You’re invited to a summer seminar!

at Orchard Ridge

United Church of Christ

1501 Gilbert Rd.,

Madison, WI 53711

Sunday, August 18th, 2024, 9 am

in the Alfred Swan Room

“The Deep Source of Trump’s Appeal”

Faciliated by Baxter Richardson

In January, Pastor Julia Burkey asked us to think about what we need as the 2024 election cycle approaches. While there have been several responses to this request, one frequently heard response is “I just do not understand how anyone could support Donald Trump.” David Brooks, the New York Times columnist, has attempted to answer this question in an opinion piece that goes well beyond the simplified explanatory categories currently in vogue. He suggests that a creative “tension” that existed in American culture and which created a common moral culture with widespread support, has all but disappeared, leading to a deeply fragmented and polarized society. Trumpism is but one response to this fragmentation.

So our task on August 18 will be threefold: (1) to understand his argument (2) to critically examine his argument and (3) to explore his suggestion that the way forward should be the work of “religious progressives.”

Please read the Brooks article ahead of time: Click here for reading

Questions? Contact Baxter Richardson at [email protected]