What's it like teaching in the middle of a pandemic? Four of our contributors report on college under COVID. Read more
What's it like teaching in the middle of a pandemic? Four of our contributors report on college under COVID. Read more
It’s time to reread Gilead. Last week’s release of Marilynne Robinson’s new novel about the characters she introduced in Gilead is more than a publishing development. Addressing in fiction a past painfully relevant to our own, the book’s coming counts as an event in its own right. When excerpts of Jack started leaking out during the summer’s hot days of anguish over racial violence, sickness, and fear, I could hardly wait. But now I am not sure if I can... Read more
Over the past few months, my wife and I have been using our non-voluntary time staying at home to watch our way through performances of all Shakespeare’s dramatic works, using the BBC productions filmed between 1978 and 1985 (and available on Britbox). I posted about this project, and now we have completed the process, 37 out of 37. But who’s counting? (!). I am here offering some further thoughts, referring to the plays we have watched more recently. Most of... Read more
We’re three months out now from the release of Jesus and John Wayne, and it’s been a whirlwind of remote talks, podcasts, interviews, and even a couple of documentary film crews. One of the reasons I’ve had so many opportunities to talk about the book is because it touches on so many interconnected themes. It is a book about American politics and the fate of American democracy. It is also about purity culture and sexual abuse and male headship and... Read more
In case the popularity of Stranger Things and Cobra Kai and the renewed appreciation of Phil Collins’ iconic drum solo in “In the Air Tonight” hasn’t made it clear, the 1980s are in right now. And, riding this wave of nostalgia for the Era of Extravagant Bangs, American Girl just released its newest historical character this week: Courtney, a California girl who lives in 1986. She loves Pac-Man, Care Bears, and belt bags, and her hair is indeed glorious. These... Read more
Evangelical Christians tend to be strong supporters of both President Trump and the U.S. military. What happens when it becomes clear that the former actually disdains the latter? Read more
Today’s post is unusual, in that I am mainly presenting the ideas of another person (with his consent!). When I work on Global/World Christianity, I have a special interest in India, not least as the setting of one of the world’s oldest Christian communities, probably dating to the late first century. Today, its forty million-plus Christians represent a very substantial group, which rarely receives the international recognition it deserves. In describing the issues they currently face, I will be drawing... Read more
The recent closure of face to face events around the world is dreadful on so many points, but in some ways it actually does open some opportunities. Many institutions have adapted by putting first rate lectures and conferences online (Georgetown has done some great stuff). Now it is the turn of my own unit, Baylor University’s ’s Institute for the Studies of Religion, ISR, and I am taking this opportunity to advertise a major upcoming event. Before you ask, you... Read more
Why do subsets of Americans care so much about the Supreme Court? Most Americans would be hard pressed to name more than two or three members of the Court, let alone assess its recent jurisprudence. At the same time, political passions surrounding the Court reach a fever pitch with each nomination. It has been rare in recent U.S. history for a political party to hold majorities in both branches of Congress and the presidency at the same time. And such... Read more
Political tension does not preclude civility. Dining together and watching opera together may help. Read more
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