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Brian Kaylor

@briankaylor.bsky.social
4.3K followers 296 following 2.3K posts

Baptist minister with PhD in political communication. New book: 'The Bible According to Christian Nationalists.' President & Editor-in-Chief - @WordAndWay.bsky.social bkaylor@wordandway.org publicwitness.wordandway.org

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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 17h
1st US military execution since WWII by firing squad will be on Dec. 3. Not sure what it is about rightwing Christian politicians killing people during Advent, but some governors have done it as well (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/christmas-...).
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Word&Way @wordandway.bsky.social · 20h
While this year has brought actions across the country by politicians and judges to limit the voting power of Black communities, that issue was particularly fresh for the clergy at the first stop of Interfaith Alliance’s bus tour.
publicwitness.wordandway.org
Clergy Rally for Voting Rights, Against Gerrymandering at Start of Interfaith Bus Tour
“We are here because human dignity matters.
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Word&Way @wordandway.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Today’s issue of A Public Witness drives over to the opening stop of the 2026 @interfaithalliance.org “The Vote Is Sacred Tour” at a Missouri church that’s seen firsthand the efforts this year to distort elections and dilute the voting power of Black communities.
publicwitness.wordandway.org
Clergy Rally for Voting Rights, Against Gerrymandering at Start of Interfaith Bus Tour
“We are here because human dignity matters.
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Jack Jenkins @jackjenkins.me · 05/10/2026
Oh: Looks like there's now a *third* lawsuit against the Trump administration demanding increased access for clergy to immigrant detainees. But this one has a *Catholic archdiocese* onboard. That's a big deal: Catholics are involved in ongoing cases in Illinois and Minnesota, not not the dioceses.
reuters.com
Catholic diocese sues US government seeking clergy access to detainees
The Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis filed a lawsuit against the federal government on ‌Monday, alleging that detainees at an immigration detention facility in Missouri are being deprived of their right to speak privately with priests or receive sacraments like communion and confession.
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Word&Way @wordandway.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s conscription of Isaiah 6:8’s “send me” to promote military recruitment has drawn rebukes from Sen. Raphael Warnock as well as Christian Nationalist figures such as pastor/commentator Joel Webbon and former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
publicwitness.wordandway.org
‘I’m Standing With Isaiah’: Warnock Blasts Hegseth for ‘Twisting the Scripture’
Marjorie Taylor Greene also attacks Hegseth for ‘using God’s name in vain.’
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Rev. Sen. Raphael Warnock blasts Pete Hegseth for "twisting the Scripture" by misusing Isaiah 6:8. "I'm standing with Isaiah. I'm standing in that grand prophetic tradition, which we need so badly during this moral moment in America. Where do you stand?" publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/im-standin...
publicwitness.wordandway.org
‘I’m Standing With Isaiah’: Warnock Blasts Hegseth for ‘Twisting the Scripture’
Marjorie Taylor Greene also attacks Hegseth for ‘using God’s name in vain.’
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Brigit @brigit.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Hooting hollering howling (via @briankaylor.bsky.social )
"Pete Hegseth needs to know that, actually, Isaiah is answering the call to confront abusive power in his own context - words that are particularly apt in a moment like this. Isaiah challenges corruption. Isaiah challenges government that marginalizes the poor, the widows, and the orphans," Warnock explained. "Isaiah challenges the powers that be within his own context. Pete Hegseth should read the first chapter of the Book of Isaiah, where the prophet says,Your princes' - which means those who are in power - 'Your princes are companions with thieves!"

"So as the prophet deals with public corruption, as he deals with those who would crush the poor, there's a valuable lesson in that for the so-called 'secretary of war;'"Warnock added. "I don't think he hears it because he's focused on wrapping up power in sacred clothes. Faith, when it is authentic, stands on the margins, stands with the weak, recognizes that all of us are children of the living God. It calls us into a new covenant with God and with each
other. I'm standing with Isaiah. I'm standing in that grand
prophetic tradition, which we need so badly during this moral moment in America. Where do you stand?"
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
He did add the Nazis over the weekend while doing this again at the Air Force Academy.
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Adam Serwer @adamserwer.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
The “crusader march” would be more historically accurate if instead of going to the palestine fest they just robbed and torched a random church bsky.app/profile/unra...
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Yep
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
And the Pentagon is this morning again misusing Isaiah 6:8 as a military recruitment meme. This is heresy, as I've explained: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/hegseth-co...
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
He did. Though this time he did also add Nazis.
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
While speaking to cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy on his "Send Me Tour," Hegseth instructed the cadets to pray with him. This is inappropriate & coercive. And he did this after again misusing Isaiah 6:8 (background here: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/hegseth-co...).
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Hegseth's repeated misuse of Isaiah 6:8 has sparked a response from Sen. Raphael Warnock, who is also a Baptist pastor. So I'm going to trust Warnock over Hegseth on this.
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Pete Hegseth is continuing his Misuse the Bible Tour. Once again, Isaiah 6:8 is not about military recruitment: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/hegseth-co...
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
My report from attending the European Baptist Federation gathering last week in Albania: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/gathering-...
publicwitness.wordandway.org
Gathering in Albania Highlights Challenges of War, Nationalism Facing Christians in Many Countries
In September 2014, Pope Francis sparked headlines with a surprising choice for the first European pastoral visit of his papacy: Albania.
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
No, I'm not taking execution advice from the torture memo guy. The fact that he's on Fox News instead of in prison is an indictment of how we failed to deal with the lawlessness of the W. Bush administration.
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
And who has "Deus Vult" stamped on his Bible: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/pete-hegse...
publicwitness.wordandway.org
Pete Hegseth’s Crusader Bible
Pete Hegseth’s Bible, like his body, is stamped with two Crusader tattoos.
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Jay Willis @jaywillis.net · 01/10/2026
The death penalty is a moral abomination. State-sanctioned barbarism pushed by incompetent morons and sanctioned by the Supreme Court. Absolute ghoul shit. www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
The lone woman on Tennessee's death row was still alive after she was administered two lethal injections, her lawyer said in a motion seeking to halt her execution Wednesday night, a stunning development after the Supreme Court had stepped in to allow the state to put her to death.
At 8:26 p.m. local time, witnesses said
"executioners had injected both syringes of lethal injection chemicals and Pike is still alive and snoring," her lawyers said in a federal court filing.
They said Pike "has not lost consciousness and still has a heartbeat," and that curtains to the death chamber "have gone down twice."
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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
In the original action at the Supreme Court, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Alabama — lacking all sense of irony or knowledge of history — accuse New York, Massachusetts, and California of "one of the most serious interstate aggressions in our Nation’s history" because of their abortion shield laws.
documentcloud.org
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
I liked the @jackjenkins.me line in piece about "a little-noticed document filed" last week. I guess it's "little-noticed" instead of "completely unnoticed" because I wrote about it. I'm the little bit of noticing :) publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/dhs-admits...
publicwitness.wordandway.org
DHS Admits It Doesn’t Know How Many Churches It Has Spied On
A federal judge recently ordered the U.S.
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Good @rns.org piece by @jackjenkins.me on how DHS (sometimes) admits it has arrested people on church property even as "border czar" Tom Homan claims it hasn't happened. Despite denials, multiple incidents at churches are documented. religionnews.com/2026/09/30/t...
religionnews.com
Do federal immigration agents make arrests at churches? Depends on what day you ask.
(RNS) — Over the past year, the Trump administration has issued contradictory and, at times, seemingly false statements about whether federal agents have conducted operations at churches.
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Yep. And this is Hegseth's favorite Bible verse to misuse; he's done so repeatedly since May (publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/hegseth-co...).
publicwitness.wordandway.org
Hegseth Conscripts Call of Prophet Isaiah to Serve U.S. Military Interests
Pete Hegseth has a new favorite Bible verse he likes to quote in speeches — and it’s not Ezekiel 25:17. In multiple speeches over the past few weeks, the man who likes to call himself “secretary of wa...
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Hegseth's favorite Bible verse to misuse is Isaiah 6:8 & he did it again today. The verse is about the call of a prophet, but he conscripts it for military recruitment (as I noted back in June: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/hegseth-co...). This is heresy.
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Hegseth is continuing his efforts to undermine the military's historic chaplaincy program. He's moving from spiritual care to proselytization. He proves this by misusing Psalm 33, Ephesians 6, & Psalm 118 (at least he didn't go for Ezekiel 25:17)
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
He's done it before, but Hegseth's rewrite of the "Golden Rule" is problematic as he limits Jesus's teaching to only applying for those inside the nation's boundaries. If we were to *really* implement the Golden Rule at the Pentagon, we'd shut down Hegseth's warmongering & bombing of schools.
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
My latest on new court filings in the case of DHS spying on churches. DHS was ordered to inform a federal judge of any other potential incidents at a protected church, but DHS claims it can't actually check its records so we have no idea. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/dhs-admits...
publicwitness.wordandway.org
DHS Admits It Doesn’t Know How Many Churches It Has Spied On
A federal judge recently ordered the U.S.
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Mo Sen. Eric Schmitt is an absolute moron. He won't do it, but he owes Jack Smith a massive apology. What a disgrace!
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
@democracyforward.org sues Pentagon for records on Jennifer Hegseth's unofficial role in Department of Defense: democracyforward.org/news/press-r... Good! I've noted her attendance at Pete's prayer services & she even hosted 1 in his absence: publicwitness.wordandway.org/i/181931874/...
democracyforward.org
Democracy Forward Sues Government for Refusing to Reveal Jennifer Hegseth’s Unofficial Role at the Department of Defense
Wife of Secretary of Defense Reportedly Has “Heavy Hand” in National Defense Decisions
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
"To invoke God's name in order to justify violence or oppression is to profane that name. Nothing that disfigures human dignity can claim to be inspired by God." -Pope Leo XIV. (He's looking at you, Pete Hegseth) wordandway.org/2026/09/28/p...
wordandway.org
Pope Leo Warns: Invoking God to Justify War Is to 'Profane' His Name - Word&Way
Pope Leo XIV once again stressed that God does not promote war and called for the protection of human dignity and life, during the last day of his papal visit to France on Monday (Sept. 28).
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
What move to block Missouri GOP's gerrymandering effort means is Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Black United Methodist minister, will likely win reelection. Otherwise, a White Christian Nationalist state lawmaker (who I've squared off against in hearings) would've probably won. www.ms.now/opinion/miss...
ms.now
Opinion | Missouri Republicans have unleashed pure chaos on us voters ahead of the midterm elections
Brian T. Kaylor: As the midterms approach,  the Missouri district I'll vote in has changed back and forth
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
For 3rd time this month, #SCOTUS blocks GOP gerrymandering in Missouri. This time they made it extra clear the effort is dead for midterm & all chaos is fault of GOP secretary of state: www.politico.com/news/2026/09... I explained the mess earlier this month for @ms.now: www.ms.now/opinion/miss...
politico.com
Supreme Court again snubs GOP gerrymander in Missouri
Justices also warned federal courts not to interfere with state decisions.
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Word&Way @wordandway.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Today’s issue of A Public Witness looks at how some Republican politicians are attacking the faith of mainline Christians and how United Methodists are pushing back against the bigotry.
publicwitness.wordandway.org
An Act Against One Church Is An Act Against All
“I believe in an America … where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against all.”
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Adam Hamilton @hamilton4kansas.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Remember to be a good neighbor.
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Word&Way @wordandway.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
“We will make sure these guns can never hurt somebody again or in the future,” Word&Way’s own Beau Underwood told @mirrorindy.org. He referenced Isaiah 2:4: “And by doing that, we are living out the biblical vision of weapons being turned into plowshares.”
wordandway.org
An Indianapolis Church Turned an AR-15 Into a Garden Tool - Word&Way
A national, faith-based movement called “Guns to Gardens” has the goal of getting guns off the streets and giving people a safe way to dispose of them.
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Michelle Boorstein @michelleboorstein.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Trump yesterday: The UN are "craven hypocrites" who do nothing for persecuted Christians A few days ago: Christian refugee groups say 2026 "is on track to be the first year" that the US admitted zero Christian refugees of persecution (or any religious persecution refugees)
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Americans United for Separation of Church and State @americansunited.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
We were in court today challenging an Arkansas law that requires an edited version of the Ten Commandments be displayed in public classrooms and libraries. No matter the state, we are fighting to preserve freedom of and freedom from religion for every American. 🇺🇸
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
And I'll again note that all the court maneuvers & shenanigans by Missouri GOP have been in quest to gerrymander out of office a Black United Methodist minister. They want to replace Rep. Cleaver with a White Christian Nationalist. Hopefully their efforts to cheat fail. www.ms.now/opinion/miss...
ms.now
Opinion | Missouri Republicans have unleashed pure chaos on us voters ahead of the midterm elections
Brian T. Kaylor: As the midterms approach,  the Missouri district I'll vote in has changed back and forth
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
The GOP federal judges think it's unfair to vote with different maps in primary & general election. But they miss that it would be even more problematic & unfair to use unlawful map in general election just because Secretary of State forced use of unlawful map in primary. Don't let SoS steal a seat!
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
The 3 GOP federal appeals court judges paused their ruling to let #SCOTUS consider Missouri's maps for 3rd time this month (previously 2 times backed Mo Supreme Court blocking gerrymandered map). It should be too late for federal courts to change things so hopefully SCOTUS will again block this.
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Federal appeals court wants to force use of gerrymandered map in Missouri even though ballots have already been printed & mailed with different map: missouriindependent.com/2026/09/21/a... As I explained at @ms.now recently, this whole mess is because of Mo GOP officials: www.ms.now/opinion/miss...
ms.now
Opinion | Missouri Republicans have unleashed pure chaos on us voters ahead of the midterm elections
Brian T. Kaylor: As the midterms approach,  the Missouri district I'll vote in has changed back and forth
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
It is. And he's repeatedly misused the verse that way since May: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/hegseth-co...
publicwitness.wordandway.org
Hegseth Conscripts Call of Prophet Isaiah to Serve U.S. Military Interests
Pete Hegseth has a new favorite Bible verse he likes to quote in speeches — and it’s not Ezekiel 25:17. In multiple speeches over the past few weeks, the man who likes to call himself “secretary of wa...
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Sarah Posner @sarahposner.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Latest from me @talkingpointsmemo.com: Homan Stumps for Georgia GOPers by Promoting ICE Brutality in Speech to Evangelicals talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/homan-s...
talkingpointsmemo.com
Homan Stumps for Georgia GOPers by Promoting ICE Brutality in Speech to Evangelicals
In Church, Merch, and State, Sarah Posner writes about the intersection of religion and...
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Word&Way @wordandway.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Minneapolis-based journalist and Lutheran minister @angeladenker.bsky.social will moderate two upcoming book talk events, the first with @kkdumez.bsky.social on Oct. 6 and the second with @briankaylor.bsky.social on Oct. 12. Both events are free — sign up today!
publicwitness.wordandway.org
Unpacking Christian Nationalism in the Twin Cities
Angela Denker will moderate a book talk with Kristin Du Mez and one with Brian Kaylor.
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Hegseth has repeatedly misused Isaiah 6:8 since May (including at 9/11 ceremony: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/hegseth-us...). But his Texas A&M stop takes biblical abuse to new level. He explicitly took took words of God & put them in mouth of nation. #ChristianNationalism makes idol of the nation
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Hegseth continues to misuse Isaiah 6:8, conscripting the verse for military recruitment. Says he's going on a "Send Me Tour" (by which he really means send you to fight his stupid war). But the verse doesn't mean what he thinks it does: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/hegseth-co...
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Trump nominates Cissie Graham Lynch (daughter of Franklin Graham) as U.S. ambassador at large for international religious freedom. Hopefully, Senate won't confirm her. But this again confirms Trump doesn't understand or respect true religious freedom. wordandway.org/2026/09/17/c...
wordandway.org
Cissie Graham Lynch, Granddaughter of Billy Graham, Tapped for Religious Freedom Ambassador - Word&Way
If approved by the Senate, Lynch would hold an office that has been unoccupied since the beginning of the second Trump administration.
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Incident at Quaker center in Phily involved local police, not DHS. But Quakers in Philly are covered by an injunction blocking DHS warrantless actions: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/judge-free... Of course, DHS still spied at Baptist church also covered: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/dhs-denies...
publicwitness.wordandway.org
Judge Freezes ICE Raids at Quaker & Cooperative Baptist Churches
A coalition of Quakers, Baptists, and Sikhs won round one in faith-based litigation against the Trump administration.
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
This incident by Philly police follows the recent revelations of DHS spying in churches active in anti-ICE advocacy. The lack of respect for houses of worship is a serious problem. publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/in-worship...
publicwitness.wordandway.org
In Worship and in Court, Churches Respond to DHS Spying in Their Buildings
At the start of worship on Sunday morning (Aug. 16), Rev. Cody Sanders gave an announcement that’s not what he typically offers: the congregation had been one of several churches “targeted by undercov...
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Brian Kaylor @briankaylor.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
This is alarming. Armed police officer entered a Quaker center in Philly while anti-ICE meeting was occurring. A Mennonite pastor volunteering at meeting sign-in desk escorted officer out but then that officer & another stayed & surveilled the building for 3 hours. www.inquirer.com/news/no-ice-...
inquirer.com
Anti-ICE activists question why Philly police showed up at their meeting. The department is investigating.
“I don’t know a reason that would have justified the officer walking into the premises,” a police staff inspector said.
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