1680: Revolts in America

Last updated on: March 4, 2016 at 11:59 am By Philip Jenkins

I have been posting on the catastrophic years around 1680, when climate-induced changes vastly increased social tensions, spawning revolts and social crises. The 1670s was also a turbulent period in North America itself, and weather played its role – as how could it not? In 1676, Nathaniel Bacon led his famous revolt in Virginia, which many historians see as the forerunner of later nationalist and anti-royal sentiment. Causes were complex, but I note this weather-related comment from the National Park... Read more

Emptiness

Last updated on: March 4, 2016 at 11:59 am By johnturner

In Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi, he includes what most scholars regard as an early Christian hymn. It praises Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. Jesus humbled himself and “became obedient to the point of death — even death on a cross.” Because Jesus made himself low,... Read more

Unexpected Sites of Christian Pacifism: South Korea

Last updated on: March 4, 2016 at 11:59 am By David Swartz

South Korea is an embattled nation. Birthed out of brutal Japanese rule from 1910 to 1945 and then invaded by a Marxist army in 1950, it since has been threatened by North Korea, its totalitarian, atheistic, saber-rattling neighbor to the north. The understandable result has been a militarized nation that requires mandatory service for all men between the ages of 18 and 35. According to Mennonite InterVarsity worker SeongHan Kim, this militarization has resulted in an intensely nationalistic Korean Christianity.... Read more

Ted Cruz: When Civil Religion Goes Too Far

Last updated on: March 4, 2016 at 11:59 am By Thomas Kidd

Our fellow Patheos blogger Warren Throckmorton posted about recent comments Glenn Beck made at a Ted Cruz rally, held at a South Carolina church, about the Constitution and the Bible both being “sacred scriptures.” [start at :50] Christian conservatives need to draw a clear line on this topic. Yes, religion and the Bible have had a major role in shaping our nation’s ideas, and the mental world of the Founders, regardless of their personal faiths. Yes, a nation that strips... Read more

Remember that you are dust

Last updated on: March 4, 2016 at 11:59 am By Agnes Howard

All of my children got ashes on the forehead before getting washed with the waters of baptism. This is probably common, depending on local protocols of baptism or Ash Wednesday, which more American Protestants now observe as an edifying if not essential rite. Our Anglican church schedules baptisms for the Easter vigil, so our kids had Lent before they got the sacrament. Some Protestant parents, who have embraced Ash Wednesday but not infant baptism, go years watching their children marked... Read more

1680: The Limits of Christendom

Last updated on: April 1, 2016 at 8:20 pm By Philip Jenkins

I recently described the tumultuous years 1675-1685, and how they shaped the future of Europe and North America. Here, I want to explore the implications for the politics of religion in this era, and for some of the stereotypes we might have. Everyone knows that religion played a vital role in the Early Modern era: according to customary stereotypes, Protestants fought Catholics, Catholics fought Protestants, and Christians struggled against Muslims. All those statements are correct as far as they go,... Read more

The Geneva Bible’s One Covenant of Grace

Last updated on: March 4, 2016 at 11:59 am By johnturner

From 1560 until well into the seventeenth century, the Geneva Bible was the most widely read translation of the Christian scriptures into English. Itself building upon but surpassing the prior efforts of William Tyndale and Miles Coverdale, the Geneva Bible exerted a strong influence on the language of the King James text and through it on English translations down to the present day. The Geneva Bible, as its name suggests, was a project conceived of and carried out in exile,... Read more

Counting the Cost of a History PhD

Last updated on: March 4, 2016 at 11:59 am By Beth Allison Barr

I still remember the day I got the letter. Five full years of support, including an additional first year award, for my top choice in history graduate school–The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I ran so fast to my undergraduate professor’s office to tell him the good news, that I tripped and spilled my diet coke all over his door and carpet. A stain still marks my triumph, as the coke splashed on a picture made by one of... Read more

Why the Founding Fathers Spoke the King James Bible

Last updated on: March 4, 2016 at 11:59 am By Thomas Kidd

One of the besetting problems of “Christian America” history writing is that it often interprets biblical quotes from the Founders as evidence that they were personally devout. Sometimes personally devout Founders did also speak in the language of the King James Bible, of course. But a broader range of Founding Fathers – including the skeptical Benjamin Franklin – spoke in the language of the King James because it was the coin of the realm. Even people who had little formal... Read more

1680: Climates of Revolt

Last updated on: March 4, 2016 at 11:59 am By Philip Jenkins

Any account of religion in the pre-Modern world has to take account of economic circumstances, and especially the way in which climate change and weather affected farming and trade. In my last post, I described the horrendous conditions of the decade after 1675, an especially cold period within the larger framework of the Little Ice Age. I specifically looked at a couple of episodes of outrageous religious paranoia, scapegoating and persecution in England and France, and several other European lands.... Read more