Word&Way News: Sept. 6
Here’s the weekly roundup from Word&Way. This week, paid subscribers to A Public Witness received a look at problematic uses of biblical “prophecies” in politics.
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Top 5 at wordandway.org
Review: Hope Restored. Robert D. Cornwall reviewed Hope Restored: Biblical Imagination Against Empire by Walter Brueggemann.
National Baptists Hear Their Outgoing President and Ketanji Brown Jackson as Meeting Ends. Adelle M. Banks reported from the annual session of the largest Black Baptist denomination.
J.D. Vance and the Catholic Postliberals in His Circle of Influence. Peter Smith and Michelle R. Smith looked at thoughts of those in the conservative Catholic intellectual movement who are close to the Republican vice presidential candidate.
Some Nonprofit Newspapers Endorse Candidates. So Why Can’t Churches, New Lawsuit Asks. The IRS’s political campaign activity ban (commonly called the “Johnson Amendment”) faces yet another challenge.
Want to Write a Hit Worship Song? Invite a Few Friends to Church. Bob Smietana reported on a shift from solo-written worship songs to teams crafting the new hits.
Dangerous Dogma
This week: Matthew Taylor on the Violent Take it by Force
by Brian Kaylor, Word&Way Editor-in-Chief
After recently claiming victory in a fraudulent election, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro held up a Bible and read the words of Jesus to criticize those protesting against him (as covered last week at A Public Witness). Now, the authoritarian ruler is trying another way of exploiting religion to maintain power.
“This year and to honor you all, to thank you all, I am going to decree the beginning of Christmas on October 1. Christmas arrived for everyone, in peace, joy, and security!” Maduro declared on Monday (Sept. 2) as if he’s in charge of arranging the aisles at a local retail store.
Move over “12 Days of Christmas” or 25 days of Advent, here come the 86 days of Christmas! But Maduro isn’t moved by religious piety. In fact, his government that same day issued an arrest warrant for his political opponent who international observers believe won the election.
Since the Christmas season means bonuses for public employees and government handouts to people, the artificial Christmas effort is essentially a way of trying to end the protests by using state funds to bring a celebratory season. Such political exploitation of a sacred season should be condemned. Like what the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference did on Tuesday by warning Christmas “is not to be used for political or propaganda goals.” They added, “Christmas commences on December 25.” In this case, the best Christian move next month will be not celebrating Christmas.
Other News of Note
Greg Garrett of Baptist News Global interviewed Brian Kaylor about Baptizing America and Christian Nationalism.
The Revealer published an excerpt from Baptizing America on how “In God We Trust” ended up on money.
Alice Herman of the London Guardian reported on a Pentecostal group trying to get Christians in election worker roles, in an effort the leader of the group calls a “Trojan horse” strategy.
Major Garrett of CBS News looked at how charismatic Christians are organizing to push Donald Trump’s reelection.
Megan Messerly and Adam Wren of Politico reported on how some White evangelical leaders are upset at Donald Trump’s recent comments on abortion and fear it might cost him the election.
“In a season when tensions in our state around immigration are high, we encourage Christians to be thoughtful about immigration and respond faithfully to the biblical commands to practice hospitality toward immigrants.” —Wisconsin evangelical pastors Barrett Marcantel and Jonathan Misirian in a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel column pushing back against anti-migrant rhetoric.
Calli Keener of the Baptist Standard reported on a Baylor University lecture by journalist Tim Alberta about politics and the Christian witness.
A.J. Philip wrote for Religion Unplugged about food as a religious freedom issue in India.
Visiting Indonesia, the largest Muslim nation in the world, Pope Francis urged efforts to combat extremism and promote tolerance.
Kimberly Winston reported for NPR on the rise of eco-chaplains addressing climate grief.
Jordan Kisner wrote for the New York Times Magazine about the last two people in a Shaker religious community.
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