Weekly Roundup: Nov. 26
We’re sending out the roundup early this week so we can gobble up some stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and more. This week at A Public Witness we published a review of two books aiming to help congregations minister in a changing world.
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Groups Urge Christians to Light Red Candle During Advent for Palestine. Brian Kaylor reported on an advocacy initiative from a coalition of Catholic, mainline Protestant, historic peace church, and other groups.
Review: A Pilgrimage Into Letting Go. Robert D. Cornwall reviewed A Pilgrimage Into Letting Go: Helping Parents and Pastors Embrace the Uncontrollable by Andrew Root and Kara K. Root.
Would Jesus Belong to MAGA? Rodney Kennedy argued that the best approach to this question is investigating how Jesus interacted with the Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, and Zealots throughout the Gospels.
From Vaccines to Gender: How Christian ‘Momfluencers’ Are Reshaping the American Right. Kathryn Post reported on the religious and political agendas of influential online moms.
Rian Johnson on Miracles, Mystery, and His Own Faith Story in ‘Wake Up Dead Man.’ Fiona Murphy wrote about the third installment of the Knives Out mystery movie series, which this time wrestles with issues of religion and faith.
by Brian Kaylor, Word&Way Editor-in-Chief
It might seem like a bit of a cliché, but as we prepare for Thanksgiving Day I want to note how thankful we are for you as a reader of A Public Witness. I enjoy writing. But if no one reads it, then it’s really more of a diary to hide under my pillow (and my writing would probably alarm a therapist if it were just a diary).
For more than 129 years, Word&Way has offered news and analysis. Although the format and look of what we create have changed, our mission has not. And we’ve only been able to continue this because of readers like you. So we’re thankful each day we get to help make sense of our crazy world.
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Other News of Note
The Department of Homeland Security posted a video claiming ICE is working “for God & country.” DHS added Isaiah 41:10 — in the King James — about fearing not because God is with you, even though that chapter was written to people in exile not those with imperial power. This follows a pattern of DHS videos co-opting Bible verses to justify ICE actions.
Americans United for Separation of Church and State urged a judge to reject a deal exempting churches from the IRS’s political campaign activity ban (also called “the Johnson amendment”). Andrew Seidel explained in Rolling Stone why this case matters.
After receiving a pardon from President Donald Trump, former MLB star Darryl Strawberry praised Jesus and Trump during a sermon at an Oklahoma church led by the founder of Pastors for Trump.
For the second year in a row, Iowa state officials are blocking The Satanic Temple from holding a holiday even in the state Capitol. A lawsuit about last year’s decision is ongoing. Two years ago, a holiday display in the Capitol by the group was vandalized.
When a Muslim woman went to testify before the Texas State Board of Education about concerns with the treatment of non-Christians in revised social studies curriculum, a pastor serving on the board made Islamophobic attacks to try and stop her from speaking.
“Defending the First Amendment rights of our American Muslim neighbors is essential to defending the rights of everyone.” —Nina Fernando, executive director of the Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign, writing for Interfaith Alliance about the danger of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order targeting the Council on American Islamic Relations.
BBC reported on divided clergy responses as the anti-Muslim political far-right in England is inspiring some people to go to church.
Mark Wingfield of Baptist News Global noted that the Trump administration’s decision to no longer classify nurses as “professionals” will hurt some Christian universities that have created significant nursing programs.
Mark Kellner reported for The Roys Report on the abrupt end to an influential evangelical drama group after “moral failure.”
Fox News Media announced it was launching a Bible podcast series featuring celebrities like Kristen Bell, Malcolm McDowell, and Brian Cox. Several of the celebrities whose voices are used said they didn’t know the program was happening.
Photo of the Week
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