The Convocation Digest [1:4]: Resources on Christian Nationalism and Independence Day, SCOTUS and Accountability, Desert Wisdom and Democracy

And ICYMI, a new Convocation Unscripted episode: The Last Presidential Debate in America

Thanks so much to the nearly 5,000 of you who have joined The Convocation since our launch last month. As a reminder, here’s our Thursday publishing rhythm. One week (this week!), we’ll publish The Convocation Digest, which brings into one place a collection of the best writing from each of our Substack newsletters (and occasional guest posts from other writers in our orbit):

• The Cottage by Diana Butler Bass;

• Du Mez CONNECTIONS by Kristin Du Mez;

• White Too Long by Robert P. Jones; and

• Footnotes by Jemar Tisby

On the alternating week, we’ll share The Convocation Unscripted, a video podcast featuring the four of us in a free-wheeling conversation about the latest at the intersection of religion, history, and politics. Scroll down to see the latest episode, “The Last Presidential Debate in America,” recorded late in the evening immediately following last Thursday’s disastrous presidential debate.

Warmly,
Kristin, Robby, Jemar, and Diana

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From Kristin

In honor of Independence Day, Kristin offers a collection of new resources on Christian nationalism to help inform and prepare us for the months ahead.  

Fireworks over Washington, DC. Creative Commons license.

Looking ahead: an Independence Day edition

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From Robby

The Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism is republishing Robby’s recent column, where he proposed using the “days of awe” in the Jewish High Holidays as a model for creating a season of critical patriotism in the 15 days between Juneteenth and Independence Day. Here’s the original post:

What, to the White American, is the 19th of June?

And here’s one from the 2022 White Too Long archives ahead of Independence Day.

Let’s Celebrate this Fourth of July without the Myth of White Christian Innocence

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From Diana

Diana was on retreat for the two biggest political stories of the week. But she took some time to reflect on the news and the practices of mediation offering up a surprisingly tranquil essay amid tumultuous times.

Desert Wisdom and Democracy

And she also re-upped a 2021 piece on "Homeland Security," a theological musing prompted by Canada Day and July 4, on the nature of faith and citizenship. 

Homeland Security?

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From Jemar

A failure to hold Confederate rebels accountable undermined democracy and progress in the nation in the 1800s. We're seeing the same lack of accountability in 2024 with the most recent SCOTUS decision about presidential immunity. Jemar gives us a deep dive into the history and parallels in this article.

The Supreme Court Repeats the Folly of the Post-Civil War Presidency

Tom Skinner died 30 years ago this year. Jemar recently conducted a memorial teach-in about him. Much of the content focused on his famous speech at Urbana '70, otherwise known as "The Liberator Has Come." Read more about one of the most influential Black evangelicals of the 20th century. 

"The U.S. Racial Crisis and World Evangelism"

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ICYMI: The Convocation Unscripted Podcast—The Last Presidential Debate in America

Late on the evening of June 27, 2024, we came together to discuss the first 2024 presidential “debate” between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. In this episode, Jemar, Kristin, and Robby talk about the train wreck and its likely consequences (Diana Butler Bass was on vacation). While Biden clearly lost the debate, the real loser was democracy and the America people as Trump filled the airwaves with unchecked lies and hateful rhetoric dehumanizing immigrants. We may have just witnessed the last presidential debate in modern American politics.

Click below to watch our conversation.