David Mislin
@davidmislin.bsky.social
Historian of 19th 20th + 21st c. US religion. Temple U. faculty. Wrote about Protestants + pluralism. Now writing on religious liberals in small towns. Once and (hopefully) future marathoner. Tired political junkie. Sheetz/Wawa equal opportunist. He/him.
Pinned
David Mislin
@davidmislin.bsky.social
· Nov 12
Hi new and returning followers! I'm a historian of religion in the US from the late 19th c.-present, and I teach in Temple's core humanities program. I'm writing a book about religious liberals in U.S. small towns and their influence in what we imagine to be conservative religious communities.
Reposted by David Mislin
Out today in print!
December 4, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Out today in print!
Reposted by David Mislin
Deep Space Nine Oh Two One Oh
🚨 BREAKING - New Star Trek: #StarfleetAcademy Poster!
The first season of the new #StarTrek live-action series premieres January 15th on Paramount+
🖖 Will YOU be watching?
The first season of the new #StarTrek live-action series premieres January 15th on Paramount+
🖖 Will YOU be watching?
December 4, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Deep Space Nine Oh Two One Oh
Total longshot in Trump +33 PA-14 but seems like the right kind of candidate for the district.
Dems didn’t even compete here in 2022. Good to see them competing everywhere in 2026.
Dems didn’t even compete here in 2022. Good to see them competing everywhere in 2026.
Democrat Alan Bradstock hopes to challenge Reschenthaler in 2026
Fayette County veteran Alan Bradstock is launching a bid for the largely rural district outside Pittsburgh. Bradstock says Reschenthaler has supported Trump administration policies that haven't helped...
www.wesa.fm
December 4, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Total longshot in Trump +33 PA-14 but seems like the right kind of candidate for the district.
Dems didn’t even compete here in 2022. Good to see them competing everywhere in 2026.
Dems didn’t even compete here in 2022. Good to see them competing everywhere in 2026.
Reposted by David Mislin
it is an underrated miracle of the 21st century that we really did massively, massively reduce bullying in schools
My experience as well. So far we're 2-for-2 on kids having a largely bullying/abuse-free middle school experience. Not without bumpy spots of course, but light years away from what I endured.
My hot take: the anti-bullying stuff has really worked, which is why conservatives are pushing back at it.
My hot take: the anti-bullying stuff has really worked, which is why conservatives are pushing back at it.
for what it’s worth I got roped into helping out with my sixth grader’s extracurricular thing so I’ve had more recent contact with middle schoolers who aren’t mine than I usually do, and biased sample/biased reviewer/etc but my verdict is that the kids are all right
December 4, 2025 at 3:15 PM
it is an underrated miracle of the 21st century that we really did massively, massively reduce bullying in schools
Reposted by David Mislin
“As an experiment, I decided to pick one dish that was emblematic of potluck foods and consider it in light of its theology. Impossible cheeseburger pie is recorded for posterity in a cookbook called Seminary Cooking.”
– Amy Frykholm
www.christiancentury.org/features/the...
– Amy Frykholm
www.christiancentury.org/features/the...
A theology of impossible cheeseburger pie
A seminary cookbook from 1984 led me to revisit the potlucks—and the beliefs—of my midwestern...
www.christiancentury.org
December 4, 2025 at 4:25 PM
“As an experiment, I decided to pick one dish that was emblematic of potluck foods and consider it in light of its theology. Impossible cheeseburger pie is recorded for posterity in a cookbook called Seminary Cooking.”
– Amy Frykholm
www.christiancentury.org/features/the...
– Amy Frykholm
www.christiancentury.org/features/the...
Out of overdue book review jail…at least for the next five weeks.
December 3, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Out of overdue book review jail…at least for the next five weeks.
I’m determined (after many Chicago conferences) to go to OAH in San Francisco in 2027. Any US religion folks want to put a panel together? I’m thinking a lot about religion and nostalgia right now but up for anything broadly about religious liberalism, religion and place, or diversity/pluralism.
December 3, 2025 at 4:36 PM
I’m determined (after many Chicago conferences) to go to OAH in San Francisco in 2027. Any US religion folks want to put a panel together? I’m thinking a lot about religion and nostalgia right now but up for anything broadly about religious liberalism, religion and place, or diversity/pluralism.
Smart piece by @directorsilk.bsky.social.
I’ll add my own frustration that, in attempts to highlight the problematic aspects of the phrase, its very significant contribution to American society got ignored/overlooked. We’re now paying the price. (This has been a recurring theme of the last decade.)
I’ll add my own frustration that, in attempts to highlight the problematic aspects of the phrase, its very significant contribution to American society got ignored/overlooked. We’re now paying the price. (This has been a recurring theme of the last decade.)
OPINION: Whatever one thinks of “Judeo-Christian” as an intellectual construct, its rejection by Christian nationalists is evidence enough of its efficacy as a barrier to Jew-hatred.
religionnews.com/2025/11/18/o...
religionnews.com/2025/11/18/o...
On the right, Judeo-Christian values are out and Christian nationalism is in
(RNS) — As someone who has been studying the use of ‘Judeo-Christian’ in American public discourse for over 40 years, I can say with confidence its usage has come full circle.
religionnews.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Smart piece by @directorsilk.bsky.social.
I’ll add my own frustration that, in attempts to highlight the problematic aspects of the phrase, its very significant contribution to American society got ignored/overlooked. We’re now paying the price. (This has been a recurring theme of the last decade.)
I’ll add my own frustration that, in attempts to highlight the problematic aspects of the phrase, its very significant contribution to American society got ignored/overlooked. We’re now paying the price. (This has been a recurring theme of the last decade.)
Philly friends! I’m running the marathon on Sunday. if you’re planning to be along the route lemme know where—I’ll try to keep an eye out for you.
November 21, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Philly friends! I’m running the marathon on Sunday. if you’re planning to be along the route lemme know where—I’ll try to keep an eye out for you.
Reposted by David Mislin
CFP: Special issue of *Southern Cultures* on religion, edited by Shari Rabin. Deadline December 15, 2025.
Call for Papers: Religion
Southern Cultures encourages submissions from scholars, writers, and artists for a special issue, Religion, to be published Fall 2026. We will accept submissions for this issue through December 15…
www.southerncultures.org
November 18, 2025 at 9:25 PM
CFP: Special issue of *Southern Cultures* on religion, edited by Shari Rabin. Deadline December 15, 2025.
There‘s nobody better than mid-20th c. Catholic nuns
November 18, 2025 at 5:33 PM
There‘s nobody better than mid-20th c. Catholic nuns
I’m excited to get to check out the new terminal in a couple of weeks. Right-sizing (read: downsizing) infrastructure isn’t glamorous or popular, but it is beneficial.
Pittsburgh Leaves Its Hub Past Behind With the New Terminal That Opens Today – Cranky Flier
crankyflier.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:36 PM
I’m excited to get to check out the new terminal in a couple of weeks. Right-sizing (read: downsizing) infrastructure isn’t glamorous or popular, but it is beneficial.
Purely anecdotal but the fact that my local Trader Joes was mobbed with people doing pre-thanksgiving shopping while Whole Foods was pretty empty suggests some worrying things about the state of the economy
November 17, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Purely anecdotal but the fact that my local Trader Joes was mobbed with people doing pre-thanksgiving shopping while Whole Foods was pretty empty suggests some worrying things about the state of the economy
Reposted by David Mislin
Political Gap Between Pastors & Pews
“Political partisanship of the average mainline pastor diverges significantly from the politics of the folks sitting in their pews.”
Ryan Burge analyzes recent PRRI data to highlight pervasive pattern in Mainline Christianity 👉 open.substack.com/pub/ryanburg...
“Political partisanship of the average mainline pastor diverges significantly from the politics of the folks sitting in their pews.”
Ryan Burge analyzes recent PRRI data to highlight pervasive pattern in Mainline Christianity 👉 open.substack.com/pub/ryanburg...
November 17, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Political Gap Between Pastors & Pews
“Political partisanship of the average mainline pastor diverges significantly from the politics of the folks sitting in their pews.”
Ryan Burge analyzes recent PRRI data to highlight pervasive pattern in Mainline Christianity 👉 open.substack.com/pub/ryanburg...
“Political partisanship of the average mainline pastor diverges significantly from the politics of the folks sitting in their pews.”
Ryan Burge analyzes recent PRRI data to highlight pervasive pattern in Mainline Christianity 👉 open.substack.com/pub/ryanburg...
Reposted by David Mislin
Barnes & Noble has managed to put together a list of 23 "best" history books of 2025, 4.5 of which are authored by women. www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/the-bes...
#womenalsoknowhistory <-- sometimes I think we don't need this hashtag anymore, and then I realize I'm very wrong.
#womenalsoknowhistory <-- sometimes I think we don't need this hashtag anymore, and then I realize I'm very wrong.
The Best History Books of 2025 - B&N Reads
Remember why history matters and let the past teach you about how people lived, fought for change and evolved. These are the best history books of 2025.
www.barnesandnoble.com
November 17, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Barnes & Noble has managed to put together a list of 23 "best" history books of 2025, 4.5 of which are authored by women. www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/the-bes...
#womenalsoknowhistory <-- sometimes I think we don't need this hashtag anymore, and then I realize I'm very wrong.
#womenalsoknowhistory <-- sometimes I think we don't need this hashtag anymore, and then I realize I'm very wrong.
Reposted by David Mislin
This is your regular reminder that if you’re interested in all the religious left stuff that’s been happening of late, much of it is built on networks, groups, and campaigns that have emerged in the past 20-30 years.
And there’s a whole book on it! (I wrote it) www.amazon.com/American-Pro...
And there’s a whole book on it! (I wrote it) www.amazon.com/American-Pro...
November 15, 2025 at 3:06 PM
This is your regular reminder that if you’re interested in all the religious left stuff that’s been happening of late, much of it is built on networks, groups, and campaigns that have emerged in the past 20-30 years.
And there’s a whole book on it! (I wrote it) www.amazon.com/American-Pro...
And there’s a whole book on it! (I wrote it) www.amazon.com/American-Pro...
That feeling of trying to write a chapter that could be its own book and it’s a constant battle of what does and doesn’t need to be said. 🤷♂️
November 14, 2025 at 4:20 PM
That feeling of trying to write a chapter that could be its own book and it’s a constant battle of what does and doesn’t need to be said. 🤷♂️
Who wants to go?
Road Trips Where Rural America Shines
www.nytimes.com
November 13, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Who wants to go?
I have too much going on today to write a detailed response, but for the love of all that's good, if you read this article please also read something by actual historians of religion and science.
Historians See Autocratic Playbook in Trump’s Attacks on Science
www.nytimes.com
August 31, 2025 at 9:42 PM
I have too much going on today to write a detailed response, but for the love of all that's good, if you read this article please also read something by actual historians of religion and science.
Say a prayer for me: I volunteered to *help* organize our street's block party this year to save the tradition.
It now appears I'm running it myself.
It now appears I'm running it myself.
July 29, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Say a prayer for me: I volunteered to *help* organize our street's block party this year to save the tradition.
It now appears I'm running it myself.
It now appears I'm running it myself.
Some glimmers of hope from the Democratic Party. I'd be skeptical of the concept, except the people behind know what they're doing.
Nothing changes until Democrats start imagining themselves as a national party that can compete (and maybe even win) everywhere. This is a good first step.
Nothing changes until Democrats start imagining themselves as a national party that can compete (and maybe even win) everywhere. This is a good first step.
These Younger Democrats Are Sick of Their Party’s Status Quo
www.nytimes.com
July 10, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Some glimmers of hope from the Democratic Party. I'd be skeptical of the concept, except the people behind know what they're doing.
Nothing changes until Democrats start imagining themselves as a national party that can compete (and maybe even win) everywhere. This is a good first step.
Nothing changes until Democrats start imagining themselves as a national party that can compete (and maybe even win) everywhere. This is a good first step.
We're looking for a few more contributions to a volume I'm co-editing on the radical religious press in 19th c. Europe/North America. Any subject/geographic focus welcomed. More details from original CFP in link, but deadline for chapters extended to 3/1/26.
Feel free to DM questions.
Feel free to DM questions.
Call for Contributions: The Radical Religious Press in Western Europe and North America, 1780-1914 | H-Net
Original contributions are being sought for an edited collection on the Radical Religious Press in Western Europe and North America, to be published by the University of Edinburgh Press as part of a t...
networks.h-net.org
July 8, 2025 at 3:30 PM
We're looking for a few more contributions to a volume I'm co-editing on the radical religious press in 19th c. Europe/North America. Any subject/geographic focus welcomed. More details from original CFP in link, but deadline for chapters extended to 3/1/26.
Feel free to DM questions.
Feel free to DM questions.
Everything is terrible, which is why I'm especially grateful for the Rowhouse Cinema in Pittsburgh. I just enjoyed two hours of escapism with a showing of Singing in the Rain.
July 1, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Everything is terrible, which is why I'm especially grateful for the Rowhouse Cinema in Pittsburgh. I just enjoyed two hours of escapism with a showing of Singing in the Rain.
Reposted by David Mislin
Got gossip from a managing editor pal of a journal that a few reviewers used ChatGPT to write their assessments for them, and didn't even conceal it. I'll say it again - it won't be the neoliberal administrators that take down the humanities. It'll be humanities professors who've stopped reading.
July 1, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Got gossip from a managing editor pal of a journal that a few reviewers used ChatGPT to write their assessments for them, and didn't even conceal it. I'll say it again - it won't be the neoliberal administrators that take down the humanities. It'll be humanities professors who've stopped reading.
US environmental history/western history folks, please help: any recommendations of good histories about the California Water Wars and Owens Valley water diversion in the early 20th c.? Thanks!
July 1, 2025 at 3:19 PM
US environmental history/western history folks, please help: any recommendations of good histories about the California Water Wars and Owens Valley water diversion in the early 20th c.? Thanks!