We’re a small outlet, but we’re also having an impact and covering stories that would otherwise not receive the attention they deserve. Here we count down our most popular pieces and offer some highlights from the year:

We’re a small outlet, but we’re also having an impact and covering stories that would otherwise not receive the attention they deserve. Here we count down our most popular pieces and offer some highlights from the year:

Another church poster from Department of Labor. This follows pattern from them: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-church...

Last time Trump attended a Sunday church service was when Foxvangelist Robert Jeffress invited him to speak at First Baptist Dallas just before Christmas 2021: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/make-worsh...

Wildly inappropriate & off-mission for DoL to post this. But sadly fits with Christian content they often post (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-church...) & recent launch of monthly DoL prayer service (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/department...)

ICE arrested grabbed a pastor on Christmas Eve: newrepublic.com/post/204761/... The Department of Herod Security has targeted several pastors this year (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/when-trump...), but this latest move has incredible "war on Christmas" energy!

Here's more on DHS Bible verse videos: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-bible-... Here's more on DoW Bible verse videos: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/pentagon-p... And here's more on DoL church posts: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-church... 2/

Department of Herod Security continues its war on Christmas: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/department...

Tonight at church I played "The Coventry Carol" as a cello solo. I wrote at Unsettling Advent about the song & how it has resonated this year (advent.wordandway.org/p/unsettling...). But even in the darkness, hope arrives at the margin of the empire. Merry Christmas!

For the final entry in our Unsettling Advent series this year, @briankaylor.bsky.social reflects on what it was like to learn to play “The Coventry Carol” on cello while exploring Advent in a time of religious nationalism, rising starvation in the U.S. and abroad, and soldiers in the streets.

Yesterday I wrote about DHS's war on Christmas as they co-opt this holy season to justify anti-immigrant polices (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/department...). Well, Department of Herod Security has new video doing this, suggesting Christmas is about Jesus *and* Trump's America. 1/

For the final entry in our Unsettling Advent series this year, @briankaylor.bsky.social reflects on what it was like to learn to play “The Coventry Carol” on cello while exploring Advent in a time of religious nationalism, rising starvation in the U.S. and abroad, and soldiers in the streets.

Given all the anti-Christ actions by DHS this Christmas season, it seems quite appropriate to see them as the modern Department of Herod Security. publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/department...

The fake “war on Christmas” examples ginned up by culture war talk show hosts in recent years are nothing compared to misusing the birth of Jesus — and Christmas celebrations in general — to justify anti-immigrant policies.

In our familiarity with the birth narrative, we often do not consider the long-term consequences for the secondary figures in the story. It was an unsettling time that left long and permanent scars on their lives.

For today's Unsettling Advent entry, @kristel.bsky.social reflects on how this liturgical season reminds us that God comes into a world already organized by power and exclusion — and does not accept its terms.

For today's Unsettling Advent entry, @kristel.bsky.social reflects on how this liturgical season reminds us that God comes into a world already organized by power and exclusion — and does not accept its terms.

To launch the final week of Advent, Sarah Miller reflects on the importance of countless ordinary acts of love happening quietly — even as cruel spectacle churns on for now.

Does NY Times think all Baptists are *Southern* Baptists? They must because they published piece about divides among "Baptists" on immigration crackdown but it's only about Southern Baptists disagreeing. Newsflash for NY Times: Not all Baptists are Southern! baptistnews.com/article/news... 1/

Hegseth is a bloodthirsty agent of war & death. Now he's expanding use of landmines, demonic weapons banned by over 160 nations: www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec... Biden's record on landmines was spotty (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/landmines-...), but Trump/Hegseth are much worse.

Latest DHS video fits pattern of them misusing Bible to justify militarized actions against immigrants (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-bible-...). But using Nativity scene for this anti-Christ message is particularly egregious.

While kidnapping people from U.S. streets (and kidnapping Bible verses to justify the violence), @briankaylor.bsky.social writes about how the Department of Homeland Security would also like to police church Nativity scenes.

Our final news roundup of the year features insights from @bmietana.bsky.social, @krystafauria.bsky.social, @interfaithalliance.org, @raushenbush.bsky.social, @skirchy.bsky.social, @markwingdallas.bsky.social, @russcontreras.bsky.social, @americansunited.bsky.social, and more!

Our final news roundup of the year features insights from @bmietana.bsky.social, @krystafauria.bsky.social, @interfaithalliance.org, @raushenbush.bsky.social, @skirchy.bsky.social, @markwingdallas.bsky.social, @russcontreras.bsky.social, @americansunited.bsky.social, and more!

For today’s Unsettling Advent entry, @revdrmichaelwoolf.bsky.social writes that God is still coming into being, even amidst the cruelty of ICE and the terror of state violence. “It must have seemed hopeless in first-century Palestine ... but that is where the light of the world chooses to be born.”

My latest: “That is a world worth fighting for with everything we have, including using our most sacred symbols and in physically standing between menacing forces and their intended targets. This Advent, we are invited to prepare ourselves anew for this reversal of power. Are we ready?”

For today’s Unsettling Advent entry, @revdrmichaelwoolf.bsky.social writes that God is still coming into being, even amidst the cruelty of ICE and the terror of state violence. “It must have seemed hopeless in first-century Palestine ... but that is where the light of the world chooses to be born.”

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@usatoday.com wrote about Hegseth's monthly Pentagon prayer services but only mentioned May & December services (the ones publicly available). But if you want to report on pattern of services, you should look at more than 2. I reported on all of them: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/pentagon-p...

While USA Today mentioned only May & December services, here's information on the rest of them: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/pentagon-p...

“We know that God loves. But did you know that God also hates? Do you know that God also is a God of war? Many people don’t want to think about that, or forget that,” Franklin Graham declared at Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon Christmas worship service.

Trump's sycophants on the Kennedy Center board voted to rename it the Trump-Kennedy Center (though only Congress can actually change it). This comes the night after Christian musicians used Christmas to worshipwash Trump's takeover: wordandway.org/2025/12/12/w...

“We know that God loves. But did you know that God also hates? Do you know that God also is a God of war? Many people don’t want to think about that, or forget that,” Franklin Graham declared at Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s Pentagon Christmas worship service.

Labor Sec. Chavez-DeRemer & Agriculture Sec. Rollins attended Pentagon Christmas worship service yesterday. It seems a bit odd that Cabinet members are going around to gov't worship services like groupies. Don't they have things to do in their agencies? publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/at-pentago...

"did you know that God also hates? Do you know that God also is a God of war? Many people don’t want to think about that, or forget that" -- Franklin Graham at Pete Hegseth's Christmas Worship Service at the Pentagon, must-read from @briankaylor.bsky.social

Pete Hegseth’s seven Pentagon preachers now include Franklin Graham and one of his sons, three Southern Baptist ministers, a pastor in the denomination created by self-described “paleo-Confederate” Doug Wilson, and a former NFL player accused of insider trading.

Pete Hegseth’s seven Pentagon preachers now include Franklin Graham and one of his sons, three Southern Baptist ministers, a pastor in the denomination created by self-described “paleo-Confederate” Doug Wilson, and a former NFL player accused of insider trading.

I never expected to hear a "Christmas" sermon centered on the genocide of the Amalekites. It's even worse that this call to follow a "God of war" occurred at the Pentagon: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/at-pentago...

Just a couple hours after Franklin Graham praised a "God of war" at the Pentagon Christmas service (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/at-pentago...), US military announced another strike on a boat (that killed 4 people). Bad theology kills.

While Pete Hegseth may have missed the Pentagon Christmas sermon today, Franklin Graham offered the Secretary of War a Christmas gift by proclaiming a God of war.

While Pete Hegseth may have missed the Pentagon Christmas sermon today, Franklin Graham offered the Secretary of War a Christmas gift by proclaiming a God of war.

Today isn’t the first time Graham has been invited to speak at the Pentagon. Two previous occasions — one of which was canceled — each sparked controversy because of his comments about Islam.

Today isn’t the first time Graham has been invited to speak at the Pentagon. Two previous occasions — one of which was canceled — each sparked controversy because of his comments about Islam.

“We know that God loves. But did you know that God also hates? Do you know that God also is a God of war? Many people don’t want to think about that, or forget that,” Franklin Graham declared as he stood on stage near two Christmas trees with a nativity scene and a Hanukkah Menorah in front of them.

“We know that God loves. But did you know that God also hates? Do you know that God also is a God of war? Many people don’t want to think about that, or forget that,” Franklin Graham declared as he stood on stage near two Christmas trees with a nativity scene and a Hanukkah Menorah in front of them.

Brian watched so we don’t have to! Read this brilliant reporting that builds on our previous investigations into prayer services at the Pentagon and Labor Department:

Hegseth just held his #Christmas Worship Service at the Pentagon. Here's my report featuring remarks by Franklin Graham, who praised a "God of War" & read a Bible passage often used to justify genocide: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/at-pentago...

Palestinian journalist Daoud Kuttab writes that Christian Zionism sidelines the voices of the very Christian communities who have lived, worshiped, and carried the message of Christ in the Holy Land for centuries.

Our latest review from @drbobcornwall.bsky.social covers “A Beautiful Year: 52 Meditations on Faith, Wisdom, and Perseverance” (@stmartinspress.bsky.social), a new collection of insightful essays from @dianabutlerbass.bsky.social.

For today’s entry on Advent in a time of soldiers in the streets, J. David Maxson reflects on the struggle for civil rights in Memphis and a seemingly counterintuitive insistence on joy.