Trump’s “complicated relationship with the Bible” is a lot like my complicated relationship with Charlize Theron

Claiming to value "intellecutal freedom" while shutting down African American and Women's Studies reinforces the fact that the center is an authoritarian project, not a sincere attempt to expand intellectual life.

Our Anti-Empathy Administration open.substack.com/pub/johnhawt... One of the things that separates Trump 2.0 from Trump 1.0 is that in the former, there were people with some measure of empathy. Trump 2.0 is led by people who share Trump’s aversion to empathy.

religionnews.com/2026/04/01/u... About that so-called “youth revival” — Looks like the pollsters didn’t screen for bots. Not that this fact won’t keep evangelical leaders from claiming that young people are attending church at record rates. Feel free to share this story widely.

The number one rule for No Kings 3 tomorrow is DO NOT INTERACT WITH COUNTER PROTESTERS! Do not talk, do not argue, do not react to their words, their single-finger salute, or their rolling coal. DO NOT ENGAGE!!!! You safety team is ready to deal with any negative people.

Reaching for the Moon, by Edward Mason Eggleston, 1933 (flipped), 📸 by @godovasquez

I refuse to read an article whose headline begins with “Trump says…”. Where is the reporting on the actual negotiations?

Save Us From the SAVE ACT open.substack.com/pub/johnhawt... Right off the bat, it makes clear that this process is ONLY for US citizens. It’s very clear — if you aren’t a citizen, don’t fill out the form.

How would we know?

@nbcnews.com — What is the news value of having Graham on MTP? He’s been saying exactly the same thing for over two decades.

The Trump administration is like a Frankenstein government made from scraps of Dick Cheney, Bernie Madoff, and Jeffrey Epstein.

Contempt Of (No, FOR) Congress open.substack.com/pub/johnhawt...

Not the main point, but the Dow isn’t measured in “dollars”

we need to talk about that Ring Super Bowl ad

Reading all the sociology comments here made me repost something I wrote last week.

In @nytopinion.nytimes.com “Playing politics with the idea of fraudulent voters and stolen elections comes at a real cost to American confidence in our elections,” Stephen Richer says in a guest essay. “It’s an affront to our democracy and to all those who work to deliver free and fair elections.”

Ryan Burge's The Vanishing Church open.substack.com/pub/johnhawt...

KAITLAN COLLINS: What would say to Epstein survivo--- TRUMP: You are so bad. You are the worst report. No wonder CNN has no ratings. She's a young woman. I don't think I've ever seen you smile. They should be ashamed of you.

What Colorado’s 8th Congressional District shows about Republicans’ immigration fallout in the midterms

When is Sociology no longer Sociology? open.substack.com/pub/johnhawt... I titled this piece “When is sociology no longer sociology?” Answer: When it is indistinguishable from Social Darwinism. Herbert Spencer would be thrilled. @insidehighered.com

This is such an interesting idea. The “ridealong” is such an established genre binding journalism to law enforcement. Great to see @zeteo.com flip this on its head and bind journalism to mutual aid and community care, real “news you can use.”

Religious folks standing up.

Had some quick thoughts about the extent to which the administration seems to be using "going on the internet" as a synonym for "engaging in an anti-government movement." www.pbump.net/o/using-the-...

Editorial in the National Catholic Reporter: "The vice president's comments justifying the death of Renee Good are a moral stain on the collective witness of our Catholic faith. His repeated attempts to blame Good for her own death are fundamentally incompatible with the Gospel."

The way to combat a mendacious administration is to share better stories early and often open.substack.com/pub/johnhawt...

yes, there is a whole ass list of us which is why I am mad Worthen is acting like she is the one to tell us what's happening. WE HAVE BEEN ON THIS BEAT.

Pleased to see my book included in this excellent review essay in the fall issue of Christian Scholars Review. christianscholars.com/fidelity-and...

There was revolution in the air in New Orleans when the Border Patrol invaded their city - as brave citizens blew whistles, chased convoys, and confronted masked agents of a tyrannical government From Minneapolis to Manhattan, an uprising has begun. A special report www.inquirer.com/opinion/immi...

Happy to see our friend John's book on this list! @jwhawthorne.bsky.social

How one conservative Christian family is pushing back against ICE religionnews.com/2025/11/25/h...

Just finished @elienyc.bsky.social’s “Bad Law”. An interesting treatment of laws inhibiting our democracy and what to do about them. Don’t have to agree with all of his arguments, but I’m glad someone is raising the options.

open.substack.com/pub/johnhawt... But the real story here is the high degree of acceptance for clergy regularly addressing social issues with the congregation.

If you or someone you know is heading to Boston for #aarsbl2025 this weekend, my book will be available at the Eerdmans display with a discount. Help spread the word!

This administration’s weird use of undefined aggregate statistics is just bizarre. Based on how many people? Half a pound for each adult in the US? A million people losing an average of 35 pounds? Why not talk about the median weight loss (your experience may vary)? Take a stats class!

Gavin should have given his speech before Mamdani’s. Not a great speech and failed to thank the people worked hard to achieve the outcome. Zohran showed how to close a campaign.

open.substack.com/pub/johnhawt...? On my book panel at @sssreligion.bluesky.social annual meeting.

In the wake of searing media stories and big blowback from alums (some of whom threatened to pull planned endowments), Indiana University reversed its decision to stop letting their students print news. www.idsnews.com/article/2025...

Heading to Minneapolis for the @sssreligion.bsky.social meeting (which will include a book panel about The Fearless Christian University).

OK, I wrote about the "how Democrats can win" report. www.pbump.net/o/politics-i...

Beth Allison Barr's "Becoming the Pastor's Wife" open.substack.com/pub/johnhawt... @bethallisonbarr.bsky.social

Christianity and Americanism: Pew and PRRI open.substack.com/pub/johnhawt... I don’t think these positions could be well articulated in a focus group. But they operate in the ether through which people approach religion and patriotism. That’s why I call it Soft Christian Nationalism.

Yeah, this is one case where I think we'd all be wise to spread the president's message wide. Let everyone see who he is.

“We’re here peacefully protesting, looking as ridiculous as we can, just so maybe we appeal to the president because he’s a ridiculous leader that is normalizing abuse of power. And we cannot stand and act like nothing is happening.” 🦄

this rocks. when indiana edu killed the student newspaper, Purdue stepped up, printed the forbidden issue, drove it to Bloomington and stocked the boxes.

NYT piece calls these MAGA types "provocateurs." It describes "dueling versions of reality." Both are common MSM tropes. But these are not provocateurs. They're propagandists. Only one side is employing deliberate deceptions on a vast scale for instrumental ends. 3/ newrepublic.com/article/2016...

With A Little Help From My Friends open.substack.com/pub/johnhawt... @angeladenker.bsky.social @nappnazworth.bsky.social @hollybfletcher.bsky.social @gerardomarti.bsky.social

EL PASO — a family says ICE showed up at their house looking for migrants and shot and KILLED THEIR DOG, then didn’t help them as the agent ran away and was not identified. kfoxtv.com/news/local/e...

The Goal is Delegitimization open.substack.com/pub/johnhawt... Thanks to @eggerdc.bsky.social @jenrubin.bsky.social and @sykescharlie.bsky.social

Pollingism vs. Magnetism Reflections on @anatosaurus.bsky.social's analysis on polls and political campaigns.

Oh wow! Donnie learned a new vocabulary word—"unabated"!! Too bad he doesn't know what it means.