Thank you for posting this. It will be another bellwether to identify Christian nationalists and sympathizers. These folks have descended into fictional propaganda like the 1915 KKK's "Birth of a Nation."
I grew up in the 60's and 70's, but not in a Christian subculture. Ours was an integrated school district even without busing - about 60% white/40% Black, with a small percentage of other groups and with more than a few Black teachers and a Black Vice-Principle in high school. Civil Rights/Black Power were major issues in the day-to-day, but Cold War nuclear possibilities, and sometimes environmental degradation were the things that dominated the end-of-world scenarious of the time. I didn't encounter Christian End Times narratives until attending church and parachurch youth ministries in my senior year of high school and college years. Think Larry Norman singing "I Wish We'd All Been Ready" in the soundtrack of the original left behind movie A Thief In The Night, and the first installation of The Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsey. Good times! They terrified me. So thankful the Lord helped me, over time, through reading, listening and study, to a more biblically grounded understanding of Jesus' coming. That just won't be found in most popular media. The end of this present Age wasn't meant to terrify us, but to give us hope in a world that just seems determined to resist at every turn God and His love for all His creation. I found N.T. Wright's work especially helpful.
The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism, by Daniel Hummel, put the final nail in the coffin for me, learning that this "end-times" theology was the brainchild of a 19th century Brit named Darby. I've written about how Darby's teaching, so readily seized upon by northern US church leaders as a means to heal the rift with their southern (white) counterparts, provided a detour around the hard work of lament/repentance and racial reconciliation.
Thanks for sharing your review. I have seen the ads for “Homestead” and was skeptical. Now I know I will not see it. The only movie I have seen from Angel Studios is the Bonhoeffer movie. I thought it was a good movie in general, but I could see where it could be interpreted in a Christian nationalist view. What do you think?
I’ve heard mixed reviews about the Bonhoeffer film. Haven’t checked it out yet. But best, in my view, to be critical, especially of “faith-focused” films. What type of faith and whose Christianity?
Candace, Jemar ... I believe your instincts are both correct about the Christian Nationalist slant to this film. It makes sense since this film is based on Eric Metaxas's biography of Bonhoeffer - and Mr Metaxas has gone total MAGA , and most likely CN today. I also read in a reliable source (unfortunately can't recall which one) that the Bonhoeffer trust/family and academics who follow Bonhoeffer were in agreement that while parts of the film were fine, other sections were distorted about Bonhoeffer's motivations and actions, citing an ideological bias to the film that misrepresented. In other words, the film had an agenda other than recounting Bonhoeffer's heroism and life. Just like you SO helpfully speak of in this substack Jemar about Homestead.
That's a good point, Chris. Certainly there is historical reason to see racist undertones in the naming. But it would come down to the specific context and history around how the games got their names. Let me know if you find anything!
In 1948 Penn State, in a bowl game for the first time in 25 years, played Dallas' SMU to a 13–13 tie. Because none of the Dallas hotels would provide accommodations for the two African-American members of the Penn State team, the Penn State team ended up staying at a Naval Air Station 14 miles from Dallas. This was the first interracial game played at the Cotton Bowl Stadium.[3]
Jamar, of course you know the significance of King Cotton and its dependence on chattel slave labor!
ugar Bowl inscribed East India Sugar. The Produce of Free Labour
Every day objects can often have a significance that is overlooked. The sugar bowl, for example– most households have one, yet this humble object is a symbol of the incredible rise of the sugar trade and its part in the transatlantic slavery. The introduction of tea, coffee & cocoa into Europe became an important factor in the rise of the sugar trade, as it was used to sweeten these naturally bitter drinks. Initially an expensive luxury, by the late 1700’s the supply had increased to allow it to become cheap enough for the masses. The large majority of the sugar supplied to the UK was produced by slave labour. This sugar bowl inscribed ‘East India Sugar. The produce of free labour’ is an example of how the abolitionist movement would use every day objects make people think about how products were produced. It was manufactured around 1820-1830, after the transatlantic slave trade had been abolished in the UK but before the enslaved Africans working on the plantations in the Americas had been emancipated.
Sugar Bowl, the game.
The first Sugar Bowl was played in 1935 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana. Tulane defeated Temple University 20–14.
Notable moments
Some notable moments in the history of the Sugar Bowl include:
In 1956, Bobby Grier of Pitt became the first African-American player in the Sugar Bowl.
Location
The Sugar Bowl was played at Tulane Stadium until 1974, when it moved to the Louisiana Superdome. In 2006, the game was played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta due to damage from Hurricane Katrina.
Bowl Championship Series
The Sugar Bowl was part of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) from 1998, and hosted the BCS National Championship Game in 2000 and 2004.
College Football Playoff
Since the 2014 season, the Sugar Bowl has hosted CFP semifinal games.
Tie-ins
The Sugar Bowl has ties with the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the Big 12 Conference. The champions of these conferences usually play in the Sugar Bowl, unless they are participating in the national semifinals.
Thanks for sharing the questions & information. It reminds me of the song "Barbados" performed by Our Native Daughters feat. Rhiannon Giddens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WfWh6P6FeA)
My husband and I have an aversion to Christian entertainment. It isn't even based on principle- we just usually hate it! So many Christians have shared their Branson stories with us, and told us we "just have to go." (It's like a religious pilgrimage for my peeps!). We just nod and listen, knowing we never will. Skye Jethani says Christians seem to have Soviet, utilitarian mindset when it comes to art, that it must fulfill a purpose. He adds, "if we are only about art's usefulness to our cause, we don't value art, but propaganda. It sounds like that's what Homestead is (a fantasy, really, with the "they're coming for your guns" trope being the most tired...and dangerous). I appreciate all the info on this studio, and will be on guard for their future productions- thanks!
I listened to your podcast on this film, and found myself nodding in agreement with much of what you said.
One thing that we differ on is that I don't think there is anything subtle about the christian nationalism in Angel Studios films. To me it tracks with conservative evangelical sermons about the destruction and evisceration (what better club than a nuclear explosion) of humanity as the warrior god comes riding in with his armies to wreak havoc on those without faith. Of course, they are the only ones who get to discern the right faith. They also love to quote II Thessalonians 3:10-13 as to why it's ok to hoard food and resources.
I don't know, maybe I'm a little harsh, but the damage I suffered at the hands of conservative evangelicalism and the damage they continue to do makes me angry.
Thanks for doing the heavy lifting on this. I am related to the prepping type but we are now estranged due to serious faith and political conflicts. I recognize this ideology and even grew up close to it. Early on I was given spiritual and academic coaching to warn me away so I pass it on. Still wondering how this aged public historian can keep participating.
I note Dr. Jemar Tisby's & commenters' shares; thanks, I'm glad to learn. A question I ponder is from a historical Black Church's group curriculum:
"Pastor Wesley emphasizes loving God with priority and exclusivity. How do we balance this spiritual commitment with the demands of fighting for justice in a society that often prioritizes power, privilege, and self-interest? How can our faith serve as a foundation for dismantling oppressive systems while ensuring our activism remains rooted in God's love and not personal or societal agendas?" The next sermon was on Luke 10:25-37 (NIV).
I've struggled with balance esp since 10/7/23; I picture Jesus of Nazareth in the rubble & suffering people. I heard a dramatization on BBC, with episode 10, "Birth of a Nation." The title caught my attention regarding U.S. history too. The dramatized series helped me place story with an Alison course's information, which wasn't mentioned in my white Christian nationalist (wCN) communities with 1-sided narratives.
Thank you for posting this. It will be another bellwether to identify Christian nationalists and sympathizers. These folks have descended into fictional propaganda like the 1915 KKK's "Birth of a Nation."
Appreciate you commenting, Bryan. “Birth of a Nation” is a powerful example of how media/entertainment can shape cultural perceptions.
I grew up in the 60's and 70's, but not in a Christian subculture. Ours was an integrated school district even without busing - about 60% white/40% Black, with a small percentage of other groups and with more than a few Black teachers and a Black Vice-Principle in high school. Civil Rights/Black Power were major issues in the day-to-day, but Cold War nuclear possibilities, and sometimes environmental degradation were the things that dominated the end-of-world scenarious of the time. I didn't encounter Christian End Times narratives until attending church and parachurch youth ministries in my senior year of high school and college years. Think Larry Norman singing "I Wish We'd All Been Ready" in the soundtrack of the original left behind movie A Thief In The Night, and the first installation of The Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsey. Good times! They terrified me. So thankful the Lord helped me, over time, through reading, listening and study, to a more biblically grounded understanding of Jesus' coming. That just won't be found in most popular media. The end of this present Age wasn't meant to terrify us, but to give us hope in a world that just seems determined to resist at every turn God and His love for all His creation. I found N.T. Wright's work especially helpful.
That’s a helpful breakdown, Karen. Glad you found better sources.
Amen to NT Wright's work
The Rise and Fall of Dispensationalism, by Daniel Hummel, put the final nail in the coffin for me, learning that this "end-times" theology was the brainchild of a 19th century Brit named Darby. I've written about how Darby's teaching, so readily seized upon by northern US church leaders as a means to heal the rift with their southern (white) counterparts, provided a detour around the hard work of lament/repentance and racial reconciliation.
Yes. Darby and his ideological progeny still have ripple effects into the present day.
Thanks for sharing your review. I have seen the ads for “Homestead” and was skeptical. Now I know I will not see it. The only movie I have seen from Angel Studios is the Bonhoeffer movie. I thought it was a good movie in general, but I could see where it could be interpreted in a Christian nationalist view. What do you think?
I’ve heard mixed reviews about the Bonhoeffer film. Haven’t checked it out yet. But best, in my view, to be critical, especially of “faith-focused” films. What type of faith and whose Christianity?
Candace, Jemar ... I believe your instincts are both correct about the Christian Nationalist slant to this film. It makes sense since this film is based on Eric Metaxas's biography of Bonhoeffer - and Mr Metaxas has gone total MAGA , and most likely CN today. I also read in a reliable source (unfortunately can't recall which one) that the Bonhoeffer trust/family and academics who follow Bonhoeffer were in agreement that while parts of the film were fine, other sections were distorted about Bonhoeffer's motivations and actions, citing an ideological bias to the film that misrepresented. In other words, the film had an agenda other than recounting Bonhoeffer's heroism and life. Just like you SO helpfully speak of in this substack Jemar about Homestead.
Jamar, am I the first or maybe just the first old white guy to see the racist undertones of postseason bowl games like the Sugar Bowl and Cotton Bowl?
That's a good point, Chris. Certainly there is historical reason to see racist undertones in the naming. But it would come down to the specific context and history around how the games got their names. Let me know if you find anything!
Cotton Bowl game
In 1948 Penn State, in a bowl game for the first time in 25 years, played Dallas' SMU to a 13–13 tie. Because none of the Dallas hotels would provide accommodations for the two African-American members of the Penn State team, the Penn State team ended up staying at a Naval Air Station 14 miles from Dallas. This was the first interracial game played at the Cotton Bowl Stadium.[3]
Jamar, of course you know the significance of King Cotton and its dependence on chattel slave labor!
Sugar Bowl, the object.
ugar Bowl inscribed East India Sugar. The Produce of Free Labour
Every day objects can often have a significance that is overlooked. The sugar bowl, for example– most households have one, yet this humble object is a symbol of the incredible rise of the sugar trade and its part in the transatlantic slavery. The introduction of tea, coffee & cocoa into Europe became an important factor in the rise of the sugar trade, as it was used to sweeten these naturally bitter drinks. Initially an expensive luxury, by the late 1700’s the supply had increased to allow it to become cheap enough for the masses. The large majority of the sugar supplied to the UK was produced by slave labour. This sugar bowl inscribed ‘East India Sugar. The produce of free labour’ is an example of how the abolitionist movement would use every day objects make people think about how products were produced. It was manufactured around 1820-1830, after the transatlantic slave trade had been abolished in the UK but before the enslaved Africans working on the plantations in the Americas had been emancipated.
Sugar Bowl, the game.
The first Sugar Bowl was played in 1935 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana. Tulane defeated Temple University 20–14.
Notable moments
Some notable moments in the history of the Sugar Bowl include:
In 1956, Bobby Grier of Pitt became the first African-American player in the Sugar Bowl.
Location
The Sugar Bowl was played at Tulane Stadium until 1974, when it moved to the Louisiana Superdome. In 2006, the game was played at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta due to damage from Hurricane Katrina.
Bowl Championship Series
The Sugar Bowl was part of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) from 1998, and hosted the BCS National Championship Game in 2000 and 2004.
College Football Playoff
Since the 2014 season, the Sugar Bowl has hosted CFP semifinal games.
Tie-ins
The Sugar Bowl has ties with the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and the Big 12 Conference. The champions of these conferences usually play in the Sugar Bowl, unless they are participating in the national semifinals.
Curious to know what the racist undertones of Bowl Games are?
Cotton and sugar produced in those southern states were largely produced by slaves and later by share croppers!
Thanks for sharing the questions & information. It reminds me of the song "Barbados" performed by Our Native Daughters feat. Rhiannon Giddens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WfWh6P6FeA)
(images added https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZdMzBf4fmw)
My husband and I have an aversion to Christian entertainment. It isn't even based on principle- we just usually hate it! So many Christians have shared their Branson stories with us, and told us we "just have to go." (It's like a religious pilgrimage for my peeps!). We just nod and listen, knowing we never will. Skye Jethani says Christians seem to have Soviet, utilitarian mindset when it comes to art, that it must fulfill a purpose. He adds, "if we are only about art's usefulness to our cause, we don't value art, but propaganda. It sounds like that's what Homestead is (a fantasy, really, with the "they're coming for your guns" trope being the most tired...and dangerous). I appreciate all the info on this studio, and will be on guard for their future productions- thanks!
I listened to your podcast on this film, and found myself nodding in agreement with much of what you said.
One thing that we differ on is that I don't think there is anything subtle about the christian nationalism in Angel Studios films. To me it tracks with conservative evangelical sermons about the destruction and evisceration (what better club than a nuclear explosion) of humanity as the warrior god comes riding in with his armies to wreak havoc on those without faith. Of course, they are the only ones who get to discern the right faith. They also love to quote II Thessalonians 3:10-13 as to why it's ok to hoard food and resources.
I don't know, maybe I'm a little harsh, but the damage I suffered at the hands of conservative evangelicalism and the damage they continue to do makes me angry.
Thanks for doing the heavy lifting on this. I am related to the prepping type but we are now estranged due to serious faith and political conflicts. I recognize this ideology and even grew up close to it. Early on I was given spiritual and academic coaching to warn me away so I pass it on. Still wondering how this aged public historian can keep participating.
I note Dr. Jemar Tisby's & commenters' shares; thanks, I'm glad to learn. A question I ponder is from a historical Black Church's group curriculum:
"Pastor Wesley emphasizes loving God with priority and exclusivity. How do we balance this spiritual commitment with the demands of fighting for justice in a society that often prioritizes power, privilege, and self-interest? How can our faith serve as a foundation for dismantling oppressive systems while ensuring our activism remains rooted in God's love and not personal or societal agendas?" The next sermon was on Luke 10:25-37 (NIV).
I've struggled with balance esp since 10/7/23; I picture Jesus of Nazareth in the rubble & suffering people. I heard a dramatization on BBC, with episode 10, "Birth of a Nation." The title caught my attention regarding U.S. history too. The dramatized series helped me place story with an Alison course's information, which wasn't mentioned in my white Christian nationalist (wCN) communities with 1-sided narratives.
Alison course: https://alison.com/course/the-israeli-palestinian-conflict-origins
"Miriam & Youssef," https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w13xtv38 (& learn from reviews/critiques also)
"What's love got to do with it?" from series, "God's Love Languages," Pastor Wesley, ASBC https://www.youtube.com/live/_B7uT0VbGj8?si=mCClCq1_z9TI1Dz1 "Go and do likewise"