C., with journalist Katherine Stewart as we reflected on the results and what was coming.

01/29/2025

Contributing writer Sarah Blosser Blackwell reflects on how we can continue to move forward when equality, respect, and truth seem like they are evaporating in front of us.

Contributing writer Sarah Blackwell reflects on how we can continue to move forward when equality, respect, and truth seem like they are evaporating in front of us.

01/29/2025

In the forthcoming book “Money, Lies, and God” (Bloomsbury U.S.), journalist Katherine Stewart has created a collection of dispatches from the front lines of the current assault on American democracy.

The week after the November presidential election, I found myself walking in Washington, D.C., with journalist Katherine Stewart as we reflected on the results and what was coming.

01/28/2025

Our latest book review from Bob Cornwall covers the blend of storytelling and theology found in “Journey to Eloheh: How Indigenous Values Lead Us to Harmony and Well-Being” by Randy Woodley and Edith Woodley (Broadleaf Books).

In “Journey to Eloheh: How Indigenous Values Lead Us to Harmony and Well-Being,” Randy and Edith Woodley help readers learn lifeways that lead to true wholeness and justice.

01/28/2025

While Trump sat through Budde’s sermon last week, he skipped church as usual on Sunday.

Had he gone to a mainline Protestant church, he might have heard praise for Budde and yet another sermon about the Bible teaching us to show mercy for the powerless and marginalized.

“A preacher gets up, quotes Scripture, and reminds the gathered congregation that God loves the outcast — those in fear for their lives — the poor, prisoners, the disabled, and the oppressed.

01/28/2025

The uproar over Budde this past week did indeed show the power of the radical, ancient words we gather each week to study in community. And it clearly energized and inspired many mainline Protestant preachers as they prepared to walk to their own pulpits on Sunday.

“A preacher gets up, quotes Scripture, and reminds the gathered congregation that God loves the outcast — those in fear for their lives — the poor, prisoners, the disabled, and the oppressed.

01/27/2025

For each sermon highlighted here, there were likely dozens if not hundreds more invoking Budde and making similar points to help people understand Luke 4 and Jesus’s inaugural sermon.

Insightful quotes from Matt Schur, Barbara Simmers, Dwain Lee, Lisa Wiens Heinsohn, Tim Dyer, Robert Morris, Katy McCallum Sachse, Jared Cramer, and more.

“A preacher gets up, quotes Scripture, and reminds the gathered congregation that God loves the outcast — those in fear for their lives — the poor, prisoners, the disabled, and the oppressed.

01/27/2025

As usual, Trump skipped church on Sunday.

But had he gone to a mainline Protestant church, he might have heard praise for Bishop Budde and yet another sermon about the Bible teaching us to show mercy for the powerless and marginalized.

“A preacher gets up, quotes Scripture, and reminds the gathered congregation that God loves the outcast — those in fear for their lives — the poor, prisoners, the disabled, and the oppressed.

01/27/2025

Today’s issue of A Public Witness looks at numerous sermons by Episcopal and other mainline preachers across the country as they reflected on Luke 4, Bishop Budde, and showing mercy.

“A preacher gets up, quotes Scripture, and reminds the gathered congregation that God loves the outcast — those in fear for their lives — the poor, prisoners, the disabled, and the oppressed.

01/25/2025

It was certainly a busy week for news at the intersection of religion, politics, and culture.

Check out our latest roundup for the best journalism covering it.

Here’s the weekly roundup from Word&Way. In addition to a report on prayers during inaugural events and a look at a sermon to the new president from Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde that are free for anyone to read, paid subscribers to A Public Witness

01/25/2025

Amid the vitriol against Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde from Trump and other Republicans this week, a few proposals stick out since they attempt to empower the federal government to decide which religious beliefs should be allowed or not.

One of President Donald Trump’s first acts on Monday (Jan.

01/24/2025

The attacks on the WHO by Trump came shortly after he took the oath of office as the world’s three richest people watched from VIP seats along with several other billionaires.

Halfdan Mahler, the influential third director-general of the WHO, died in 2016 — but given the WHO’s approach because of his Baptist leadership, he probably wouldn’t be surprised to see an oligarchy-fueled administration attacking the global health organization.

With a flurry of executive orders in the hours after assuming the presidency on Monday (Jan.