Word&Way News: May 17
Here’s the weekly roundup from Word&Way. In addition to the foreword to Baptizing America which is free for anyone to read, paid subscribers to A Public Witness received a piece considering the use of the Bible in foreign policy.
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Top 5 at wordandway.org
A Palestinian Christian Plea for Compassion in Gaza. Fares Abraham of Levant Ministries argued that the Christian call for benevolence should not be contingent upon the intricacies of politics or theological disagreements.
President Biden’s Last Chance to Stop the Nightmare in Gaza. Mae Elise Cannon of Churches for Middle East Peace wrote about how we need a new foreign policy that actually prioritizes human rights and peacemaking.
Review: Believe Me. Robert D. Cornwall reviewed Believe Me: The Evangelical Road to Donald Trump by John Fea.
PCA Cancels Anti-Polarization Panel With David French for Being Too Polarizing. Bob Smietana reported on a controversy in an evangelical Presbyterian denomination over an invitation to a conservative commentator who opposes Donald Trump.
Abuse Victim Advocates Pushing Missouri AG to Investigate Christian Boarding Schools. Jim Salter reported on advocacy by abuse survivors after three Christian boarding schools have been shut down in the Show-Me State in four years.
Dangerous Dogma
This week: Grace Ji-Sun Kim & Susan Shaw on Surviving God
Other noteworthy podcasts this week:
Brian Kaylor and Beau Underwood appeared on Crackers & Grape Juice with hosts Jason Micheli and Teer Hardy to talk about Baptizing America.
Brian Kaylor appeared on Good God with host George Mason to talk about Baptizing America.
Brian Kaylor and Beau Underwood appeared on Beloved Journal with host Rob Lee to talk about Baptizing America.
by Brian Kaylor, Word&Way Editor-in-Chief
There’s a new pilgrimage route gaining popularity.
Speaker Mike Johnson, a Southern Baptist who says the Bible is his worldview, recently embarked on this journey. He’s been joined by U.S. Sens. Rick Scott of Florida, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, J.D. Vance of Ohio, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and others.
What is this new holy site? The New York courtroom where Donald Trump is on trial for allegedly filing false business documents to cover up his hush money payments to a porn star he had an affair with. Move over, the Camino, it’s Manhattan’s turn to welcome pilgrims. Congress is even rescheduling hearings so members can go sit with Trump.
It might seem odd to call the courthouse visits a “pilgrimage,” but such trips reveal the priorities and longings of those who travel. As Phil Cousineau put it in his book The Art of Pilgrimage, “I also believe in pilgrimage as a powerful metaphor for any journey with the purpose of finding something that matters deeply to the traveler.” Anything can become a holy site if we imbue it with such meaning. But such journeys don’t just show what we seek, they also change us. We take on the values of what we focus on and follow.
Politicians who once sought “values voters” now trek to a New York courthouse to show what they really support. Power trumps principles.
Other News of Note
Former Kansas City Star faith columnist Bill Tammeus wrote a review of Baptizing America, calling it an “important book.”
Paul Djupe wrote at Religion in Public about data showing belief in the New Apostolic Reformation movement’s “Seven Mountain Mandate” is growing.
Frederick Clarkson reported for Religion Dispatches about the 19 counties in swing states being targeted by New Apostolic Reformation “prophet” Lance Wallnau.
Adam Russell Taylor of Sojourners wrote about the need to pray for elections this year — not merely in the U.S. but around the world as more than 50 nations hold national elections.
Dozens of California death row cases are under review after discovery that prosecutors sought to exclude Jews during jury selection.
“Right now, democracy is on the line. ... Democracy gave birth to the rule of law, and the rule of law gave birth to Brown v. the Board of Education.”—Cheryl Brown Henderson, daughter of the namesake plaintiff in the Brown v. Board of Education case decided 70 years ago today. She made her remarks yesterday while at the White House to mark the anniversary of the ruling.
Liam Adams of the Nashville Tennessean wrote about Belmont University, a Baptist school, allowing the hiring of non-Christian faculty.
Harrison Butker, kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs kicked up controversy with his commencement remarks at Benedictine College, a Catholic school in Kansas. Butker, who is Catholic, complained about “the cultural emasculation of men” and told female graduates their lives wouldn’t really begin until they get married and have children. He also attacked President Joe Biden, Anthony Fauci, and Pride Month.
Kelsey Dallas of the Deseret News wrote about the rise of athletes citing the Bible at games and in public comments.
About 1,200 people attended a special worship service in a church in Germany featuring Taylor Swift songs.
Photo of the Week
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