Righting America

A forum for scholarly conversation about Christianity, culture, and politics in the US
American Exceptionalism | Righting America

The One Time an F is (Better than) Acceptable: Turning Point USA’s Dean’s List

by Tucker James Hoffmann Tucker James Hoffmann is an undergraduate student at the University of Dayton. Under the mentorship of Drs. Susan Trollinger and William Trollinger Jr., Tucker has written – among other works – “Gen Z Gen Free: The Rise of Christian Right...

American Lament: Navigating the Apocalypse with Michael Flynn and Oliver North

by Dominic Sanfilippo Dominic Sanfilippo is researching political and theological polarization, conspiratorial rhetoric, and emerging fundamentalist influences on American Catholicism while pursuing a master’s degree in theological studies at the University of...

Hijacking History: An Interview with Kathleen Wellman

by William Trollinger Book cover for Kathleen Wellman’s Hijacking History: How the Christian Right Teaches History and Why It Matters (Oxford University Press, 2021). Kathleen Wellman is Dedman Family Distinguished Professor of History and Altshuler...

Two Peas in a Pod: QAnon Conspiratorialism and Young Earth Creationism

by William Trollinger Doug Jensen gestures to U.S. Capitol Police in the hallway outside of the Senate chamber at the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6. Jensen, 41, of Des Moines, Iowa, was jailed Jan. 9 on federal charges, including trespassing and disorderly conduct...

Debunking the Original Birther Story

by Rodney Kennedy Rodney Kennedy has his M.Div. from New Orleans Theological Seminary and his Ph.D. in Rhetoric from Louisiana State University. The pastor of 7 Southern Baptist churches over the course of 20 years, he pastored the First Baptist Church of Dayton (OH)...

Decoding the Digital Church: Evangelical Storytelling and the Election of Donald J. Trump: An interview with Stephanie A. Martin

by Patrick Thomas Sam (Stephanie A. Martin) is a scholar of public address and political communication, with a particular interest in the public discourses of conservative social movements, especially evangelical voters. She has written or edited three books, most...