Word&Way News: Jan. 5

Here’s the weekly roundup from Word&Way. In addition to a look at efforts to misrepresent the metaphorical wall separating church and state that is free for anyone to read, paid subscribers to A Public Witness can read a report on pastors who were arrested for their actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.

Speaker Johnson Doesn’t Know How Walls Work

The J6 Pastors

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Top 5 at wordandway.org

1. The False Prophets of a Failed Insurrection. Matthew Boedy wrote about lessons we can learn from a youth pastor-turned-insurrectionist.

2. Ted Cruz’s ‘Boomerang’ Rhetoric Problem. Rodney Kennedy considered some problematic political rhetoric about immigration.

3. Review: The A to Z of the New Testament. Robert D. Cornwall reviewed The A to Z of the New Testament: Things Experts Know That Everyone Else Should Too by James F. McGrath.

4. Pandemic Boosted Resilience, Hurt Financial Health of Black Churches, Says Report. Adelle M. Banks reported on new findings about the impact of COVID-19.

5. Southern Baptists Settle Abuse Lawsuit Against Legendary Conservative Leader Paul Pressler. Bob Smietana reported on the latest legal move after years of allegations of sexual misconduct made by men against a Southern Baptist icon.

by Brian Kaylor, Word&Way Editor-in-Chief

This week, Diana Butler Bass introduced me to my new favorite Epiphany song: “Take Us Home by Another Way” by Christopher Grundy. It’s catchy and thoughtful, weaving together the biblical story of the magi with current allusions.

Although a couple of years old, it’s still quite timely for Epiphany (Jan. 6) as we enter a presidential election and mark the third anniversary of the Capitol insurrection. And it’s fascinating to reflect on modern allies of Herod, like billionaires and the Proud Boys.

Spirit, take us home.
Take us home by another way.
Take us long way round 
the tyrants and their schemes.
Give us strength to walk.
Show us dreams of a better day.
And we’ll pave the way with justice
going home by another way.

Other News of Note

• The New York Times fact-checked Donald Trump’s false claims that President Joe Biden, a Catholic, is persecuting Catholics.

• Tim Funk wrote for The Assembly about the new congressional campaign of Mark Harris, a Baptist pastor in North Carolina whose 2018 win was thrown out after his campaign committed election fraud — but now he claims he’s the victim.

• Andrew Perez of Rolling Stone reported on how Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow has enriched himself through Christian nonprofits.

“When government officials disfavor — or worse, scapegoat — minority religions, the consequences can be dire.” —14 Christian and Jewish ministers in a St. Louis Post-Dispatch column criticizing Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey for lying about their lawsuit on abortion and religious liberty.

• Catherine Neelly Burton wrote in Presbyterian Outlook about embracing the experiment of pastorless churches.

• David Roman wrote for Christianity Today about Mennonite communities thriving in Latin America.

• Halle Parker reported for Sojourners on churches in Louisiana advocating for environmental justice.

• Ethan Bauer wrote for Commonweal about how people of faith responded after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis shipped immigrants to a Catholic diocese in Sacramento, California.

• BJC is expanding its scholarship contest to include a video category for this year’s topic of Christian Nationalism and book bans.

Photo of the Week

Local residents pray during a candlelight vigil following a shooting at Perry High School in Iowa on Jan. 4, 2023. (Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press)

Thanks for reading!