Stephen Prothero
@sprothero.bsky.social
Part-time agnostic. Writer on politics&religion. BU Emeritus Prof of US Religions. Cape Codder. Hispanophile. Author of books w/ "religion," "God," and other make-believes in the titles. Next up: BETRAYAL: HOW THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS SOLD OUT THEIR FOUNDERS.
For decades the GOP has been on the right side of a "God Gap" untouched by Dems God talk. Now comes @gavinnewsom.bsky.social's profession to Ezra Klein that he is a "Christmas Catholic," "spiritual, probably, more than religious." A winning formula? Probably? Perhaps? www.nytimes.com/2025/12/10/o...
Opinion | How Gavin Newsom Became the Democrats’ 2028 Front-Runner
www.nytimes.com
December 14, 2025 at 12:10 AM
For decades the GOP has been on the right side of a "God Gap" untouched by Dems God talk. Now comes @gavinnewsom.bsky.social's profession to Ezra Klein that he is a "Christmas Catholic," "spiritual, probably, more than religious." A winning formula? Probably? Perhaps? www.nytimes.com/2025/12/10/o...
Who had this on their Bingo Card? Key constituency to stand up to MAGA fascism? Grand Juries! www.cnn.com/2025/12/11/p...
Justice Department fails to reindict Letitia James for a second time | CNN Politics
A grand jury, for a second time, declined to bring a new indictment against Letitia James, the New York attorney general who defeated President Donald Trump and his company in court, according to mult...
www.cnn.com
December 12, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Who had this on their Bingo Card? Key constituency to stand up to MAGA fascism? Grand Juries! www.cnn.com/2025/12/11/p...
Reposted by Stephen Prothero
NEW: Epstein survivors release the most powerful PSA I have ever seen.
Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.
Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.
November 16, 2025 at 11:43 PM
NEW: Epstein survivors release the most powerful PSA I have ever seen.
Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.
Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.
How low can you go? With these idolaters in chief, the answer is always lower. May they all be punished for their war crimes, in this life and the next.
Add a dose of propaganda to your morning coffee.. This smells of Russian-like “special operation”
November 3, 2025 at 2:25 PM
How low can you go? With these idolaters in chief, the answer is always lower. May they all be punished for their war crimes, in this life and the next.
Is there a Nobel War Prize?
Netanyahu Orders Strikes in Gaza, as Israel Says Hamas Violated Cease-Fire
www.nytimes.com
October 28, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Is there a Nobel War Prize?
Someone should run the actual Reagan speech unedited on a continuous loop for a day or two. Is it available in its entirety online?
The post from the Reagan Foundation is just complete gibberish.
The ad did not, in fact, misrepresent Reagan's views. But the idea that anyone needs the Reagan Foundation's goddamn permission to use the publicly broadcast official remarks of a former president and/or edit them for brevity is crazy
The ad did not, in fact, misrepresent Reagan's views. But the idea that anyone needs the Reagan Foundation's goddamn permission to use the publicly broadcast official remarks of a former president and/or edit them for brevity is crazy
October 25, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Someone should run the actual Reagan speech unedited on a continuous loop for a day or two. Is it available in its entirety online?
I'll second that!
I regret to inform everyone that Stephen Prothero was right when he published Religious Literacy in 2007 and it hasn't gotten better.
Not to 💿🐎, but an interesting thing about the “not a real Christian” chatter is the idea that those of us who are more progressive/inclusive don’t seem to know that Christians have been responsible for some really bad things. Like, yes, I know. It’s an uphill battle I’m fighting every day.
October 20, 2025 at 9:11 PM
I'll second that!
He saw "truthiness" coming before the rest of us. Warned us about it. I hope he lands on his feet with folks who won't bow and scrape to the Truthy Police. @colbertlateshow.bsky.social @stephencolbert.bsky.social
July 19, 2025 at 10:45 AM
He saw "truthiness" coming before the rest of us. Warned us about it. I hope he lands on his feet with folks who won't bow and scrape to the Truthy Police. @colbertlateshow.bsky.social @stephencolbert.bsky.social
Reposted by Stephen Prothero
Most people in Mexico and Canada say the United States is their country's greatest threat
www.pewresearch.org/global/2025/...
www.pewresearch.org/global/2025/...
July 12, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Most people in Mexico and Canada say the United States is their country's greatest threat
www.pewresearch.org/global/2025/...
www.pewresearch.org/global/2025/...
When the Supreme Court is in on the game--"rewarding lawlessness" in the executive branch as Justice Sotomayor put it in her dissent--does it even make sense any more to say we are "one step closer" to autocracy?https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/supreme-court-decisions-06-27-25
Live updates: Supreme Court limits ability of judges to stop Trump | CNN Politics
The Supreme Court backed President Donald Trump’s effort to curtail lower court orders that have hampered his agenda for months. However, it signaled that the president’s controversial plan to effecti...
www.cnn.com
June 27, 2025 at 3:14 PM
When the Supreme Court is in on the game--"rewarding lawlessness" in the executive branch as Justice Sotomayor put it in her dissent--does it even make sense any more to say we are "one step closer" to autocracy?https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/supreme-court-decisions-06-27-25
Proud to see a family member working w/ tribes, local governments and nonprofits in bringing a class-action lawsuit against the T***p administration for illegally terminating Congressionally-funded grant programs meant to keep our air clean and water safe to drink. earthjustice.org/press/2025/n...
Nonprofits, Tribes and Local Governments Sue Trump Administration for Terminating EPA Grant Programs
Terminating these programs leaves communities more vulnerable to pollution and disasters
earthjustice.org
June 25, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Proud to see a family member working w/ tribes, local governments and nonprofits in bringing a class-action lawsuit against the T***p administration for illegally terminating Congressionally-funded grant programs meant to keep our air clean and water safe to drink. earthjustice.org/press/2025/n...
Finally some "thoughts and prayers" I can get behind ...
May every single human being on this planet be safe.
May every single person be protected from harm.
May we bring into being a time in which we are all free from those who do evil— together, speedily and in our days.
May every single person be protected from harm.
May we bring into being a time in which we are all free from those who do evil— together, speedily and in our days.
June 22, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Finally some "thoughts and prayers" I can get behind ...
Reposted by Stephen Prothero
We live in a rogue and dangerous country.
Do what you need to do to maintain your internal peace. Hold the core of your spirit. Pray for peace. Commit yourself to justice. And just rest.
Do what you need to do to maintain your internal peace. Hold the core of your spirit. Pray for peace. Commit yourself to justice. And just rest.
June 22, 2025 at 2:52 AM
We live in a rogue and dangerous country.
Do what you need to do to maintain your internal peace. Hold the core of your spirit. Pray for peace. Commit yourself to justice. And just rest.
Do what you need to do to maintain your internal peace. Hold the core of your spirit. Pray for peace. Commit yourself to justice. And just rest.
T***p = our new Forever War President. He has been using "we are at war" as an excuse for his authoritarianism for months. Now he gets to tell the courts we really ARE at war. And what incentive will he have to bring it to an end?
June 22, 2025 at 2:04 PM
T***p = our new Forever War President. He has been using "we are at war" as an excuse for his authoritarianism for months. Now he gets to tell the courts we really ARE at war. And what incentive will he have to bring it to an end?
An illegal war from an illegal president. God help us.
NO WAR WITH IRAN.
Our Members of Congress need to hear from us right now. Urge them to use their constitutional authority to prevent Trump from entering a war with Iran.
Email your senators: act.indivisible.org/sign/no-iran...
Email your representative: act.indivisible.org/sign/no-iran...
Our Members of Congress need to hear from us right now. Urge them to use their constitutional authority to prevent Trump from entering a war with Iran.
Email your senators: act.indivisible.org/sign/no-iran...
Email your representative: act.indivisible.org/sign/no-iran...
Tell Your Senators: No War With Iran
The American people do not want to enter Netanyahu’s war with Iran. American involvement would not only put our troops into harm's way, but risk escalating an already volatile situation into all-out r...
act.indivisible.org
June 22, 2025 at 5:37 AM
An illegal war from an illegal president. God help us.
I now read there is forthcoming the (I'm paraphrasing) "Large Gorgeous Healthcare Bill." Will reporters continue to ape this idiocy when the White House trumpets the "Greatest Bill in the Universe" or the "Trump's is Bigger Than Yours Bill" or the "Biden Blows Bill"? #DoBetterWashPo #DoBetterNYT
June 20, 2025 at 6:04 PM
I now read there is forthcoming the (I'm paraphrasing) "Large Gorgeous Healthcare Bill." Will reporters continue to ape this idiocy when the White House trumpets the "Greatest Bill in the Universe" or the "Trump's is Bigger Than Yours Bill" or the "Biden Blows Bill"? #DoBetterWashPo #DoBetterNYT
Welcome to every talk I ever gave about every book I ever wrote!
The comment section at the end of this The Conversation post is heating up theconversation.com/is-there-rea...
To my disappointment, the focus is not the question of how to interpret data about religion but rather more common questions of religious truth.
To my disappointment, the focus is not the question of how to interpret data about religion but rather more common questions of religious truth.
June 18, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Welcome to every talk I ever gave about every book I ever wrote!
#whyliberalswintheculturewars(evenwhentheyloseelections On virtually EVERY culture wars issue, liberals are winning. Even on abortion, which not so long ago used to seriously divide the country.
June 16, 2025 at 9:32 PM
#whyliberalswintheculturewars(evenwhentheyloseelections On virtually EVERY culture wars issue, liberals are winning. Even on abortion, which not so long ago used to seriously divide the country.
Christianity down, "Nones" and Muslims up. Looks like the Chrisitian brand is losing its allure, at least in the US. I wonder why ...
I talked with the Washington Post about our new report describing big changes in the global religious landscape www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
June 9, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Christianity down, "Nones" and Muslims up. Looks like the Chrisitian brand is losing its allure, at least in the US. I wonder why ...
I'm talking w/ Paul Elie 7pm tonight at Harvard Book Store re: THE LAST SUPPER, his brilliant narrative history of "crypto-religious" ones--Warhol, Madonna, Rushdie, Prince, Dylan, Toni Morrison & and the collective dust they stirred up with Khomeini, Reagan, Jesse Helms et al. Seems relevant, no?
May 29, 2025 at 2:50 PM
I'm talking w/ Paul Elie 7pm tonight at Harvard Book Store re: THE LAST SUPPER, his brilliant narrative history of "crypto-religious" ones--Warhol, Madonna, Rushdie, Prince, Dylan, Toni Morrison & and the collective dust they stirred up with Khomeini, Reagan, Jesse Helms et al. Seems relevant, no?
Here, see also Paul Elie's New Yorker piece on the new pope, framed against the background of Pope Francis's understanding of our global circumstances as "a Third World War in pieces." www.newyorker.com/news/the-led...
May 10, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Here, see also Paul Elie's New Yorker piece on the new pope, framed against the background of Pope Francis's understanding of our global circumstances as "a Third World War in pieces." www.newyorker.com/news/the-led...
Paul Elie, redirects framing of this new American Pope from his personal background to the global context of a sub-rosa third-world war. Will this White Sox fan become a "Pope of Peace."
A “Pope of Peace”—a tag already being applied to Leo XIV in the Italian press—is what is needed, Paul Elie writes. “Peace can never have enough advocates in high places.”
Will the First American Pope Be a Pontiff of Peace?
Leo XIV’s pontificate will likely be defined by his approach to the violent conflicts rending the globe, which his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, referred to as “a third world war in pieces.”
www.newyorker.com
May 10, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Paul Elie, redirects framing of this new American Pope from his personal background to the global context of a sub-rosa third-world war. Will this White Sox fan become a "Pope of Peace."
Who is applauding T***p as he tanks the global economy? According to a new Pew poll: "white evangelicals." 69% approve the new administration's ethics & 72% approve of their king. No wonder young people are running away from Chn churches as from a dumpster fire. www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...
White evangelicals continue to stand out in their support for Trump
Most White evangelicals (72%) say they approve of how Trump is doing as president. Other religious groups are more divided or disapprove.
www.pewresearch.org
May 2, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Who is applauding T***p as he tanks the global economy? According to a new Pew poll: "white evangelicals." 69% approve the new administration's ethics & 72% approve of their king. No wonder young people are running away from Chn churches as from a dumpster fire. www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/...
More of this please ...
@acls1919.bsky.social, the AHA, & @modernlanguage.bsky.social filed a lawsuit in federal district court today, seeking to reverse the recent actions of the NEH to devastate the agency, including the elimination of grant programs, staff, and entire divisions and programs. 🗃️
American Council of Learned Societies, American Historical Association, and Modern Language Association File Lawsuit Alleging Illegal Dismantling of National Endowment for the Humanities - AHA
Lawsuit aims to reinstate NEH grant programs, divisions, and staff. For Immediate Release / May 1, 2025 (New York, NY) — The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), the American Historical Assoc...
www.historians.org
May 2, 2025 at 1:23 PM
More of this please ...
Love this! Garbage in, AI out
April 24, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Love this! Garbage in, AI out