Last week we brought to your attention the Phoenix, Arizona Catholic priest who resigned after he used the wrong pronoun while performing baptisms. Over at The Washington Post, Michelle Boorstein gets Rev. Thomas Reese, a Jesuit and religion journalist, to […]
Archives for February 2022
Who is a fundamentalist today? George Marsden talks about the recent edition of his Fundamentalism and American Culture
Check out Marsden’s interview with Brian Kaylor at Word & Way: Marsden continues to affirm his view that a “fundamentalist” is a “militant evangelical.” This raises an interesting question. Is an evangelical who is a culture warrior a “fundamentalism?” Based […]
“‘Crazy’ has become a church-growth strategy”
Are you a pastor who wants your church to grow? There is a new church-growth formula out there. If you are a pro-Trump, anti-critical race theory, anti-mask, and anti-vaccine pastor your church will grow. It will not grow through evangelism, […]
Unhealthy by Design?
The very notion of “the common good” may be downright un-American
How to get the most out of Current
Current provides daily commentary, reflection, and judgment on contemporary culture, politics, and ideas. It is grounded in the broad tradition of American democracy–a tradition whose practices and institutions are moving through a period of great stress and testing. The founders […]
Anti-Trump Republicans will gather for the “Principles First” summit
They will meet this weekend at the National Press Club. Speakers include Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Denver Riggleman, Geoff Duncan, Brad Raffensperger, Alexander Vindman, Joe Walsh, Barbara Comstock, Bill Kristol, Charlie Sykes, Tom Nichols, Peter Wehner, and Harry Dunn. Meanwhile, […]
THIS WEEK: The Conference of Faith and History AHA session on Eugene McCarraher’s The Enchantments of Mammon
Several scheduled sessions at this year’s annual meeting of the American Historical Association were moved to this week’s AHA22 Online conference. Each year the Conference on Faith and History sponsors a session at the AHA and due to COVID-19 related […]
Evangelical roundup for February 21, 2022
What is happening in Evangelical land? David Brooks talks to Russell Moore, one of the subjects of his recent piece on dissenting evangelicals. Moore says “crazy has become a church-growth strategy.” Not everyone likes it: I don’t know this guy […]
Celebrating the Humanity of Edmonia Lewis
We do this American artist a disservice by failing to acknowledge her contradictions
Episode 95: “The Lost Promise of American Universities”
American universities entered the 1960s with the hope of bringing a high-quality system of universal higher education to all comers. But by the early 1970s hope turned to despair as universities gave way to neoliberalism, corporatism, and a powerful conservative […]
Taking the weekend off
We will be back on Monday.
On the road this Spring
As COVID-19 starts to break (hopefully) it will be nice to start getting back on the road again. Here is where I am heading this Spring: Though it is not technically “on the road,” I will be chairing the Conference […]
Does Ibram X. Kendi run the Democratic Party?
Of course he doesn’t. But I am sure his views have a following among some progressives in the party. Here is Matt Bai at The Washington Post: I’ve always liked and respected President Biden, and in most ways he has governed […]
What is popular this week at Current?
Here are the most popular features of the week at Current: Jeremy Sabella, “The Tower of Babel and the American Experiment“ Jay Case, “Coca-Cola and Authenticity: What’s Not to Like?“ Jeremy Sabella, “Apocalypse and Revelation“ Greg Williams, “D.C. DISPATCH: “Christ is […]
On Turning 56
A historian reflects on his final act
A restaurant asked Charlie Kirk to prove his vaccine status. Be on the lookout. Nazism is right around the corner.
This is the latest fear-mongering from Charlie Kirk. He will be at an evangelical church near you this weekend. I am told by his PR people that he doesn’t make any money speaking at churches. But I am sure that […]
The Great MyPillow Airlift
Forget about the Berlin Airlift. Mike “MyPillow Guy” Lindell is planning a Canadian airlift. You can’t make this stuff up. Here is Zachary Petrizzo of The Daily Beast: After his initial Tuesday shipment of MyPillow products was denied entry into Canada, Mike Lindell now […]
Blowout counties
Over at Sabatos’ Crystal Ball, Rhodes Cook talks about “blowout presidential counties” with Jon Karl of ABC News and Rep. Rho Khanna (D-CA). Here are the takeaways: “More than 20% of the nation’s counties gave 80% or more of its […]
Episode 35: “Mr. Keyes Goes to Illinois”
Barack Obama gets a challenger in the 2004 Illinois Senate race Episode 35: “Mr. Keyes Goes to Illinois” dropped last night. Subscribers to Current at the Longshore level and above have access to new episodes of this narrative history podcast. Here is a teaser: […]
Evangelical roundup for February 17, 2022
What is happening in Evangelical land? Scot McKnight on why evangelicalism needs salvation. Now the Liberty University Standing for Freedom Center is going after Tim Keller: An evangelical pastor and theologian enters the debate on historians and activism. I am […]