Research On Religion » Social Issues

James Hudnut-Beumler on Religion in the Now South

tonygill — Sun, 27 May 2018 08:00:19 +0000

When you think if Christianity in the U.S. South, images of Southern Baptist congregations, conservative politics, and even snake-handling may come to mind. But Prof. James Hudnut-Beumler, the Anne Potter Wilson Distinguished Professor of American Religious History at Vanderbilt University, reveals that the spiritual tapestry is much more nuanced than might appear on initial glance. Prof. Hudnut-Beumler joins us to talk about his new book Strangers and Friends at the Welcome Table and reveals how several historical traditions have persisted in the region while significant transformations are also taking place.

We commence with a discussion of a definition of “the South,” which can be viewed geographically (starting just below Northern Virginia, running down to the top portion of Florida, and extending westward to Arkansas and encompassing the southern portions of Indiana and Illinois) and spiritually (those areas with a majority Southern Baptist population). Jim explains how this decade-long process took him on a “r0ad trip” around the region to experience the lives and institutions of those living in what he calls the “Now South,” a region with deep roots to its “Old Time Religion” past, but which is also changing in surprising ways. Looking at the historical roots first, we discuss how religion, food, and hospitality are intimately linked via kinship networks and a concern over scarcity being a daily lived experience. Food and visitation are viewed as an expression of love for folks who are ill, imprisoned, or otherwise facing difficult times. Jim also notes that food and hospitality also becomes a basis for various types of social activism as such community involvement is often viewed as a measure of piety. Sometimes such activism can take on hard-nosed policies towards drug addicts who are allowed assistance only if they quickly accept Jesus, or in more open terms that seek to get mentally ill individuals the help they need. We also chat about how Pentecostalism, technically a very small fraction of Southern Christians, has influenced the Christianity of the region, often leading to “Bapticostal” congregations that call their ministers bishops and have multiple offerings. Religion also manifests itself along racial lines in the South, as one might expect, and Jim talks about religiously-infused racial histories can wound but also offer up possibilities for forgiveness. He raises the horrific shooting at the Charleston Emmanuel AME Church in 2015 as an example of these racial divides and how the power of forgiveness is used not necessarily to “forgive and forget,” but to heal tragedies so it doesn’t wound the victims continuously.

The conversation then moves in the direction of the “Now South” and the new trends that have been reshaping the spiritual landscape over the past several decades. We look at how megachurches are setting new standards of worship not only for congregants in the suburbs, but in smaller rural and urban churches as well. Jim points out how the growth of homeschooling has responded to the integration of private religious schools (often called “segregation academies”). The growth of Catholicism with the influx of immigrants from Mexico and Central America has also diversified the religious tapestry of the region. And finally, we discuss the surprising increase in the number of congregations that have taken a welcoming position to the LGBT communities and how it has roiled the waters. Jim explains that while it is easy to preach hate, the culture is changing via kinship ties and the “power of one” wherein one individual can help to change the views of those around them. While still a very small minority of churches, the presence of LGBT-friendly congregations indicate progressive steps forward.

We finish off by asking Prof. Hudnut-Beumler what he would tell a younger version of Jim if he had the chance to travel back in time. The elder Jim provides some interesting words of advice for his younger self recognizing that things you never thought would have made an impression early on often come back to you as new opportunities for exploration and learning. Recorded: May 25, 2018.

Strangers and Friends at the Welcome Table, by James Hudnut-Beumler.

In Pursuit of the Almighty’s Dollar, by James Hudnut-Beumler.

The Future of Mainline Protestantism in America, edited by James Hudnut-Beumler and Mark Silk.

Looking for God in the Suburbs, by James Hudnut-Beumler.

RELATED PODCASTS

James Hudnut-Beumler on the History of Church Financing in the US.

Paul Harvey on Religion in the American South.

Lerone Martin on Preaching on Wax and Phonographic Religion.

David Dixon on Religious Rhetoric and the Civil Rights Movement.

Darin Mather on Evangelicals and Racial Attitudes.

Bradley Wright on Religion, Race, and Discrimination.

Richard Nielsen on Deadly Clerics

tonygill — Sun, 06 May 2018 08:00:54 +0000

Political rebellion and violence in the Middle East has recently been associated with religious belief and rhetoric, often spurred on by the writings and recordings of Muslim clerics. What motivates imams to advocate such tactics? Prof. Richard Nielsen, an associate professor of political science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, answers this question with reference to previous theories of revolution and an examination of the career paths of imams who advocate violent jihad. His findings reveal fascinating insights into what prompts individuals down the path of violence and suggests possible solutions to mitigating terrorism.

Our discussion begins with Rich recalling how he, himself, was led down an academic path of studying violent jihad. Initially on a STEM path, his experience watching the September 11 terrorist attacks unfold and a chance encounter with a professor at a Harry Potter film moved him in the direction of studying political science and international relations. He noted that most work on political violence in the Islamic world focuses on lay radicalization, so he turned his attention to what motivated various clerics to radicalize. Rich lays out the parameters of what constitutes an imam in Sunni Islam, pointing out that there is no central authority to determine membership in a priesthood exactly. We learn that “imam” means “to be in the front,” which opens up the definition of who speaks for Islam officially to a wide range of individuals. Rich observes that many people who are not formally trained in theology often present themselves as religious scholars (e.g., Osama bin Laden), sometimes employing the mundane tactic of posing in front of bookshelves to present an intellectual aura. We also discuss what a fatwa is, correcting some of the misperceptions that Westerners have. (Rich also reveals what the topic of the most downloaded fatwa is, and the answer may surprise you.)

Following this discussion, we move into a theoretical discussion of why men rebel. Rich covers the various existing explanations for why Muslims have joined militant movements in recent decades, including ideas that such behavior is inherent in the theology, that it is a response to modernity and secularizing pressure, and the rise of transnational philanthropy. Rich finds little credence in the theological uniqueness of Islam, though he does note that faith can motivate people to undertake actions that overcome pure self-interest. In contrast to these pre-existing theories, he advances a claim that builds upon the work of Ted Gurr who argued that rebel leaders are often prompted into their career paths when they face relative deprivation — expectations about where they should be in life do not match with their current circumstances. Prof. Nielsen then argues that many of the Muslim imams who have turned to advocating for political violence started out with academic ambitions that were frustrated by state action. He illustrates this with a few examples. Our conversation then turns to the use of social media in spreading jihadist thought, and whether or not Gurr’s theory of “relative deprivation” (or Nielsen’s notion of “blocked ambition”) is more noticeable now given that the costs of organizing collective action have decreased with telecommunications technology. Rich points out that sustaining collective action still requires organizational incentives, but it is now more possible for aggrieved individuals to get their message out, be it by Twitter or (a few decades ago) cassette tapes.

We finish the conversation with Prof. Nielsen’s reflections on how political violence can be combatted. He argues for less involvement of religion in politics, something he doesn’t see as a realistic option in Islamic nations in the near future. Another option, though, is to not block that intellectual pathways of budding scholars and clerics. We both note how this is very reflective of our own academic industry. Rich then finishes with some reflections about what he has learned over the course of his studies in the past two decades, noting how individuals often have post-hoc rationalizations for the actions they undertake, and how he started as a firm rational choice scholar devoted to statistical methodology, but developed an appreciation for social psychology and anthropological methods to research (without abandoning his former theoretical and methodological frameworks). Recorded: May 3, 2018.

(Note: At one point during the discussion, Tony accidently attributes “relative deprivation theory” to Charles Tilly and more institutional explanations to Ted Gurr, a mistake that should reveal that he wasn’t paying attention in graduate school.)

Deadly Clerics: Blocked Ambition and the Paths to Jihad, by Richard Nielsen.

Why Men Rebel, by Ted Gurr (mentioned in podcast).

The Audacious Aesthetic, by Flagg Miller (mentioned in podcast).

Masters of the Word, by William Bernstein (mentioned in podcast).

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Religious Liberty and Violent Religious Extremism.

Eli Berman on Religious Terrorism.

John Owen IV on Confronting Political Islam, Lessons from the Past.

David Patel on Religion & Social Order in Iraq (Encore Presentation)

tonygill — Sun, 29 Apr 2018 08:00:13 +0000

We are still on a break. In the meantime, enjoy one of Tony’s favorite interviews from the past.

Why have many women in the Middle East resorted to increasingly conservative modes of dress in recent decades? And what happens after a political regime rapidly collapses leaving society in near total chaos as happened in Iraq in 2003? Dr. David Patel, a junior research fellow at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University, answers these questions and accounts for the rise and success of ISIS by using a political-economic approach to religious institutions and behavior. He links these various topics through the importance of social coordination, signaling, and common knowledge to a society, and explains why Shiites were more successful in limiting violence and providing public goods than Sunnis were in Iraq following the US invasion in 2003.

Our conversation begins with a bit of methodological banter as Tony asks David about the various analytical tools he uses including game theory, geospatial analysis, and ethnography. These theoretical and empirical techniques are rarely employed in conjunction with one another in the social sciences, and David offers a spirited defense of his multi-disciplinary approach and notes that ethnography has received a bad rap in the field of political science. We also talk about how these tools came to be applied to the study of religion and politics in the Middle East, and David and Tony share stories about how manuscript reviewers told them to submit their work to sociology journals since what they did “wasn’t political science.”

We then turn to the topic of “veiling” broadly construed. David quickly corrects Tony’s use of that term noting that “veiling” refers to a covering of the face, but many forms of Islamic conservative attire need not do that, including the use of gloves or simple headscarves (hijabs). Nonetheless, David has noted an increase in the use of more concealing clothing amongst Muslim women in the past several decades. He links this phenomenon to the growing interest among all women for more modest and non-Western forms of apparel. However, when all (or most) women began wearing more conservative attire in the 1970s and ’80s, it created a situation where highly pious women were less able to signal their piety to potential mates in the marriage market. As such, there was a ramping up of concealing clothing so that the truly pious could differentiate themselves from those with less religious commitment. He explains this in the context of a societal marriage market and makes a case that social scientists should pay much more attention to this aspect of society. David further observes that there have been similar trends among men, with the length of beards and style of shoes being important markers for signaling religious adherence.

The discussion shifts gears in a seemingly different direction as we pick up on the topic of Dr. Patel’s current book manuscript on the rebuilding of order in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein. While appearing unrelated to the aforementioned topic of Islamic dress, the importance of information and coordination tie these two topics together. David notes how massive looting broke out in Iraq in mere days following the US invasion of Iraq and Hussein’s ouster as president. Such a chaotic situation is a rather untenable one for most people and the re-creation of social order becomes a necessity. Quickly after the collapse of the Iraqi state, we see the emergence of Friday mosque sermons as a means of coordinating local priorities, which is unusual as given that Friday sermons are comparatively rare. Shia mosques turned out to be more successful at coordinating such local priorities, facilitating common knowledge, and providing local public goods (e.g., trash pickup and security) as they had a more hierarchical structure under the direction of Ali al-Sistani.

We conclude our interview with David’s thoughts on the rise of ISIS, why it has been successful, and some of the misconceptions both pundits and policymakers have about its organizational structure. He notes that ISIS’s simple ability to provide public goods and social order in areas where such order is lacking is what can account for its success. We finish with some of David’s personal “ah ha!” moments in his research, including the importance of local social norms and the realization that religion is not merely instrumental but something people hold to be intrinsically valuable. Recorded: September 25, 2015.

Brandeis University’s Crown Center for Middle East Studies.

“ISIS in Iraq: What We Get Wrong and Why 2015 is Not 2007 Redux,” by David Patel.

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John Owen IV on Confronting Political Islam, Historical Lessons.

Will Inboden on Religious Liberty, Foreign Policy, and the Arab Spring.

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Shari Rabin on Jews on the American Frontier

tonygill — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 08:00:08 +0000

What is it like to be a stranger in a strange land on the move, and how does that affect one’s ability to preserve their religious identity? This is a central question take up by Prof. Shari Rabin, an assistant professor of Jewish Studies at the College of Charleston and director of the Pearlstine/Lipov Center for Southern Jewish Culture, in her new book Jews on the Frontier: Religion and Mobility in Nineteenth-Century America. We begin, as usual, with a little background on our guest, learning how Prof. Rabin moved from Wisconsin to Georgia and then into the study of Jewish migration. Not surprisingly, we learn that her research interests in graduate school resonated with her own experiences on the move. Shari also gives us a synopsis of the Peralstine/Lipov Center that she runs.

We then move into our discussion on Jewish migration in 19th century America, first with a general overview of Jewish migration patterns dating back to the early colonial period in America. We learn that Charleston actually has the second oldest synagogue in the US dating back to the mid-17th century. Our conversation covers the various “push” and “pull” factors that led many Jews to migrate to American in the early 1800s. In Europe, governments tightly regulated Jewish behavior and living patterns, which served to shape their communities. In the US, by contrast, no such regulations existed and with the opportunity to head out West, it became very easy for one to lose one’s religious identity. The struggle to retain one’s heritage serves to focus the rest of our discussion. It is noted that much of the early Jewish migration was comprised of single males, making it difficult to find a spouse and raise a Jewish family. Intermarriage with Christians always presented itself as one possibility, but there were efforts to provide Jewish matchmaking services in order to retain cultural continuity. Issues of circumcision are also discussed, with Prof. Rabin noting that it was very difficult to find someone qualified to perform the procedure within the required eight days of birth. This, in turn, led to some creative flexibility on the part of Jews who needed to bend the strict rules. Other challenges facing Jews on the move related to finding Jewish “stuff,” such as kosher food, Torah scrolls, prayer shawls, and other elements of the faith that were used on a daily basis. And setting up a synagogue that helped to reinforce communal worship was also difficult as in some communities it was difficult to gather a quorum of believers to establish the congregation.

The final part of our conversation relates to how Jewish theology responded to the physical challenges of living as a minority in mobile times. Shari discusses two central figures in American Jewish history who were aware of these challenges and sought to shape religious identity to the new circumstances — Isaac Mayer Wise and Isaac Leeser. The former was a central figure in the creation of Reform Judaism, whereas the latter tried to preserve more traditional forms of Judaism. Despite their seemingly divergent approaches, Shari points out that these two religious entrepreneurs also shared much in common, using newspapers as a means of communication within the American Jewish community. She notes that the newspapers were not only there to broadcast to Jews the changes in Jewish culture that were occurring, but as Jews wrote into the paper describing their daily challenges, these men were able to keep their “ears to the ground” of the culture and diagnose the problems of the faithful. Their answers to these challenges often led to expanding notions of cultural authenticity, demonstrating that theology can be very flexible to one’s contextual environment. Shari also reveals that because Wise outlived Leeser by nearly three decades, he had a larger imprint on the nature of American Jewish culture. We sum up our discussion with the importance of the year 1877 and two important events. First Isaac Wise’s trip to California led him to write a series of travel letters that indicated his awe of how vibrant the Jewish culture remained in new lands, but also how he was concerned about how some changes (such as intermarriage with Christians) was threatening the long-term viability of the faith. The second major event of that year was the Seligman Affair, wherein a prominent Jewish businessman was prohibited from obtaining lodging in Saratoga, New York. This latter incident revealed that up until that time, Jewish life in American was largely individualistic and invisible, but as the population started to grow and find ways to enhance their communal relationships it often brought with it anti-Semitism and other forms of negative attention. We end the podcast with Prof. Rabin’s thoughts on what she has learned throughout her studies of Jewish life and migration. Recorded: February 23, 2018.

Prof. Rabin’s personal website (with links to her various writings).

Jews on the Frontier: Religion and Mobility in Nineteenth-Century America, by Shari Rabin.

The American Israelite, the newspaper founded by Isaac Mayer Wise (originally named The Israelite).

Carmel Chiswick on the Economics of Being Jewish in America.

Carmel Chiswick on the Economics of American Judaism (different than episode listed above).

Daniel Libenson on Present and Future Judaism.

Ken Wald on the Puzzling Politics of American Judaism.

Linda Weiser Friedman on Jewish Humor.

Click out “Jewish” category on the right hand side of our website for more episodes related to Judaism.

Jeff Levin on Judaism and Health (Encore Presentation)

tonygill — Sun, 18 Feb 2018 16:30:30 +0000

Judaism is certainly good for the soul, but can it also be good for what else ails ya? Dr. Jeff Levin, the University Professor of Epidemiology & Population Health at Baylor University and a Distinguished Senior Scholar at the Institute for Studies of Religion, brings his recent edited volume on Judaism and health to life in this interesting interview.

We begin with how Dr. Levin fell into the world of religion & health and his more specific interest in what is going on in the world of Judaism. He relates a rather fortuitous story of seeing an advertisement for a panel on Judiasm and healing at Hebrew Union College. Although he had been writing on religion and health for awhile, this event prompted him to begin exploring what had been happening in the Jewish community with respect to health. This journey took him back into the Torah and Midrash, taking notes on anything he saw written about health, as well as an examination of the contemporary Jewish scene.

We then cover a variety of topics that bridge the link Judaism and health starting with bioethics. Jeff connects this to historical interpretations (the “responsa” literature) of Jewish law (halakhah). Tony observes that we seem to be on the cusp of a new set of bioethical debates that were unimaginable just a few decades ago including genetic engineering. Jeff then talks about how the rabbinical community is addressing these issues within the tradition of Jewish law. A brief detour is taken to address the Jewish response to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which was not surprisingly varied within the Jewish community. Another aspect of Jewish health we examine is the growing institutionalization of pastoral care, including Jewish hospices and the creating of organizations designed to aging-related issues given that the US Jewish demographic is aging faster than most other demographics. Tony wonders if this specific emphasis on building formal institutions is related to the “new diaspora” to suburbs and how this might threaten Jewish solidarity. Jeff responds to this query and it leads us to an interesting discussion of the Jewish community in Waco where we learn that Jews were instrumental in the settlement of central Texas. We finish off with Jeff’s empirical work on Judiaism and health, noting how active observance in the Jewish faith actually has positive health outcomes (i.e, a protective factor) for individuals. Recorded: December 12, 2013.

RELATED LINKS

Jeff Levin’s bio at Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion.

Judaism & Health: A Handbook of Practical, Professional, and Scholarly Resources, edited by Jeff Levin.

Divine Love: Perspectives from the World’s Religious Traditions, edited by Jeff Levin and Stephen Post.

National Center for Jewish Healing.

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Aurora Griffin on Being Catholic at Harvard

tonygill — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 09:00:46 +0000

What is it like to be a devout Catholic attending a secular university? What steps can young believers take to ensure the integrity of the faith? Aurora Griffin, a graduate of Harvard University and a junior research scholar at the Center for the Study of Statesmanship at the Catholic University of America, answers these questions and provides valuable insights from her book How I Stayed Catholic at Harvard. After a brief discussion of her current duties at Catholic University, Ms. Griffin provides us with some biographical background on her faith and education growing up, and how she ended up at Harvard. Starting out with the intent to major in biomedical and cardiac research, and a side-interest in philosophy, she details how she ended up on an academic track focusing on the classics. Aurora also discusses the stresses of applying for college and what the first few months on campus are like – intellectually, socially, and religiously. Along the way, we are treated to great bits of advice regarding how to navigate the difficult waters of one’s college career, including the realization that things change.

Aurora then recounts an important story that set her down the course of writing her book about life at Harvard. It was during her graduation dinner with family, friends, and select faculty members that her father offered a toast regarding how significant it was that Aurora kept her Catholic faith so strong throughout college. This came as a bit of surprise as Aurora was expecting a recounting of her various academic achievements, but this point did prompt her to reflect upon the beliefs and practices that kept her strong, write them down, and publish them as bits of advice for other students who would find themselves in her position. When asked what the most important disciplines keeping her faith strong were, she replied that is was: 1) attending Mass regularly; 2) observing all required fasts; and 3) going to confession at least once a year. We discuss how the act of confession helps to promote reflection and humility, and how regular practices (or rituals) such as attending Mass create strong habits in other parts of one’s spiritual and secular life.

The discussion then turns to more specific advice in several areas including choosing one’s community, one’s approach to academics, and how to “live out” faith on a daily basis. Aurora points out that it would be hard to maintain one’s religious faith without a community of like-minded supporters, thus it is important to seek out other students and faculty that share your beliefs. This is a task that is important right from the start. Aurora also discusses her success in forming a Catholic sorority to bring together a community of 35 or so female students who connected with the Daughters of Isabella organization. The Harvard chapter of the Daughters of Isabella initiated their organization with a black tie ball, organized other social events, and became engaged in various charitable activities such as pancake breakfasts to support a local parish and baby showers for low-income mothers. We also discussed what it means to “just be Catholic” on a secular campus and Aurora’s thoughts on how to embrace the teachings of the Church without picking and choosing selectively. Tony asks if building a strong community of like-minded adherents runs the risk of creating a bubble around a student, which then moves us into a discussion of how important it is to also interact with people who are different than you, a lesson she learned at Oxford.

Academically, Aurora champions the importance of finding religious faculty members to interact with, attending conferences, and conversing with guest speakers to campus. She recounts her first meeting with philosopher Peter Kreeft of Boston College while picking him up at an airport in California. This seemingly mundane encounter became the springboard from which further intellectual interactions occurred in Boston. We then talk about “living it out” — i.e., how to be openly religious in our modern world. Aurora raises an interesting question that she heard from one of her friends: “If we lived in a country where Christianity was illegal, would there be sufficient evidence to charge you with?” This provocative question became a measuring stick for Aurora’s own faith and she talks about how rejecting various temptations at social gatherings and keeping the Sabbath are important markers for one’s spiritual developments. She recalls how she would attend Mass regularly on Sunday and spend leisurely afternoons with her friends afterwards as a way of keeping the Sabbath, a difficult task in the high-pressured world of the Ivy League. We also talk about how regular habits of faith may seem robotic and sterile, but really allow a person to avoid things that they could become “hurt by” and how this leads to a more fulfilling and happier life.

The conversation concludes with some of Aurora’s personal reflections on what she has experienced since finishing her book and what her future plans are. Recorded: Janary 12, 2018

How I Stayed Catholic at Harvard: Forty Tips for Faithful College Students, by Aurora Griffin.

Leisure, the Basis of Culture, by Joseph Pieper (mentioned in podcast).

Daughters of Isabella (and the Harvard chapter).

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Michael Medved on Religion & Hollywood (encore presentation)

tonygill — Sun, 03 Dec 2017 09:00:54 +0000

While Tony is still on a short sabbatical and trying to make improvements to the audio files of our show, we invite you to enjoy this interesting podcast from five years ago. There are now over 350 unique episodes in our archives, so please feel free to search our archives and tell a friend.

Does Hollywood portray religion in a negative light? If so, why? And has it always been that way? We take up these questions and many more with film critic, radio talk show host, author, and cultural crusader Michael Medved. Michael is the author of numerous books on Hollywood and other topics (see below) and has served as a film critic for over 25 years. We discuss how he managed to find himself in that position as well as what life is like for a movie critic. He details his personal story within that profession as well as providing insights into how critics review movies. Michael discusses his role in the critics’ controversy surrounding Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, wherein pundits became highly critical of this film even before seeing any footage! We then turn our attention to why Hollywood has shifted from making movies such as The Bells of St. Mary and Going My Way, wherein religious figures and institutions are presented favorably, to films such as Agnes of God and The Pope Must Die, theatrical releases that didn’t necessarily hold the same view of spiritual faith. Tony notes that this change seemed to have occurred in the late 1960s. Michael reveals how a change in the Motion Picture Production Code of 1930 (i.e., The Hays Code) occured in the mid-1960s giving way to the current rating system that we see today. This change paved the way for studios to make more “edgy” R-rated films. We discuss how the 1970s saw a dearth of G-rated theatrical releases. Michael points out that even though such family-friendly films make drastically more money than R-rated movies, producers still favor the latter. The incentive structure for filmmakers and producers is not always (or often) to make a profit, but rather to earn the accolades of those within the industry. This is why the demans of “Middle America” are often unmet at the local cineplex. Not to worry, though, there has been a trend over the past two decades to offer more films pitched to a church-going audience. We talk about how the ability to make movies has become more accessible and groups like Affirm Films can make highly popular films such as Fireproof, Facing the Giants, and Soul Surfer. Hollywood has noticed the success of these films as well as The Passion and we are seeing more options portraying religious folks as heroes rather than villians. Our conversation also includes a discussion not only of what we see on the silver screen, but what occurs with movie stars off screen. We look into the somewhat deviant culture of Hollywood and Michael provides his insights into why so many actors and actresses seem to engage in destructive behavior. Along the way, we find out what the worst movie of all time was, and Tony reveals three of his favorite films of all time dealing with the eternal themes of skyscrapers, fish, and football. Recorded: November 28, 2012.

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The Michael Medved Show.

Hollywood versus America, by Michael Medved.

The Fifty Worst Movies of All Time, updated version by Harry Medved (Michael’s brother and earlier co-author).

The Golden Turkey Awards: The Worst Achievements in Hollywood History, by Michael Medved and Harry Medved.

The American Miracle: Divine Providence in the Rise of the Republic, by Michael Medved.

The 10 Big Lies About America: Combating Destructive Distortions about Our Nation, by Michael Medved.

The 5 Big Lies About American Business: Combating Smears Against the Free-Market Economy, by Michael Medved.

Right Turns: From Liberal Activist to Conservative Champion in 35 Unconventional Lessons, by Michael Medved.

Saving Childhood: Protecting Our Children from the National Assault on Innocence, by Michael Medved and Diane Medved.

What Really Happened to the Class of ’65?, by Michael Medved and David Wallechinsky.

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Jared Rubin on Religion & Credit Risk in the Ottoman Empire (Encore Presentation)

tonygill — Sun, 05 Nov 2017 09:00:55 +0000

In celebration of the release of Prof. Rubin’s new book, Rulers, Religion, and Riches: Why the West Got Rich and the Middle East Did Not, we offer up this oldie but goldie from our archives. We expect to be hearing more from Jared in the coming months, so stay tuned!

When it comes to wielding economic power in society, and getting the best interest rates on loans, most people would expect that the wealthy and politically connected would be in a better position than others. While generally true, Prof. Jared Rubin – an associate professor of economics at Chapman University and associate director of the Institute for Religion, Economics, and Society – points to a very interesting period in Islamic history where this didn’t necessarily hold true. In fact, it was during the late Ottoman Empire that those in socially-disadvantaged positions were able to secure lower interest rates on loans than the rich and powerful. The groups paying lower rates on credit included women, the poor, and non-Muslims.

As Jared has been a guest on the show before, we open with a bit of banter about what he has been up to, which includes writing a new book and wrangling over the title of that book. Our conversation then jumps to a recent project with another RoR guest, Timur Kuran. Here, these two scholars take a look at how interest rates were set in the late Ottoman Empire (circa 17th and 18th centuries). Jared spends some time filling us in on what this period in Ottoman history looked like, with a survey of the legal, banking, and commercial system that was in place and how religiously diverse Istanbul and other parts of the empire was. This discussion also covers how women were able to accumulate wealth during this period of time, an important observation as females were part of the credit market in the Ottoman Empire. Jared explains the importance of interest in credit markets and how Islamic rules on usury operated.

The next step in our discussion covers how individuals with legal and financial power can often gain favorable access to credit, a result that is not surprising to most folks. However, we quickly learn that during the period under examination by Profs. Rubin and Kuran, the well-connected often paid higher interest rates than those in a less favorable social position. Jared points out that titled elites (i.e, the politically well-connected), Muslims, and men paid a premium on their loans relative to those not politically connected, females, and non-Muslims. He explains how Timur Kuran discovered this empirical oddity while conducting extensive archival research, and how both of them thought it was merely a problem with a small sample size or poor data recording at first. However, the more they examined the situation, the more it revealed a fascinating puzzle. Jared explains that because the politically well-connected and Muslims would oftentimes get favorable decisions from the court system when they defaulted, lenders would build in a small premium to manage this increased risk. Non-elites and non-Muslims (e.g., Christians and Jews) were less likely to receive favorable judgments in default hearings and thus were incentivized to be more careful in paying back their loans. He also notes that males had an easier time fleeing when it came time to pay back their loans, whereas women had fewer exit opportunities and were thus a lower lending risk. Our discussion explores the magnitude of these differences as well as the varying types of legitimate and illegitimate default.

The latter portion of our podcast explores why a similar pattern did not arise in Christian Europe as well as some modern extensions of this theory that take us to the land of Brazil and how this affects the ability of the poor to get apartments when renters’ rights are so strong. While Kuran and Rubin’s work on the Ottoman Empire seems to be a historical oddity, Jared notes that their findings fit nicely into our knowledge about credit risk today and could be useful in explaining financial results in other parts of the world or during other periods of time. We discuss some of the more surprising things he learned from this study including how going into empirical data with an open mind can often times prompt interesting theoretical questions, and how history is a good teacher. Recorded: February 17, 2016.

Note: Due to some phone issues, portions of the podcast had to be edited. We attempted to do this as seamlessly as possible.

Rulers, Religion, and Riches: Why the West Got Rich and the Middle East Did Not, by Jared Rubin.

“The Financial Power of the Powerless: Socio-Economic Status and Interest Rates under Weak Rule of Law,” by Timur Kuran and Jared Rubin.

The Institute for Religion, Economics, and Society (IRES) at link to the graduate workshop.

The Association for the Study of Religion, Economics, and Culture (ASREC).

RELATED PODCASTS

Jared Rubin on Christian and Islamic Economic History.

Timur Kuran on Islamic Law and Economic Development.

Timur Kuran on Islamic Economics.

Murat Iyigun on Monotheism, Conflict, Europe, and the Ottomans (and the Blues).

Clark Lombardi on Sharia Law.

Nile Green on Islam in Bombay and Beyond.

Eileen Kane on the Russian Hajj.

Larry Iannaccone on Sacrifice, Stigma, and the Economics of Religion.

Colleen Haight on Jewish Peddlers in 19th Century America.

Ani Sarkissian on Politics & Religious Civil Society in Turkey.

Tim Clydesdale on College and Vocation

tonygill — Sun, 15 Oct 2017 08:00:23 +0000

How do we instill a sense of purpose in young adults who are attending college? Do we attempt this at all, or is it merely four years of simply checking boxes and earning a degree? Prof. Tim Clydesdale, a professor of sociology at The College of New Jersey, answers these questions in light of his evaluation of several private college programs funded by the Lilly Endowment Programs for the Theological Exploration of Vocation Initiative. We tap into Prof. Clydesdale’s earlier work on “emerging adults,” and specifically on the first year after high school. Some new trends among this group of individuals (roughly aged 18-30) are explored. Tim notes that it takes roughly one’s entire 20s to establish a career and find a life partner, and this period of life is noted for having to learn how to manage gratification, negotiate relationships and other “daily life” issues. Rarely is there time to think about and develop one’s broader identity and purpose in life. We talk about how many college students today are having increased difficulty in not only finding purpose in life, but dealing with intensified anxiety surrounding daily life. Tim mentions that roughly 25% of all college students today are receiving some form of mental health treatment. He also reviews the religious outlook of this young demographic, pointing out that a constant 20-30% of individuals in their third decade of life tend to be quite devout, whereas a little less than 30% now consider themselves “nones.” We review what this means (and it doesn’t necessarily mean atheist).

Next, the discussion moves on to the concept of “vocation,” which Tony sees as a very religious concept, but Tim explains that he uses it in a much broader sense which could include finding a purpose or calling from the world, listening to the voice within oneself about who to be, and/or taking one’s skills out to better society. The Lilly Foundation set upon an idea more than a decade ago to fund over 80 unique programs at private colleges and universities devoted to promoting the idea of vocation among students. Most of these schools were religiously-based, though they did cover a smattering of secular liberal arts colleges. The general nature of these programs was difficult to categorize as Lilly allowed colleges to devise a wide range of programs. Tim provides a few examples of programs including ones that emphasized “meaningful work” and sponsored internships, to themed residential halls, to the creation of a choir that had the effect of drawing many more students into participation in weekly chapel services. While the money for these programs dried up in 2009, nearly 9 in 10 of them continued beyond that date, and a network of schools who continued their emphasis on vocation developed (NetVUE, see below for link). Prof. Clydesdale discusses his research design and mission in evaluating these programs, as well as some of his most important findings.

One thing that did stand out was that the programs that focused on sophomores (second-year students) were much more successful than those emphasizing entering students (freshmen) or seniors. The reasoning here was that first-year students were usually too absorbed with just acclimating themselves to being on their own, whereas seniors were becoming more narrowly focused on the next stage of their lives, including finding jobs. The sophomore year was the “sweet spot” that allowed students to do some serious reflection on their life’s calling. Along the way, Tim reviews his category of college students — from the obsessive-compulsive grade hunters to the “beer and circus” party animals. He notes that vocation programs tended to do well amongst students who were idealistically-oriented (as compared to instrumental in their education) and did have some degree of concern over their overall student performance (usually measured by grades). Nonetheless, some students who had a more instrumental outlook on life — i.e., putting in the four years of college to move to the next stage — also benefitted from some of these programs. Another feature of success for these programs was that they were not too small, yet neither were they too big. The best range tended to be about 200-400 students. And where the upper level administrators (e.g., provost, president) were on board with the program, the effort seemed to have greater impact. This moves us into a discussion of how faculty and staff were invigorated by the Lilly Initiative with some “deadwood” and “institutional grumblers” becoming “good citizens” and finding a renewed purpose in their own professional calling. We close with Tim’s personal thoughts on how this study affected his own view of the professoriate. He noted that he has been devoting more attention to teaching and mentoring, as well has having a better understanding for the causes and consequences of anxiety within students. Although this podcast interview doesn’t explicitly focus on religion, it should be of great interest to students, faculty, college administrators, and parents of college-aged students. Recorded: October 2, 23017.

The Purposeful Graduate: Why Colleges Must Talk to Students about Vocation, by Tim Clydesdale.

The First Year Out: Understanding American Teens after High School, by Tim Clydesdale.

The Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE).

RELATED PODCASTS

John Fea on the American Bible Society (mentioned in podcast).

Joseph Castleberry on Religious-Based Higher Education.

Hunter Baker on the Future of Higher Education.

Kevin den Dulk on Religion, Education, and Civic Engagement.

Rick Walston on Distance Learning and Seminary Education.

Kimberly Conger on Being Christian in Secular Academia.

Bill Clark on an Academic’s Spiritual Journey.

Chris Gerhz on the Crisis of Christian Colleges.

Marion Larson on Bubbles, Bridges, and Multi-Faith Education.

Aaron Saiger on Religion and Charter Schools.

Robert Nelson on Lutheranism and Nordic Social Democracy

tonygill — Sun, 08 Oct 2017 08:00:20 +0000

The Nordic nations of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden have long been known for maintaining quality governance, high levels of socio-economic equality, and high levels of happiness amongst the population. While political economists have been pressed to explain the success of these countries, Prof. Robert Nelson, a professor of public policy at the University of Maryland, suggests that it may have something to do with its “Lutheran Ethic.” We begin this discussion with a retrospective of Prof. Nelson’s career, which had him completing a PhD in economics and focusing on land use issues for several decades. The curious question for listeners becomes how he began writing on issues related to religion, to which he gives a very interesting and introspective reply, including a bit of discussion of his own thinking on whether a god exists. We then move into his definition of religion, which tends to be broader than used by other scholars. The conversation turns to a discussion of the “Protestant Ethic” as famously noted by Max Weber, and Bob’s corrective which points out that Weber was really talking about a Calvinistic ethic, which was different than the theological culture that Luther himself gave rise to within Lutheranism. We talk about who Luther was, what he considered to be important virtues, and how he viewed “free market capitalism” (to the extent that something like that was explicitly known in Europe at the time). Prof. Nelson notes that Luther was hostile towards the idea of “self-interest,” had a strong sense of community (more so than, say, the Calvinists), emphasized the virtue of “calling” and the need to serve community, and was big on the Golden Rule. He provides some insight into how this translates into Finnish culture about “general rights,” a notion of property that is different than what is thought about in the United States. Bob covers a few other differences that Lutheranism has with respect to Calvinism, including that Lutheranism was more “top down” in in application of community. We also review Luther’s changing attitudes towards governmental authority, particularly in light of the “mob rule” of the Peasants’ Revolt. The next topic up involves a survey of “social democracy,” and what that means in contemporary Scandinavia. We briefly review the history of the Nordic social welfare states, how these nations jettisoned the class warfare mentality of early 20th century socialists, and how it is viewed culturally as “The People’s Home.” Dr. Nelson notes that over time the notion of “economic progress” by way of social science came to replace many of the Lutheran ideas that were inculcated in those countries in centuries earlier, but how this new secular ideology has much in common with previous Lutheran theology. We go through a number of key points within Lutheranism and compare them to contemporary social values and norms within Nordic society. The interview concludes with some of Bob’s thoughts on where Nordic social democracy is today, and why it may be headed into crisis. Recorded: October 2, 2017.

Lutheranism and the Nordic Spirit of Social Democracy, by Robert Nelson. (Also available with e-book version at Aarhus University Press.)

God? Very Probably: Five Rational Ways of Thinking about the Question of a God, by Robert Nelson.

The New Holy Wars: Economic Religion versus Environmental Religion in Contemporary America, by Robert Nelson.

Economics as Religion: From Samuelson to Chicago and Beyond, by Robert Nelson.

Reaching for Heaven on Earth: The Theological Meaning of Economics, by Robert Nelson.

Private Neighborhoods and the Transformation of Local Government, by Robert Nelson.

Public Lands and Private Rights: The Failure of Scientific Management, by Robert Nelson and Sally Fairfax.

Mind and Cosmos, by Thomas Nagel (menti0ned in podcast).

RELATED PODCASTS

The Protestant Reformation Series (including other podcasts from Goldman, Pfaff, Sorenson, Gray, and Stark).

Robert Nelson on Environmentalism as Religion.