Here’s the weekly roundup from A Public Witness. This week we published a look back at a Sunday School lesson by President Jimmy Carter and a reflection after yet another case of political violence.
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Top 5 at wordandway.org
Correcting Common Misconceptions About Christian Nationalism. Greg Carey wrote about some things he tries to clear up when teaching about Christian Nationalism.
Did the SBC Really Endorse the White House’s Prayer Initiative? Brian Kaylor reported on an inaccurate claim by the White House that its new nationalistic prayer effort was backed by the nation’s largest Protestant denomination.
Review: The Missionary Kids. Robert D. Cornwall reviewed The Missionary Kids: Unmasking the Myths of White Evangelicalism by Holly Berkley Fletcher.
National Baptists Feature First Woman Preacher at Evening Service in Annual Meeting. Adelle M. Banks reported on a historic moment at the annual meeting of the largest U.S. Black Baptist denomination.
The Oldest Pipe Organ in the Christian World Sounds After 800 Years of Silence. Julia Frankel reported on a restoration effort in Jerusalem.
by Brian Kaylor, Word&Way Editor-in-Chief
This week, Catholic leaders in Oklahoma announced they would open a virtual school with kindergarten through eighth grade classes (and eventually expand to high school). For families wanting such an educational option for their children, they are able to enroll in this private school.
The fact that the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa are opening this school shows that no one is standing in the way of their religious liberty rights. But we should remember they are only going for this private school route after their attempt to create a sectarian public school was denied by the state’s Supreme Court (in a decision that was left in place by a deadlocked U.S. Supreme Court).
The idea of a sectarian public school is an oxymoron, so fortunately the courts blocked it. But throughout the legal battle, proponents of the school claimed they were being mistreated because of their faith. Now, we see they had the right to open a school all along. They just didn’t have the right to demand taxpayer money while proselytizing and discriminating against students. Public funds should support public schools. And public schools are not Sunday Schools.
Just because someone is not allowed to establish their religion, that does not mean they are being discriminated against. Religious liberty is for all, or it means nothing at all.
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Other News of Note
Fiona André of Religion News Service reported on the U.S. Department of War’s use of Bible verses in social media videos (with comments from Brian Kaylor).
Tiffany Stanley of the Associated Press wrote about Christian Nationalist pastor Doug Wilson (with a comment from Brian Kaylor).
CNN interviewed Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush of Interfaith Alliance about the problems with Trump’s “Religious Liberty Commission.”
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development hosted a Christian worship event on the National Mall featuring Sean Feucht.
As Republicans in Missouri push a gerrymandering scheme to push out Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a United Methodist minister, the new map splits Kansas City into three districts that intersect at a Disciples of Christ church.
“Having been a lead pastor in the rural, the urban, and the suburban, I’ve learned that we all want the same things but we don’t achieve them the same way.” —Rev. Darron Edwards, lead pastor of United Believers Community Church in Kansas City (and a Word&Way board member) during a press conference as pastors criticized the gerrymandering map being advanced by Missouri lawmakers.
Reuters reported on immigrant Christians switching to virtual worship amid fears of ICE raids.
A pastor in Maine who recently spent two weeks in ICE custody spoke about the experience.
NPR’s All Things Considered reported on a company’s controversial AI-generated Bible videos.
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