On this week’s special episode of The 252 (“Sports talk radio as done by academics”), Chris, Sam, and I talked about baseball’s cheating scandal and the Mennonite college graduate who’s making history at the Super Bowl. But mostly, this episode exists for the sake of a long interview we recorded with Greg Jennings, a two-time Pro Bowl … More Wednesday’s Podcast: Inside the Life of an NFL Player
I considered whether I was an evangelical, responded to an astonishing editorial by evangelicalism’s flagship publication, and considered how religion factors into two British institutions: the monarchy (kind of) and the Premier League. Elsewhere: • A handful of the many other responses to that Christianity Today editorial calling for Donald Trump to be removed from office: Michael Wear … More That Was The Week That Was
If you’re a sports fan, I hope you can join us for our next Pietist Schoolman Travel tour: Sports in American History / June 28-July 5, 2020. For $2,400, you get the following • Tickets to baseball games at Fenway Park and Wrigley Field • Admission to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, National Baseball Hall … More The Ultimate Sports History Tour
On Monday we officially announced our Summer 2020 Pietist Schoolman Travel tour: “Sports in American History” (June 28 – July 5). You can find more details (plus the application form) in the trip brochure. But since the three guides for that tour happen to be the three hosts of our sports history podcast, The 252, we thought it’d … More Wednesday’s Podcast: A Sports Fan’s Dream Trip
After day dreaming about this for months, today I’m happy to announce our next tour with Pietist Schoolman Travel! Sports in American History — June 28-July 5, 2020 Download the brochure to read all the details, including what’s included in the trip cost of $2,400, and then fill in your application. But for a taste, … More Announcing Our “Sports in American History” Trip — June 28-July 5, 2020
In between podcasting about gender and sports and preparing a chapel talk on Pietism, I enjoyed the following articles and posts this week: • By far the most-discussed Anxious Bench post this week was David Swartz’s reflection on the difference between “cosmopolitan” and “populist” evangelicals. • I’ll be sorry to see David Heim (r.) no longer at … More That Was The Week That Was
This morning we recorded our first live episode of The 252: an interview with Steve Johnson, for 31 years the head football coach at his alma mater, Bethel University. Steve took time out of preparing for Saturday’s game at Concordia College in order to tell us about his childhood as a Cubs fan and pastor’s kid … More Thursday’s Podcast: The Ministry of a Football Coach
Our second season of The 252 — “sports talk radio as done by academics” — is going to alternate every other week between two formats: our usual three-segment mix of sports news, history, and commentary; and long-form interviews with athletes, coaches, writers, and others who can help us understand the history and politics of sports. Today’s … More Wednesday’s Podcast: Red State Christians
I considered a Twitter controversy about plants, the notion of “comfort colleges,” and the impact of the First World War on Native American identity. Elsewhere: • “America is at an awkward age,” began Elizabeth Stice’s thoughtful essay on history and heritage. “We are old enough to be embarrassed by our parents, but not mature enough … More That Was The Week That Was
Classes are up and running, so it felt like a good time to start podcasting again. This morning Chris Moore, Sam Mulberry, and I recorded the season 2 premiere for The 252, our podcast previewing themes from Chris and my new course on the history and politics of sports. Last spring we put out weekly podcasts. … More Wednesday’s Podcast: The Best Sports Years Ever
The Pietist Schoolman 