This week I reflected on why I (unlike many my age and younger) still think of myself as a Protestant, and I celebrated the birthday of one of my favorite Protestant theologians by reviewing a new collection of his writings. Elsewhere:
• A century after a leading liberal Protestant warned against the triumph of Fundamentalism, Dan Williams wondered if either side in that debate really won.
• In March I’ll be giving a talk on the rise of the “spiritual but not religious” in America. A recent study considers the complicated role of politics in driving that phenomenon.
• Meanwhile, Christian nationalists are already gearing up for the 2024 election, and Democratic and Republican veterans of the National Security Council warned of the need to prepare for another insurrection — or worse.
• And a veteran of both the Obama and Trump administrations made the case for religious freedom — and not just for Christians. (See also Russell Moore’s post on this subject — also inspired by the reemergence of a 2020 video in which John MacArthur criticizes religious freedom.)
• What does evangelical Christianity have to do with school shootings in the U.S.?
• One of the most important figures in the growth of Pentecostalism in this country passed away.
• An astrophysicist/minister reflected on the religious and ethical implications of humans colonizing space.
• An economist explained why we may be making too much of the supposed “Great Resignation.” (Among other reasons: we lack long-term data that would provide helpful historical perspective on the phenomenon of workers quitting their jobs.)
• The Christian historian who did more than anyone else to inspire me to start a blog finally moved his blog behind a paywall.
• And if you want some reading for tomorrow’s holiday, try this reflection from the historian who curates the Martin Luther King, Jr. collection at MLK’s alma mater.
The Pietist Schoolman 