Here is West’s conversation with writer and Presbyterian minister Christopher Hedges: Some key West quotes from the Hedges interview: “I’ve always viewed myself as a jazz man in the world of ideas as well as a jazz man in politics, […]
The Dispatch to Republicans: “Say in public those things about Donald Trump that you so often say in private”
The Dispatch is a conservative anti-Trump online political magazine. Earlier this week it released a rare editorial. The subject is Donald Trump’s federal indictment. Here is a taste: There are many reasons to believe he will be—and ought to be—a […]
Southern Baptist pastor Linda Barnes Popham speaks out: “Why now?”
Everyone in the Southern Baptist world and beyond was talking this week about Rick Warren and Saddleback Church. But what about Linda Barnes Popham and Fern Creek Baptist Church? Fern Creek Baptist is in Louisville, Kentucky, the city that is […]
Juneteenth has always been “distinctly local” commemoration
Historian Tiya Miles wonders how the celebration of Juneteenth might change now that it is a federal holiday. Here is a taste of her piece today at The New York Times: It’s been two years since Juneteenth became a federal […]
Robert Gottlieb, RIP
Last weekend I watched the documentary Turn Every Page. Here is the trailer: Before I watched his documentary I knew that Robert Gottlieb was Robert Caro’s editor and he was the editor-in-chief at Alfred A. Knopf publishing house, but that […]
Cormac McCarthy inspires a consequential question: What is the worth of holy awe?
One of America’s great novelists passed away this week. Here is National Public Radio: Cormac McCarthy, one of the great novelists of American literature, died Tuesday of natural causes at his home in Santa Fe, N.M. He was 89. His […]
Fox News legal analyst Jonathan Turley suggests that Trump could die in prison
Some you may remember Jonathan Turley as the George Washington University law professor who testified at Donald Trump first impeachment hearing in 2019. At that time he asked: “Will a slipshod impeachment make us less made or will it only […]
“Later you wonder what your children will remember about these days and where the past will find them”
I like to think of Robert Erle Barham as the cultivator of Current ‘s literary soul. If you are not familiar with his creative non-fiction, you should be. In January 2023 we ran his piece “When You Measured the World.” […]
What is popular this week at Current?
Here are the most popular features of the week at Current: Here are the most popular posts of the last week at The Way of Improvement Leads Home blog: Here are the most popular posts of the last week at The Arena blog:
Cornel West is now seeking the nomination of the Green Party
Last week West was running as the nominee of the People’s Party. Now he is seeking the Green Party nomination, a party on the ballot in more states than the People’s Party. So far he is the only declared Green […]
Wikipedia editors speak out
I do not allow my students to use Wikipedia as a source in their research papers. But I do encourage them to go to Wikipedia to learn more about their topics. Sometimes Wikipedia footnotes can lead students to sources that […]
Did the Rick Warren-Saddleback controversy at the SBC Annual Meeting detract attention from abuse reform?
Here is Kate Shellnut at Christianity Today: The issue that once dominated Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) annual meetings—sexual abuse in churches—almost receded into the background at this year’s gathering, which was overrun by debates around women serving as pastors. Only […]
Evangelical roundup for June 15, 2023
What is happening in Evangelical land? Happy Birthday to my favorite evangelical Christian–Joy Fea! See our coverage of the Annual Meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention here and here and here and here and here and here. Harvard Magazine features […]
Will more congregations with women pastors leave the Southern Baptist Convention?
It appears the answer is yes. Here is a press release from First Baptist Church of Gainesville, Georgia: Dear Church Family, Our storied congregation has, throughout its history, partnered with organizations that complement the unique identity and work of First […]
What happened on day 2 of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Annual Meeting?
Some of the best religion reporters in the business are in New Orleans this week. Here is what they have to say about what happened on the second and final day of the meeting. These tweets are (roughly) in chronological […]
Christian nationalist worship leader Sean Feucht takes communion in the U.S. Capitol
Christian nationalists take historic Christian rites like the Lord’s Supper and use them to advance American nationalism. This is blasphemy. I told a reporter today that Christian nationalism is not a religious movement, it is a political movement. It is […]
“This is going to be an inquisition now”: Rick Warren responds to the SBC vote to keep Saddleback Church out of the denomination
Get up to speed here. Watch: Warren also got into politics. Here are some snippets: “We lost. I wasn’t expecting to win…We actually had about 700 more votes than I figured we’d get….” “The SBC is a democracy and in […]
Southern Baptists will not allow Rick Warren and Saddleback Church back into the fold
Here is Michelle Boorstein at The Washington Post: Thousands of Southern Baptists voted overwhelmingly to affirm the expulsion of Saddleback Church, the epitome for decades of a modern conservative evangelical megachurch, because Saddleback Pastor Rick Warren ordained women, Southern Baptist […]
What happened on day 1 of the 2023 Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting?
Some of the best religion reporters in the business are in New Orleans this week. Here is what they have to say about what happened on the first day of the meeting. These tweets are (roughly) in chronological order (morning […]
Rick Warren vs. Al Mohler on the floor of the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in New Orleans (video)
Get up to speed here Here’s how it all went down: As far as I can tell, a decision has yet to be made on whether Saddleback will return to the Southern Baptist Convention. (6:32pm). In other Southern Baptist Convention […]