Election 2008 turned out to be a watershed contests, looking to crucial decisions of policy change about the war in Iraq, the international economy, global warming, social security and immigration. God in the Obama Era is written for general readers and is designed to help give objectivity and perspective on debated issues. Its approach is narrative and chronological, not dogmatic. Its premise is that the contemporary presidency stands in a longer historical tradition, which conditions both philosophical, and value judgments. A scholar, who has written in both the history and philosophy of religion, the author is interested in the long term moral values and religious symbols that motivate both voters and public officials. Of course, he is not so naïve as to suppose that truth is always on one side of the election divide. Clearly, the U. S. Constitution guarantees both freedom of worship and the non-establishment of religion. But faith convictions remain a powerful ideological force in American politics.

Considers the impact of neo-racism during the Obama presidency. Neo-race Realities in the Obama Era expands the discourse about Barack Obama’s two terms as president by reflecting upon the impact of neo-racism during his tenure. Continually in conversation with Étienne Balibar’s conceptualization of neo-racism as being racism without race, the contributors examine how identities become the target of neo-racist discriminatory practices and policies in the United States. Individual chapters explore how President Obama’s multiple and intersecting identities beyond the racial binaries of Black and White were perceived, as well as how his presence impacted certain marginalized groups in our society as a result of his administration’s policies. Evidencing the hegemonic complexity of neo-racism in the United States, the contributors illustrate how the mythic post-race society that many wished for on election night in 2008 was deferred, in order to return to the uncomfortable comfort zone of the way America used to be. “Well organized and compelling, this book covers everything from perspectives on the AIDS epidemic to racial authenticity, yet the reader never forgets that he/she is on a journey through the Age of Obama and its many contested nuances.” — Ricky L. Jones, author of What’s Wrong with Obamamania? Black America, Black Leadership, and the Death of Political Imagination

Revolutionary France of 1789 was the world's first post-Christian society. Leftism is an ersatz religion, and France became the world's first Leftist nation. Leftism is faux Christianity. America is today becoming a post-Christian society under a similar imitation of Christianity. One of the truisms of such a society is that one can now hide behind the pretense of "openness." Shame, which would have previously kept certain things hidden, is now the only thing of which we are ashamed. One can be completely open about all matters sexual, for frankness about everything is now valued. Yet, such cultures only develop new ways of being hidden. One hides in plain sight in modern America. One goes on television, the Internet, and to publishing houses to "tell all," using the facade of "boldness" and "frankness," to remain hidden. "Openness" is a cover, and it is a cover for emptiness. We no longer know who, where, or what we are. We have lost ourselves.

Black Masculinity in the Obama Era provides an in-depth examination of the current state of black males and identifies the impact of living in the Obama era. In the era of the first black president, Barack H. Obama, this book gauges the status of black masculinity and provokes discourse to discover whether his election and presence has had an influential impact on black male achievement. A purposeful sample of black males was asked, what does it mean to be a black male in the 21st century? Throughout the interviews with black males, we learn that the 'Obama Effect' has not had the intended impact on black male achievement and black males continue to be plagued by structural and cultural forces that have historically burdened their plight and level of achievement.

Transformative; cathartic; country-changing; metamorphic; reframing. These words have been aptly applied to President Donald Trump during his time in the Oval Office, and decades ago, Ronald Reagan transformed the USA in a similar way. Both of these presidents set out and achieved a modernized, reinvigorated country. They repaired, restored, revived, and made America great again. Donald Trump has challenged and changed the direction of our country by summoning Americans to a new vision, and transmuting our underlying attitudes and commitments. What better way to understand Trump’s presidency than by comparing him to his transformational conservative predecessor—Ronald Reagan—who also permanently altered the political landscape. In this full-fledged comparison, complete with new information and ground-breaking interpretation, bestselling author Nick Adams explores how both leaders changed the trajectory of America. Trump’s and Reagan’s patriotism and unapologetic advocacy of traditional values and the American people make them conservative heroes.

My ardent hope, that this book will inspire everyone that reads it; letting them know that with God and a determined mind, all things are possible. My desire in life has always been to love and interact with people with positive reinforcements. Even those with negative views of life, I must encourage them to know, there's hope for their existence. As God enhances my calling for his ministry in every capacity, I pray that the motivation of our dearest President Barack Obama will inspire everyone that reads this book to keep up their pride, get education in every and any capacity they find fit for them, reaching out for their dreams and goals on a higher dimension; trusting in God. Never give up and God will do the rest.

Contemporary Christian Culture: Messages, Missions, and Dilemmas studies Christian media, its meanings, and its impact on social perceptions and lived experiences in a multicultural context and from within a communication framework. This interdisciplinary collection expands the dialogue surrounding race, culture, and Christian messages and provides a valuable resource for researchers, educators, and church practitioners who are interested in understanding how racial and cultural identity are impacted by religious media products.

In a time of political turmoil, how should we pray? What is the role of prayer in resisting politics that are based on hatred and division? This book claims prayer as a way to choose hope over fear. Beginning soon after the Inauguration in 2017, Shannon Craigo-Snell offered brief, daily prayers lifting up people and groups who were actively working for the common good. These prayers, collected here, provide a historical record of the rhetorical and political outrages of the first year of the Trump Administration, as well as the actions of those who resisted. They remember the small victories, averted disasters, and ongoing struggles of people of good will. They affirm not only the practical value of political involvement, but also the spiritual value of such engagement in solidarity with those most vulnerable to destructive policies. In addition to these daily prayers, this book offers an introduction and invitation to prayer. Intercessory prayer, in particular, can bridge divides between religious traditions and cultural differences, creating a space in which diverse communities can hope together for a better world.

For any action in foreign policy to be possible, it has to first appear as plausible in the spoken and written discourses of foreign policy. This is the basic axiom at the core of the case studies that Kovács carries out in Foreign Policy Discourses of the Obama Years. In each case study, she investigates discursive products such as presidential speeches and news accounts, with the purpose of teasing out the types of meanings that emerge. These meanings, she argues, have an impact on the types of foreign policy action the Obama administration could plausibly undertake. The findings show both that foreign policy in the US is mostly understood and evaluated in terms of its impact on domestic politics, and that the study of discourses surrounding foreign policy is a useful tool for assessing administrations.