White evangelicals overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump in his campaigns and presidency. White Christian nationalism was a driving force in efforts to overturn the 2020 election. And many of the worst reactionary movements in the country, powering the growth of the far right’s influence, have their source in evangelical America.
This is all, frankly, a little perplexing, given the peaceful, love thy neighbor core of Jesus’s moral teachings. But it’s nothing new. In her fascinating and troubling book Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation, Kristin Kobes Du Mez traces the emergence of the Christian radical right, particularly its patriarchal and toxically masculine forms, from its origins in the middle of the 20th century through to Trump. It’s a story that’s often appalling, but also helps us to understand much of our contemporary political scene.
ReImagining Liberty is a project of The UnPopulist, and is produced by Landry Ayres. Podcast art by Sergio R. M. Duarte. Music by Kevin MacLeod.
Get full access to Aaron Ross Powell at
www.aaronrosspowell.com/subscribe
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Make It Make Sense with Grant Hermes A twice weekly podcast making sense out the chaotic political world
Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify
Discuss this episode with the host and your fellow listeners in the ReImagining Liberty Reddit community: https://www.reddit.com/r/ReImaginingLiberty/
If you enjoy ReImagining Liberty and want to listen to episodes free of ads and sponsorships, become a supporter. Learn more here: https://www.aaronrosspowell.com/upgrade
I also encourage you to check out my companion newsletter, where I write about the kinds of ideas we discuss on this show. You can find it on my website at www.aaronrosspowell.com.
Produced by Landry Ayres. Podcast art by Sergio R. M. Duarte. Music by Kevin MacLeod.
