Belief

Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, left, accompanied by Rev. Dr. William Barber II, march outside of the U.S. Capitol during a Poor People's Campaign rally at The National Mall, June 2018.

The Social Gospel Roots of the American Religious Left

A review of Gary Dorrien's new book, “Breaking White Supremacy: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Black Social Gospel.”
by Vanessa Cook via Religion & Politics on July 31, 2018
Elder Lightfoot Solomon Michaux.

New Documents Reveal How the FBI Deployed a Televangelist to Discredit Martin Luther King

Elder Michaux, a popular black evangelist, aided the bureau's campaign to destroy King's reputation.
by Lerone A. Martin via Religion & Politics on April 3, 2018
Visa as the Mark of the Beast, as imagined by a 1960s Christian tract.

Technology and Apocalypse in America

Some sects of Christian belief have long held that various forms of technology were signs of an approaching apocalypse.
by Daniel Salas via The Appendix on August 27, 2014
Howard Thurman at Boston University.

The Overlooked Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement

Remembering Howard Thurman and other forgotten activists.
by David B. Gowler via Made by History on December 11, 2018
The Rev. R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, speaking to reporters on Oct. 5, 2015.

Southern Baptist Convention’s Flagship Seminary Details Its Racist, Slave-Owning Past

"We are living in an age of historical reckoning," said Southern Baptist leader R. Albert Mohler Jr.
by Marisa Iati via Washington Post on December 12, 2018

The Gods of Indian Country

How American expansion reshaped the religious worlds of both settlers and Native people.
by Jennifer Graber via Not Even Past on May 1, 2018
Vice President George Bush, his wife, Barbara, and running mate Dan Quayle join Polish parishioners in prayer during mass at Transfiguration Church in Cleveland, August 21, 1988.

How George H.W. Bush Enabled the Rise of the Religious Right

Religious conservatives used the Bush presidency to launch their takeover of the GOP.
by Neil J. Young via Made by History on December 5, 2018
President Donald Trump joins Judge Neil Gorsuch and others in prayer at the White House, following Trump’s announcement of Gorsuch as his nominee to the Supreme Court, January 31, 2017.

Evangelicalism and Politics

Four historians weigh in on evangelicals' affinity for Trump – and their commitment to the conservative movement more broadly.
by John Fea, Laura Gifford, R. Marie Griffith, Lerone A. Martin via The American Historian on November 30, 2018

How Salvation Army’s Red Kettles Became a Christmas Tradition

The 140-year journey from the streets of London's East End to the parking lot of your nearest mall.
by Diane Winston via The Conversation on November 28, 2018
German chancellor and Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler gives a speech to supporters, 1939.

The Nazis Were Obsessed With Magic

What can their fascination with the supernatural teach us about life in our own post-truth times?
by Rebecca Onion via Slate on August 24, 2017

Revisiting the Prayer at Valley Forge

The fable of George Washington's prayer was meant to foster religious tolerance, not paint him as a pious leader.
by Blake McGready via Journal of the American Revolution on October 15, 2018
Freed American pastor Andrew Brunson prays for President Trump at the White House on October 13, 2018.

Were Christian Missionaries ‘Foundational’ to the United States?

American isn't a Christian nation, but missionaries have always played an integral role in U.S. diplomacy.
by Emily Conroy-Krutz via Made by History on October 18, 2018