Recent happenings and updates from the YSAR community! From new books to awards and more! If you are a current or past YSAR member and have updates to share, send them our way. Learn more about YSAR: raac.indianapolis.iu.edu/programs/you...
Center for the Study of Religion & American Culture
@csraac.bsky.social
https://raac.indianapolis.iu.edu/ The Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture at IUI explores the connection between religion and other aspects of American culture.
Religion & Season 6 inspired us to think about the world on fire, what brought us here, whats happening, where we are going, and more. From Christian nationalism to philanthropy and revolution. As we prepare for Season 7 take another look at this past season! raac.indianapolis.iu.edu/programs/rel...
The last time the US produced income & wealth inequality at these levels was during the Gilded Age/Roaring 20s. Historians & social scientists identify two commonalities between a century ago & now: the overlapping influences of Christian nationalism & capitalism. kettering.org/economic-ine...
Economic Inequality: How Christian Nationalism Weakens Democracy
KF Research Fellow Andrew L. Whitehead traces the connection between Christian nationalism and growing economic inequality in the US. The implications are more than economic—they can lead to democrati...
kettering.org
If the purpose of higher education is merely the transmission of information, then technology may indeed replace much of what we do. But if the purpose of higher education is the cultivation of judgment, wisdom, character, and moral imagination, then our work remains indispensable -Jonathan L Walton
From new books to articles and interviews, our YSAR Alumni keep busy! Check out some recent work from YSAR Alumni!
Like many of our programs, the Biennial Conference made us think about American culture and history in different, nuanced ways that challenge, complicate, and extend our current understandings of religion and American culture.
I spoke with Sonia Hazard, Tisa Wenger, and Jeff Wheatley about their new books on religion and US empire in the 19th century, for @immanentframe.bsky.social (ed. by Brook Wilensky-Lanford). Good conversation! Read it! tif.ssrc.org/2026/07/15/b...
Bloody metaphysics: three new books on the 19th century
Charlie McCrary: One reason I wanted to bring you three and your books into conversation is that they are all […]
tif.ssrc.org
Important questions to ask from panelist Matthew D. Taylor during our Public Authority panel at the Biennial Conference this past June. Follow along as we continue to share key insights and ideas from the conference!
Excited to have this article out in the world. Hopefully our framework helps scholars name and study more of what’s happening in contemporary US religion.
Daniel Winchester@bishopofwestsaxons.bsky.social · 4w agoIT'S ALIVE! Brainstorming, discussing, writing, and re-writing this piece on the "unbundling" of American religion with @ruthbraunstein.bsky.social, @jlkucinskas.bsky.social, and @bsteens.bsky.social was the most enjoyable part of the process, but it's gratifying to see it officially "out" in ASR.
As the fall semester approaches don't forget about our Teaching Resource Library! We support scholarly teaching, and learning with access to these free resources from many types of scholars. Explore resources or submit a resource to help grow our library! raac.indianapolis.iu.edu/resources/
Explore the most significant events and people in the history of American religion. The ARDA’s Timelines of American Religion place a wealth of information—including text, pictures, graphs and more—at your fingertips and within historical context.
Interactive Display | Timelines | US Religion
Interactive Historical Timelines of US Religion With Details On People, Events and Movements
thearda.com
As George Washington said in his Farewell Address, "religion and morality are indispensable supports". To Chris Stevenson at the National Museum of American Religion, religious studies scholars are indispensable supports for understanding American culture, religion, history, and more.
I'm thrilled to say that we are hiring a tenure track Assistant Professor of Religion in the Islam subfield at Denison University! Please share widely among your networks. apply.interfolio.com/188984
"The best training I ever got to be a university president was my religious studies training... I understand how to talk about values, traditions, myths, history, and translate that for different communities..." -Dr. Kathryn McClymond, President of Oglethorpe University
A great opportunity for contingent and independent scholars of religion: $3000 stipend, one-week residency at The Ohio State University (travel and lodging covered), deliver a public lecture and interact OSU community. Deadline: August 15, 2026.
CSR Visiting Scholar Program – Call for Applications
Visiting Scholar – Call for Applications The Center for the Study of Religion at The Ohio State University is pleased to announce the continuation of our short-term visiting scholar program.
religion.osu.edu
As we prepare for Season 7, take a look back through season 6! Season 6 was full of insightful comments, ideas and questions. Join us this coming fall, until then enjoy Season 6 and all it has to offer through YouTube, our resource library, or your favorite podcast platform!
IT'S ALIVE! Brainstorming, discussing, writing, and re-writing this piece on the "unbundling" of American religion with @ruthbraunstein.bsky.social, @jlkucinskas.bsky.social, and @bsteens.bsky.social was the most enjoyable part of the process, but it's gratifying to see it officially "out" in ASR.
Religion Unbundled: Toward a Twenty-First-Century Paradigm for the Sociology of American Religion - Ruth Braunstein, Jaime Kucinskas, Brian Steensland, Daniel Winchester, 2026
Much recent sociological work on religion in the United States is written outside the field’s two established paradigms: secularization theory and the 1990s “re...
journals.sagepub.com
The ARDA team often hears from ministry leaders and community organizers on the impact of the Community Profile Builder. We recently interviewed two Indianapolis-based leaders who use the resource to understand the neighborhoods in which they live and serve. Read the full article:
Context for Community Engagement: ARDA’s Community Profile Builder
Ahead of the Trend Article - Title: Context for Community Engagement: ARDA’s Community Profile Builder ; Date: 2026-06-30
thearda.com
"How do we define religious violence in our current moment? How do we reckon with John Brown's actions? How do we reckon with his memory?" Questions and ideas from Charlene J. Fletcher during our Revolution panel at the Biennial Conference this past June.
Recent happenings and updates from the YSAR community! From new books to awards and reunions! If you are a current or past YSAR member and have updates to share, send them our way. Learn more about YSAR: raac.indianapolis.iu.edu/programs/you...
"By sacred, I do not mean exclusively religious or sectarian. Rather,... those activities through which communities transmit meaning, ...and form persons capable of participating responsibly in civic, democratic, and communal life." - Jonathan Lee Walton, President of Princeton Theological Seminary.
In honor of Independence Day this weekend, we are highlighting the digital resource guide from a recent partner event! Last month, in partnership with Lake Institute, WFYI, and Spirit & Place, we hosted Revolutionary Religion: How Voluntary Action and Religion Shaped the American Revolution.
Another insightful comment and ideas around public authority vs expertise from panelist Marie Griffith during our Public Authority panel at the Biennial Conference. Follow along for more highlights from the sessions!
The 9th Biennial Conference was filled with insightful comments and questions from panelists and audience members alike. We will be sharing highlights from the sessions to continue the conversations had in the room, starting with a question from our Conspirituality panel. Follow along for more!
New Ahead of the Trend column from @religiondata.bsky.social shows there is really no evidence that huge swaths of the country think that having a “Christian country” is very/extremely important (33%). For Evangelicals, though, it's 68%. www.thearda.com/categories/a...
Welcome to the 2026 YSAR Cohort! Esra Tunc is an Assistant Professor in the Department for the study of Religion at San Diego State University. A scholar of religion, capital, and multibeing relations, her work examines “Islamic” and “ethical” economies while exploring care and solidarity.
Welcome to the 2026 YSAR Cohort! Eric Stephen is an Assistant Professor of Law and American Culture at the University of South Florida. His current book project examines a key shift in legal discourse over the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. Learn more: raac.indianapolis.iu.edu/programs/you...
Welcome to the 2026 YSAR Cohort! Matthew J. Smith is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Alma College, where he serves as Director of the Religious Studies Program. He is a transdisciplinary scholar of religion, race, and U.S. empire. Learn more: raac.indianapolis.iu.edu/programs/you...
Welcome to the 2026 Cohort! Cody Musselman is an Assistant Professor of American Studies at the University of Notre Dame. Musselman is currently completing her first book manuscript, Spiritual Exercises: Fitness and Religion in Modern America, which examines the religion of American fitness culture.
