If, as is the case, we have to contend with a pervasive world view that identifies exploitation and social injustice as minor concomitants of the defense of a proper order, of religious and moral truth and of elementary decency in […]
Archives for April 2022
A conservative academic changes his mind about safe spaces
Here is Jon Shields of Claremont-McKenna College: Like other conservative professors who are advocates of free speech on campus, I once opposed efforts to create a classroom climate in which students are protected from speech they find emotionally upsetting, ranging […]
The Author’s Corner with Mark Noll
Mark Noll is retired Professor of History at Wheaton College and the University of Notre Dame. This interview is based on his new book, America’s Book: The Rise and Decline of a Bible Civilization, 1794-1911 (Oxford University Press, 2022). JF: What […]
What is popular this week at Current?
Here are the most popular features of the week at Current: Alan Godwin, “Running from the Chapel“ Frederic S. Durbin, “To the Tyrants“ Robert Erle Barham, “Look Not to the Dead and Dying“ Tony Norman, “Bob Dylan: Still Slipping In and […]
“If the KKK opposes gay marriage, I would ride with them”
The second of a two-part series on the Black church and gay marriage in 2004
Evangelicals respond to the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson
Ketanji Brown Jackson will become the first Black woman on the Supreme Court of the United States. The Senate voted 53-47 to confirm Jackson. Republican Senators Susan Collins (ME), Lisa Murkowski (AL), and Mitt Romney (UT) voted to confirm. Today […]
The complicated history of John Howard Yoder’s The Politics of Jesus
Yoder’s book turns fifty this year. Asbury University historian David Swartz reflects on its complicated history. Here is a taste of his piece at The Anxious Bench: I’ve not seen this anniversary mentioned anywhere yet—and for good reason: John Howard […]
Song of the day
A nice Springsteen cover from the Man in Black:
The enchantment of baseball
My Mets open-up tonight against the Nationals. I love opening day. Hope springs eternal! Here is a taste of Jacob Lupfer’s piece at Religion News Service: From any accounting of popularity, market share or American cultural dominance, baseball seems to […]
Is there a difference between an evangelical worship service and a right-wing political rally?
Sometimes it’s really hard to tell. Here is Elisabeth Dias and Ruth Graham at The New York Times: They opened with an invocation, summoning God’s “hedge of thorns and fire” to protect each person in the dark Phoenix parking lot. […]
The Author’s Corner with Mark Monmonier
Mark Monmonier is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Geography and the Environment at Syracuse University. This interview is based on his new book, Clock and Compass: How John Byron Plato Gave Farmers a Real Address (University of Iowa Press, 2022). JF: […]
Evangelical roundup for April 7, 2022
What is happening in Evangelical land? Do evangelicals still care about missions? Whitworth University history professor Aaron Griffith on why evangelicals should care about criminal justice: New Hampshire evangelicals call their state “Satan’s headquarters.” I want a copy of this: […]
Picking Up a Snake
Certitude and cynicism alike bow to wonder—at least every now and then
The latest hit piece in the “elite evangelical” genre
Over at the Albert Mohler and Andrew T. Walker’s WORLD magazine culture war newsletter, Miles Smith, a history professor at Hillsdale College, seems to think that evangelical historians who criticize Donald Trump must be trying to cozy-up to the secular […]
The GOP as Trump Steaks
Tim Miller writes for the conservative online magazine The Bulwark. He was the communications director for the 2016 Jeb Bush campaign and spokesperson for the Republican National Committee. Here is a taste of his piece “The Republican Party Is Trump […]
Charlie Kirk: “Huckster. Snake oil salesman. Charlatan”
Charlie Kirk, the pro-Trump pundit who spends most of his time rallying college students to a combative form of conservative populism, regularly appears on the weekends at evangelical megachurches. He is currently visiting churches as part of his “Saving America […]
This woman is not alone
She probably represents a small part of the population, but people like this are out there. Watch:
Pope Francis expresses solidarity with the people of Ukraine
Watch: Learn more here.
“An act of performative violence that impressed no one”
Here is Tony Norman of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (and Current writer) on slapgate: I’m old enough to remember when Kanye West was considered the most embarrassing Black man in America. Little did I know that Will Smith was hiding in […]
The GOP anti-Ukraine caucus
There members of the Congress who love Russia. Here is William Saletan at The Bulwark: After years of defending a pro-Putin American president and dismissing Russia’s interference in American elections, Republicans have returned to their old shtick: accusing Democrats of […]