
The Hidden Roots of
White Supremacy
Rethinking history with Robert P. Jones: A Cottage Author Conversation

The Cottage hosts occasional author conversations for paid subscribers. Last night, Robert P. Jones (a.k.a., “Robby”), president of the Public Religion Research Institute, joined me for a discussion of his new book, The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy.
We talked about history, religion, politics and the current conflicts over American identity. He argues that we can understand the issues facing the United States (and other Western nations as well) better when we start with 1493, the year of Columbus’ second voyage to North America. Beginning with the seminal events of that year, he points readers toward a wider and more honest vision of history that involves realistic hope for a better future.
Regular readers of The Cottage know how much I care about the connections of history, religion, and politics.
I anticipated a rich conversation and was not disappointed. Not only did we explore Robby’s thesis, but we veered into some interesting issues including the way history is taught in white evangelical churches and the trajectory of white Christian nationalism.
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The book and discussions like this are necessary for healing the past and reinvigorating Western democracy. That’s why Robby and I agreed that we would send it out to EVERYONE who receives The Cottage and his White Too Long newsletter.
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That’s a lot of people! We hope you all will listen with eager minds and open hearts. This history matters for both faith and the future of democracy. And we invite you to share this with others and invite others to join the conversation.
You’ll find the video and links to purchase The Hidden Roots below.
And leave a comment. Let’s begin the discussion right here.
I’m giving away a copy of The Hidden Roots to someone in the paid subscriber community. At 5PM eastern on Friday, I’ll draw a name from that list. If you get an email from The Cottage saying that you won a free book, you did!