Articles & Essays Archives - Kristin Kobes Du Mez

American Evangelicalism Articles & Essays Christian Thought In the Media

There are No Real Evangelicals. Only Imagined Ones.

Kristin Kobes Du Mez. Published at Religion News Service, February 6, 2019. (RNS) — Not long ago, Baylor historian Thomas Kidd published a short post at The Gospel Coalition blog on the anniversary of Phillis Wheatley’s death. He titled his piece “Phillis Wheatley: An…

Kristin Kobes Du MezFebruary 6, 2019

Articles & Essays Christian Thought Featured Work & Family

Burdens in Disguise: The Spiritual Magic of Tidying Up

Marie Kondo almost lost me at the socks. And that was before I’d even started. But I decided to give the folding a try. And I was sold. So I tackled my closet. And then my kitchen. And then, yes,…

Kristin Kobes Du MezJanuary 11, 2019

Articles & Essays Christian Thought Culture Featured

The Mysterious Project of Putting Christ Back in Christmas

This Christmas, it is worth reflecting on what has been lost in the prevailing tendency to creep along the ground of certainty. Perhaps in defending smaller truths, the larger truth has become more difficult to grasp.

Kristin Kobes Du MezDecember 25, 2018

American Evangelicalism Articles & Essays

Why is Fear an Evangelical Habit of Mind?

This past weekend, a man entered a Pittsburgh synagogue and massacred 11 people gathered for worship. The assailant was armed with an AR-15 assault rifle, three Glock .357 handguns, and a heavy dose of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories. Minutes before entering the synagogue,…

Kristin Kobes Du MezNovember 1, 2018

White House Press Photo Kavanaugh and Family - image

Articles & Essays Christian Women Sexual Abuse & #MeToo

Evangelicals, Let’s Talk About Violence Against Women

So, it turns out close to half of all white evangelicals think Brett Kavanaugh should be confirmed even if Christine Blasey Ford’s allegations of sexual assault are true. (An NPR/PBS NewHour/Marist poll conducted last week, 48% of white evangelical Christians believed he should be…

Kristin Kobes Du MezOctober 4, 2018

American Evangelicalism Articles & Essays Christian Women Featured

Hobby Lobby Evangelicalism

Is evangelicalism a political movement? There’s been a lot of talk about how to define evangelicalism of late, much of it centering around this question. I’ve been guilty of contributing more than my share to this seemingly endless (and to me,…

Kristin Kobes Du MezSeptember 6, 2018

American Evangelicalism Articles & Essays Christian Scholarship Featured

Evangelicalism is an Imagined Religious Community

Perhaps you’ve heard. One month ago, evangelical women “hit pause” on the culture wars. It might surprise you to hear that this olive branch was extended in response to President Trump’s proposed Supreme Court pick. While many evangelicals were celebrating…

Kristin Kobes Du MezAugust 9, 2018

American Evangelicalism Articles & Essays Christian Scholarship

The Reinvention of “Evangelical” in American History: A Linguistic Analysis

by Hannah Butler and Kristin Du Mez Scan the headlines, and it seems that everywhere you look, evangelicals are in the news. From Paige Patterson to the “court evangelicals” to Trump’s most dependable voting bloc, evangelicals have been the topic…

Kristin Kobes Du MezMay 31, 2018

Image of National Memorial for Peace and Justice

American Evangelicalism Articles & Essays Church History

Poisonous History and Its Antidote: Christian Nationalism, Black History, and New Beginnings

On April 26, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, in Montgomery, Alabama, opened its doors. The memorial is visually stunning. Around 800 rusted iron columns hang from above, each representing a county where a lynching took place. In a recent…

Kristin Kobes Du MezMay 3, 2018

American Evangelicalism Articles & Essays Christian Thought

The Church of James Dobson?

Is Focus on the Family a church? It depends who you ask. And it depends when you ask, apparently. Back in 2016, Focus on the Family reportedly asked the IRS to classify the organization as a church, in order to dodge the…

Kristin Kobes Du MezApril 18, 2018

Articles & Essays