Ezra Klein talks to University of North Carolina sociologist Tressie McMillan Cottom. They cover a broad range of topics such as writing for public audiences, nostalgia, blogging, generational change, race, disabilities, moral panic, social class, status, blondness, smartness, and the […]
Archives for April 2021
If American democracy is in crisis, expect calls for Supreme Court reform
Joe Biden wants to reform the Supreme Court. This kind of judicial reform also happened in the 1790s, 1850s, 1890s, 1930s, 1970s, and 2010s. Here is a taste of Syracuse University political scientist Thomas Keck‘s piece at The Washington Post: […]
Is Democratic Socialism anti-Christian?
Here is a taste of Stephen Mattson‘s piece at Sojourners: “Why Democratic Socialism Isn’t Anti-Christian“: Contemporary Christians are among those who have embraced the democratic socialist platform as a necessary check against an economy and political system they view as […]
Where does your state rank?
I am from New Jersey. New Jersey is ranked 48th in this poll. At least we beat out Mississippi, Alabama, and the District of Columbia! Obviously these people have never experienced a sunset at the Jersey shore, wandered along the […]
Ted Cruz’s war chest and the idolatry of evangelical GOP politics
Ted Cruz tried to overturn the 2020 Electoral Votes. He took a trip to Cancun while his constituents suffered through an ice storm. He told a conservative audience that he would shoot any rioters who came to his Houston neighborhood. […]
Out of the Zoo: History and Mental Illness
Annie Thorn is senior history major from Kalamazoo, Michigan and our intern here at The Way of Improvement Leads Home. As part of her internship she is writing a weekly column titled “Out of the Zoo.” It focuses on life as a […]
How Long?
In the pandemic Brazil and the U.S. share a dubious leadership. Evangelicals in both nations do, too.
What is the state of America’s civil religion?
Here is a taste of Tom Gjelten’s piece at National Public Radio: America, unlike some countries, is not defined by a common ancestry, nor is it tied to an official faith tradition. But it does have a distinct identity and […]
USA Today: Biden should get it done any way he can
Here is a taste of Jill Lawrence’s and Gregg Zoroya’s piece at USA Today: Biden is ready to do big things, both to help America and to revive its reputation in the eyes of the world. He has already commenced to redefine “bipartisanship” as what most […]
Biden Republicans
Are they similar to Reagan Democrats? Here is Will Weissert at the Associated Press: RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Jay Copan doesn’t hide his disregard for the modern Republican Party. A solid Republican voter for the past four decades, the 69-year-old […]
Evangelical theologian John Piper’s son is a TikTok sensation
Here is Ruth Graham at The New York Times: Abraham Piper became a sensation on TikTok nearly overnight. He posted his first video in November, and he now has more than 900,000 followers, many of them young people who thank […]
Nikki Haley will not run for president in 2024 if Trump decides to run
Here is Max Greenwood at The Hill: Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Monday that she would not mount a bid for the White House in 2024 should former President Trump decide to run again. “I would not run if […]
“A History of Evangelicals and Politics” podcast is here!
Our patrons-only podcast dropped last night. Subscribers to Current at the Longshore level and above receive this brand new narrative history podcast. In order to encourage folks to sign-up, we have decided to drop the opening episode–Episode 0: Introduction–below. If […]
My Mother’s Questions
When Wisdom cries aloud in our streets, what is she saying?
Eric Metaxas continues to spread an anti-vaxxer message
Pick it up at the 10:00 mark: Here is an article on Dr. Ryan Cole, the doctor Metaxas cites in this video. Also here.
Pro-life Democrats march in defense of the Hyde Amendment
I don’t see many news outlets covering this story. Here is Ryan Foley at The Christian Post: A group of pro-life Democrats and other pro-life activists gathered on Capitol Hill and across the country Saturday to oppose the exclusion of […]
More than half of Republicans still believe Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election
CNN’s Harry Enten reports on the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll: A new Reuters/Ipsos poll finds that 55% of Republicans falsely believe Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election was the result of illegal voting or rigging. Additionally, 60% of Republicans incorrectly agree […]
Mike “MyPillow Guy” Lindell’s latest investigation
The My Pillow Guy is now investigating Fox News to find out why the cable network refuses to book him as a guest on its programs. Here is a taste of Richard Luscombe’s piece at The Guardian: Mike Lindell, the […]
Saturday Night Light spoofs the Obama-Springsteen podcast
Watch: Check out Tony Norman’s piece at Current: “Born to Reborn.”
San Francisco school board will not rename schools
Some of you may remember our posts earlier this year about the San Francisco school board’s decision to rename forty-four schools that honor historical figures such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. It now appears the board […]