Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian
Ovid Butler vs. White Supremacism

Ovid Butler vs. White Supremacism

Last updated on: August 16, 2017 at 7:06 am by James F. McGrath

Ovid Butler vs. White Supremacism 2017-08-16T07:06:33-04:00 James F. McGrath

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Conservative blogs drew attention to a Butler University course about resisting “Trumpism” a while back. I don’t want to reignite the interest in that subject, since I know it caused a lot of headaches for a number of people around the Butler campus. But there are things related to that broader topic that need to be said as the start of the academic year draws near, and as university campuses are seeing an increase in activity by the KKK/Neo-Nazis/white supremacists, and as it becomes clear that students were among the participants and leaders of the rally. One of my favorite responses to the hullabaloo about the course on resisting Trumpism was titled “Ovid Butler vs. Donald Trump.” It expressed bafflement that anyone would be surprised to find a course like this at a school that was a pioneer not only in accepting people of all genders and races as students, but in accepting them on an equal footing to the same programs of study as everyone else. Butler University’s provost Kate Morris emphasized this history and these values at the New Faculty Orientation yesterday, and emphasized the role of an institution like Butler University in taking a stand against racism, sexism, and all forms of discrimination and oppression. These are our values, every bit as much as we embrace respect for those we disagree with who do not share those values, and the need for freedom to discuss these things and examine them critically without harassment. And if you have seen Elle Reeves’ documentary about the group that marched in Charlottesville, you almost certainly understand the importance of our values in view of what we are facing.

The Department of Religious Studies at the University of Virginia issued a statement about the recent events. Here is an excerpt:

The Department of Religious Studies rejects the white supremacist ideology of intolerance and its practice of hateful speech, as well as the violence it engenders. We stand in solidarity with the victims of these events and with those who courageously resisted the hate groups and their virulent messages; we stand with the community of Charlottesville and with all those at whom hate continues to be directed. We cherish the diversity of our student body and commit ourselves to supporting students who are targeted by hate groups. We promise to be available to students who seek support from us, even as we actively develop new initiatives to support them.

As a department, we advocate for no single religious faith or political point of view. Our faculty comprises scholars who practice different religions or no religion at all. Our professors, all of whom serve the Commonwealth of Virginia, hold a range of political views. Those who are American citizens vote their consciences individually in elections, for a wide array of political parties. Amid this political and national diversity, we stand united in our unanimous and unequivocal condemnation of those who promote hate, by way of violent speech and action—the white supremacists, the neo-Nazis, the neo-Fascists, the anti-Semites. And we regard this condemnation as the expression of a simple, moral truth rather than a political statement.

We must not hesitate to name and condemn the intimidation, terror, and violence that convulsed and profaned our city and university this weekend. We consider the groups who organized and participated in the “Unite the Right” rally to be hate groups. We do not take their views to represent a legitimate, alternative political perspective: they are dangerous, and they perpetuate what is universally condemned by all the world’s religions and ethical systems. We feel morally compelled to call out those who afflicted our community with their night-time mob on the University’s Grounds and with their violence on our city’s streets the following day. Burning torches, aggressive chanting, and racist, homophobic, and antisemitic slogans echo the symbolism, and messages, of Nazi-era Germany and of the Ku Klux Klan in the United States. This is not a time for equivocation. We stand firmly and explicitly against the views and actions of those espousing hate, terror, and violence in Charlottesville over this past weekend, and any other day.

The American Academy of Religion also released a statement, as well as circulating resources for educators that NPR shared.

After his initial weak comments after what happened in Charlottesville, even some of Donald Trump’s supporters expressed concerns, or at least articulated their stance very differently than he did (NOTE: Franklin Graham was not among them, and Richard Spencer said he was proud of Trump). Eventually, however, Trump named and criticized the KKK/Neo-Nazis/white supremacists explicitly. Perhaps that was itself an indication that resistance and speaking truth to power can have an impact? If so, however, subsequent actions and remarks by President Trump have shifted the impression he is making back in the direction of support for rather than opposition to racist individuals and organizations.

The New York Times also offered advice a while back on resisting Trump. Of course, they are viewed as liberal too, but presumably no more so than the entire enterprise of higher education, in the spectrum of which one would expect a school like Butler to fall on the progressive end. Inside Higher Ed had a piece a couple of month ago about attempts by the right to discredit higher education. And more recently, they covered sociologists’ responses to attacks on individual professors.

Richard Beck blogged about America’s Holocaust(s). Here is a sample from the post:

America has a Holocaust. And truth be told, America has two Holocausts: Slavery and the genocide of the Native Americans.

And yet, America has never morally reckoned with either slavery or the genocide of Native Americas as Holocausts. The Confederate flag is not moralized in America the way Germans see the swastika.

And this, I would argue, is the single biggest reason America has not been able to adequately address the racial problems plaguing our nation. Because there has never been a formal and culturally sustained moral reckoning with the American Holocausts we are always starting the conversation about race from two different moral locations. African Americans and Native Americans begin with the experience of Holocaust and expect us to engage this conversation with the moral, spiritual, political, and economic seriousness a Holocaust deserves.

The rest of us? We are the Holocaust deniers…

Evangelicals have also been speaking out. Peter Wehner writes:

The evangelical Christian movement in America is being compromised and discredited by the way prominent leaders have associated themselves with, first, the Donald J. Trump campaign and now, the Trump presidency. If this is allowed to define evangelical attitudes toward political power, the public witness of Christianity will be undermined in durable ways.

Ed Setzer made a similar point in Christianity Today.

You can find more about recent events in Charlottesville, and responses to them, on other Patheos blogs as well as elsewhere around the web. For instance, James Rudin shared a “revival” sermon he heard decades ago in Virginia, which illustrates the deep roots of what we have been seeing on the news lately. Nadia Bolz-Weber shared a sermon that she herself preached about white supremacy. The FBI prevented a terrorist with white supremacist views from blowing up a bank in Oklahoma City. Libby Anne discusses the common trope of the parent who expresses surprise that their child could do the thing they are accused of. David Potter talked about the antithesis between white supremacism and the gospel. Episcopal Cafe highlighted the activities of that denomination’s clergy – and bishops. Deborah Porras shared her account as an eyewitness. Rebecca Lesses shared a rabbi’s perspective. Jonathan Bernier drew connections with memory and the quest for the historical Jesus. Elizabeth Palmer blogged about a relevant graphic novel. Richard Lindsay advocated nonviolence. And finally, Butler University graduate Rev. Jill Howard shared a sermon which included a quote from Bryan Stevenson’s book Just Mercy, which happens to be the common read for this year’s incoming class of new students. I will be leading a discussion of that book with a small group of students next Monday (before we stop to view the eclipse).

The billboard that went up not long ago in the Indianapolis area shows why educators need to not simply pretend that all ideas are equal, but actually combat falsehood with truth. Critical thinking does not mean pretending that all ideas are equal. Hemant Mehta also blogged about the billboard.

Educate Truthophobes

Previous Post

August 15, 2017

About Canon: The Card Game

Next Post

August 17, 2017 Religion Opening at Butler University

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 1 Corinthians 1 John 1 Peter 1 Samuel 1 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Corinthians 2 Kings 2 Peter 2 Samuel 2 Thessalonians 2 Timothy academia Acts of the Apostles afterlife Akhaten Alcatraz American Academy of Religion Amos Anglican Arabic Aramaic archaeology art artificial intelligence astronomy atheism atonement Babylon 5 Baptists Battlestar Galactica Bible Biblical Studies Carnival biblioblogging Black Mirror Blade Runner Book of Job book review Buddhism Call for Papers China Christianity Christmas Christology Chronicles Coptic creation Daniel Deuteronomy Doctor Who Dune Easter Ecclesiastes economics education Eldad Keynan Enoch Seminar Ephesians eschatology Esther Evangelicals evolution Exodus Expanse Ezekiel Ezra fantasy Fringe fundamentalism Galatians games Ge'ez genealogy Genesis Gnosticism Gospel of Jesus' Wife Gospel of John Gospel of Judas Gospel of Luke Gospel of Mark Gospel of Matthew Gospel of Peter Gospel of Thomas Greek Harry Potter Hebrew Hebrews Hinduism historical Jesus history Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Holidays horror Hosea humor incarnation India inerrancy information literacy inspirational Intelligent Design Ireland Isaiah Islam Israel Italy James Jeremiah John the Baptist Jonah Joshua Judaism Jude Judges Judith Lamentations languages Latin Leviticus libraries literature Lord of the Rings LOST Mandaeans Mandaic memes Methodism Micah monotheism morality Mormons movies music mythicism NASSCAL Nehemiah new perspective New Testament news Numbers Orthodox paganism panentheism pantheism Patheos Paul and his letters Pentecostals Philippians Philippians 2:6-11 philosophy physics Planet of the Apes podcast politics Progressive Christianity Protestantism Proverbs Psalms pseudoscience racism religion Revelation Roman Catholicism Romania Romans Ruth scams science science fiction Secret Gospel of Mark Society of Biblical Literature Song of Songs Star Trek Star Wars Stargate Swahili Syriac Taoism technology Terminator The Handmaid's Tale The Hobbit The Matrix theodicy theology theory Timeless Titus tomb Torchwood travel TRON Uncategorized United Kingdom Westworld X-Files young-earth creationism Zechariah

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 February 2007 January 2001

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz