Weekly Roundup: I Can’t Kneel – I’m a Christian
Dan talks about his house, or at least television, being struck by lightning. He and Brad then discuss Trump’s messaging failures, Biden’s candidacy as an appetizing saltine cracker, the scary situation in Portland, a baseball player who can’t kneel for Black lives “because he’s a Christian,” the dangerous push to open schools no matter what, and AOC’s absolute fire on the House floor.— Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support
Weekly Roundup: The Science Shouldn’t Get in the Way
Brad tells a story of scowling at a Supreme Court justice at the super market. Dan reveals he worked in Yellowstone National Park with Bill Clinton. They then discuss Trump’s abysmal poll numbers and their causes: the anti-science approach to schools re-opening and the CDC; the anti-teacher approach to education; the deployment of secret police in Portland; the white nationalism of Tucker Carlson. All of this is discussed in the context of Christian nationalism.— Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support
Weekly Roundup: We Didn’t Start the Ire
Dan tell us why he hates the beach. Brad finishes his weeping on election night story. Then, they discuss Trump’s Christian nationalist Confederate strategy (5:03), the Ministerial Exception expanded by SCOTUS (20:46), Religious Institutions receiving COVID relief money (29:24), Betsy Devos’ attempt to weaken public schools, Dominionism, and the Religious Right’s claim that abortion = slavery.— Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support
The Orange Wave: Live Q+A Session
Use JESUS20 for 20% off at Swanson.com! Dan and Brad hosted a live meeting with SWAJ listeners. We had a great discussion of important questions. They are listed below: Questions for SWAJ Q+A, June 30, 2020: Randall Balmer’s three point definition of evangelical does not directly mention a belief in Hell or an afterlife. The evacuation plan seems to be such a focus in many churches and I believe this is foundational to many conversions, ie, the fear of spending eternity in a firey Hell or the promise of spending eternity in a heavenly mansion. Has there been any research as to how many people are converted out of fear, especially children?Would you consider the Great Commission a form of colonialism for Christian Nationalists?How did you choose your show music?2. What does faith mean to you? 3. What kinds of research from other PhDs in your field do you hope to see coming out of the movement for Black lives?4. The conservative takeover of the Southern Baptist convention – where did all those pastors, church members, and churches go that were either excommunicated or willingly left the SBC? Did they have any impact on evangelicalism, or did they just get out? Did they become a part of the religious left?5. Has understanding about the origins of the religious right helped you to communicate with people still heavily involved in it?6. Is it possible to be both libertarian and ethically concerned with social justice? Or do libertarian ideals always = alt right?7. Does populism result in authoritarianism? I ask because of this op-Ed by Francisco Toro https://tinyurl.com/y8ql725r8. Obviously American leadership contributes to our anti-science COVID tsunami. But rank and file citizens are the actual problem. Does Europe not have these people? Is the Brexit crowd an anti-mask crowd? Europe has an anti-vax movement. Why not this other garbage?9. A question for your Q&A: how much did the interest in your podcast from outside the US surprise you? 10. I’m curious about your knowledge of the Falkirk Center at Liberty U? 11. What made the charismatic and neo-pentecostal churches embrace right wing politics??12. In the past you mentioned ‘non church going, self identified Evangelicals’? Can you expand on that, it doesn’t make sense to me.— Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support
Weekly Roundup: The SCOTUS Surprise and the POTUS Demise
Brad and Dan discuss the expanded recognition of Juneteenth and its significance for American history, the surprising new from SCOTUS on discrimination against LGBTQ people in the workplace and DACA, Louie Giglio’s “White blessings,” and the growing perception that white people are discriminated against as much as Black people and other minorities. Bonus: explainer on the distinction between taking down Confederate monuments and other historical memorials.— Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support
Weekly Roundup: Trump’s Adding Insult to Tear Gas
Brad and Dan discuss Trump’s decision to hold a rally in Tulsa on June 19. They dig into the historical significance of the 1921 Tulsa Massacre and Juneteenth. They also discuss the difference between history and collective memory in the Confederate flag/statue debate. Finally, they touch on Trump’s conspiracy theories about protesters, the first QAnon congressperson, and the ways protests have worked so far.— Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support
Weekly Roundup: A National Uprising
This episode begins with the conveyance of wisdom from two African American women who are scholars of religion. First, Dr. Anthea Butler on how and why protest works. Then, Dr.Shannen Dee Williams on the history of racism in the Catholic church and the need to listen to black activists. Brad and Dan then discuss the awry symbolism of Trump’s photo op, the hypocrisy of invoking Romans 13, comparisons to 1968, Trump’s polling numbers. They finish by discussing the 3rd Amendment, We the People Populism, and the difference between police and military.— Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support
What Do Religion Scholars Think of Trump’s Violent Bible Photo Op?
On this emergency episode, Brad asks religion scholars to weigh in on Trump’s violent Bible photo op. He speaks with first with Dr. Richard Newton, Assistant Professor of Religon at the University of Alabama. They discuss how Christianity often offers a validation to racism and what he means by the term negrophobia. Christian nationalism is a prominent theme on Straight White American Jesus. Brad discusses how it played into Trump’s photo op with Samuel Perry and Andrew Whitehead, authors of “Taking America Back for God,” a new and important text on Christian nationalism in contemporary USA. Using Christian nationalism as a lens helps clarify why Trump’s base is also populated by a good number of white Catholics. Brad discusses this with Matthew J. Cressler, Asst. Professor of Religion at the College of Charleston. They discuss his work on white Catholicism as a vehicle for segregation in the USA, and the work of black catholics who are working to dismantle the structures of racism in the church. Brad turns next to Dr. Matt Recla, Associate Director of the University Foundations program at Boise State, to get a view of Trump’s weaponization of the Bible from the eyes of a scholar of the Roman empire. Dr. Recla explains the ways Christians and politicians have done the same throughout the last 1700 years. Finally Brad asks his Skidmore college, Dr. Lucia Hulsether, author of the forthcoming book Capitalist Humanitarianism, to help him understand the term racialized capitalism. He finishes the episode with insight from his former colleague Dr. Charles McKinney Jr, professor of Africana studies at Rhodes College, who relays a lesson in how white people often view racist acts and how to begin doing anti-racist work.— Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support
Weekly Roundup: The COVID Info Wars
Brad and Dan discuss recent data that shows White Evangelicals are the only group who believes Trump’s response to the pandemic has been appropriate. They connect this to recent studies that show how Trump supporters get their news/information directly from the president through the Trump App. This leads to a discussion of the proliferation of conspiracy theories and the problem of living in a post-truth world.— Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support
Weekly Roundup: Justice is Barred
Brad tells a story of an encounter with a French philosopher and . . . marshmallows. Then Dan and Brad discuss the DOJ decision to drop the case against Michael Flynn (4:00), William Barr’s dominionist win-at-all-costs politics (12:40), the “Call me a grandma killer” tweet and what is says about the “culture of life” movement (20:00), Trump’s unwillingness to wear a mask, and more.— Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/messageSupport this podcast: https://anchor.fm/straightwhiteamericanjesu/support