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Kristin Kobes
Du Mez, Ph.D.

Historian / Writer / Speaker

Professor of History, Calvin University

Kristin Kobes Du Mez is a New York Times bestselling author and Professor of History and Gender Studies at Calvin University. She holds a PhD from the University of Notre Dame and her research focuses on the intersection of gender, religion, and politics. She has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, NBC NewsReligion News Service, and Christianity Today, and has been interviewed on NPR, CBS, and the BBC, among other outlets. Her most recent book is Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation.

New York Times Best Seller

“A stunning exploration of the relationship between modern evangelicalism, militarism, and American masculinity.”  Katherine Stewart

“. . . A scholarly work of history, but it is so well written that it promises to be popular with a wide audience. Highly recommended, especially at this critical moment in religious, cultural, and political history.”  Brian D. McLaren

“This deeply perceptive book establishes Kristin Kobes Du Mez as the Christian critic of this crisis moment. . . . Required reading.”  Kathryn Lofton

“. . . A searing and sobering book, one that should be read by anyone who wants to grasp our political moment and the religious movement that helped get us here.”  Darren Dochuk

“Those who legitimately ask “How can evangelicals support Donald Trump?” need to read this book to understand why. An extraordinary work.”  Rev. Richard Cizik

“[A] fascinating study of the rise of militant masculinity among Evangelicals . . . Sure to be controversial, the author’s closely reasoned argument is thoughtful and provoking.”  Booklist

“[An] engaging history of the shifting ideal of Christian masculinity. . . . This lucid, potent history adds a much needed religious dimension to understanding the current American right and the rise of Trump.”  Publishers Weekly

“[A] fascinating and fervent book….a provocative, but insightful and detailed look at the culture and impact of evangelical Christianity today, where The Duke and The Messiah are riding saddle-by-saddle toward some sort of glory.”  Houston Press

“[An] urgent, sharp-elbowed survey of the last half-century of white American evangelicalism. . . .” Shelf Awareness

Jesus and John Wayne is a book that America needs now.” The Boston Globe

“brilliant and engaging. . .” The New Republic

“[A] smart, deftly argued book. . . . clearly explicates the way the ‘evangelical cult of masculinity’ has played out over decades.” The National Book Review

“Paradigm-influencing. . . A very readable page-turner.” Scot McKnight, Christianity Today

“Interesting . . . I hear people say all the time that Trump’s election was a tragedy for evangelicals, but after reading [this] book, I wonder if it isn’t their greatest victory.” Sean Illing, Vox

“A much needed and painstakingly accurate chronicle of exactly ‘where many evangelicals are,’ and the long road that got them there.” Tom Cox, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“[An] absolute must-read, a stunning work, and one that deserves serious attention and further conversation.” Joel Wentz, Englewood Review of Books

“Du Mez’s portrait of American evangelicalism makes Jesus and John Wayne not only one of the most important books on religion and the 2016 elections but one of the most important books on post-1945 American evangelicalism published in the past four decades.” Jon Butler, Church History

NPR Politics Podcast LogoAmerican EvangelicalismFeaturedIn the MediaInterviews & Podcasts

Interview: The NPR Politics Podcast, “For White Evangelicals, The Identity is About More Than Religious Faith,” with Danielle Kurtzleben

In the latest installment of the Politics Podcast book club, NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben interviews Calvin University historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez about Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation. For the complete episode…
Kristin Kobes Du Mez
October 2, 2021
university of notre dame golden dome behind vivid green grass and treesTalks & Lectures

University of Notre Dame, Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism, “Seminar in American Religion,” October 9, 2021

At the fall 2021 Seminar in American Religion, Kristin Kobes Du Mez (Calvin University) will discuss her book Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation (Liveright, 2020).  Commentators for this seminar are Emily Remus (University of Notre Dame) and Matthew Avery…
Kristin Kobes Du Mez
October 9, 2021
NPR Politics Podcast LogoAmerican EvangelicalismFeaturedIn the MediaInterviews & Podcasts

Interview: The NPR Politics Podcast, “For White Evangelicals, The Identity is About More Than Religious Faith,” with Danielle Kurtzleben

In the latest installment of the Politics Podcast book club, NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben interviews Calvin University historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez about Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation. For the complete episode…
Kristin Kobes Du Mez
October 2, 2021
logo for the chris voss show; silver letters on blue backgroundInterviews & Podcasts

Interview: The Chris Voss Show Podcast, “Jesus and John Wayne (Paperback),” with Chris Voss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-M-XKWkgjE&t=192s Interview. Kristin Kobes Du Mez. "Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith & Fractured a Nation - Paperback." The Chris Voss Show. Chris Voss. June 10, 2021. https://thechrisvossshow.com/the-chris-voss-show-podcast-kristin-kobes-du-mez-jesus-and-john-wayne-how-white-evangelicals-corrupted-a-faith-and-fractured-a-nation-paperback/