A solid majority of Republicans favor declaring the United States a Christian nation, even though almost as many acknowledge the U.S. Constitution does not allow such a declaration, according to the latest Politico/University of Maryland Critical Issues Poll. Zeal for…
Al Mohler derides a dead man, and the dead man’s friends aren’t happy
Al Mohler has not come to praise Ron Sider but to bury him — with posthumous damnation, no less. Sider, an early leader of the modern progressive left within Christianity, died July 27. His most influential book was Rich Christians…
New data show America’s challenge is not because ‘both sides are wrong’
There is a popular trend among some evangelicals to criticize both sides of political and religious debates equally while proposing a third way that appears to be above the fray. They might say, “While the right says this and the…
Ryan Burge has some important things to say about white evangelicals, partisan politics and the future
If you’re interested in fascinating yet random facts and trends about American religion and culture, follow Ryan Burge (@ryanburge) on Twitter. Burge, who is an American Baptist pastor and a professor at Eastern Illinois University, loves to make graphs. And…
‘It’s still the economy, stupid’
Think what you will about the raging culture wars, but that’s not the major driver of public opinion today any more than it was when Bill Clinton first ran for president in 1992. That’s when Clinton campaign analyst James Carville…
The futility of framing one another as progressives and evangelicals, devils and dummies
In politics, “framing” is the attempt to alter reality by selecting words, slogans and tropes that convince the public to see the other side in a certain negative way. As Robert Entman explains, “To frame is to select some aspects of a perceived…
I teach the things Republican legislators are trying to outlaw; here’s what we actually teach
Once again, I’m so grateful I live in Oregon. Across conservative states, legislators are interfering with what’s taught in K-12, colleges, universities and workplaces. They’ve targeted content that addresses issues of race, gender and sexuality, with a special emphasis on…
In Ohio, Republicans are leading the effort to abolish the death penalty
The anti-death penalty movement in Ohio is gaining traction with conservative support and leadership amidst a national rise in Republican opposition to capital punishment. Eight states currently have death penalty repeal bills sponsored by Republicans, according to Conservatives Concerned About…
It’s not just pastors modern Republicans don’t trust; they also question doctors and politicians who won’t endorse Trump’s lies
Pastors who find some congregants no longer trusting them as much as before are not alone. Two new national polls show significant drops in the percentage of Republicans who trust the medical advice their doctors give or who trust their…