larycia hawkins

When Wheaton College released it's anticipated Report on Race, there was a glaring omission. A comprehensive self-study over the history of the college had an arbitraty cut-off date of the year 2000. While it was an attempt to be transparent, vulnerable, and forthright over past mistakes, the report failed to address the painful departure of the first African American woman tenured professor, Dr. Larycia Hawkins. Ken reached out to Professor David Dark of Belmont University, an outspoken advocate of Dr. Hawkins and her work. They discuss the Wheaton episode. A very popular professor, Dr. Dark is active on social media and highly regarded for his books, his lectures and social commentary. Ken and David cover many topics including the Nashville political scene. Dr. Dark has a personal connection to The Covenant School, where a mass shoting gained national attention and introduced us to the "Tennessee Three" - legislators who made "Good Trouble" on the floor of the legislature demanding a debate on gun control. Ken asked David to continue this lively conversation in a part two, scheduled for next week where they will continue the conversation, including his book Life's too Short to Pretend you aren't Religious. SHOW NOTES

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Ken welcomes professor, fellow podcaster, and author Dr. Brad Onishi back to the podcast to talk about his new book - Preparing for War - The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism and What Comes Next (release date: January 3, 2023). A long-time friend of the podcast, Brad has been busy after a major event in Denver focussed on Christian Nationalism last month with a large audience both live and virtual. It featured major influencers and thinkers including Robert P. Jones,  Sam Perry, Katherine Steward, Larycia Hawkins, and his podcast partner, Dan Miller. In addition to his regular podcast, Straight White American Jesus,. Brad is releasing a series on The New Apostolic Reformation with Professor Matthew Taylor, Ph.D. It's an expose on a growing movement advancing an extreme dominion version of Christianity. Brad introduces his book which traces what we now know as Christian Trumpism from the 1960s to the present in the context of his own personal journey - beginning with his conversion in high school in Orange County (CA); the great mid-west and Southern migration to California, the John Birch Society, The Crystal Cathedral and Robert Schuller, his own Friends Church (predominantly white) and Friendship Baptist Church (predominantly black), to Dr. James Dobson and his secular eugenicist mentor, Dr. Paul Pompenoe. Onishi fills in the background on two Jericho Marches, featuring Eric Metaxas, Michael Flynn and Alex Jones,  which were a prelude to the January 6 Insurrection. Finally, the two discuss the ways in which American Evangelicalism finds its roots in The Lost Case Narrative of the South. SHOW NOTES

Originally aired December 2022

Purchase Brad's new Book: Preparing for War - The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism--and What Comes Next   

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This week, Ken and Carla talk about the resistance to vaccinations the pressure on Joe Biden to call the nation together to battle the virus. This week, California votes on the recall of Governor Gavin Newsom, Larry Elder is making a full-court Trumpian run at replacing the governor. The new podcast SouthLake tells the story of an upscale Dallas community up in arms packing school board meetings with their complaints about masks, vaccines, and CRT (Critical Race Theory). The memory and legacy of Dallas Cowboy Frank Cornish is on the line. Linda Midgett's documentary film, SAME GOD (the story of Professor Larycia Hawkins) is as relevant today as when it was made. FRONTLINE traces the nation's journey from 9/11 (twenty years ago this week) through to the January 6 insurrection.  Jon Meacham's podcast, It Was Said, highlights the Inaugural Address of John F. Kennedy - which Meacham ranks it among the greatest ever. Ken compares it with the Trump inaugural of January 2017 (by Stephen Miller). Secretary Pete? He's sporting a beard! It's public, they have TWO.

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Ken welcomes veteran of the film and entertainment distribution business, Dave Mechem. Their careers have run in parallel lines - including some collaboration and lots of mutual encouragement. The two friends walk through those projects: the feature film NOT TODAYabout India's caste system, human trafficking and the plight of the Dalits that has led them both into a serious commitment to racial reconciliation. Other films include Drop Box, Emanuel Nine, Unbroken - Path to Redemption, Same God (the Larycia Hawkins story), Just Mercy (Bryan Stevenson's commitment to those on death row falsely convicted), Harriet (the civil rights icon, Harriet Tubman) and now, Redeeming Love. Dave shares the emotional moment he knew racism is real, and it's time to act. They talk about Journey Church, and their new teaching pastor, Mike Erre.

SHOW NOTES

EDITION #98

Ken's guest this week is Emmy award-winning writer, producer, director, and documentary filmmaker, Linda Midgett. This is her second appearance on the podcast. We talk about her new Facebook Live Series, What's At Stake? Her guests have included Larycia Hawkins, the subject of Linda's award-winning film, SAME GOD, David Gushee, Kristin Kobes Du Mez and the high profile cable television commentator, Kirsten Powers. With the Presidential Election is just a few days away, we discuss what's at stake - and Ken reads a blog post that speaks to that question. SHOW NOTES.

Linda Midgett is the director and producer of the documentary film, Same God. She tells us her story - how she was captured by the story of the African American, tenured professor at a major evangelical college who wore a hijab in "embodied solidarity" with Muslim women. She identified with their plight as marginalized by the current political and social climate - and as a consequence, lost her position. More show notes: https://thebeachedwhitemale.com/linda_midgett/

Join us as we welcome Dr. Larycia Hawkins, who talks about her experience when, in 2015, she declared her intention to don a hijab in embodied solidarity with Muslim sisters throughout Advent and what transpired afterward. Host Lindsy Wallace and co-host Gina Ciliberto join in the conversation.

Dr. Hawkins is a scholar, political science professor, and activist teaching and researching at the nexus of politics, race, ethnicity, and religion and has been called a modern-day Rosa Parks by Rev. Jesse Jackson. 

In this episode, we:

• Dive into how Larycia decided to embody solidarity
• Soak in what was learned from Muslim women
• Examine the differences in proximity versus solidarity 
• Humbly consider embodied solidarity as a form of death
• Dare to be hopeful during the exile in the wilderness

Join us as we explore how to not only be for others but also with them. May we be people who are emboldened to embody justice to speak truth to power and to take risks as we follow Jesus.  

Recommended reading & resources:

• The Same God film
• Follow Dr. Larycia on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

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