Darrius Hills Awarded Prestigious Fellowship from the Louisville Institute's Sabbatical Grant for Researchers

Darrius Hills, associate professor of Religious Studies, has been honored with a prestigious fellowship from the Louisville Institute's Sabbatical Grant for Researchers program. This $40,000 grant is a testament to Hills' scholarly contributions and underscores the significance of his upcoming project.  

The grant will facilitate Hills' year-long sabbatical in 2025, during which he will embark on his second book project titled A Tale of Two Cities: Muscular Christianity and Red Pill Masculinity. The project promises to shed light on the complex intersection of American evangelicalism and contemporary popular culture. Hills' exploration delves into the nuances of masculinity within these contexts, revealing intriguing parallels between modern American evangelicalism and the Victorian movement of "Muscular Christianity." Furthermore, the project will critically examine how these religious undercurrents intersect with the "Red Pill" masculinist philosophy propagated by influential online figures such as Andrew Tate. 

Hills' forthcoming book promises to be a timely and insightful contribution to scholarly discourse. By navigating the intricate relationship between religious ideology, cultural shifts, and contemporary masculinity, his work is poised to offer valuable insights into the dynamics shaping modern society. 

Hills shares, “I’m very excited to receive this award, which is my third funding opportunity with the Louisville Institute since I was a doctoral student. Since the 2016 election, I’ve long been interested in the correlations between popular culture’s ties to evangelical gender scripts, and my research for this book will provide some insight into these issues.”  

Please join Grinnell in congratulating Professor Hills on this well-deserved recognition of his scholarly endeavors. We eagerly anticipate the profound insights and contributions that his research will offer to the academic community and beyond. Hills' dedication to exploring the intricacies of masculinity within the realms of religion and popular culture exemplifies the spirit of academic inquiry and intellectual curiosity. 

About The Louisville Institute’s Sabbatical Grant for Researchers 

The Louisville Institute’s Sabbatical Grant for Researchers provides sabbatical grants up to $40,000 to support research projects about Christian faith and life, the practice of ministry, religious trends and movements, Christian and other faith-based institutions and religion and social issues. Funded by the Religion Division of Lilly Endowment, the Louisville Institute’s mission is to bridge Church and academy through awarding grants and fellowships to those who lead and study North American religious institutions, practices, and movements, and thereby promoting scholarship that strengthens Church, academy, and society, and ultimately contributes to the flourishing of the Church.