You're Invited! Live July 2nd WTL Author Forum with Bryan Kaylor and Beau Underwood to Discuss Their New Book, "Baptizing America"

Join me next Tuesday (07/02) evening for this live event exclusively for paid subscribers.

Dear #WhiteTooLong readers,

I’m just returning from back to back Chautauqua experiences—at Lakeside in Ohio last week and New York this week. It’s been two great weeks of engaging conversations with thoughtful people, but I’m ready to be back home this weekend.

Before I get to the invitation to our fourth 2024 WTL Author Forum (see below), I want to flag two pieces, one relevant to this season of reflection about the origins of our nation and one connected to the flurry of urgent conversations that are happening in the wake of the presidential debate Thursday night.

• ICYMI, I recently proposed that we could use the Jewish High Holidays as a model for creating a new season of critical patriotism bookended by Juneteenth and Independence Day.

• Just after the presidential debate,

  Kristin Du Mez
  ,
  Jemar Tisby, PhD
  , and I jumped on Zoom to talk about that unsettling event and what it means for the election and for democracy. You can watch that conversation out over at
  The Convocation
  —our new free Substack magazine (and hope you’ll also consider subscribing to that joint endeavor).

  The Convocation Unscripted [S1E4]: The Last Presidential Debate in America

Now, on to the invitation for the WTL Author Forum. See below.

Onward,

Robby

---

Live Event with

Word&Way

’s Bryan Kaylor and Beau Underwood on 07/02 at 7:30 pm EDT

On Tuesday, 07/02/2024, at 7:30 pm EDT, I’m hosting a live zoom event exclusively for paid subscribers: a conversation with

Beau Underwood

and

Brian Kaylor

, co-authors of the new book, Baptizing America: How Mainline Protestants Helped Build Christian Nationalism.

I hope you’ll join us for this one-hour event, which will be timely during the week of July 4th celebrations. Brian, Beau, and I will talk for 30-40 minutes and then take questions from Zoom webinar participants for the final 20 minutes.

Here’s a summary of the book:

In the face of a rising threat to both church and democracy, Baptizing America provides an urgent examination and an enlightening critique exposing the dangerous undercurrents of Christian Nationalism. How can Mainline Protestants spot such practices in their own activities? A crucial call to reckon with influences before it's too late.

Christian Nationalism presents an existential threat to both Christ's church and American democracy. Now is the time -- before it is too late -- to reckon with all the places its pernicious influence arises. On full display in recent elections, Christian Nationalism also exists in sanctuaries where an American flag has been displayed for decades, when we pledge allegiance to one nation "Under God," or when the U.S. is called a Christian nation. Baptizing America critiques the concept of civil religion, arguing that such expressions are far more dangerous than we realize. Mainline Protestant congregations will likely recognize themselves in the overlooked expressions of Christian Nationalism that pop up in the activities of both church and state.

And here’s more about Brian and Beau:

• Brian Kaylor is a Baptist pastor with a Ph.D in Political Communication. He serves as President & Editor-in-Chief of

  Word&Way
  , a Christian publication founded in 1896 and now available on the Substack platform.

• Beau Underwood is senior minister at Allisonville Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indianapolis, Indiana, and a Senior Editor with Word&Way. He is also pursuing a doctorate in Public Affairs. Adriene Thorne is the senior pastor of The Riverside Church in New York City.

Regardless of whether you can make the event, I encourage everyone to buy their book. If you use any of the links in this email, a portion of your purchase goes to support my newsletter.

How to register for the webinar (access to live event limited to paid subscribers only):