Comments on: The Dobson/Obama Rorschach test http://www.ssrc.org/blogs/immanent_frame/2008/07/10/the-dobsonobama-rorschach-test/ Secularism, religion, and the public sphere Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:43:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: John Schmalzbauer http://www.ssrc.org/blogs/immanent_frame/2008/07/10/the-dobsonobama-rorschach-test/#comment-4461 John Schmalzbauer Wed, 06 Aug 2008 19:16:34 +0000 http://www.ssrc.org/blogs/immanent_frame/?p=292#comment-4461 Thanks to Randal Jelks for the astute comment. I completely agree. We don't have good analytical models for thinking about people like Caldwell (despite the scholarship of Emerson and Smith). Historians and sociologists of religion have usually not grouped African-American churches in the evangelical category, despite some overlap in theology and belief. The few black church leaders who have identified with the evangelical label (like Caldwell) are a special case. I am interested in Caldwell for his potential to sway white evangelicals, as well as the following he has among some African-American voters. Thanks to Randal Jelks for the astute comment. I completely agree.
We don’t have good analytical models for thinking about people like Caldwell (despite the scholarship of Emerson and Smith).

Historians and sociologists of religion have usually not grouped African-American churches in the evangelical category, despite some overlap in theology and belief. The few black church leaders who have identified with the evangelical label (like Caldwell) are a special case.

I am interested in Caldwell for his potential to sway white evangelicals, as well as the following he has among some African-American voters.

]]> By: Randal Jelks http://www.ssrc.org/blogs/immanent_frame/2008/07/10/the-dobsonobama-rorschach-test/#comment-4436 Randal Jelks Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:48:33 +0000 http://www.ssrc.org/blogs/immanent_frame/?p=292#comment-4436 Nice evaluation and one that is appreciated. However, I think there is a key component missing in the piece: race and ethnicity. Although you mention Kirbyjon Caldwell, you don't explore the issue of how black "evangelicals" evaluate the issues of Obama and Dobson. For example, Caldwell is troublesome to many black "evangelicals" for being so cozy with the Bush administration, especially in light of the administration's slow reaction to the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. My point is that black "evangelicals" have always been left of their sisters and brothers in the SBC, or those parachurch groups like Dobson's Focus on the Family. Race and American "evangelicalism" is clearly at place here for black "evangelicals" when they listen to Dobson's critique. Michael Emerson and Christian Smith's <em>Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America</em> would have been a good book to round this piece out more. Nice evaluation and one that is appreciated. However, I think there is a key component missing in the piece: race and ethnicity. Although you mention Kirbyjon Caldwell, you don’t explore the issue of how black “evangelicals” evaluate the issues of Obama and Dobson. For example, Caldwell is troublesome to many black “evangelicals” for being so cozy with the Bush administration, especially in light of the administration’s slow reaction to the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. My point is that black “evangelicals” have always been left of their sisters and brothers in the SBC, or those parachurch groups like Dobson’s Focus on the Family. Race and American “evangelicalism” is clearly at place here for black “evangelicals” when they listen to Dobson’s critique. Michael Emerson and Christian Smith’s Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America would have been a good book to round this piece out more.

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