While we expect a great turn-out tomorrow at the 2016 Bethel Colloquium on Pietism, we also know that those of you not living in or near the Twin Cities area probably weren’t able to attend. (I’m in that boat myself, since we’re in the last week of my sabbatical in Virginia.) So I’m happy to announce that … More How to Watch the 2016 Bethel Colloquium on Pietism Online
Our friend Stacey Hunter Hecht died a year ago today. I promise this won’t become an annual tradition, but this once, I thought I’d repost what I wrote about her. In the first four months of this year, three of my closest kith and kin were diagnosed with breast cancer. As we near the end of … More Best of The Pietist Schoolman: On Friendship
To what extent did evangelical colleges and universities contribute to the election of Donald Trump? That’s the question that Adam Laats, author of a forthcoming book on the history of such schools in the 20th century, raised recently at History News Network. (I’ve recommended his blog before.) Seeking an explanation for the much-cited figure of 81% of … More How Did Evangelical College Students Vote in the Presidential Election?
Seventy-five years ago today, Japanese forces attacked the American military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, leading to U.S. involvement in World War II. That evening Pres. Franklin Roosevelt issued an emergency proclamation authorizing the arrest of “Alien enemies deemed dangerous to the public peace or safety of the United States.” Within three months, FDR had authorized the War Department … More When a Christian College Sheltered Japanese Americans During WWII
Early in professors’ careers, writes Wheaton College biblical scholar Gary Burge, they “must learn the culture in which they work and decide how they are going to fit into the corporate life of the community?” Not only do they need to hone their skills as teachers, continue the research that will earn them tenure, and form important … More Mapping Your Academic Career: Academic Freedom and Institutional Dissonance
“Who’s Beth Moore?” I didn’t say it out loud, fortunately. But that’s what I asked myself a few years ago when I saw the list of upcoming small group Bible studies at my church. Beth Moore, of course, is the best-selling author of Bible studies and other books, not one of which I’ve read. Ditto the works … More Women as Evangelical Leaders (But Not Pastors)
On the very short list of reasons that I wish I weren’t spending my fall on sabbatical in the Blue Ridge mountains is the fact that I won’t be at Bethel University on Tuesday, December 13th for the 2016 Bethel Colloquium on Pietism. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t be there! For a mere $5 (to … More Register for the 2016 Bethel Colloquium on Pietism
Last Thursday I reached a point where I wondered aloud whether evangelical support for Donald Trump ought to make Christian intellectuals like me (many of whom have publicly criticized Trump and his evangelical enablers) question if we exert any significant influence. Yesterday’s news that Books & Culture will cease publication didn’t alleviate that angst. But fortunately, many of you wrote helpful comments … More Further Thoughts on the Impact of Christian Intellectuals (Sean O’Neil)
If you’re struggling to make sense of the 2016 election (that should be all of you — it’s confusing!), then let me recommend that you check out Election Shock Therapy, a weekly podcast from four of my colleagues at Bethel University. Produced by my frequent podcasting collaborator Sam Mulberry, EST features Chris Moore (PhD, Ohio State), Andy Bramsen (PhD, Notre Dame), … More My Favorite New Podcast on Politics
When I turned in my spring grades in May, I worked at the country’s 451st best university. But when I return from sabbatical next year, I’ll be teaching courses at the country’s 82nd best university. No, I’m not changing jobs. But Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota jumped all the way into the top 100 in the most recent … More So I Guess I Work for One of the Top 100 Universities in the Country
The Pietist Schoolman 