Peculiar Stories of the Holy Ghost: Charisma in American Religion and Politics
What is charisma? Sometimes the word indicates someone who is simply charming, while other times it can imply manipulation. We often use it to describe that undefinable quality of a leader. The role of charismatic figures in American history stretches from early religious revivals to contemporary political movements. Across every era, Americans have turned to those who promise to restore order and meaning by channeling both sacred and secular power. When traditional religious institutions struggle to provide purpose, charismatic figures—both sacred and secular—step into the void, offering followers a sense of divine calling and cosmic significance. Drawing from her acclaimed book Spellbound, historian Molly Worthen will explored how charisma in secular politics remains more connected to spiritual charisma, as witnessed in the New Testament sense, than we might think—and theological concepts like transcendence and idolatry are more relevant than ever. This lecture, the second in the Dallas A. Willard series presented by the Lumen Center, calls the university community to pay more attention to the spiritual dimensions that underlie much of American history and contemporary culture. The Dallas A. Willard Lecture is generously supported by Fieldstead and Co. Molly Worthen is Professor of History at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She writes regularly about religion, politics, and higher education for the New York Times and has also contributed to the Atlantic, the New Yorker, Slate, and other publications. Her most recent book is Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump (Penguin Random House, 2025). 🔗 Learn more about the Lumen Center https://slbf.org/lumen-center Send us Fan Mail Upper House Commons gathers the university community for spiritual, intellectual, and vocational formation. We explore big ideas and engage in conversations that matter within arts and humanities, justice and society, leadership and vocation, science and technology, spiritual formation, and theology. Whether you are a student or faculty member at UW–Madison or beyond, working in the marketplace, or serving in the church, we see you as part of our university community. Gather with us for one of our programs —our “commons”— each a pasture for shared spiritual, intellectual, and vocational formation. Head over to our events page to see what's coming soon, or mark your calendar for these upcoming programs. Find out more slbf.org/upperhousecommons
