John Fea

John Fea

@johnfea1.bsky.social

Historian at Lumen Center (Madison, WI) and Messiah University. Author of 6 books. Blogger and podcaster at The Way of Improvement Leads Home. #LGM #Bruuuuuce!

2.6K followers1.3K following2.8K posts

John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Evangelical roundup October 28, 2026 What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? Evangelicals rally in Chicago on behalf of asylum seekers *** The National Association of Evangelicals on creation care: *** Peter Wehner asks: "What would a Christian political agenda…

thewayofimprovement.blogEvangelical roundup October 28, 2026What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? Evangelicals rally in Chicago on behalf of asylum seekers *** The National Association of Evangelicals on creation care: *** Peter Wehner asks: "What would a Christian political agenda look like if it were measured by the lives that could be saved, sheltered, and healed?" *** Another evangelical criticism of Texas Senate candidate James Talarico's views on abortion. *** Conservative evangelicals are trying to boost evangelical turnout in midterms. Franklin Graham is one of them. *** Esquire…
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Court Catholics? Around 2016, I coined the term "court evangelical" to describe evangelical Christians who flocked to Donald Trump's "court" (the White House) to pay their respects, flatter the king president, and get photo ops at the seat of power. I wrote about court evangelicals in my 2018…

thewayofimprovement.blogCourt Catholics?Around 2016, I coined the term "court evangelical" to describe evangelical Christians who flocked to Donald Trump's "court" (the White House) to pay their respects, flatter the king president, and get photo ops at the seat of power. I wrote about court evangelicals in my 2018 book Believe Me: The Evangelical Road to Donald Trump and in articles here, and here, and here. After reading Jack Jenkins's and Aleja Hertzler-McCain's piece at Religion News Service, I am now wondering if there are such things as "court Catholics." A taste:
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Evangelical roundup for October 27, 2026 What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics: Here is Bonnie Kristian talking to Matthew Kaemingk and Shadi Hamid on the "monstering of evangelicalism": Yeah, the monstering of evangelicalism in our time. So, yeah, I would say…

thewayofimprovement.blogEvangelical roundup for October 27, 2026What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics: Here is Bonnie Kristian talking to Matthew Kaemingk and Shadi Hamid on the "monstering of evangelicalism": Yeah, the monstering of evangelicalism in our time. So, yeah, I would say the background story operates kind of at two levels. One level is sort of the level of the public discourse in which that monstering happens. And I think that anyone who’s paid attention to politics—especially discussion of religion and politics—over the last decade especially, but even more so if you are, like I am, old enough to remember the George W.
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Evangelical roundup for October 26 What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? More on Ruth Graham New York Times article on the threat to independent journalism at Christianity Today: Former Christianity Today journalist Daniel Silliman at his Substack Alan Noble…

thewayofimprovement.blogEvangelical roundup for October 26What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? More on Ruth Graham New York Times article on the threat to independent journalism at Christianity Today: Former Christianity Today journalist Daniel Silliman at his Substack Alan Noble at The Dispatch Former Christianity Today editor Katelyn Beaty at her Substack. *** Does the White House care about the evangelical vote? *** Liberty University gives an honorary doctorate to Erika Kirk. *** Eric Metaxas wants more speaking gigs: *** Latino evangelicals against the death penalty *** Nanuque…
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Sunday night odds and ends A few things online that caught my attention this week: Thomas Jefferson's hair and the Hemings children. Marc Bloch: historian An Episcopal priest and the making of Colonial Williamsburg Eleanor Roosevelt and the American Dream On the importance of local opinion writing…

thewayofimprovement.blogSunday night odds and endsA few things online that caught my attention this week: Thomas Jefferson's hair and the Hemings children. Marc Bloch: historian An Episcopal priest and the making of Colonial Williamsburg Eleanor Roosevelt and the American Dream On the importance of local opinion writing Michael Kazin reviews Kim Phillips-Fein's Country of Lords: Neo-Aristocrats, Social Darwinists, Tech Utopians, and the Long Fight against Equality in America Can writers write outside of their "lived experience"? Abortion and 17th-century Scottish Presbyterianism Milwaukee baseball and sewer socialism When Lancaster, Pennsylvania was capital of the United States…
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Most popular posts of the last week Here are the most popular posts of the last week at The Way of Improvement Leads Home: “Is the Declaration of Independence a Christian Document?” To say Rob McCoy is a Christian nationalist gives him too much credit The 3-title retirement! Evangelical roundup…

thewayofimprovement.blogMost popular posts of the last weekHere are the most popular posts of the last week at The Way of Improvement Leads Home: “Is the Declaration of Independence a Christian Document?” To say Rob McCoy is a Christian nationalist gives him too much credit The 3-title retirement! Evangelical roundup for October 21, 2026 Sunday night odds and ends Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed understands the Constitution Evangelical roundup for October 20, 2026 Evangelical roundup for October 22, 2026 Evangelical roundup for October 19, 2026 Was America founded as a Christian nation?: 10 questions answered
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

The 3-title retirement! As readers of this blog know, I officially retired from full-time college teaching in July and moved to Madison, Wisconsin, to join the Lumen Center, a new think tank founded at the intersection of Christian intellectual life, the life of a Big Ten research university, and…

thewayofimprovement.blogThe 3-title retirement!As readers of this blog know, I officially retired from full-time college teaching in July and moved to Madison, Wisconsin, to join the Lumen Center, a new think tank founded at the intersection of Christian intellectual life, the life of a Big Ten research university, and the Christian church. My official title here is "Senior Fellow." The University of Wisconsin-Madison History Department has been good to me. It has provided me with a new position, "Honorary Fellow," which gives me access to campus resources, including the university libraries and an email address.
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Wesleyan University president Michael Roth won’t shut up Nor should he. This blog post draws upon the title of Eric Kelderman's Chronicle of Higher Education piece, "The President Who Wont Shut Up." The subtitle/deck reads: "Wesleyan’s Michael Roth is calling out attacks on higher education. Who…

thewayofimprovement.blogWesleyan University president Michael Roth won’t shut upNor should he. This blog post draws upon the title of Eric Kelderman's Chronicle of Higher Education piece, "The President Who Wont Shut Up." The subtitle/deck reads: "Wesleyan’s Michael Roth is calling out attacks on higher education. Who does he speak for?" Here is a taste: His past commentary has implicitly called out leaders like Sian L. Beilock at Dartmouth College, Daniel Diermeier at Vanderbilt University, and Andrew D. Martin at Washington University in St. Louis, who have been pushing for colleges to stop commenting on social and political matters and to remove partisan biases from teaching and research.
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Evangelical roundup for October 22, 2026 What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? Evangelicals and creation care. World Vision USA: *** The Fellowship of European Evangelical Theologians gathers to discuss war, peace, and nationalism. *** This isn't about…

thewayofimprovement.blogEvangelical roundup for October 22, 2026What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? Evangelicals and creation care. World Vision USA: *** The Fellowship of European Evangelical Theologians gathers to discuss war, peace, and nationalism. *** This isn't about politics per se, but we would be remiss not to mention Ruth Graham's The New York Times article on Christianity Today titled, "Why a Pillar of Christian Journalism is in Turmoil." Bonnie Kristian recently resigned as deputy editor of Christianity Today. She explains her decision here. A taste: Every time CT is involved in controversy, critics on the left and right alike default to an easy, titillating, ideological account of the organization drifting away from sound doctrine and sane politics—often with a heavy splash of conspiracy theorizing about secret agendas, nefarious plots, and gobs of cash from suspicious sources.
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

To say Rob McCoy is a Christian nationalist gives him too much credit Most Christian nationalists I've studied at least know a thing or two about the United States Constitution. Rob McCoy is the pastor emeritus of Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Thousand Oaks, California. The late Charlie Kirk called…

thewayofimprovement.blogTo say Rob McCoy is a Christian nationalist gives him too much creditMost Christian nationalists I've studied at least know a thing or two about the United States Constitution. Rob McCoy is the pastor emeritus of Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Thousand Oaks, California. The late Charlie Kirk called him his spiritual mentor. I think McCoy should stick to spiritual mentorship. Here is Right Wing Watch: Prager U, a non-profit founded by talk show host Dennis Prager, produced this video. Prager U produces conservative, pro-capitalist educational content. It is behind the "Freedom Trucks" that the Trump administration is sending around the country to commemorate America's 250th.
John Fea
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Evangelical roundup for October 21, 2026 What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics: Conservative evangelicals are scrutinizing Senate candidate and Methodist minister Adam Hamilton because he said that Christians do not have to believe in the virgin birth of Jesus.…

thewayofimprovement.blogEvangelical roundup for October 21, 2026What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics: Conservative evangelicals are scrutinizing Senate candidate and Methodist minister Adam Hamilton because he said that Christians do not have to believe in the virgin birth of Jesus. It's almost as if some of these evangelicals think that belief in the virgin birth is a qualification for holding office in the state of Kansas. In other Kansas U.S. Senate race news, Donald Trump recently took aim at Hamilton during a rally in Wichita. And the president said this: More on this story…
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Evangelical roundup for October 20, 2026 What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? Michael J. Rhodes on the Bible's "most political book." *** An evangelical communications specialist offers his fellow Christian three lessons for Election Day. *** Can Christianity…

thewayofimprovement.blogEvangelical roundup for October 20, 2026What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? Michael J. Rhodes on the Bible's "most political book." *** An evangelical communications specialist offers his fellow Christian three lessons for Election Day. *** Can Christianity teach Americans how to live in a pluralistic democracy? *** More on the evangelical opposition to California's new law regarding "anti-hate speech." *** An exhibit in Washington, D.C., includes statues of patriotic revolutionary-era clergy. The stories this article tells about James Caldwell and Henry Melchior Muhlenberg are similar to Mason Locke Weems's story about George Washington chopping down the cherry tree.
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Was America founded as a Christian nation?: 10 questions answered My new book, In God We Trust: Was America Founded as a Christian Nation?, revolves around ten of the most common questions I get about the relationship between Christianity and the American founding. Each chapter poses a question.…

thewayofimprovement.blogWas America founded as a Christian nation?: 10 questions answeredMy new book, In God We Trust: Was America Founded as a Christian Nation?, revolves around ten of the most common questions I get about the relationship between Christianity and the American founding. Each chapter poses a question. They are: Order whenever books are sold! I recommend Byron Borger at Hearts & Minds Books in Dallastown, Pennsylvania.
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

The Author’s Corner with Dan Du Dan Du is Associate Professor of History and Director of the History Honors Program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. This interview is based on her new book, This World in a Teacup: Credit, Taste, and Power in the U.S.-China Tea Trade, 1784–1911…

thewayofimprovement.blogThe Author’s Corner with Dan DuDan Du is Associate Professor of History and Director of the History Honors Program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. This interview is based on her new book, This World in a Teacup: Credit, Taste, and Power in the U.S.-China Tea Trade, 1784–1911 (University of Nebraska Press, 2026). JF: What led you to write This World in a Teacup? DD: My personal background, as an international student and scholar, led me to this project. My major was originally U.S. history, and my Master’s Thesis examined Illinois free banking. When I enrolled in the Ph.D.
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed understands the Constitution Watch El-Sayed challenge this young man at a campaign event: Whatever you think of El-Sayed's views or his candidacy, this is a brilliant response, and one consistent with how I understand the Constitution on matters of…

thewayofimprovement.blogMichigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed understands the ConstitutionWatch El-Sayed challenge this young man at a campaign event: Whatever you think of El-Sayed's views or his candidacy, this is a brilliant response, and one consistent with how I understand the Constitution on matters of religion. In this clip alone, El-Sayed accomplishes three things: He shows he understands the United States Constitution and is willing to submit to it. He exposes flaws in the Christian Right view of the Constitution. He probably secures the votes of Michiganders who may have had concerns about his Muslim faith. On this front, the JFK example is excellent.
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Evangelical roundup for October 19, 2026 What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? Many Texas evangelicals believe that Ken Paxton is their only option in the U.S. Senate race. Speaking of Paxton, he worshipped yesterday at John Hagee megachurch in San Antonio:…

thewayofimprovement.blogEvangelical roundup for October 19, 2026What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? Many Texas evangelicals believe that Ken Paxton is their only option in the U.S. Senate race. Speaking of Paxton, he worshipped yesterday at John Hagee megachurch in San Antonio: *** Owen Strachan defends Israel against the National Conservatives. Also here: *** A Palestinian diplomat said that the Bible is a "Palestinian book." Christian Zionist John Hagee is not happy about this. *** Evangelicals in Albania support the right to protest and freedom of expression. ***
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Sunday night odds and ends A few things online that caught my attention this week: Was Elisabeth Elliott bisexual? Eugene McCarraher reviews two new books on the history of capitalism. Alexander Bevilacqua reviews John Samuel Harpham's The Intellectual Origins of American Slavery: English Ideas in…

thewayofimprovement.blogSunday night odds and endsA few things online that caught my attention this week: Was Elisabeth Elliott bisexual? Eugene McCarraher reviews two new books on the history of capitalism. Alexander Bevilacqua reviews John Samuel Harpham's The Intellectual Origins of American Slavery: English Ideas in the Early Modern Atlantic World. Walter Lippmann wondered whether Republicans were responsible for the Great Depression. Megan Marz reviews Richard Cooke's The Last Best Place on the Internet: A Human History of Wikipedia. Artificial intelligence and primary sources Nathan Robinson interviews Shawn Gude, the author of American Socialist: The Life and Legacy of Eugene V.

John Fea reposted

Holly Brewer
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“Kings believe that they possess their crowns by a divine right: …they assume the divine power of taking away human life. Kings consider their subjects as their property: no wonder, therefore, they shed their blood with as little emotion as men shed the blood of their sheep or cattle.” Benjamin Rush

John Fea@johnfea1.bsky.social

Most popular posts of the last week Here are the most popular posts of the last week at The Way of Improvement Leads Home: The Founding Father who opposed public executions Evangelical roundup for October 12, 2026: Public execution edition Evangelical roundup for October 14, 2026 Evangelical…

thewayofimprovement.blogMost popular posts of the last weekHere are the most popular posts of the last week at The Way of Improvement Leads Home: The Founding Father who opposed public executions Evangelical roundup for October 12, 2026: Public execution edition Evangelical roundup for October 14, 2026 Evangelical roundup for October 9, 2026 Evangelical roundup for October 13, 2026 Sunday night odds and ends Evangelical roundup for October 15, 2026 Fred Clark and I at least agree on one thing Ohio civics centers appear to be a guise for conservative thought Feeling old
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Most popular posts of the last week Here are the most popular posts of the last week at The Way of Improvement Leads Home: The Founding Father who opposed public executions Evangelical roundup for October 12, 2026: Public execution edition Evangelical roundup for October 14, 2026 Evangelical…

thewayofimprovement.blogMost popular posts of the last weekHere are the most popular posts of the last week at The Way of Improvement Leads Home: The Founding Father who opposed public executions Evangelical roundup for October 12, 2026: Public execution edition Evangelical roundup for October 14, 2026 Evangelical roundup for October 9, 2026 Evangelical roundup for October 13, 2026 Sunday night odds and ends Evangelical roundup for October 15, 2026 Fred Clark and I at least agree on one thing Ohio civics centers appear to be a guise for conservative thought Feeling old
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Evangelical roundup for October 16, 2026 Eric Metaxas wants to be the next Ambassador to Greece: *** More on the agreement between the National Association of Evangelicals and the U.S. Catholic Bishops on compassionate immigration reform. *** Evangelicals, following biblical commands to care for…

thewayofimprovement.blogEvangelical roundup for October 16, 2026Eric Metaxas wants to be the next Ambassador to Greece: *** More on the agreement between the National Association of Evangelicals and the U.S. Catholic Bishops on compassionate immigration reform. *** Evangelicals, following biblical commands to care for the poor, run a large-scale recycling nonprofit. *** An evangelical historian wonders if the Declaration of Independence is a "Christian document. *** Christianity Today continues to tackle the problem of cost-effective housing. Spanish evangelicals as well. *** Conservative evangelicals are mobilizing for November 2026. More: …
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

“Is the Declaration of Independence a Christian Document?” Christianity Today is running an excerpt from my new book, In God We Trust: Was America Founded as a Christian Nation? Here is a taste: In July 2020, Louisiana congressman Mike Johnson penned an op-ed celebrating American independence. “A…

thewayofimprovement.blog“Is the Declaration of Independence a Christian Document?”Christianity Today is running an excerpt from my new book, In God We Trust: Was America Founded as a Christian Nation? Here is a taste: In July 2020, Louisiana congressman Mike Johnson penned an op-ed celebrating American independence. “A century ago,” he stated, “the great English writer G.K. Chesterton famously observed that ‘America is the only nation in the world that is founded on a creed. That creed is set forth with dogmatic and even theological lucidity in the Declaration of Independence.’” Johnson elaborated further on Chesterton’s idea: “That creed, that central idea, is what sets us on course to become the freest, most powerful, most prosperous nation in the history of the world.”
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Scot McKnight reviews *In God We Trust* The eminent New Testament scholar at his Substack: A recent trend has been to claim that at the founding of America the intent was to establish a Christian nation. Another recent trend is to challenge the many in this CN crowd who contend America was founded…

thewayofimprovement.blogScot McKnight reviews *In God We Trust*The eminent New Testament scholar at his Substack: A recent trend has been to claim that at the founding of America the intent was to establish a Christian nation. Another recent trend is to challenge the many in this CN crowd who contend America was founded as a Christian nation and works right only when its Christian faith is affirmed, established, and implemented. Claiming a Christian nation founding has been the trend of some key members of the current administration. Which is why we need someone trained in American history and church history to take on the major questions being asked about Christian nationalism’s reach.
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Evangelical roundup for October 15, 2026 What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? 700 Kansas pastors urge Adam Hamilton to withdraw from the U.S. Senate race and "repent" for his "unbiblical teachings." Whether Hamilton's views are "unbiblical" is debatable, but…

thewayofimprovement.blogEvangelical roundup for October 15, 2026What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? 700 Kansas pastors urge Adam Hamilton to withdraw from the U.S. Senate race and "repent" for his "unbiblical teachings." Whether Hamilton's views are "unbiblical" is debatable, but whatever he believes, his religious convictions do not disqualify him from running for the U.S. Senate. *** Bonnie Kristian talks to Sojourners about her new book In Defense of Evangelicalism: A Response to Its Cultured Despisers. *** Evangelical humanitarian aid groups deploy to the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Isaias *** Matthew Lee Anderson of Baylor University…
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Jim Cullen reviews *In God We Trust* I am grateful for this review from Jim Cullen, a historian and teacher whose work on Springsteen, historical thinking, the Civil War in popular culture, and the history of the American Dream I greatly admire. (See all his books here.) I agree--we are kindred…

thewayofimprovement.blogJim Cullen reviews *In God We Trust*I am grateful for this review from Jim Cullen, a historian and teacher whose work on Springsteen, historical thinking, the Civil War in popular culture, and the history of the American Dream I greatly admire. (See all his books here.) I agree--we are kindred spirits! Here is a taste of Cullen's review, published at his Substack: I’ve long thought of John Fea and me as kindred spirits. We’re both white, ethnic metropolitans of a mid-twentieth century vintage. We were both born Catholic, with shared interests and passions (like eighteenth-century America and the music of Bruce Springsteen).
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Evangelical roundup for October 14, 2026 What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? An esteemed historian of American evangelicalism argues that evangelicals are still defined more by faith than politics. *** Will evangelicals sit out the midterm elections? *** Do…

thewayofimprovement.blogEvangelical roundup for October 14, 2026What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? An esteemed historian of American evangelicalism argues that evangelicals are still defined more by faith than politics. *** Will evangelicals sit out the midterm elections? *** Do evangelicals have something to teach us about organizing? *** The National Association of Evangelicals joins the U.S. Catholic Bishops in a joint statement on immigration. *** A new Pew study is out: 1) White evangelicals tend to vote GOP candidates for the U.S. House in 2026 (no surprise here). 2) White evangelicals are the only religious group in which more people approve than disapprove of Trump's job performance (58%-40%).
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Feeling old My sister just sent me this letter I wrote to her during my senior year of college (1988). I was 21 or 22, and she (who just sent her daughter off to college last month) was 10 or 11. It was my first experience with a computer (I think I meant to write MAC 512K). In the last paragraph,…

thewayofimprovement.blogFeeling oldMy sister just sent me this letter I wrote to her during my senior year of college (1988). I was 21 or 22, and she (who just sent her daughter off to college last month) was 10 or 11. It was my first experience with a computer (I think I meant to write MAC 512K). In the last paragraph, when I say I am "working on this computer," I most likely meant I was playing "Oregon Trail." 🙂 Two historians have already contacted me to ask permission to use this in their classes as a "primary source." Man, do I feel old! Here's the "picture" I mention in the postscript:
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Evangelical roundup for October 13, 2026 What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics?: Evangelical support for Donald Trump is inspiring populists worldwide. *** More on evangelicals and the public execution of Nidal Malik Hasan. Here is Franklin Graham: Karen…

thewayofimprovement.blogEvangelical roundup for October 13, 2026What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics?: Evangelical support for Donald Trump is inspiring populists worldwide. *** More on evangelicals and the public execution of Nidal Malik Hasan. Here is Franklin Graham: Karen Swallow Prior also has thoughts. *** Have you heard about the pastor who is calling for the execution of Mike Huckabee, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel? *** Cuban evangelicals pray for religious freedom. *** Albert Mohler praises Marco Rubio's defense of Western Civilization *** A sociologist offers three "myths" about Christian nationalism.
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

The Founding Father who opposed public executions In today's roundup, we covered evangelical responses to the scheduled public execution of Nidal Hasan, the Army officer convicted of killing 13 of his fellow servicemen in a 2009 shooting at Fort Hood. The execution will be live-streamed. Benjamin…

thewayofimprovement.blogThe Founding Father who opposed public executionsIn today's roundup, we covered evangelical responses to the scheduled public execution of Nidal Hasan, the Army officer convicted of killing 13 of his fellow servicemen in a 2009 shooting at Fort Hood. The execution will be live-streamed. Benjamin Rush, a Christian, signer of the Declaration of Independence, medical doctor, and an important voice among the founding generation, had a few things to say about public executions. Here is Rush in 1787: As sensibility is the avenue to the moral faculty, every thing which tends to diminish it tends also to injure morals.
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Evangelical roundup for October 12, 2026: Public execution edition What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? This roundup focuses on evangelical responses to the upcoming, live-streamed execution of Nidal Hasan. Hasan is scheduled for execution by firing squad on…

thewayofimprovement.blogEvangelical roundup for October 12, 2026: Public execution editionWhat is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? This roundup focuses on evangelical responses to the upcoming, live-streamed execution of Nidal Hasan. Hasan is scheduled for execution by firing squad on December 3, 2026. He killed 13 people and wounded dozens more in 2009. Evangelicals have opinions about this. Walter Kim, president of the National Association of Evangelicals: Robert Jeffress, the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, supports the public execution: Before he posted the above tweet, Jack Graham tweeted this:
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Sunday night odds and ends A few things online that caught my attention this week: Little magazines need more book reviews. Historian Jill Lepore wonders if Harvard has lost its mind. Noah Swank reviews Francis Fukuyama's memoir. The paradox of the American Revolution Michael Kazin reviews Kim…

thewayofimprovement.blogSunday night odds and endsA few things online that caught my attention this week: Little magazines need more book reviews. Historian Jill Lepore wonders if Harvard has lost its mind. Noah Swank reviews Francis Fukuyama's memoir. The paradox of the American Revolution Michael Kazin reviews Kim Phillips-Fein, Country of Lords: Neo-Aristocrats, Social Darwinists, Tech Utopians, and the Long Fight Against Equality in America, Comparing Annie Dillard and Jim Bakker (yes, you read that correctly). On Pete Hegseth's and Mike Huckabee's use of biblical language. Anthony Benezet's school H.L. Mencken, the "Sage of Baltimore"
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

I've done my best to paint a nuanced picture of evangelicalism. Read my 2024 Atlantic piece alongside my 2018 book, *Believe Me: The Evangelical Road to Donald Trump*. I stand by it all. I'm waiting for this kind of nuance from the historian-activists. thewayofimprovement.blog/2026/10/09/f...

thewayofimprovement.blogFred Clark and I at least agree on one thingKeith Hernandez belongs in the Hall of Fame! Actually, I think we agree on much more than that. Fred has responded to my response to his post on the 1986 Mets and recent interpretations of evangeli…
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Fred Clark and I at least agree on one thing Keith Hernandez belongs in the Hall of Fame! Actually, I think we agree on much more than that. Fred has responded to my response to his post on the 1986 Mets and recent interpretations of evangelicalism. Read it here. In our back-and-forth, Fred makes…

thewayofimprovement.blogFred Clark and I at least agree on one thingKeith Hernandez belongs in the Hall of Fame! Actually, I think we agree on much more than that. Fred has responded to my response to his post on the 1986 Mets and recent interpretations of evangelicalism. Read it here. In our back-and-forth, Fred makes an interesting point about the current historiography of American evangelicalism and Mark Noll's 1994 book, The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind. One gets the sense that “evangelicalism’s shortcomings on race, nationalism, and patriarchy should not be ignored,” but only insofar as they are only ever mentioned in passing in the passive voice.
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Ohio civics centers appear to be a guise for conservative thought I've been keeping an eye on the development of civics centers at American universities. I have posted about centers like these at the University of Iowa and the University of Florida, and I've also done a few general posts (here and…

thewayofimprovement.blogOhio civics centers appear to be a guise for conservative thoughtI've been keeping an eye on the development of civics centers at American universities. I have posted about centers like these at the University of Iowa and the University of Florida, and I've also done a few general posts (here and here). Now we have Bowling Green University historian Timothy Messer-Kruse on the civics centers cropping up in Ohio. Here is a taste of his piece at The Chronicle of Higher Education: So far, the evidence suggests that Ohio’s push for civics is more about squelching viewpoints the state opposes than it is about widening the marketplace of ideas.
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Evangelical roundup for October 9, 2026 What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? A fired Calvin University professor will get his day in court. *** Christian Zionist Joel Rosenberg wants evangelicals to come to the site of the October 7, 2023 massacre at the Nova…

thewayofimprovement.blogEvangelical roundup for October 9, 2026What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? A fired Calvin University professor will get his day in court. *** Christian Zionist Joel Rosenberg wants evangelicals to come to the site of the October 7, 2023 massacre at the Nova Music Festival. More on this story here. And here: *** The Evangelical Press Association is now the Christian Communicators Network *** Karen nails it: *** In Brazil's presidential election, Flavio Bolsonaro is getting strong support from conservative evangelicals. *** Cal Thomas on…
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Most popular posts of the last week Here are the most popular posts of the last week at The Way of Improvement Leads Home: Evangelical roundup for October 6, 2026 Evangelical roundup for October 7, 2026 Slacktivist, evangelicals, and the 1986 Mets Evangelical roundup for October 8, 2026…

thewayofimprovement.blogMost popular posts of the last weekHere are the most popular posts of the last week at The Way of Improvement Leads Home: Evangelical roundup for October 6, 2026 Evangelical roundup for October 7, 2026 Slacktivist, evangelicals, and the 1986 Mets Evangelical roundup for October 8, 2026 Christianity and the American founding is a messy subject We are back from vacation! *In God We Trust* is here! I’ll be at Mount Vernon for The 2026 George Washington Symposium Richard Bell wins the 2026 George Washington Book Prize Episode 138: “Historians and America’s 250th”

John Fea reposted

pastorr.bsky.social
@pastorr.bsky.social

Engaging ten of the most contested questions about Christianity and America’s founding that now dominate public debate, In God We Trust invites readers to think and reflect critically about the truths and complexities of the role of religion and the founding of America. #ThePCUSAStore

thenetbible.blogspot.comThe PC(USA) Store - The History of Faith in AmericaIn God We Trust Was America Founded as a Christian Nation? John Fea   $20.00    $13.00 – You save 35% every day!   Engaging ten of the most...
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

250 years ago today, Philip Vickers Fithian’s way of improvement led him home I spent the first several years of my teaching career writing The Way of Improvement Leads Home: Philip Vickers Fithian and the Rural Enlightenment in Early America (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2008). This blog is…

thewayofimprovement.blog250 years ago today, Philip Vickers Fithian’s way of improvement led him homeI spent the first several years of my teaching career writing The Way of Improvement Leads Home: Philip Vickers Fithian and the Rural Enlightenment in Early America (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2008). This blog is named after the book's title, and I spent most of my first year here writing posts about it. (Go back and look at some of my early efforts.) The Way of Improvement Leads Home traces the short but fascinating life of Philip Vickers Fithian, one of early America's most prolific diarists. Born to Presbyterian grain-growers in rural New Jersey, he was never quite satisfied with the agricultural life he seemed destined to inherit.
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Evangelical roundup for October 8, 2026 What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? Christianity Today magazine tackles flophouses, homelessness, and housing. *** Focus on the Family, as it has for a long time, urges Christians to vote for candidates who uphold a…

thewayofimprovement.blogEvangelical roundup for October 8, 2026What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? Christianity Today magazine tackles flophouses, homelessness, and housing. *** Focus on the Family, as it has for a long time, urges Christians to vote for candidates who uphold a particular set of issues. This year the issues are the sanctity of life, traditional marriage, biological sex, religious liberty, free speech, parental rights, and children's rights. More here. *** Are members of the Chinese Communist Party persecuting Christians in Texas? *** An evangelical changes his view on the death penalty.
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Richard Bell wins the 2026 George Washington Book Prize Congratulations to Richard Bell, a two-time guest on The Way of Improvement Leads Home podcast. Listen as he talks about his award-winning book in episode 129. Here is the University of Maryland press release: Richard Bell, a history…

thewayofimprovement.blogRichard Bell wins the 2026 George Washington Book PrizeCongratulations to Richard Bell, a two-time guest on The Way of Improvement Leads Home podcast. Listen as he talks about his award-winning book in episode 129. Here is the University of Maryland press release: Richard Bell, a history professor in the College of Arts and Humanities, won the George Washington Prize for his book, “The American Revolution and the Fate of the World,” published in November 2025 by Penguin Random House. Co-sponsored by Washington College, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History and George Washington’s Mount Vernon, the $50,000 prize recognizes the year’s best works on the nation’s founding era, especially those that have the potential to advance broad public understanding of American history.
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

I’ll be at Mount Vernon for The 2026 George Washington Symposium It looks like I will be part of a panel on religious freedom with David French and Mona Charen. Here is Lindsay Chervinsky, the event's convener: Learn more, including the full schedule, here. I hope to see you next month in Virginia!

thewayofimprovement.blogI’ll be at Mount Vernon for The 2026 George Washington SymposiumIt looks like I will be part of a panel on religious freedom with David French and Mona Charen. Here is Lindsay Chervinsky, the event's convener: Learn more, including the full schedule, here. I hope to see you next month in Virginia!
John Fea
@johnfea1.bsky.social

Evangelical roundup for October 7, 2026 What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? David Fitch reviews Bonnie Kristian's In Defense of Evangelicalism: A Response to Its Cultural Despisers. *** Is Evangelicalism a "flea market" or "circus booth?" Phil Vischer thinks…

thewayofimprovement.blogEvangelical roundup for October 7, 2026What is happening today at the intersection of Evangelicalism and politics? David Fitch reviews Bonnie Kristian's In Defense of Evangelicalism: A Response to Its Cultural Despisers. *** Is Evangelicalism a "flea market" or "circus booth?" Phil Vischer thinks so. After watching this clip, I have a message for Phil: the "grove" you speak of IS evangelicalism. Other religious groves exist, but the trees in the evangelical grove share similar core theological beliefs. And a message to Esau McCaulley: John Wesley did not "lose." Read Donald Dayton. *** Jim Bakker has died, and evangelicals are responding.