Faith in Appalachia

A view of the stage during the Moral March on Washington D.C. The event was sponsored by the Poor People’s Campaign and featured a range of organizations, including mainline Protestant denominations, Labor Unions, and several activist groups representing LGBTQ rights, Black Lives Matter, and even medical professionals advocating for Medicare for All. Photo: Laura Harbert Allen/100 Days in Appalachia
A view of the stage during the Moral March on Washington D.C. The event was sponsored by the Poor People’s Campaign and featured a range of organizations, including mainline Protestant denominations, Labor Unions, and several activist groups representing LGBTQ rights, Black Lives Matter, and even medical professionals advocating for Medicare for All. Photo: Laura Harbert Allen/100 Days in Appalachia

Power and Faith: These Two Religious Coalitions Can Teach Us A Lot about American Politics Today

by on July 12, 2022 Comments are Disabled

“In America, we don’t worship government, we worship God.” Former Pres. Donald Trump focused on cementing his relationship with the Christian right in his June keynote address to the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s national conference. “We know that families and churches – not government officials – know how to create […]

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The Appalachian Pastor Who Created a Diverse Congregation in an Overwhelmingly White Community

by on December 16, 2021 Comments are Disabled

This story originally appeared in The Washington Post Magazine. At 11 a.m. each Sunday — labeled by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as one of the most segregated hours in Christian America — an Appalachian church goes live on YouTube and Facebook. Organ chords and a rat-a-tat drum beat kick […]

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Jeff Leake, head of the Allison Park Church organization in Allison Park, Pennsylvania, was among many in the faith community that faced backlash after making public his COVID-19 vaccination this year. Photo: Chris Jones/100 Days in Appalachia

Political Conflicts Are Escalating in Sanctuaries of Southwestern PA Churches. Can They Heal?

by on July 22, 2021 Comments are Disabled

Racism, abortion, same-sex unions, mask-wearing, vaccines. Churches could be sites of dialogue, pastors say. Now, they’re more polarized than ever. Rev. Jeff Leake, lead pastor of Allison Park Church, a multi-campus worship community just north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, posted about his first COVID shot on Instagram.  He meant his photo […]

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Christians Are Politically Divided. Two Pittsburgh Seminaries Explain How They’re Readying Pastors for the Minefield.

by on July 22, 2021 Comments are Disabled

In the part of Appalachia near Pittsburgh, new pastors could have widely different experiences. They might be called to churches in the inner city or rural towns. They might serve 200-year-old legacy churches or start-up congregations. Their congregations may be active in the Black Lives Matter movement or participate in […]

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