Spiritual Politics
Huck Hope
By Mark Silk — January 28, 2008
OK, so the Washington Post‘s Joel Aschenbach doesn’t deal in profundities, but how do you do a little profile on the Hope, Ark. that both Billy Clinton and Mike Huckabee came from, and write a sentence like this–“Anyone on the Huckabee trail in Hope has to pay a visit to a local dentist, Lester Sitzes […]
The Death of LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley
By janshipps — January 28, 2008
Gordon B. Hinckley, the 15th President/Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day, died on Sunday, January 27, 2008. He was 97 years old. For 73 of those years he worked full-time for the church over which he would come to preside in 1995. Although he only served as church president for a dozen […]
Gordon Hinckley Dies
By rvineis — January 27, 2008
Gordon Hinckley, 15th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has died according to CNN. He was ninety seven years old. More to come….
Give Peace and Huckabee a Chance
By rvineis — January 27, 2008
Deacon Keith Fournier gives us a Catholic and former Democrat’s perspective on Mike Huckabee. Fournier has had it with Republican attacks on the Huckster. Dismissing criticisms that Huckabee is a one trick evangelical pony, Fournier highlights Huck’s strengths with a comparison to David and Goliath. Fournier: “Oh, I know, the new line of he media […]
Huckabee’s Dough
By Mark Silk — January 27, 2008
This from John Green: Let me hazard an answer to Mark’s puzzlement about Mike Huckabee’s well-documented fundraising woes. Several factors are worth considering. It could be, as Mark suggests, that some wealthy Republican donors have been put off by the candidate’s populist stands on economic issues. Likewise, stalwart conservative contributors may dislike his political heterodoxy. […]
Obama and the Churchgoing
By Mark Silk — January 27, 2008
In South Carolina, the more frequently Democratic primary voters said they went to church, the more they were likely to vote for Barack Obama. This represents something of a departure from New Hampshire, where he won both the most and the least frequent attenders. What I think it mostly means is that black church mobilization […]
Huckapenury
By Mark Silk — January 26, 2008
Since the Los Angeles Times reported on MIke Huckabee’s fundraising woes–staff cuts, minimal ad buys in Florida–a few days ago there’s been little sign that things are picking up for him. What I’ve been puzzling over is why. Sure, the Washington Post described the rank and file of the religious right as “poor, uneducated and […]
Preaching without Politics?
By rvineis — January 25, 2008
Newsweek has an interesting interview with mega-church pastor Joel Osteen who has remained a neutral figure in the presidential election. While Osteen yields enormous power from his 40,000 plus congregation and television following, he does not believe it prudent to mix faith and politics. Osteen: "If one of the presidential candidates were to attend, they […]
On the Other Hand
By Mark Silk — January 25, 2008
Focus on the Family’s new online candidate guide is must-see for anyone following religion and the campaign. As Michael Scherer points out on Time Magazine’s Swampcast blog, the thing amounts to a kick in the rear for Mike Huckabee and a covert endorsement of Mitt Romney. (McCain gets serious criticism on campaign finance, though moderated […]
McCain-Huckabee
By Mark Silk — January 25, 2008
My take-away from the oh-so-genteel Republican debate last night is that we’re headed for a McCain-Huckabee ticket. If the GOP is, as Beltway folks like to say, a three-legged stool, that would give them two of the three (the foreign policy and the religious conservatives), leaving Romney with the third (economic conservatives). I presume that […]
Hillary Time Out
By Mark Silk — January 24, 2008
This isn’t about religion, so I will beg your pardon and tuck the bulk of it out of sight. But Gail Collins’ column in the New York Times today reminded me of one of the lasting lessons I took from covering a presidential campaign. Back in 1987 and 1988, I was the Dukakis beat reporter […]
In Memoriam: Fred Thompson
By rvineis — January 24, 2008
Fred Thompson was once the savior of Reaganites and conservative Christians alike. Yet, he was never able to gain as many disciples as his competitors.
CT Meets BO
By Mark Silk — January 23, 2008
Another interview with Obama, this one by Sarah Pulliam and Ted Olsen of Christianity Today, is worth a look. The following exchange puts the candidate more
RIN!
By Mark Silk — January 23, 2008
I’m happy to be able to let you know that the latest issue of our magazine, Religion in the News, is up on the web. There’s a special section, God’s Own Party, dealing with electoral politics, mostly as concerns Republicans. Of particular note is Bill Lindsey’s exploration of the Missionary Baptist roots of Mike Huckabee’s […]
Obama Fights Back
By rvineis — January 22, 2008
Attacks on Barack Obama’s faith have intensified this week. A whisper campaign using email and robocalls has spread the rumor that Barack Hussein Obama is Muslim. David Brody of the CBN has Senator Obama’s take on the attacks. Obama: “Basically the e-mail falsely states that I’m Muslim, that I pledged my oath of office on […]
Mark Silk
Spiritual Politics
Mark Silk is Professor of Religion in Public Life at Trinity College and director of the college's Leonard E. Greenberg Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life. He is a Contributing Editor of the Religion News Service
