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Biography
Thomas Kidd is the Associate Director of ISR, and Distinguished Professor of History at Baylor University. His books include American Colonial History: Clashing Cultures and Faiths (Yale University Press, 2016), Baptists in America: A History (with Barry Hankins, Oxford University Press, 2015), George Whitefield: America’s Spiritual Founding Father (Yale University Press, 2014), Patrick Henry: First Among Patriots (Basic Books, 2011), God of Liberty: A Religious History of the American Revolution (Basic Books, 2010), American Christians and Islam (Princeton University Press, 2008), and The Great Awakening: The Roots of Evangelical Christianity in Colonial America (Yale University Press, 2007). He has written for outlets including the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal. Kidd blogs at “Evangelical History,” at The Gospel Coalition website.
Kidd teaches courses on colonial America, the American Revolution, and American religious history. He won a 2006-07 NEH Fellowship, and won a 2004 NEH Summer Stipend. Kidd came to Baylor University in 2002 after completing a Ph.D. in history at the University of Notre Dame, where he worked with the historian of religion George Marsden. He received a B.A. and M.A. at Clemson University. He and his wife Ruby have two sons, Jonathan and Joshua.
Areas of Expertise (6)
Patrick Henry
Eighteenth-Century North America
History of Evangelicalism
Baptists' History in America
Founding Fathers (Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry)
Benjamin Franklin
Accomplishments (1)
Outstanding Professor Award (professional)
Awarded by Baylor University
Education (3)
University of Notre Dame: Ph.D., History 2001
Clemson University: M.A., History 1996
Clemson University: B.A., Political Science 1994
Media Appearances (39)
Fact check: Bibles are allowed in schools and prisons
USA TODAY online
2022-05-18
Thomas S. Kidd, Ph.D., professor at Baylor and Midwestern Baptist Seminary, addresses the false claim that Bibles are not allowed in schools but are encouraged in prisons. "Students would always be allowed to personally possess Bibles in public or private schools," Kidd said. "Many private schools in America are religious, anyway, so it obviously would not be a problem in that context."
Is the Declaration of Independence a Christian document?
The Dallas Morning News online
2022-05-15
Thomas S. Kidd, Ph.D., professor at Baylor and Midwestern Baptist Seminary, and the author of “Thomas Jefferson: A Biography of Spirit and Flesh,” writes about the Declaration of Independence and the debate over the nation’s founding document as secular or religious, the real answer unsatisfying for both sides of the culture war.
Redistricting 101: The inside story of America's first gerrymander
The Hill online
2021-12-20
Baylor historian Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., author of the 2011 biography "Patrick Henry: First Among Patriots," is quoted in this article about how gerrymandering - the intentional drawing of political boundaries to favor one party’s candidates - goes back to the nation’s founding days.
Fact check: Congress didn’t print America’s first Bible for use in public schools
Yahoo! News online
2021-12-01
Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of History, James Vardaman Endowed Professor of History and Associate Director of the Institute for Studies of Religion, explains that Congress did not print Bibles for public schools.
Fact check: Congress didn’t print America’s first Bible for use in public schools
USA Today online
2021-12-01
Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of History, James Vardaman Endowed Professor of History and associate director of the Institute for Studies of Religion, debunks the myth that Congress printed Bibles for American public schools in the 1700s, explaining that public schools didn’t exist at the time.
Pat Robertson Steps Down as Host of ‘The 700 Club’
The Wall Street Journal online
2021-10-01
American religious history expert Thomas S. Kidd, Ph.D., is quoted in this article about influential Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson stepping down as host of “The 700 Club,” a role he has filled since 1966.
From 2016 to 2020, Trump grew in support from white evangelicals
Baptist News Global online
2021-09-20
Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., The James Vardaman Endowed Professor of History and associate director for the Institute for Religious Studies, is quoted in this article on the relationship between evangelicals and their political beliefs.
New Museum Stakes Claim for the Bible in US History—Right Next to the Liberty Bell
Christianity Today online
2021-07-09
Baylor historian Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., is quoted in this article about the American Bible Society opening a $60 million museum to highlight the role of Scripture in the founding of the United States.
The Scandal Rocking the Evangelical World
The Atlantic online
2021-06-07
Baylor history professor Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., is quoted about the misuse of the term evangelical in this article about the sudden departure from the SBC of one of the most influential and respected evangelicals in America forcing an overdue conversation about the crises of American Christendom.
The Southern Baptist Convention Confronts Critical Race Theory
National Review online
2021-03-29
Baylor historian Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., author of "Who Is an Evangelical?: The History of a Movement in Crisis," is quoted in this article about the SBC and critical race theory.
Who are the ‘evangelicals’ pollsters keep talking about?
Baptist News Global online
2020-10-20
This article on evangelical Christians and their support of President Donald Trump quotes “Who Is an Evangelical?”, a book on the history behind the spiritual movement and its political and ethnic affiliations written by Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., distinguished professor of History.
Bill Whitaker: Volatile mix of politics, religion increasingly toxic for both
Waco Tribune-Herald online
2020-10-17
This column about how politics are shaping religion quotes Baylor faculty members, historian Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., and Truett Seminary professor Roger Olson, Ph.D., and cites findings from the 2017 Baylor Religion Survey.
Will the GOP evangelical firewall hold for Trump?
The Dallas Morning News online
2020-10-11
In this column as part of "Living Our Faith," the DMN's ongoing opinion commentary on faith, Baylor historian Thomas S. Kidd, Ph.D., author of “Who Is an Evangelical? The History of a Movement in Crisis,” writes about the evangelical vote and the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court.
American History Is Not Canceled
Christianity Today online
2020-07-14
Thomas S. Kidd, Ph.D., The James Vardaman Distinguished Professor of History and associate director of Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion, writes that Christians can’t erase the church’s slaveholding past but they can change the symbols, statues, and namesakes they celebrate.
Southern Baptist president wants to retire famed gavel named for slave owner
The Washington Post online
2020-06-10
Baylor historian Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., is quoted in this article about the president of the Southern Baptist Convention calling for the retirement of a gavel that carries the name of a 19th-century Southern Baptist leader who was a slaveholder and led the convention in support of the Confederacy.
Responding to COVID-19 would be a lot harder without churches and Christian groups
The Dallas Morning News print
2020-03-29
Column by Baylor ISR co-directors Byron Johnson, Ph.D., and Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., about how profoundly America and the world depend upon the quiet work of ministries and congregations in times of crisis, including in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Minnesota pastor leads campaign to try to shift evangelical vote
Minnesota Star-Tribune print
2020-02-19
Baylor history professor Thomas S. Kidd, Ph.D., author of “Who Is an Evangelical? The History of a Movement in Crisis,” is quoted in this article about Christians and voting.
Who Is an Evangelical? An Interview with Thomas Kidd
Religion & Politics online
2020-01-14
Q&A with Baylor history professor Thomas S. Kidd, Ph.D., author of “Who Is an Evangelical? The History of a Movement in Crisis,” about the history of American evangelicalism, the current movement in relationship to its past and the definition of who is an evangelical.
Notable Books for 2019: A Brief Survey of Some of Last Year’s Best Christian Books
Christianity Today online
2020-01-01
Among CT’s noteworthy books published in 2019 were those by Baylor philosophy professors C. Stephen Evans, Ph.D., and Scott H. Moore, Ph.D., history professor Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., and Truett preaching professor Jared Alcántara, Ph.D.
America’s Religious History: An Interview with Thomas S. Kidd
Bible Gateway online
2019-12-10
Baylor historian Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., is featured in this Q&A discussing his new book, “America’s Religious History: Faith, Politics, and the Shaping of a Nation.”
Five Ways We Misunderstand American Religious History
Christianity Today online
2019-11-22
Essay by Baylor history professor Thomas S. Kidd, Ph.D., drawn from his book “America’s Religious History: Faith, Politics, and the Shaping of a Nation,” about five ways we misunderstand American religious history.
'Who Is An Evangelical?' Looks At History Of Evangelical Christians And The GOP
NPR “All Things Considered” radio
2019-11-14
NPR’s Audie Cornish talks with Baylor history professor Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., about the history of the relationship between evangelicals and political power.
Thomas Kidd on the story of Evangelicals in America
Ethic and Religious Liberty Commission online
2019-11-05
Thomas S. Kidd, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of History, tells the story of evangelicals by providing an in-depth look at the beliefs that binds them, the history that formed them and how politics affects their movement.
Baptists differ over evangelical movement
Baptist Press print
2019-10-31
Baylor historian Thomas S. Kidd, Ph.D., author of “Who Is an Evangelical? The History of a Movement in Crisis,” took part in a discussion on the usefulness of the word "evangelical" and the state of evangelicalism Oct. 29 at the Museum of the Bible.
Thomas S. Kidd on Who Is an Evangelical?
Matt Lewis and the News Podcast online
2019-10-15
Thomas S. Kidd, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of History, is interviewed about his latest book, “Who is an Evangelical?: The History of a Movement in Crisis.”
Why Evangelicals Support Donald Trump
The New York Times online
2019-10-07
Author Frances Fitzgerald reviews “Who Is an Evangelical? The History of a Movement in Crisis” by Thomas S. Kidd, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of History, The James Vardaman Endowed Professor of History and associate director of Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion.
Define ‘Evangelical,’ Please — The 2019 Edition
UExpress online
2019-10-02
Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of History at Baylor and associate director of the Institute for Studies of Religion, is quoted in this article from his recent address at Wheaton College and also from his newest book, “Who Is an Evangelical?: The History of a Movement in Crisis.”
Who’s an evangelical and who gets to decide?
Religion News Service online
2019-09-23
Thomas S. Kidd, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of History, The James Vardaman Endowed Professor of History and associate director of Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion, writes in this column about the politicization of the term “evangelical.” Kidd’s latest book is “Who Is an Evangelical? The History of a Movement in Crisis.”
So, What’s an Evangelical? And why does it matter?
Christianity Today online
2019-09-18
Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of History, The James Vardaman Endowed Professor of History and associate director of Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion, explores the question “What’s an Evangelical?” on the Quick to Listen podcast with the editors of Christianity Today. Kidd is the author of several books, including “Who Is an Evangelical? A History of a Movement in Crisis.”
Evidence Shows Most of the Men in Famous 'Declaration of Independence' Painting Were Slaveholders
PolitiFact online
2019-09-10
Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of History, The James Vardaman Endowed Professor of History and associate director of Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion, is one of several historians contacted by PolitiFact to fact-check the number of founding fathers in the famous painting “Declaration of Independence,” which is displayed in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, who were slaveholders.
Benjamin Franklin's Faith
C-SPAN tv
2018-02-10
VIDEO: Thomas S. Kidd, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of History and associate director of Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion, discussed “Benjamin Franklin’s Faith” at the Museum of the Bible symposium, “The Bible and the Founding of America,” which explored the Bible and its influence on the founding of America. Kidd is the author of “Benjamin Franklin: The Religious Life of a Founding Father,” a new biography based on research into Franklin’s correspondence, essays and almanacs that unpacks the contradictions and conundrums faith presented in Franklin’s life.
Faith and the Founding Fathers
Influence Magazine radio
2017-07-03
Podcast interview with Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of History in Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion, about the role religion played in the lives of America’s founders and the Founding Era. Kidd is the author of “Benjamin Franklin: The Religious Life of a Founding Father,” as well as biographies of Patrick Henry and George Whitefield.
Ben Franklin’s faith the subject of Baylor prof’s new book
Baylor Proud online
2017-06-22
There may be no one more qualified to examine Franklin’s religious life than Kidd. A distinguished professor of history at Baylor and associate director of Baylor’s Institute for the Studies of Religion, he’s also a distinguished author who has authored or co-authored nine books and contributed to numerous others. The influence of religion on America’s founding and founders is a topic Kidd has studied extensively, having previously written books about Revolutionary War-era orator Patrick Henry and “America’s spiritual founding father” George Whitefield. Two other of Kidd’s books on this time period — The Great Awakening: The Roots of Evangelical Christianity in Colonial America and God of Liberty: A Religious History of the American Revolution — were named among the best books of the year by Christianity Today when they were released.
Dr. Thomas Kidd on “Benjamin Franklin: The Religious Life of a Founding Father”
Point of View online
2017-06-19
AUDIO: Point of View radio talk show host Kerby Anderson interviews Thomas S. Kidd, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of History and associate director of Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion, about his new book, “Benjamin Franklin: The Religious Life of a Founding Father,” which is based on rigorous research into Franklin’s voluminous correspondence, essays and almanacs to unpack the contradictions and conundrums faith presented in Franklin’s life.
Benjamin Franklin’s Complicated Faith
The Wall Street Journal print
2017-05-25
Column by Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of History in Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion, about Benjamin Franklin’s belief that God governs in the affairs of humans. At the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787, several weeks into the proceedings, Franklin proposed that the meetings open with prayer. “In today’s polarized political and religious environment, some pundits seek to remake the Founding Fathers in their own image,” Kidd wrote. “Benjamin Franklin’s example reveals that the historical truth is often more complicated.”
Benjamin Franklin’s American Religion: A Conversation with Historian Thomas Kidd
AlbertMohler.com online
2017-04-03
AUDIO: Thomas Kidd, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of History in Baylor’s Institute for Studies of religion, speaks about Benjamin Franklin — raised as a Puritan but later skeptical about Christianity — who probably published more on religious topics than any other layperson in the 18th century. Shortly before his death, Franklin said he could “never quite convince himself that Jesus was fully divine but figured he would find out soon enough, so it didn’t really matter,” Kidd said. “And so that’s the epitome of that kind of noncommittal, good-natured kind of Franklin skepticism.”
Hoping for cessation of ‘war on Christmas’ rhetoric? Don’t, historians say
Baptist News online
2016-12-15
"Another season of the so-called 'war on Christmas,' especially in the wake of Donald Trump’s election, may be just enough to drive some people over the edge. And all indications are it isn’t going to go away. 'There is no easier way for politicians or pundits to rally the base this time of year than hyping the ‘War on Christmas’ by liberal elites,' Baylor University history professor Thomas Kidd said in a book review of Gerry Bowler’s Christmas in the Crosshairs: Two Thousand Years of Denouncing and Defending the World’s Most Celebrated Holiday..."
Polls show evangelicals support Trump. But the term ‘evangelical’ has become meaningless.
The Washington Post online
2016-07-22
Who are these rank-and-file Trump supporters who tell pollsters that they are “evangelical”? And what does the label mean, anyway? I would suggest that something more complicated is going on, something that may have given a generation of Americans the wrong idea about evangelicalism – and U.S. politics. What has happened is nothing short of a watering-down and politicization of the term “evangelical.”
The Missionary Killed by Islamist Terror
The Wall Street Journal online
2016-01-21
The 2016 political season is churning with anti-immigrant vitriol and wariness of the outside world. But one group of American Christians—missionaries—continues reaching out instead of walling themselves off. They honor Christ’s message in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 25: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” The selfless work of missionaries was poignantly illustrated by the terrorist murder on Jan. 15 of 45-year-old Michael Riddering, an orphanage director in West Africa.