by Kristin Kobes Du Mez. Fifty years. Fifty years since the shot rang out. Since Martin Luther King Jr. was gunned down on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. Over the years there has been a lot of reflection on the legacy of King, our “inconvenient hero.” But 50 years out, how do we confront …
Continue reading April 4, 50 Years Out
by Frans van Liere. Last week, I received an e-mail from a former student. “Professor, I'm really struggling with fear, and I've been looking to history in order to understand how it may repeat itself in the very near future. […] I'd love to hear some of your wisdom on what we as citizens can …
Continue reading Lessons from My Grandfather
by Kristin Du Mez. Tis the season. Christmas music is everywhere. I’m not a complete Grinch when it comes to Christmas music, but really… “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”? So much wrong with this… I do sing Rudolf and Frosty with my kids, and I actually enjoy listening to my daughter pound out carol after carol …
Continue reading Dispelling Darkness: A Christian Paradox
by Kristin Du Mez. In the wake of recent news coverage of Christian colleges and the mishandling of sexual assault cases, questions are being raised about connections between Christianity, patriarchy, and the abuse of women. Katharine Bushnell asked precisely these questions a century ago. I think her ideas can resonate powerfully today. John Fea, professor …
Continue reading The Author’s Corner: John Fea with Kristin Kobes Du Mez
by Kristin Du Mez. It was the fall of 2008. The stock market was tumbling, bird flu was spreading, and fear continued to mount over the threat Islamic extremists posed to America and to “the American way of life.” It was in light of these uncertainties that I paused to reflect on how Christians were …
Continue reading Christianity in a time of terror: An Advent reflection
by Karin Maag. Anyone who has studied the Reformation in a history class has undoubtedly heard the story of Martin Luther nailing his ninety-five theses on indulgences to the door of the castle church in Wittenberg in 1517. Historians have subsequently debated whether or not he did nail the theses up, and have argued back …
Continue reading Commemoration, Celebration, Remembrance? How to mark historical anniversaries
Historical Horizons 