Word&Way
@wordandway.bsky.social
Creating better Christian conversations since 1896. We produce an award-winning magazine, podcast, website, & more. Editor-in-Chief: @briankaylor.bsky.social Website: https://wordandway.org Substack: https://publicwitness.wordandway.org
Here's video of Brattin & me debating school "chaplains" & church-state separation: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBE1... Here's report on his antics during hearing on "Ten Commandments," during which he acted worse than I've ever seen a committee chair: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/thou-shalt... 2/
Thou Shalt Not Covet State-Sponsored Religion
“This was at the founding of our nation.
publicwitness.wordandway.org
AP calls win for "no" on Missouri Amendment 4, which was effort by GOP lawmakers to stop citizen-led constitutional amendments. This anti-democratic measure was also supported by Christian Nationalist church as "biblical" vote: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/thou-shalt... Nice to see the big loss!
ELECTION DAY: The polls have closed across Missouri. As we wait for the results to come in, check out our story about a politically active rightwing church in St. Louis that wants its members to “vote the Bible” by making it virtually impossible for citizens to amend the Missouri Constitution.
Thou Shalt Not … Amend the State Constitution?
With the arrival of August, people in several states are heading to the voting booths for important midterm primary elections, including Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Virginia today.
publicwitness.wordandway.org
Missouri is mad about some amendments they hated that got approved anyway, so now they're trying to make it a lot harder for citizens to vote for change. Because when the GOP can't win, they cheat, and they feel fully entitled to do so.
Brian Kaylor@briankaylor.bsky.social · 21h agoI voted against Missouri Amendment 4 today as it'd virtually strip away citizen power to amend MO constitution. It's power grab effort by GOP lawmakers. So it's really telling when a #ChristianNationalist church used Sunday worship to push this amendment: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/thou-shalt...
This is very concerning.
Brian Kaylor@briankaylor.bsky.social · yesterdayHard to think of something more #ChristianNationalist than gov't planning, hosting, & leading worship services. No one's tracking this more than we are at A Public Witness. There are 2 dozen services by federal agencies in our "Government Worship Watch": publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/government...
I voted against Missouri Amendment 4 today as it'd virtually strip away citizen power to amend MO constitution. It's power grab effort by GOP lawmakers. So it's really telling when a #ChristianNationalist church used Sunday worship to push this amendment: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/thou-shalt...
Thou Shalt Not … Amend the State Constitution?
With the arrival of August, people in several states are heading to the voting booths for important midterm primary elections, including Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Virginia today.
publicwitness.wordandway.org
Unlike many church services at Grace Church in St. Louis, their support for a ballot initiative in today’s election doesn’t violate IRS tax rules. But the church’s anti-democratic stand helps highlight how it is really just a weekly tax-exempt MAGA rally preaching a rightwing gospel of power.
Thou Shalt Not … Amend the State Constitution?
With the arrival of August, people in several states are heading to the voting booths for important midterm primary elections, including Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Virginia today.
publicwitness.wordandway.org
Unlike many church services at Grace Church in St. Louis, their support for a ballot initiative in today’s election doesn’t violate IRS tax rules. But the church’s anti-democratic stand helps highlight how it is really just a weekly tax-exempt MAGA rally preaching a rightwing gospel of power.
Thou Shalt Not … Amend the State Constitution?
With the arrival of August, people in several states are heading to the voting booths for important midterm primary elections, including Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Virginia today.
publicwitness.wordandway.org
Today’s issue of A Public Witness takes you inside a hyperpartisan church for a taste of how the gospel of Jesus is being supplanted by an imperial lust for political power.
Thou Shalt Not … Amend the State Constitution?
With the arrival of August, people in several states are heading to the voting booths for important midterm primary elections, including Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Virginia today.
publicwitness.wordandway.org
Wild story about a Missouri church that is basically just a rightwing conspiratorial talk radio show in the form of a weekly worship service.
Word&Way@wordandway.bsky.social · yesterdayToday’s issue of A Public Witness takes you inside a hyperpartisan church for a taste of how the gospel of Jesus is being supplanted by an imperial lust for political power.
Today’s issue of A Public Witness takes you inside a hyperpartisan church for a taste of how the gospel of Jesus is being supplanted by an imperial lust for political power.
Thou Shalt Not … Amend the State Constitution?
With the arrival of August, people in several states are heading to the voting booths for important midterm primary elections, including Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Virginia today.
publicwitness.wordandway.org
Hard to think of something more #ChristianNationalist than gov't planning, hosting, & leading worship services. No one's tracking this more than we are at A Public Witness. There are 2 dozen services by federal agencies in our "Government Worship Watch": publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/government...
Government Worship Watch
During the second Trump administration, leaders of federal agencies have started hosting official worship services in government buildings during work hours led by Cabinet members.
publicwitness.wordandway.org
Inappropriate but I guess not a surprise since Psalm 144:1 is one of the verses most misused by Pete Hegseth (along with Isaiah 6:8): publicwitness.wordandway.org/i/201301625/...
Brad Johnson@climatebrad.hillheat.com · 4d agoSeparation of church and state! Staff Sergeant Sellers with a tummy pack with Psalm 144:1 ("Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle") and a cross on a "tactical" American flag, as part of Trump's DC occupation force #freedc
Pentagon again conscripting Isaiah 6:8 on social media, which has become a favorite verse for Hegseth & Pentagon to misuse (as I unpacked here: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/hegseth-co...).
Truth Social post from Trump. Christian Nationalist AI slop is worst kind of AI slop. (Trump knows so little about Christianity that he doesn't even recognize Catholic imagery instead of what he would see if he actually went to church in his Protestant tradition - which he hasn't done in 4.5 years)
The final episode of Church & State 250 is here. Brian Kaylor joins us to discuss religion reporting, Christian nationalism, government worship services inside the Pentagon, and why church-state separation still matters. Watch: youtu.be/o_ytvaXIgIY
Church & State 250: Reporting Religion in an Age of Christian Nationalism
YouTube video by Faithful Politics Podcast
youtu.be
Our latest religion news roundup features insights from @kathrynpost.bsky.social, @alejacorazonhm.bsky.social, @erum-salam.bsky.social, @kylec.bsky.social, @ctdunn7.bsky.social, @dansolomon.com, @tommylisi.bsky.social, and more!
Weekly Roundup: July 31
Here’s the weekly roundup from A Public Witness. This week we published the only report by any outlet on the latest Pentagon worship service.
publicwitness.wordandway.org
Our latest religion news roundup features insights from @kathrynpost.bsky.social, @alejacorazonhm.bsky.social, @erum-salam.bsky.social, @kylec.bsky.social, @ctdunn7.bsky.social, @dansolomon.com, @tommylisi.bsky.social, and more!
Weekly Roundup: July 31
Here’s the weekly roundup from A Public Witness. This week we published the only report by any outlet on the latest Pentagon worship service.
publicwitness.wordandway.org
The US military has, in illegal strikes, killed more than 200 people (including fishermen & perhaps human trafficking victims): theintercept.com/2026/06/10/t... But Hegseth's pastor calls that a "means of God's grace": publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/hegseths-p... What an ugly, false god he serves!
Hegseth’s Pastor Praises Military as ‘Means of God’s Grace’ at Pentagon Worship Service
During the July worship service at the Pentagon on Wednesday (July 29), Pete Hegseth’s pastor praised the U.S. military as “an instrument” of “God’s grace” and claimed the United States was founded as...
publicwitness.wordandway.org
As with most months, I was only reporter to watch & write on Pentagon's worship service yesterday (& being only one is how we broke news of Hegseth's Pulp Fiction prayer). Here's latest report, but you should subscribe since no one else is covering this: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/hegseths-p...
Hegseth’s Pastor Praises Military as ‘Means of God’s Grace’ at Pentagon Worship Service
During the July worship service at the Pentagon on Wednesday (July 29), Pete Hegseth’s pastor praised the U.S. military as “an instrument” of “God’s grace” and claimed the United States was founded as...
publicwitness.wordandway.org
The latest government worship service occurred yesterday on the heels of an internal critic being fired for criticizing the church-state violation.
Hegseth’s Pastor Praises Military as ‘Means of God’s Grace’ at Pentagon Worship Service
During the July worship service at the Pentagon on Wednesday (July 29), Pete Hegseth’s pastor praised the U.S. military as “an instrument” of “God’s grace” and claimed the United States was founded as...
publicwitness.wordandway.org
The latest government worship service occurred yesterday on the heels of an internal critic being fired for criticizing the church-state violation.
Hegseth’s Pastor Praises Military as ‘Means of God’s Grace’ at Pentagon Worship Service
During the July worship service at the Pentagon on Wednesday (July 29), Pete Hegseth’s pastor praised the U.S. military as “an instrument” of “God’s grace” and claimed the United States was founded as...
publicwitness.wordandway.org
“Brandon Newsom was the director of business operations for the U.S. Navy until he lost that job last week because of videos created by James O’Keefe … One of the topics O’Keefe particularly highlighted was Newsom’s criticism of Hegseth’s monthly worship services.”
Brian Kaylor@briankaylor.bsky.social · 7d agoMy report on the latest monthly Pentagon worship service today, the 3rd (out of 15) to feature Hegseth's pastor: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/hegseths-p...
Hegseth becoming a top target of attacks by Democratic candidates: www.politico.com/news/2026/07... Wise strategy given his rhetoric & incompetence. Firings & Iran war big themes, but his #ChristianNationalism would also work (like his worship services: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/hegseths-p...)
Hegseth is the new Dem campaign trail villain
The Defense secretary’s public persona and controversial decisions make him an easy, highly visible target for aspiring lawmakers.
politico.com
Today’s service marked the third time in 15 monthly services that the sermon was delivered by Brooks Potteiger, a member of Doug Wilson’s Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches.
Hegseth’s Pastor Praises Military as ‘Means of God’s Grace’ at Pentagon Worship Service
During the July worship service at the Pentagon on Wednesday (July 29), Pete Hegseth’s pastor praised the U.S. military as “an instrument” of “God’s grace” and claimed the United States was founded as...
publicwitness.wordandway.org
Today’s service marked the third time in 15 monthly services that the sermon was delivered by Brooks Potteiger, a member of Doug Wilson’s Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches.
Hegseth’s Pastor Praises Military as ‘Means of God’s Grace’ at Pentagon Worship Service
During the July worship service at the Pentagon on Wednesday (July 29), Pete Hegseth’s pastor praised the U.S. military as “an instrument” of “God’s grace” and claimed the United States was founded as...
publicwitness.wordandway.org
My report on the latest monthly Pentagon worship service today, the 3rd (out of 15) to feature Hegseth's pastor: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/hegseths-p...
Hegseth’s Pastor Praises Military as ‘Means of God’s Grace’ at Pentagon Worship Service
During the July worship service at the Pentagon on Wednesday (July 29), Pete Hegseth’s pastor praised the U.S. military as “an instrument” of “God’s grace” and claimed the United States was founded as...
publicwitness.wordandway.org
A federal judge tossed out a lawsuit yesterday from an interfaith group that challenged the legitimacy of President Donald Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission, dismissing claims that its overwhelmingly conservative Christian makeup lacked a legally required balance of viewpoints.
Federal Judge Dismisses a Lawsuit Over Makeup of Trump's Religious Liberty Commission - Word&Way
Judge John P. Cronan said the commission is diverse through including both clergy and lay people and has 'adherents of at least five different religions' — by citing the one Jewish member and members ...
wordandway.org
A federal judge tossed out a lawsuit yesterday from an interfaith group that challenged the legitimacy of President Donald Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission, dismissing claims that its overwhelmingly conservative Christian makeup lacked a legally required balance of viewpoints.
Federal Judge Dismisses a Lawsuit Over Makeup of Trump's Religious Liberty Commission - Word&Way
Judge John P. Cronan said the commission is diverse through including both clergy and lay people and has 'adherents of at least five different religions' — by citing the one Jewish member and members ...
wordandway.org
Church & State 250+ began before 1776 with Indigenous history, conquest, and the Doctrine of Discovery. From there, we moved through the founding, slavery, race, segregation, church-state law, and evangelical power. This final week brings the history into the present. faithfulpolitics.us/cas250
