Most of us don’t think twice about calling a misguided search for wrongdoing a “witch hunt,” but for some Massachusetts descendants of Puritans, who still take witch hunting very seriously, willy-nilly references to the practice is cause for protest. We reached out to one protester -- the reverend Goodman Mather, who lives on his family's … Continue reading Descendants of Puritans protest references to “witch hunts” at Mueller hearings
Politics
For Barton, Metaxas, et. al., July is a month for predictable talking points
More than a few Evangelical historians are vocal critics of David Barton and Eric Metaxas (for good reason). This week, as we've celebrated the July fourth holiday, John Fea and Thomas Kidd have drawn attention to the same well-worn talking points we've come to expect. Kidd has specifically referenced Barton's old and anachronistic claim (this … Continue reading For Barton, Metaxas, et. al., July is a month for predictable talking points
In Honor of MLK: Reflections on Lessons Learned
I sometimes heard, as I was growing up, a common expression about bartering. If you wanted a lower price at a flea market or garage sale, you'd go to the seller and "chew them down." You know -- the metaphor about verbally bartering back and forth with them as if you were chewing on the … Continue reading In Honor of MLK: Reflections on Lessons Learned
Is your professor really the flaming liberal you think she is?
That colleges and universities are bastions of liberalism is a common assertion and among conservatives, there is considerable resentment about this. But is it true? Over at History News Network, Richard Morris, historian at Lycoming College (emeritus), has recently written a piece in which he consider this question as it relates to faculty members. He argues that … Continue reading Is your professor really the flaming liberal you think she is?
John Fea was on the verge of a sermon at Valparaiso University last night
Last night John Fea's Believe Me book tour stopped by Valparaiso University in northern Indiana and I made the trek, along with Grace student, Brennan Murray, from Warsaw/Winona Lake to take in the event. It was a smallish gathering of folks in an intimate recital hall. The program was structured as a Charlie Rose style … Continue reading John Fea was on the verge of a sermon at Valparaiso University last night
Does activist worship inspire “Fox Evangelicals?”
I don’t really know what’s going on in the minds of evangelicals when they sing along with worship songs. Its likely some are just thinking about lunch, the color of the carpet, the worship leader’s mannerisms, or wondering when that guy up front started doing the hand-raising thing. For many, though, worship songs no doubt … Continue reading Does activist worship inspire “Fox Evangelicals?”
Aging Christian Rockers and Sound Tracks for Court Evangelicals
I grew up listening to Petra. If you didn't attend a church steeped in white evangelicalism's "youth group" sub-culture of the 1980s like I did, I don't expect you to know of this rock band. They started in the 1970s with a sound akin to Kansas or Styx blended with synth melodies and heavy guitar … Continue reading Aging Christian Rockers and Sound Tracks for Court Evangelicals
History and how we got the 81%
Historian John Fea gets back to his roots in explaining the “81%.” (The percentage of evangelicals who supposedly voted for President Trump.) Though he has a long list of accomplishments in mainstream historical circles, Fea’s original forays into writing about history was as a graduate student at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School where he studied the … Continue reading History and how we got the 81%
My Interview with David Swartz on the Evangelical Left
Since overhauling this site, I have pulled in a few posts from 2012 (when I was adding material regularly.) I did this interview back then but David's book remains an important read. In fact, after reposting this and before I even had this new site finished, it had already received three new post "likes." David … Continue reading My Interview with David Swartz on the Evangelical Left
The Hermeneutic Circle 