S. Karly Kehoe is Associate Professor of History and Canada Research Chair in Atlantic Canada Communities at Saint Mary’s University. This interview is based on her new book, Empire and Emancipation: Scottish and Irish Catholics at the Atlantic Fringe, 1780-1850 […]
Way of Improvement
Don’t teach your kids how to ski
It doesn’t seem worth the investment. Eric Margolis explains at The New Republic: With an average of 16 feet of snowfall per year, Sapporo, Japan is one of the snowiest places on earth. But at the last Sapporo Snow Festival, […]
Is there a “Latino vote”?
In a recent piece at The Atlantic, historian Geraldo Cadava debunks the myth of the “Latino vote.” Here is a taste: Americans of all races are engaging in debates about our national origins because we sense that something is broken. […]
Could Trump be prosecuted for destroying documents?
Chris Truax, a lawyer and CEO of CertifiedVoter.com, believes it is possible. Here is a taste of his piece at The Bulwark: Funnily enough, the activity that puts Donald Trump in the greatest legal danger is also the most absurd: […]
It’s “I baptize,” not “we baptize”
A Catholic priest has resigned after using the wrong formula while baptizing thousands of children. Here is The New York Times: The Rev. Andres Arango was leading a baptism at St. Gregory Catholic Church in Phoenix last year when some […]
Commonplace Book #207
Intellectuals are in a position to expose the lies of governments, to analyze actions according to their causes and motives and often hidden intentions. In the Western world, at least, they have the power that comes from political liberty, from […]
The Author’s Corner with Mark Tabbert
Mark Tabbert is Director of Archives and Exhibits at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association. This interview is based on his new book, A Deserving Brother: George Washington and Freemasonry (University of Virginia Press, 2022). JF: What led you […]
The Author’s Corner with Clarissa J. Ceglio
Clarissa J. Ceglio is Associate Director of Research for Greenhouse Studio and Assistant Professor of Digital Humanities at the University of Connecticut. This interview is based on her new book, A Cultural Arsenal for Democracy: The World War II Work […]
What is going on at Grove City College?
Is Grove City College, a conservative Christian liberal arts college in western Pennsylvania, promoting critical race theory? I have no idea. The phrase “critical race theory” has become such a bogeyman in evangelical and conservative circles that it is impossible […]
Commonplace Book #206
Since it is ever more obvious that the current academy functions primarily to replicate an increasingly inequitable status quo, it is hard to imagine how it could be restructured to serve a more democratic purpose without external pressure for something […]
Evangelical roundup for February 14, 2022
What is happening in Evangelical land? Evangelicals and the Canadian freedom envoy. An important evangelical voice laments: Mike Pence is giving the April 2022 commencement address at evangelical Columbia International University. Beth Moore is still living rent free in the […]
Sunday night odds and ends
A few things online that caught my attention this week: Who would win a fight between a Bengal tiger and a ram? 19th-century chimney sweepers Lynching postcards William G. Thomas reviews Linda Hirschman, The Color of Abolition: How a Printer, […]
How to connect with Current
In January 2022, Current added several new features: We opened-up the comments section for patrons. We published a new masthead and announced our board of Contributing Editors. We introduced a “Long Form” feature. (Check out our first piece here). The […]
Evangelicals and small groups
Evangelicals love small groups. For many large churches, small groups are essential to building community, developing spiritual friendships, and strengthening the Body of Christ through the practice of prayer, Bible study, and fellowship. In an interesting and well-researched piece at […]
The director of Liberty University’s Standing for Freedom Center knows who we are. Is he rounding-up a posse and coming for us?
Ryan Helfenbein’s Twitter bio says that he is a “Christ Follower,” a “Husband and Father,” and a “Texas native.” He also uses the Latin phrase “Soli Dei Gloria” (“glory to God alone”). Helfenbein holds a Master of Divinity degree from […]
Colonial Williamsburg has a massive fundraising year
Here is Williamsburg-Yorktown Daily: The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation announced that Colonial Williamsburg (CW) received a record $102 million from donors in 2021. The amount is an increase of 42 percent over the previous record of $72 million set in 2019. Last year’s total includes […]
A St. Louis anti-vaxxer was arrested, strapped down by four men, and vaccinated after trying to convince Blacks from the South not to take the vaccine
The article is from the St. Louis Dispatch, August 6, 1923. Thanks to historian Andrew Wehrman for bringing this to my attention. Here is his Twitter commentary:
Capitalism exhibits “moral idiocy”
I just learned about Christian cultural critic Rodney Clapp‘s recent book Naming Neoliberalism: Exposing the Spirit of Our Age. (I have never met Clapp, but he was the acquisition editor at Baker Books who offered me a contract for Why […]
Abortions drop 60% in Texas under new law
Here is Paul Weber of the Associated Press: Abortions in Texas fell by 60% in the first month under the most restrictive abortion law in the U.S. in decades, according to new figures that for the first time reveal a […]
On John Wilsey’s review of Kristin Kobes Du Mez’s Jesus and John Wayne
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary church historian John Wilsey recently took a shot at Kristin Kobes Du Mez’s Jesus and John Wayne in a review published at a conservative website called Ad Fontes. Though Wilsey shows much more empathy than some […]