St. Lawrence University invites the campus community to attend the 2026 Piskor Lecture on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in the Sykes Common Lounge. Dr. Damon Berry, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Religious Studies, will present his lecture, “God, Guns & Grievance: A History of Religion in the American Militia Movement.” A reception will follow.
Recent national data underscores the importance of examining the intersections of religion, political identity, and violence in contemporary America. A 2023 survey released by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), in partnership with the Brookings Institution, found that 23% of Americans agree that “because things have gotten so far off track, true American patriots may have to resort to violence in order to save our country,” up from 15% in 2021. Support for anti-government political violence—once widely associated primarily with organized militia groups—has broadened in recent years.
In this lecture, Dr. Berry provides a historical overview of the complex role of religion within the modern American militia movement, tracing its development from the early 1990s to the present. He argues that religious discourse has both shaped and been shaped by efforts to organize independent armed groups claiming to defend the American people from perceived internal threats. These narratives often center on allegations of secretive government actors collaborating with “global elites” to undermine constitutional principles.
Dr. Berry further examines how militia leaders have drawn upon broader anti-government sentiment and political polarization, frequently intertwining these themes with Christian nationalist mythologies to legitimize their ideology and mobilization efforts. By situating contemporary developments within a longer historical framework, the lecture offers critical insight into the ways religious language and symbolism continue to influence political movements in the United States.
The Piskor Lecture is an annual faculty lecture selected through peer nomination and review by the Professional Standards Committee. Open to scholars from any department, the series highlights the breadth and depth of faculty scholarship at St. Lawrence University.