“It is easier to stay comfortable. Amazon has made it simple to live without leaving our homes, without conversation, without connection. But that comfort has come at the cost of community.” – @revjimwallis.bsky.social

Contributing writer Sarah Blackwell reflects on the tragic juxtaposition of running in the beautiful Charlotte Marathon while ICE agents racially profiled and terrorized neighbors over the weekend.

The Department of War is using a made-up story about George Washington & prayer to justify #ChristianNationalism: www.youtube.com/shorts/Lj4Z7...

Contributing writer Sarah Blackwell reflects on the tragic juxtaposition of running in the beautiful Charlotte Marathon while ICE agents racially profiled and terrorized neighbors over the weekend.

@faithandjustice.bsky.social recently launched a campaign encouraging people to pledge not to shop on Amazon during this Advent season — and A Public Witness is one of the official partners.

@faithandjustice.bsky.social recently launched a campaign encouraging people to pledge not to shop on Amazon during this Advent season — and A Public Witness is one of the official partners.

Department of War using painting of made-up story to justify Christian Nationalism: www.history.com/articles/top... This adds to problematic trend of DoW misusing Christianity: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-bible-...

Incredible shot of an incredible Baptist pastor, @revdrmichaelwoolf.bsky.social. I reported last week about him getting shot with pepper ball by Illinois State Police outside ICE facility: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/baptist-pa... Today they violently arrested him during vigil. What a photo.

Our fresh roundup features insights from @duanelarson.bsky.social, @jackjenkins.me, @krystafauria.bsky.social, @amyhowe.bsky.social, @spencerhumphrey.bsky.social, @alejacorazonhm.bsky.social, @craignash.bsky.social, @jkutzie.bsky.social, @ceodonovan.bsky.social, @benedictvgallup.bsky.social, & more!

Okla lawmakers rejected bill for public school "chaplains." But school district named a pastor as "chaplain" anyway: kfor.com/news/oklahom... Troubling that advocacy group pushing the bills is cheering this unlawful move. Background on "chaplain" bills: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/pastor-pus...

Officers caught on camera slamming to the ground @revdrmichaelwoolf.bsky.social (American Baptist/Alliance of Baptists pastor) during vigil outside ICE facility. I reported last week about Michael & how Illinois State Police shot him with a pepper ball: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/baptist-pa...

Charlie Kirk and Baldur von Schirach are similar figures because the political and spiritual situations they capitalized on are similar. This calls for a theological analysis from @duanelarson.bsky.social if we are to recognize and avoid the ultimate spiritual disaster they represent.

President Donald Trump quoted the Bible’s teaching about caring for children, which seems ironic given his record: www.youtube.com/shorts/Kw3DP...

Charlie Kirk and Baldur von Schirach are similar figures because the political and spiritual situations they capitalized on are similar. This calls for a theological analysis from @duanelarson.bsky.social if we are to recognize and avoid the ultimate spiritual disaster they represent.

Our latest Voices piece comes from Mother Agapia — sister of journalist George Stephanopoulos — who urges American Christians to face the truth about how Israel treats Palestinian Christians.

Our latest Voices piece comes from Mother Agapia — sister of journalist George Stephanopoulos — who urges American Christians to face the truth about how Israel treats Palestinian Christians.

Cheney funeral shows what we wrote in 'Baptizing America' about Cathedral: "The attempt to be both a house to worship Jesus & a house for all Americans simply isn’t tenable" (bookshop.org/a/110819/978...). They can't be both "house of prayer for all people" & "great church for national purposes" 4/4

Today’s issue of A Public Witness looks at the DoL’s use of religion in its recent propaganda posters that push Christianity as part of a vision of a patriarchal, White nation.

Good @rns.org column by @revdrmichaelwoolf.bsky.social on "Why clergy should risk assault to protest ICE" religionnews.com/2025/11/13/w... As I reported last week, he practices what he preaches: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/baptist-pa...

Today’s issue of A Public Witness looks at the DoL’s use of religion in its recent propaganda posters that push Christianity as part of a vision of a patriarchal, White nation.

I wrote a thing about the first leader of the Hitler Youth and Charlie Kirk. wordandway.org/2025/11/12/i...

Our latest review from @drbobcornwall.bsky.social covers the theocratic takeover outlined in @matthewboedy.bsky.social’s “The Seven Mountains Mandate: Exposing the Dangerous Plan to Christianize America and Destroy Democracy” (@wjkbooks.com).

Our latest review from @drbobcornwall.bsky.social covers the theocratic takeover outlined in @matthewboedy.bsky.social’s “The Seven Mountains Mandate: Exposing the Dangerous Plan to Christianize America and Destroy Democracy” (@wjkbooks.com).

Good to see Baylor University unveil a Memorial to Enslaved Persons: goodfaithmedia.org/baylor-unvei.... The Baptist school in Texas founded by enslavers has spent the last few years starting the much-needed process of reckoning with that legacy: wordandway.org/2021/03/23/b...

This is #ChristianNationalism: dismissing other faiths while also co-opting Bible verses to baptize US military as God's army (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-bible-...)

Pete Hegseth — the man who likes to call himself “Secretary of War” instead of his official title as Secretary of Defense — thinks the key to peace is war. History is littered with examples of this philosophy failing.

Nice speech & all but the people of Chicago also deserve better than Illinois State Police assisting ICE & pepperballing clergy (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/baptist-pa...). Pritzker is part of the violence.

Pete Hegseth — the man who likes to call himself “Secretary of War” instead of his official title as Secretary of Defense — thinks the key to peace is war. History is littered with examples of this philosophy failing.

Today started as a holiday to celebrate the end of war. Now we celebrate war. publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/ending-wars

On a day like today, we honor those who went before us. We lament the lives lost and taken in violent wars. We cherish the freedoms we have today. We work to heal those wounded by battles — physically, psychologically, and spiritually. But we must also pray and work for peace.

My reflection for #veteransday: "Ending Wars" publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/ending-wars

This piece directly cites our reporting on Baptist pastor @revdrmichaelwoolf.bsky.social being shot with a pepper ball while peacefully protesting ICE. You can read it here:

This piece directly cites our reporting on Baptist pastor @revdrmichaelwoolf.bsky.social being shot with a pepper ball while peacefully protesting ICE. You can read it here:

Trump pardoned people who tried to overturn his 2020 election loss in state legislatures. One was Jenna Ellis, now a Christian radio host. She attacked @wordandway.bsky.social as a "bad actor" for reporting on her (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/radio-liar). I don't put much stock in her assessment!

Texas AG Ken Paxton is suing a public school to force them to post the Ten Commandments. But does he even know the Ten Commandments? www.youtube.com/shorts/w7JLi...

New DHS video calling US "the last best hope of man on Earth" is pretty psychedelic (x.com/DHSgov/statu...). And it includes image of An Appeal to Heaven flag that's popular with Christian Nationalists. Fits with other DHS religious appeals (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/the-bible-...)

Our fresh news roundup features insights from @jackjenkins.me, @fiona-ndre.bsky.social, @alejacorazonhm.bsky.social, @angeladenker.bsky.social, @davidgilbert.bsky.social, @kateshellnutt.bsky.social, @kenschneck.bsky.social, @wsuares.bsky.social, @lrj417.bsky.social, @sarahposner.bsky.social, & more!

#ChristianNationalism like this confuses American & Christian identities. This is also the same argument that was used to put "under God" in Pledge in 1954. So let's also tackle that Christian Nationalistic history: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/70-years-u...

Our fresh news roundup features insights from @jackjenkins.me, @fiona-ndre.bsky.social, @alejacorazonhm.bsky.social, @angeladenker.bsky.social, @davidgilbert.bsky.social, @kateshellnutt.bsky.social, @kenschneck.bsky.social, @wsuares.bsky.social, @lrj417.bsky.social, @sarahposner.bsky.social, & more!

While James Madison thought the American experiment in church-state separation was teaching the world important lessons, he probably didn’t expect a House speaker would show up who claims to not know anything.

While James Madison thought the American experiment in church-state separation was teaching the world important lessons, he probably didn’t expect a House speaker would show up who claims to not know anything.

During an event at the Museum of the Bible hosted by the Family Research Council, Tony Perkins asked Johnson, “Mr. Speaker, what do you say to your friends in the media who say, ‘Separation of church and state?’” “It’s ridiculous!” Johnson quickly declared.

During an event at the Museum of the Bible hosted by the Family Research Council, Tony Perkins asked Johnson, “Mr. Speaker, what do you say to your friends in the media who say, ‘Separation of church and state?’” “It’s ridiculous!” Johnson quickly declared.

Today’s issue of A Public Witness unpacks the House speaker’s latest attack on church-state separation and a surprising voice singing some opposition to his Christian Nationalist worldview.

Today’s issue of A Public Witness unpacks the House speaker’s latest attack on church-state separation and a surprising voice singing some opposition to his Christian Nationalist worldview.

Federal judge rules against ICE/Trump admin for shooting & gassing clergy (& other protesters). But this doesn't cover Illinois State Police who've also done it (as I reported Tuesday: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/baptist-pa...). Trump bound by injunction but Pritzker still free to shoot clergy.

As he marched down the street on All Saints’ Day in an anti-ICE protest, Rev. Michael Woolf was one of several people right behind a large banner declaring, “Free Our Neighbors.” The sign was later violently taken by police officers who ripped it away while beating people with sticks.

“I’m there in my clerical collar. I’m asking them to be on the right side of history. I’m showing up in public witness. And they really don’t care,” Baptist pastor Michael Woolf told us.

“I’m there in my clerical collar. I’m asking them to be on the right side of history. I’m showing up in public witness. And they really don’t care,” Baptist pastor Michael Woolf told us.

Saturday’s pepper-balling of Baptist pastor Michael Woolf is not an isolated incident. Several other clergy have been shot, teargassed, and violently arrested during peaceful protests, including Rev. David Black (PCUSA), Rev. Hannah Kardon (UMC), and Rev. Jorge Bautista (UCC).