Our latest religion news roundup features stories about music at last week’s National Prayer Breakfast, a legal development on pastors peacefully protesting ICE, the latest effort to create a sectarian public school, and more.

This is such an odd thing to say…

Even before Tuesday I've told people Sen. Brattin is worst committee chair in Mo legislature. I tangled with him twice last year as he pushed #ChristianNationalism in public schools with "chaplains" (www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBE1...) & "Ten Commandments" (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/thou-shalt...)

Today’s charismatic government worship service preacher, Leon Benjamin, frequently spoke at the ReAwaken America Tour, attended Trump’s rally on Jan. 6, 2021, and even walked with the crowd to the Capitol grounds.

Last week, the Secretary of Defense called the US a "Christian nation" & said a soldier "finds eternal life" by dying for country. But, sure, some people want to debate if #ChristianNationalism is even a thing. publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/at-nationa...

My latest column reflects on a largely ignored moment at the end of last week's profane National Prayer Breakfast: "Michael W. Smith Worshipwashes Trump’s Profanity and Lies" wordandway.org/2026/02/09/m...

I actually think Burge is wrong in suggesting the church is alienating people in Minneapolis by being anti-ICE. That's pretty much the mood of the city! But even it was unpopular, MLK said it best from a Birmingham jail as he criticized White moderate pastors: www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen...

Dozens of articles yesterday reported on Trump's rambling, profane remarks at National Prayer Breakfast. But I was only 1 to cover the more dangerous #ChristianNationalist remarks by Pete Hegseth: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/at-nationa...

This morning, Hegseth baptized the military as God's crusaders: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/at-nationa... Then, he blew up another boat. What a profane "amen" to his heretical prayer.

An ICE pastor, journalists arrested for covering protest in that church, Trump DOJ weaponizing Christianity to target opponents while ICE targets churches, & white evangelicals still back Trump. @sarahposner.bsky.social & I discuss all of that & more on Reign of Error: redcircle.com/shows/fbed71...

Today on “Is this heresy?” we welcome defense secretary

Reporting so far on National Prayer Breakfast is focused on Trump (he's is president after all & said a lot of crazy stuff). But the much more problematic & dangerous comments actually came later from Pete Hegseth: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/at-nationa...

NEW! Reign of Error episode out today, with @briankaylor.bsky.social. DOJ's prosecution of reporters who covered an anti-ICE protest at a Southern Baptist church shows how Christian nationalism now drives federal law enforcement under Trump. Don't miss this one. redcircle.com/shows/fbed71...

Christian Nationalists do not generally use the words of Jesus to justify their ideology. But with everything going on in Minneapolis, a recent DHS social media video expanded into the New Testament to kidnap a verse.

Today’s issue of A Public Witness explores biblical “peacemaker” rhetoric from the Trump administration and how it wildly misrepresents what Jesus actually taught.

It’s stuff like this that makes it wildly unclear as to why most major outlets don’t have multiple religion reporters.

In 1912, Kansas City, Missouri, became the first city in the U.S. to arrest people for jaywalking. Fueled by auto industry propaganda, this decision set off a nationwide trend to redesign our roads for the car — at the expense of everyone else.

Our roundup features insights from @jackjenkins.me, @adellembanks.bsky.social, @annapiela.bsky.social, @revdrmichaelwoolf.bsky.social, @hannahhartig.bsky.social, @sarahposner.bsky.social, @julieingersoll.bsky.social, @hunterw.bsky.social, @krstnimg.bsky.social, @danielsilliman.bsky.social, and more!

As DOJ arrests journalists for covering protest at church, it's important to note that the ICE pastor at the church was blasted this week by a conservative judge for violating dozens of court orders. Who's the real lawbreaker? wordandway.org/2026/01/28/g...

Today’s issue of A Public Witness explores what the spiritual home of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem should glean from how other denominations have spoken out against the immoral policies of politicians who sit in their pews.

Great conversation between @sarahposner.bsky.social & @julieingersoll.bsky.social on Hegseth & religion. Would be helpful if all political reporters listened & took notes. Appreciate shout-out to my work documenting Hegseth's worship services at Pentagon: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/hegseth-sh...

Make sure you listen to this excellent episode of Reign of Error, which cites our new Government Worship Watch project:

The Trump administration/evangelical leaders condemned last week’s protest at the church where David Easterwood, director of the St. Paul ICE office, is a pastor. Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick Schiltz — a Bush appointee who clerked for Scalia — says Easterwood repeatedly violated court orders.

Also, it's frustrating to see mainstream media failing to connect the dots here. Lots of reports note legal ruling criticizing David Easterwood for not following court order but no others point out he's the pastor targeted last week in protest last week: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/protesters...

Today’s issue of A Public Witness highlights important voices of opposition to imperial plotting from a variety of religious groups, ranging from Lutherans to Baptists, Anglicans, Catholics, and others.

“Minnesotans are insisting that their neighbors are their neighbors whether they were born in Minneapolis or Mogadishu. That is, arguably, a deeply Christian philosophy, one apparently loathed by some of the most powerful Christians in America.”

A Southern Baptist church in St. Paul has a pastor who is an ICE leader. But an American Baptist church — a block from Alex Pretti's execution in Minneapolis — is helping those terrorized by ICE:

Before closing yesterday’s service at Judson Memorial Baptist Church in Minneapolis, @pedalingpastor.bsky.social read from Ephesians 6, but with an updated paraphrase: wordandway.org/2026/01/26/a...

An American Baptist church is 1 block from where Alex Pretti was executed. They're passing out coffee & opened building to people visiting memorial. They had to hold their Sunday service elsewhere & it was powerful joint service with another American Baptist church: wordandway.org/2026/01/26/a...

American prophets in Minneapolis My latest for @msnownews.bsky.social www.ms.now/opinion/citi...

All four KC Current players starting this afternoon!

ICE has murdered another person in the street in Minneapolis & is terrorizing people who observed or are protesting. Yet, Southern Baptist leaders defend a local pastor who also serves as an ICE leader. It's a damning moral stain but fits SBC history: wordandway.org/2026/01/23/t...

There’s a deep divide in the American church. And like in the 1840s when Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians split over the issue of slavery, we have a choice today. Will we bless those oppressing our neighbors or side with justice? Will we serve the empire or get ICE out of our theology?

Our news roundup covering a busy week on the religion beat features insights from @yonat.bsky.social, @michelechabin.bsky.social, @wesmuller.bsky.social, @taylorseely.bsky.social, @amelianews.bsky.social, @katieherchenroeder.bsky.social, @saraheinselen.bsky.social, @ruthgraham.bsky.social, and more!

Good word from @angeladenker.bsky.social: “Dear Media, what's happening in Minnesota is not a game” angeladenker.substack.com/p/dear-media...

There's a theological through line from the Southern Baptist Convention forming to defend enslavers serving as missionaries to today as SBC leaders defend a pastor serving as an ICE leader. wordandway.org/2026/01/23/t...

Hegseth held a Christian worship service at the Pentagon yesterday. And I wrote the only report on it. Check out what wild things were said (& subscribe to A Public Witness to literally get news you'll find nowhere else): publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/hegseth-sh...

Shouting "Justice for Renee Good" in a church leads to quick arrests. Actually killing Renee Good leads to a walk. And they wonder why people are protesting an ICE pastor. (more on the protest here: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/protesters...)

Earlier today, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth urged government personnel at the Pentagon’s Christian worship service to pray as part of their decision-making process at work.

During today's Christian worship service at the Pentagon, Hegseth shared a biblical passage he said he prayed during planning & execution of Venezuela operation. And he urged military personnel to pray for their work decisions. Here's my report: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/hegseth-sh...

Pentagon has held 8 monthly worship services (with another coming today) & Labor Depart. has held 2 so far. Most of these services have been completely ignored by reporters (other than me). So I've created "Government Worship Watch" page to track these: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/government...

A year into Trump's mass deportation effort: At least* 10 faith leaders have been shot with pepper balls/rounds/spray or tear gas and 8 others have been arrested** while protesting DHS, and DHS has conducted apparent immigration enforcement on or immediately near church grounds at least 10 times.

Southern Baptist leaders criticizing church protest say children were terrorized. But those same SBC leaders aren't criticizing pastor who's an ICE leader as ICE terrorizes children. Schools in St. Paul are closed, parents are being kidnapped, & some kids aren't going to their churches due to ICE.

DOJ is moving fast to investigate church protest where a pastor is an ICE leader (details on that here: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/protesters...) but isn't investigating ICE officer who killed Renee Good.

So ICE is condemning protest inside church today. Meanwhile, Trump administration changed rules to let ICE raid churches - something multiple denominations are suing to block (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/challengin...). So ICE doesn't get to pretend they support sanctity of churches.

Couple updates: DOJ Civil Rights Division says it's investigating the protest (but not the actual murder of Renee Good). And Southern Baptist Convention leaders are condemning protest, even pledging to "provide protection" for the church "if elected officials won’t contain lawlessness"

Activists interrupted the service of a Southern Baptist church in St. Paul, MN, today to protest that one of the pastors is the acting director of the nearby ICE field office: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/protesters...

This week, 2 Missouri senators pushed legislation to "ban Sharia law." Of course, judges already have to follow state & U.S. constitutions, so I went to testify against this anti-Muslim bigotry: www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5_c...

Our latest news roundup features insights from @jackjenkins.me, @adellembanks.bsky.social, @kacen.bsky.social, @ulaakuzi.bsky.social, @robertdownen.bsky.social, @tarapalmeri.bsky.social, @drmoore.bsky.social, @ninamoini.bsky.social, and more!

Yesterday, the Department of Labor held a Christian worship service in its federal building with a sermon by anti-abortion activist Alveda King. I wrote the only report on it: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/at-labor-p... I also was only one to watch & report on last month's DoL prayer service.