Data Check

In this episode, Charles McCrary joins Matt Sheedy to discuss the role of sincerity in shaping American conceptions of religion that he explores in his recent book Sincerely Held: American Secularism and Its Believers (University of Chicago Press, 2022). Tracing a cultural history of "sincerely held religious beliefs," from 19th century court cases on fortune telling and the policing of morality in New York, to conscientious objectors in the 1940s and 1960s, McCrary helps us understand how the U.S. Supreme Court has determined who and what counts as 'religious' as American secularism developed over the last century. Questions of race, gender, and sex are also in the mix, as recent cases have shifted the burden of sincerity from the protection of 'minority' beliefs to the rights of people and corporations to deny people services if they feel it violates their religious freedom.

Also, as noted by Charlie and Matt in the episode, this discussion is a great conversation partner for our recent episode with Finbarr Curtis, "Spitting on the Sacred: Politics and Redefining Profanation"—be sure to check it out if you missed it!

In today's episode, Daniel Jones talks with Travis Warren Cooper about Cooper's recent book, The Digital Evangelicals: Contesting Authority and Authenticity After the New Media Turn (Indiana University Press, 2022) and they discuss how issues of authenticity, authority, and power are deeply intertwined with US "evangelicalism" and its mediatization. Be sure to tune in!

In our final Discourse! episode of the season, Andie Alexander, Craig Martin, and Paul-François Tremlett team up to discuss the concept of "harm" and religion as it pertains to recent legislation in Texas, the role of religion in politics in Scotland's recent election for First Minister, and questions of AI, religion, and desire. It's quite the conversation, so be sure to tune in!

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