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Archives for July 2021

What are you reading this summer?

John Fea   |  July 31, 2021

Check out Jennifer Harlan’s New York Times piece on the history of summer reading. Here is a taste: Something about these dog days, more than any other time of year, invites readers to bury themselves in a book — and […]

What do Americans think about vaccine mandates?

John Fea   |  July 31, 2021

According to a recent study by the COVID States Project: 64% of Americans believe all their fellow Americans should get the COVID-19 vaccine. 70% of Americans support requiring a vaccine to get on an airplane. 61% of Americans support requiring […]

Pennsylvania counties will not comply with state senator Doug Mastriano’s audit request

John Fea   |  July 31, 2021

We covered this here. Sara Murray has the story at CNN: A Pennsylvania Republican’s effort to launch a ballot audit of the 2020 results in the Keystone State has hit a roadblock after three counties declined to hand over their election materials […]

This is what too often passes for conservative evangelical politics today

John Fea   |  July 30, 2021

Watch Dinesh D’Souza: Evangelical pastors invite D’Souza to speak at their churches and schools. In the last two years D’Souza has spoken at: Emmanuel Enid Church in Enid, Oklahoma Church of Glad Tidings in Live Oak, California Calvary Chapel–Chino Hills […]

“If pro-life advocates want to reduce the number of abortions…arguments about the humanity of the fetus won’t be relevant, because many of the women obtaining abortions already hold such beliefs.”

John Fea   |  July 30, 2021

If you are pro-life, I hope you had a chance to read historian Daniel K. Williams’s piece today at Current. In my view, the pro-life movement is stuck in a rut. In its nearly fifty-year effort to overturn Roe v. […]

An evangelical anti-vaxxer in the Olympic pool

John Fea   |  July 30, 2021

His name is Michael Andrew and he ran out of gas on the last leg of yesterday’s final in the 200 meter individual medley. Watch: Rowdy Gaines said it all: “He’s done.” Out of the pool, Michael Andrew is a […]

Why do we HAVE to study history?

John Fea   |  July 30, 2021

I love this:

Vaccinations required

John Fea   |  July 30, 2021

Yesterday Joe Biden announced that federal employees need to be vaccinated or “face new testing, masking, and distancing rules.” Several companies are also insisting that their employees get vaccinated, including Google, Facebook, Netflix, Morgan Stanley, Saks Fifth Avenue, The Washington […]

What is popular this week at Current?

John Fea   |  July 30, 2021

Here are the most popular Current features of the last week: John Fea, Love Your Neighbor. Get Vaccinated Adam Jortner, Can We Get Better Jeremiads? John Fea, Reforming Evangelicalism Nadya Williams, Changes in the Classics Jeremy Sabella, The Prosperity Gospel President Here […]

Abortion and the Class Divide

Daniel K. Williams   |  July 30, 2021

Given the class dynamics surrounding abortion, what methods should pro-life advocates adopt? 

The spiritual freedom and bravery of Simone Biles

John Fea   |  July 29, 2021

America is running a nice piece on Simone Biles by Zac Davis. A taste: Even if we aren’t carrying around the pressure of performing as one of the greatest athletes of all time, we are all susceptible to the undercurrents […]

Who is J.D. Vance? Apparently a lot of Ohio GOP voters haven’t read Hillbilly Elegy

John Fea   |  July 29, 2021

In his book Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis, J.D. Vance interpreted Appalachia for a largely educated, non-populist reading public. He was able to do this because he left Appalachia for Yale Law School. He […]

Mike Lindell is “affable, devout, philanthropic–and a clear threat to the nation”

John Fea   |  July 29, 2021

Mike “MyPillow Guy” Lindell loves to talk to journalists. He seems to enjoy the attention. This is why I am not surprised that he agreed to meet with Anne Applebaum of The Atlantic. They met at Steve Bannon’s townhouse and […]

Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA is mobilizing evangelicals to oppose vaccine mandates

John Fea   |  July 29, 2021

Earlier this week, the conservative evangelical Trump-follower said that Simone Biles is a sociopath. He doubled-down on the comments yesterday: Today we learn how Kirk is stoking vaccine resistance through his “pro-Trump youth group” Turning Point USA. Here is Isaac […]

There will be no Bruce Springsteen rest stop on the Garden State Parkway

John Fea   |  July 29, 2021

The Garden State Parkway intersects with NJ Highway 9 around Tom’s River New Jersey, roughly thirty miles South of Bruce Springsteen’s home town of Freehold. But the guy who was sprung from cages out on Highway 9 does not want […]

Evangelical roundup for July 29, 2021

John Fea   |  July 29, 2021

What is going on Evangelicalland?: Are evangelicals anti-anti-racist? One evangelical doesn’t like David French writing about race. Here is what French wrote. Shane Claiborne wants to visit Greg Locke’s church: Christian Contemporary Music is more popular than country music…IN NASHVILLE! […]

Just Do It

Katie Stoneback   |  July 29, 2021

It’s surprisingly good advice—especially during a pandemic

Eric Metaxas: Don’t get vaccinated. Be a rebel.

John Fea   |  July 28, 2021

I wrote a lot about Metaxas today in my piece at Current. I could have added this to the article. In addition to his radio program, Metaxas serves as a “fellow” at the Liberty University Standing for Freedom Center. Watch […]

If there is a spirit of anti-Christ in America right now, we saw it yesterday. But Kirk, Carlson, and Ingraham are free to channel that spirit because we are not a Christian nation.

John Fea   |  July 28, 2021

Yesterday was a sad day for the United States. When I use the term “anti-Christ” in this post I am not invoking some kind of eschatological figure mentioned in the Book of Revelation, but a general spirit that runs counter […]

Episode 15: “Massachusetts Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage”

John Fea   |  July 28, 2021

The Christian Right responds to the Goodridge v. Department of Health decision. Episode 15: “Massachusetts Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage” dropped last night. Subscribers to Current at the Longshore level and above receive this narrative history podcast. Here’s a teaser: Listen to Episodes 0, 1, […]

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