Dear Revealer readers,
About two weeks before the election, I had some interesting conversations at my father-in-law’s funeral in rural Michigan that left me reflecting on the spread of misinformation and deeper underlying sentiments. One woman, despite consuming a lot of news, had never heard of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Another man claimed that a Venezuelan gang had taken over Times Square, which was clearly untrue. These instances made me realize that truth was not the focal point of these discussions.
Upon returning home, I continued to mull over these conversations and how they reflected underlying anger and misconceptions. The man who believed in the false claim about Times Square seemed to harbor anti-immigrant sentiments, while the woman who mentioned vasectomies was caught up in an anti-feminist narrative. It became clear that people’s beliefs were driven by deeper emotions rather than facts.
As the election results rolled in, I couldn’t help but think back to these conversations and how they shed light on the reasons behind people’s voting choices. Despite my initial disbelief, many individuals resonated with Trump’s outlandish statements, seeing him as the leader they needed. This realization made me understand that some voters connect with a different truth about immigrants and people of color, which may be rooted in darker sentiments.
In the aftermath of the election, I’ve come across numerous discussions about American democracy being a young “experiment.” However, I believe this perspective overlooks the fact that people of color have only been able to actively participate since the Voting Rights Act of 1965, making the experiment relatively young. Trump’s appeal to white Christians underscores the anger and resistance to societal changes that some segments of the population harbor.
Furthermore, the rise of Christian nationalism under Trump’s administration has emboldened organizations and religious communities seeking to reshape the nation in accordance with their interpretation of Christianity. This trend is explored in our recent issue dedicated to “The Threat of Christian Nationalism,” which offers insights and strategies to counter this movement.
As Trump secures his re-election, the work of The Revealer remains crucial in providing valuable analysis and shedding light on religion’s role in society. Despite challenges and pushback, we are committed to continuing our mission of publishing articles by scholars and journalists focused on religion’s impact on various aspects of life.
While we will address the rise of Christian nationalism, we will also highlight diverse religious communities and stories from around the world, offering a broader perspective beyond the darkness. Our commitment to providing insightful narratives remains unwavering, as we navigate through a complex landscape of beliefs and ideologies.
Thank you for being part of our community and supporting our efforts to illuminate important issues surrounding religion and society.
Sincerely,
[Your Name] We need to educate ourselves about how people in other parts of the world are living and understand the various issues they face, which are often interconnected with our own.
In line with this ethos, the November issue of The Revealer takes us on a global journey to explore the significance of religion today. The issue kicks off with Carmela Guaglianone’s piece on “Priest Migration to Save Italy’s Catholic Churches,” highlighting the efforts of priests from Africa, Latin America, and other regions to address Italy’s priest shortage amidst challenges of racism and anti-immigrant sentiment. From Italy, we travel to Turkey with Lisa Morrow’s exploration of “Dogs and Islam in Turkey Today,” delving into the historical and contemporary views on dogs in Islamic culture and their impact on present-day debates in Turkey. Moving on to the United States, Noah Berlatsky’s profile of poet Emma Lazarus in “The Lamp and Its Shadow” examines her Jewish identity and advocacy for immigration, shedding light on her perspective on oppression. The issue also delves into the realm of artificial intelligence with Jamie Valentino’s investigation of a tech tycoon’s AI church and the growing use of AI in religious communities worldwide.
Shifting focus to more localized topics in the United States, Helene Meyers reviews the Netflix series “Nobody Wants This,” highlighting its portrayal of Judaism, Gentiles, and Jewish women. In an excerpt from The Contemporary Black Church, Jason Shelton explores changing attitudes towards women in Black Christian denominations and the evolving discourse on gender in the Black Church.
The issue also features the latest episode of the Revealer podcast, “The Changing Black Church,” where Jason Shelton discusses the decline in religious affiliation and church attendance in several Black Christian denominations and its broader impact on Black life and politics. The episode is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
As we reflect on recent events and plan for the future, The Revealer remains committed to providing essential information and insights on religion in today’s world. Despite challenges from authoritarian forces, we will continue our 21-year legacy of delivering stories and analysis that promote pluralism, equality, and democracy.
Our mission persists.
Yours,
Brett Krutzsch, Ph.D.
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