On Thursday evening, church bells began to chime in Oxford, where I am living for much of this fall while on research leave from Baylor University. I’d planned a long writing day, but I simply sat, my front door open,…
The Social Gospel ghosts of Rauschenbusch and Roosevelt haunt evangelicals still
Lurking in the carnage of the cultural un-civil war, there lies the determined opposition of many Christians to the Social Gospel. Two powerful movements in the 20th century, one theological and one political, produced a furious opposition to the Social…
‘Radical new arrangements’: On conservative Christian radicalization in the U.S.
After a year of researching the matter rather deeply — including listening to conservative scholars, activists and politicians — it has become completely clear to me that a significant chunk of conservative Christians in the United States has moved from…
Just what we needed: Another pompous declaration from the conservative Calvinist evangelicals
The Christians who keep abusing their privilege to demand everyone else conform to their narrow views of culture and politics have released a new “declaration” against the abuse of power. As if the world needed one more declaration from the…
National Association of Evangelicals joins call for attention to climate change
A newly released report on faith and the environment comes from an unlikely source — the National Association of Evangelicals. While many evangelical Christians are known as deniers of climate change science and boosters of fossil-fuel energy — a known…
Christian fragility, brittleness and white Christian nationalism
The Religious Right seems to be flexing its muscles these days. After all, they’ve overturned Roe v. Wade, openly embraced Christian nationalism, banned a whole slew of books, and told Florida’s teachers, “Don’t Say Gay.” I don’t think all this…
Evangelicals’ hypocrisy is sending their neighbors to hell — and they don’t care
American evangelicals’ most besetting — and most damning — sin is hypocrisy. “Evangelical” has taken on a political connotation, of course. But at their core, modern-day evangelicals are Christians who actively pursue the conversion of sinners, believe the Bible is…
The fantastical world of climate change denial: Slouching toward annihilation
Climate change presents the greatest existential threat to human existence in history. The alleged worldwide flood of Noah pales in comparison. A group of politicians and preachers who should know better, and perhaps do, have responded as if they were…
In applauding Victor Orban, U.S. conservatives call their shot
Conservatives in the United States have called their shot. According to baseball lore, Babe Ruth, in game three of the 1932 World Series at Wrigley Field, pointed his bat at center field. He then hit a homerun in that spot….