The Atlantic is running another fascinating piece of political journalism from Ron Brownstein. Conservatives know they have no chance of shaping national policy, so they are appealing to localism. While I am certainly supportive of cultivating local culture, as an […]
Archives for June 2021
Veteran speaks about the Black history behind Memorial Day. His mic gets cut.
It was no accident. Here is Andrea Salcedo of The Washington Post: Retired Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter was midway through his speech at a Memorial Day ceremony in an Ohio cemetery when he started discussing the role that freed […]
YouTube dumps The Eric Metaxas Show
In case you missed this in yesterday’s evangelical roundup, here is Metaxas breaking the news to his audience:
Trump really believes he will be “reinstated” to office in August
Is the “MyPillow Guy” now calling the shots? Here is Charlie Cooke at The National Review: Two days ago, the New York Times’s Maggie Haberman reported that Donald Trump “has been telling a number of people he’s in contact with that he expects he will get […]
Pence says he and Trump “do not see eye to eye” on the January 6, 2021 insurrection
This is the first time the former vice president has suggested that he has a different view of January 6 than his old boss. But of course this claim was also couched in pro-Trump administration rhetoric. Here is Myah Ward […]
What is popular at Current this week?
Here are the most popular Current features of the last week: An Open Letter to American History Teachers: Stop Teaching “Critical Race Theory” Who Killed Evangelicalism? We Are Family Religion and Politics: Which Way Does It Flow? Lee Greenwood Christianity Here are […]
Why Socialists Oppose The New York Times’ 1619 Project
Historical falsification has historical effects—effects the cause of equality can hardly afford
Paige Patterson and the “black girl”
In a recently leaked letter to the leadership of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, Russell Moore letter he wrote: Another SBC leader used constant pressure against me in protest of our hiring of Dan Darling and Trillia […]
Where should we put Confederate monuments? How about cemeteries?
I just ran across Marc Fisher’s piece at The Washington Post on a Virginia “Johnny Reb” statue that was removed and taken to a local cemetery. Here is a taste: “I’m not sure cemeteries get us any closer to a […]
Conservative publishing is having a hard time turning Joe Biden into a “compelling villain”
Here is McKay Coppins at The Atlantic: In the conservative book world, nothing is supposed to set off a gold rush like a new Democratic president. Ever since Bill Clinton inspired a wave of right-wing best sellers in the ’90s, […]
Words with no meaning
“Cancel culture.” “Wokness.” “Critical Race Theory.” “Socialism.” We are debating these issues and we have no idea what they mean. Here is a taste of Hamilton Nolan at In These Times: To attempt to have any kind of good faith […]
Evangelical roundup for June 3, 2021
What is going on in Evangelicalland? Paige Patterson believes a “lynch mob” is after him. Russell Moore get a new gig as “Minister in Residence” at a non-Southern Baptist Church that is part of the Acts 29 network. Adelle banks […]
The Pennsylvania Trumpers show-up in Maricopa County, Arizona
Doug Mastriano, the pro-Trump Pennsylvania state legislator who breached the U.S. Capitol Complex on January 6, 2021, is at it again. For those of you unfamiliar with this guy, get up to speed with these pieces/posts: Who is Doug Mastriano, […]
Religion and Politics: Which Way Does It Flow?
If recent research is right, politics and religion are even more tangled than we tend to believe
Early responses to the leaked Russell Moore letter
What letter? Get up to speed here. An array of responses: Thread and the backstory: Here’s more: Meanwhile, Albert Mohler is running for office:
We now have a better understanding of why Russell Moore left his post with the Southern Baptist Convention
And it has little to do directly with Trump. Here is Paul O’Donnell and Bob Smietana at Religion News Service: For years before his resignation last month as president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the […]
The GOP’s “lost generation”
Rational Republicans are leaving politics in droves. Here is Politico: As Donald Trump ponders another presidential bid, top Republicans have grown fearful about what they’re calling the party’s “lost generation.” In conversations with more than 20 lawmakers, ex-lawmakers, top advisers […]
Song of the Day
A little 1970s prog rock today:
Is Jonathan Falwell the future of Liberty University?
After Jerry Falwell Jr. resigned in disgrace as president of Liberty University, rumors circulated that either Mike Pence or Mike Huckabee might replace him. But the frontrunner in the race for the next president of Liberty is Jonathan Falwell, Jerry […]
100 prominent political scientists: American democracy is in danger
New America, a Washington D.C. think tank, gathered 100 political scientists to sign this statement of concern: June 1, 2021 We, the undersigned, are scholars of democracy who have watched the recent deterioration of U.S. elections and liberal democracy with […]