Yesterday, October 1, LCC community had a chance to attend an open lecture by Dr. Markku Ruotsila, a researcher and historian from Finland. Dr. Ruotsila presented about the history of evangelicalism and fundamentalism in the USA, as well as the USA’s political history and modern conservatism.

Dr. Benjamin Giffone, Director of the Center for Faith and Human Flourishing, noted: “We are honored to have Dr. Ruotsila as a CFHF Fellow, and especially privileged to have him in residence this semester conducting research at LCC. About the open lecture on "Trump and The Christian Right", let's be honest: President Trump is a polarizing figure, and the role of religion in American political discourse is a controversial subject. Yet in addition to the global significance of the United States' government and culture, Dr. Ruotsila's analysis of public theology provides a framework for understanding religiously-inflected political discourses in this region, as well. Dr. Ruotsila brings an outsider's perspective that helps Americans (like myself) to see ourselves more objectively. His nuanced analysis is informed by decades of research into the history of ideas, particularly in 20th-century religious and political movements on either side of the Atlantic."