It Can and Is Happening Here
Watch our discussion of "The Rise of Christian Nationalism" at the Cap Times Idea Fest.
Dear #WhiteTooLong readers,
Thanks for your patience as I’ve been out he last two weeks on a writing retreat in London, knocking out the final chapters for my new book, which will be out a year from now. More on this very soon, but I can say this is my most personal book to date, with hard-hitting analysis and reflections on the dire circumstances in which we find ourselves and what this moment demands of all of us who care about democracy and particularly of us who claim the name Christian.
On my way back home this past weekend, I detoured over to beautiful Madison, Wisconsin, where I joined Samuel Freedman (author, former religion columnist for The New York Times, and a professor at Columbia University) and Angela Denker (author, journalist, and Lutheran pastor) on a panel focused on “The Rise of Christian Nationalism” at the Cap Times Idea Fest.
With Samuel’s expert guidance as moderator, Angela and I covered a lot of ground—the long history of Christian Nationalism, including its connections to previous movements; its entanglement with white supremacy; its hierarchical views of gender and appeals particularly to men; and the urgency of countering this dangerous movement that is threatening our democracy.
You can read the summary of the panel at the Cap Times here. And you can watch the video of our conversation below.
Samuel and Angela are both insightful and compelling writers—inviting you all to buy and read their recent books (if you purchase through the links below, a portion of your purchase goes to support my newsletter):
Samuel Freedman, Into the Bright Sunshine: Young Hubert Humphrey and the Fight for Civil Rights (2023).
Angela Denker, Disciples of White Jesus: The Radicalization of American Boyhood (2025).
Also, I highly recommend Angela’s Substack newsletter, “I’m Listening”:
ICYMI
Flagging two recent posts from #WhiteTooLong and one from
Unscripted, the weekly video/audio podcast with my friends , , and .
Postcards from Occupied D.C.
When I was a kid, I remember my parents telling us to “lock the doors” when we drove into “the city.” This applied both to to my hometown of Jackson and to bigger cities like Atlanta we encountered on family road trips. This scene, which I presume was repeated by white parents across the country (white readers, lmk your experiences), was quietly capture…
If you haven’t tuned in to our weekly “The Convocation Unscripted” podcast, click below, where you can check out our latest and subscribe.
Thanks for sharing this rich and deeply provocative discussion, Robbie. As a Lutheran (ELCA) pastor, now retired but not retiring, I particularly appreciate Angela Denker's theological clarity and historical perspectives. Eager, too, to see your new book, when it is 'revealed' for us! Let me also say how much I have appreciated the Convocation Unscripted, and the numerous offshoots (like this invitation) that you, Jemar, Kristin and Diana have created.
Forgive the interruption please:I am an experienced organizer and I have a permit for a protest at Lafayette Park in front of the White House on Sunday 10/12 from 10A to 6P. I would ask you to adopt this as your own. It is called the Internet's October Surprise and it is an attempt to get the powerful anti-Trump community online to step out into the world, to see each other and make a noise that everyone in the White House will hear. If I can get an e-mail address I can send the actual invitation. More info at https://torpedotrump.com/surprise. In all cultures and all epochs the way tyrants are toppled is by people showing up in the capital with their bodies to demand change. Nothing else has ever worked. Please help me with this. David Lytel david@torpedotrump.com