Religion & Race Workshop: Race and Secularism in America October 26 and 27, 2012  Convened by Vincent Lloyd (Syracuse) and Jonathon Kahn (Vassar)  Overview:  How do religious ideas, present or repressed, contribute to the social formation of race in the United States? How does the existence of racialized communities complicate the self-understanding of the United States as a secular (or Christian) nation? Discussions of religion in America once focused on secularization, the decline of religious participation. But with the evident... Read more

This week, a college student at the back of a crowded auditorium at a church-related school asked me how we could fix our political system. It was a good question: heads nodded all around her. “How can we as Christians change things so that when we come into power we don’t repeat the same mistakes?” she asked. I’ve been spending two years thinking about this question, and I’d been talking with these students for almost an hour on what I... Read more

One-fifth of U.S. adults say they are not part of a traditional religious denomination, new data from the Pew Research Center show, evidence of an unprecedented reshuffling of Americans’ spiritual identities that is shaking up fields from charity to politics. But despite their nickname, the “nones” are far from godless. Many pray, believe in God and have regular spiritual routines. Their numbers have increased dramatically over the past two decades, according to the study released Tuesday. About 19.6 percent of... Read more

On Sunday Nights at 6:00pmCST, we conduct the Rhetoric Race and Religion book club using #R3bookclub. This month we are discussing R3 Contributor Edward J. Blum and Paul Harvey’s “Color of Christ: The Son of God and the Saga of Race in America.” Many wanted to participate in the chat, but were unable to do so. Therefore, we thought we would bring the chat to you. Our next chat is October 21. Hope to hear from you then!! Read more

The issue of how churches — and religion in general — ought to relate to public life was debated even before there was a United States of America. The Continental Congress appointed chaplains to lead prayers. George Washington himself, in his Farewell Address, held that “of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports.” He issued proclamations for days of prayer and thanksgiving, actions that his successors, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison,... Read more

Most polls indicate that this presidential race will be one that goes down to the wire. In certain swing states, block votes of minority groups will prove decisive. American Muslims, polls also reveal, will be critical for the victory of either Obama or Romney in at least three states; namely, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Florida. But in already-decided states, like the blue state of New Jersey, the community has flexed its political muscle in not only local races but also in... Read more

It was raining, and chilly, when Hope Christian Church celebrated Pulpit Freedom Sunday this past weekend. Some 150 congregants gathered for the special 8 a.m. service, where Bishop Harry R. Jackson, Jr. stood at the lectern and announced, “Today, 1,500 pastors and counting are purposely preaching a message that violates the 501(c)(3) status of our tax code.” Tax-exempt nonprofits—houses of worship included—are forbidden from endorsing or opposing political candidates and parties. For the last five years, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF),... Read more

There is much that’s wrong with faith in politics today, but not just in how it is abused; also in how it is attacked. And there is plenty that’s right about it too. One way of approaching religious issues is fear-based: there are threats to our faith; there are threats to our personal salvation; there are threats of being punished by God for misbehavior. And, of greatest concern in the political realm, is fear that there are threats to the... Read more

By Giovanni “Blame Girl” Neal R3 Contributor     Religious institutions of the United States literally have the freest speech in the country.  Over the past year, we’ve seen a church that wouldn’t allow interracial couples to attend their congregation.  Likewise, we have heard about a church that refused to perform a marriage ceremony for a black couple.  In our country we have a church whose URL address is godhatesfags.com; and the very same church protests our soldier’s funerals.  Religious institutions can even undermine... Read more

Join R3 Contributors Rashad Grove, Ebony Utley, Giovanni “Blame Girl” Neal, Brian Foulks, R3 Editor Andre E. Johnson and a host of others as we live tweet the Vice Presidential debate Thursday Night October 11 starting at 8:00pmCST. We will also stick around for a post debate tweet chat facitliated by Rhetoric Race and Religion blog. Join in the discussion by using the hashtag #R3debate. Follow us on twitter @rhetoricracerel Read more