This is a couple weeks old now, but in case, like me, you don’t happen read the L.A. Review of Books religiously but, like me, do happen to be a fan of Sherlock Holmes — and especially if, like me, your favorite pre-J.J. Abrams Star Trek movies are The Wrath of Khan and The Undiscovered … More Nicholas Meyer on Sherlock Holmes
During Bethel’s commencement exercises last month, our speaker told the soon-to-be graduates the story of the British evangelical politician William Wilberforce, who dedicated his life to the abolition of the slave trade (accomplished in 1807) and then slavery itself (just before his death in 1833). Up on stage among the berobed faculty, my friend Sam … More The Curious Case of the Popularity of Wm. Wilberforce
6/5/12 – I’m not much of a monarchist, but it was hard not to get caught up in Queen Elizabeth’s jubilee celebration. Hearing the gathered crowd sing “God Save The Queen” made me think that (if they missed it last fall) some readers might be curious how my European history students and I judged that … More God Save The Queen
Summer break has finally begun at Bethel University, and while that means that I’ve got all sorts of scholarly projects underway, it also means that I can take time for some decidedly unacademic pursuits. Like, say, listening to some of the hundreds of albums that I accumulated in the years before becoming a parent of … More Albums A to Z: Aftermath
It’s the first full week of June, and that can mean only one thing if you’re a history nerd: time to get working on your summer reading list! I’ll be posting my own suggestions this week or next, but in the interim, here are some histories, biographies, and historical novels suggested by NPR, the L.A. … More It’s Summer Reading List Season!
Yesterday being Holy Trinity Sunday in the liturgical calendar, my mind couldn’t help but take up the question of what it means for Christians to believe in one God who is three persons. Now, I may play one from time to time on this blog, but I’m no theologian. In fact, I’m quite sure I … More I Believe…
Aside from a post occasioned by the convergence of college commencement and a hole in the lectionary for Pentecost and the announcement of the newest issue of Christian History magazine, I was on break from active blogging during the past week. But grading is submitted, summer has officially started, and plenty of other writers were more than … More That Was The Week That Was
6/1/12 – My colleague Chris Armstrong is happy to report that the newest issue of Christian History magazine is available! It sounds fascinating and ambitious, seeking to explain why the claim that America is a “Christian nation” is hugely complicated by the sheer diversity of American Christianities and the competing visions for social change that … More New from Christian History Magazine
The Pietist Schoolman 