Yesterday’s failed assassination attempt might have shocked, but it did not surprise. I am glad former President Trump is relatively unharmed. And it’s fitting we pray for him, and the families who—today—are holding out for loved ones to recover. And pray for those mourning permanent loss. How did we get here? Elected officials and scholarsContinue reading “The Contagion of Violence and Conspiracy”
Tag Archives: American Christianity
The Shock of Palm Sunday
Today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. Maybe you’re like me and grew up with the Sunday School version of Palm Sunday. You might have flashbacks to palm fronds, a donkey, and yelling “HOSANNA” as loud as you could — to be sure, these are elements of the story. But the meaning—or let’s say shockContinue reading “The Shock of Palm Sunday”
Who are the Real Evangelicals?
Evangelicals in America can’t stop voting Trump. So it seems. Trump is walking away from the Iowa caucus with a dominating win. He is the leading contender for the GOP Presidential nomination. A few notable exit polls worth mentioning from CNN: These exit polls aren’t dogma. They’re fluid and can be massively unreliable. Still, theyContinue reading “Who are the Real Evangelicals?”
Being Damned and Damning
On the public rage and reactions to my dissertation on January 6 I am thrilled to share I submitted my dissertation last week under the title: Theological Paranoia: American Evangelicalism, Conspiracy Theory, and a Public Theology of January 6. Since sharing on my socials, I’ve watched the title stir up plenty of public conversation, rangingContinue reading “Being Damned and Damning”
We Are The Times
A post from Australian theologian, Michael Bird (Word from the Bird) got my attention recently. He seemed to visualize that visceral sense of alarm many are living with right now: And one more drop in the bucket: today a NBC News poll showed Trump leading Biden (46/44) nationally for the first time. One crisis after another. There’s a word forContinue reading “We Are The Times”
We Built This City On Conspiracy Theory
There’s a ‘new’ conspiracy theory emerging on digital spaces like TikTok and Instagram. (Just search the hashtag.) Today, I want to offer a few quick thoughts on what it is, and what it means for our politics and our future. What is a 15 Minute City? The conspiracy theory is a reaction to an urbanContinue reading “We Built This City On Conspiracy Theory”
A (New) Lost Generation
In the classic World War I novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Remarque described the effect of the Great War on the men who fought it: “It is the common fate of our generation…We’ve been cut off from real action, from getting on, from progress. We don’t believe in those things any more;Continue reading “A (New) Lost Generation”
5 Great Quotes: Benjamin Lay
Benjamin Lay (1681-1759) was a Quaker activist who practiced a radical form of abolitionism drawn from his Christian convictions in the Quaker tradition. He wrote one book, published by Benjamin Franklin, which was titled: “All Slave-Keepers That Keep the Innocent in Bondage, Apostates.” Today, it’s common to hear “he was a man of his times”Continue reading “5 Great Quotes: Benjamin Lay”
Evangelical: Leave It or Love It?
There’s not one verse in the Bible where God says to the church: “and you shall call yourselves, “evangelicals”. Not one. There’s not even a verse for “Christian”. That ancient label was something given to followers of Jesus by their neighbors. (Acts 11.26) This should at least give us pause as we consider what itContinue reading “Evangelical: Leave It or Love It?”
Jesus & Jedi Master
One of my favorite places at Walt Disney World is the Sci-Fi diner. In true Disney fashion, the restaurant is themed like you’re outside. You walk in, and suddenly you’re under the stars, sitting in fin-swept neon cars— at a drive-in movie theater in the Fifties. Your table is your car. And you watch theseContinue reading “Jesus & Jedi Master”
Jared Stacy 