When Sorrow Comes - The Power of Sermons from Pearl Harbor to Black Lives Matter

In the wake of national tragedies, it matters who is mourned and who is overlooked. Focusing on Protestant sermons, Melissa Matthes argues that, since WWII, America’s religious majority has defined and redefined the nation and belonging through post-crisis mourning. And by embracing a patriotic role, preachers also act as civic educators.