A group of Palestinian kids in Gaza huddles around a phone screen. Their beaming smiles contrast with the utter destruction surrounding them. But they are transfixed by a just-released music video by an American rapper from Seattle, Washington, protesting Israel’s war on Gaza. The song calls for a ceasefire and invokes the name and story of Hind Rajab, a six-year old Palestinian girl from the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood of Gaza City. The story of Hind’s death still haunts me. I... Read more
Donald Trump’s May 30th conviction by a jury of his peers on 34 felony counts inspired countless pundits to declare that America had entered a “new era.” For example, a Wall Street Journal editorial called the verdict the beginning of a “new and destabilizing era,” and Al Mohler called it “a major turning point in American history.” Even the response to the verdict has been declared a turning point. Ronald Brownstein in The Atlantic claimed that Republicans’ denunciation of the... Read more
Memory Loss, Identity, and Whether History Matters My mother was diagnosed with memory problems in her 60s, and doctors eventually labeled her challenges as Alzheimer’s Disease. Almost ten years into living with this disability, she is still socially engaged, travels to see family, enjoys entertaining her grandchildren, and enjoys caring for the pets she and my father fill their home with. While the lively and charismatic entrepreneur and professor that she once was has evolved into a sedentary and careful... Read more
I have been describing my work on social problems and nightmares, and how that approach affects our understanding of mainstream American religious history. Last time I discussed the Satanism Scare of the 1980s as a critical factor in our understanding of modern evangelical and Pentecostal history. Today, I will talk about the role of clergy sexual abuse scandals as a factor in American Catholic history. The Roman Catholic church has long been the largest single institution in the American religious... Read more
Last month, I read two recently-released books grappling with trends within evangelicalism: Sarah McCammon’s The Exvangelicals and Tim Alberta’s The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory.: American Evangelicals in An Age of Extremism. While certainly different in tone, aim, and scope, both authors identify (and personally corroborate) fractures within evangelicalism and disillusioning trends. Taken together, a striking portrait emerges not only of this historical moment in evangelicalism but its intimate effects. (*Note: Both authors read their own audiobooks!) A quick... Read more
Summer. The time of year for slower days, sunshine, summer camps, outdoor adventures, and… the ongoing modesty discourse in certain circles. Matthew Pierce’s April Substack “2024 Summer Swimsuit Guide for Christian Women” is a humorous take on the seemingly endless discussion of appropriate attire for women, with its suggestion of things like force fields and traffic cones as “wholesome, stylish suggestions for swimwear that honors your brothers in Christ.” But all joking aside, the discussion of women’s responsibility to dress... Read more
Today’s post is a little bit angry so be forewarned. I guess I have a new pet peeve. And frankly, it is not merely a pet peeve. It is a trespassing of the third commandment: that we not misuse the name of the Lord our God (or as we popularly refer to it, taking the name of the Lord in vain). This is often understood as meaning that we have to be careful not to use God’s name as an... Read more
Since the rule of law was upheld in the courts of New York on Thursday, May 30, 2024 and a jury of his peers convicted the forty-fifth President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, on 34 counts of felony—there have been numerous responses to the verdict from evangelicals. While these events have unfolded and as I’ve taken in the evangelical responses to them, I have been rereading and reflecting on the significance of James K. A. Smith’s book, You... Read more
by Janine Giordano Drake Last November, I had the chance to visit the National Archives on Pennsylvania Avenue. From the special guest list at the entrance to the secret cafeteria in the basement to the giant shelf of old census data, there was not a detail in that building that I did not find thrilling. But perhaps the most fascinating experience of all occurred after a librarian handed me the giant hand-written record book which kept track of all the... Read more
Recently I described the quite extensive work I had undertaken at an earlier phase of my career on the topic of social problems – or, as we might say, of various panics and nightmares – which got me deep into themes of drugs, child abuse, serial murder, terrorism, and other sensational matters. This was really what I was known for before I turned my attention to Global Christianity and Christian History. At this point, you might well be asking: what... Read more
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