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The Native Tourist
reformed/biblical observations on Christianity and culture

Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Um, I Think Your Bitterness is Showing
I always thought that historian Randall Balmer had a smug edge. I sensed this in his PBS series on Evangelicals from the 80s. But if John Wilson's review of Balmer's new book is any indication, Balmer really has it in for evangelicals.

As Wilson shows, Balmer misunderstands many parts of the evangelical movement such as homeschooling and the writing of George Marsden. But maybe Balmer ultimately really gets it (in a way that Wilson perhaps does not). Many of us are not ready to compromise our faith. We are not willing to play the compromise game that is at the heart of American politics and the academy. That's why we go through the trouble to homeschool our kids (or send them to Christian schools). And this rankles genteel scholars the like Balmer to no end.

Let us hope we stay that way...