Sign in Subscribe

Church & Society

17
Mar
A middle-aged blonde woman in heavy makeup squints at the foreground -- presumably at an audience.

When The Witch Hunters Use Witchcraft

The New Apostolic Reformation wages holy war against occultists — while practicing prophecy, ritual exorcism, and magical geography themselves. A closer look at the hypocrisy powering Christian nationalism's rise.
6 min read
05
Mar
A man with white hair and late-Victorian style hair and clothes gazes to the left, his face in profile.

The Rapture Was Invented in the 1830s. Now It's Reached the Pentagon

The prophetic system now being invoked by some commanders took shape in the nineteenth century. The earliest Christian theologians would not have recognized this framework. Their debates about the end of history looked very different.
6 min read
11
Feb
Why Conservative Church Plants Grow Faster — and What Progressive Churches Can Learn

Why Conservative Church Plants Grow Faster — and What Progressive Churches Can Learn

Many progressive pastors quietly wonder why the conservative church plant across town is growing faster. The difference isn’t stricter doctrine — it’s visible structure, staged pathways, and meaning clarity. Here’s what progressive churches can improve without compromising their theology.
5 min read
18
Sep
How Much Should Religious Workers Earn?

How Much Should Religious Workers Earn?

From televangelists with private jets to Paul the tentmaker, spiritual history offers wildly different models of money and ministry. This essay asks what spiritual labor is worth—and who gets to decide.
6 min read
18
Jul
If Christian Nationalists Win, Your Taxes Will Support Their Church

If Christian Nationalists Win, Your Taxes Will Support Their Church

First proposed by Baptist minister John Leland in 1794, the separation of church and state ensures your taxes don’t fund a state church, your rights are equal under the law, and no religious test bars you from public office.
4 min read
12
Jun
Steps lead up to the oak, arched doors of a white clapboard church. A small garden surrounds the steps. A multicolored banner announcing peace and acceptance of all flutters in the breeze.

Writing Grants for Anti-terrorism Upgrades Because Our 200-Year-Old Church Is on the “Woke” List

Please don't shoot the organist
4 min read
16
May
A collage of antique images from colonial New England including front matter from a book on the "Trials of Several Witches," a girl waving her arms, an outdoor meeting, and Cotton Mather.

Want to Bring Theocracy to America? Cotton Mather Seekest Thee

What if Cotton Mather ran a modern nonprofit dedicated to restoring Puritan theocracy? A satire about Christian nationalism and power.
4 min read