Dan McClellan

Devils of Democracy

Ethics, Culture & Social Issues

“Michael Heyes's Devils of Democracy exposes a simultaneously fascinating and sobering history of the rhetorical use of demons and demonization in American political discourse and action.... Heyes shows that from the witch trials to the Satanic Panic to the Seven Mountains Mandate, and down to today, the gravitational pull of the demonic has a way with the tide of American history. Most sobering of all, Heyes demonstrates that thoughtful folks concerned for the nation's future ought to start taking far more seriously the influence of conspiratorial demonology.”

From Slave to Saint

History & Biography

“In From Slave to Saint, Chance Bonar traces two thousand years of apocryphal storytelling that leverages the letter to Philemon and the figure of Onesimus to structure explorations of slavery, mastery, and Christian piety. Bonar expertly navigates a complex academic field and a diverse pool of primary texts to bring to the surface a tension inherent in the historical deployment of the character of Onesimus to alternatively justify or deny Christianity’s role in the practice of enslavement. In the end, Bonar’s careful review of Onesimus’s rhetorical utility challenges future storytellers to engage in more honest and intentional explorations of Christianity’s relationship with enslavement and to consider how they can better facilitate repair and support moving forward.”

Serving Up Scripture

Biblical Studies & Commentaries

“A brilliant guide to the complexities and subjectivities of interpreting the Bible. In a refreshingly accessible way, Bashaw and Higashi pull back the curtain on interpretation to reveal the role of the reader and their social position in guiding the production of meaning with the Bible. Using the analogy of cooking, they place the Bible reader in the role of the chef, who works with a variety of ingredients--the various voices of the biblical texts--to prepare readings that will be meaningful and useful to themselves and to their own audiences.”