Weekly Roundup: Aug. 1
Here’s the weekly roundup from A Public Witness. In addition to a review of a new book on racism and a look at efforts to push back against false history that are free for anyone to read, paid subscribers to A Public Witness received a consideration of distortions of Scripture to justify anti-immigrant actions.
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Top 5 at wordandway.org
Molly Worthen Reveals the Hidden Truths Behind American Charismatic Leaders. Kenneth E. Frantz spoke with a historian about her new book, Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump.
American Baptists Explore the Church’s Prophetic Role in Addressing the Humanitarian Crisis in Palestine. Jeremy Fuzy reported on an event with remarks by Wendell Griffen and Allison Tanner.
ELCA Elects First Black Presiding Bishop, Calls Israel’s Actions in Gaza a Genocide. Yonat Shimron reported on the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s triennial churchwide assembly meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.
Fourth Group of Religious Organizations Sues US Over ICE Raids at Churches. Jack Jenkins reported on a new suit from American Baptist Churches USA, Alliance of Baptists, Metropolitan Community Churches, and regional Quaker and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America groups.
Review: Sister, Sinner. Robert D. Cornwall reviewed Sister, Sinner: The Miraculous Life and Mysterious Disappearance of Aimee Semple McPherson by Claire Hoffman.
by Brian Kaylor, Word&Way Editor-in-Chief
Republican lawmakers in Texas are trying to gerrymander U.S. congressional districts in hopes of rigging the midterms so they can hold onto control of the House of Representatives. Having already gone through the constitutional redistricting process following the 2020 census, redrawing the districts now is an undemocratic partisan power play. Voters are supposed to pick their representatives, not the other way around. And it could spark an arms race to the bottom as some Democratic governors are threatening to gerrymander out Republican congressmembers in their states if Texas passes a new map.
As hearings are being held in the Lone Star State, one Republican activist showed up to testify for gerrymandering. He expressed his hope they would muscle through the changes, adding, “We need Republican leadership for such a time as this.” Yes, he compared a partisan effort to steal congressional seats with biblical heroine Esther saving the Hebrew people from genocide. Such misuse of Scripture is inappropriate for such a time as this or any time.
Amazingly, this isn’t the first time someone has gerrymandered Esther 4:14 in such a way. The first chapter in my forthcoming book, The Bible According to Christian Nationalists, is titled “Gerrymandering the Bible.” The opening story includes someone using the same “such a time as this” rhetoric three years ago in Missouri to back an unsuccessful effort to gerrymander out Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (who is also a United Methodist minister).
With the claim emerging again in Texas, it shows there really is nothing new under the sun. But that doesn’t mean we should ignore it. Instead, we must challenge such political misuses of the Bible. Apparently, my new book is needed for … ah, why not … such a time as this!
Other News of Note
Brian Kaylor appeared on the Elisha’s Bears podcast with host Danny Chisholm to talk about Baptizing America and Christian Nationalism.
The Trump administration said this week that federal employees could promote their religious beliefs in the workplace. Americans United for Separation of Church and State noted several ways the new memo could create problems.
Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters, who has been pushing Christian Nationalism in public schools, faces an investigation after members of the State Board of Education claim they saw him watching a video with nude women during a meeting.
The head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s public policy arm, Brent Leatherwood, resigned after years of Trumpian Baptists trying to force him out for allegedly being too liberal. He previously led the Tennessee Republican Party.
“Weakening the Johnson Amendment would jeopardize the integrity of the entire nonprofit community. … This is not a matter of religious freedom or speech. It is about fundamentally reshaping how political money flows through our system.” —Statement signed by a coalition of more than 1,000 charitable nonprofits objecting to the Trump administration’s efforts to exempt houses of worship from the political campaign activity ban (also called the “Johnson Amendment”).
Liz Lykins of The Roys Report unpacked various controversies during Christian Nationalist musician Sean Feucht’s contentious tour across Canada.
Christian leaders in Germany are criticizing police action after an Afghan man who has been living in a Lutheran church was arrested on the sidewalk and now faces deportation despite the risk of persecution because of his faith.
Several Quaker groups in the U.S., Canada, Britain, and Norway released a joint statement denouncing Israeli genocide in Gaza.
Bill Tammeus wrote about how a new Evangelical Lutheran Church in America bishop for Missouri and Kansas shows how the denomination has changed on LGBTQ issues.
NPR’s It’s Been a Minute looked at Christian music since multiple Christian musicians are on the Billboard Hot 100.
Photo of the Week
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