When politics get extreme, what should Christians do? A conversation with Tim Alberta

Tim Alberta, author of The Kingdom, The Power, and The Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism, joins The Denison Forum Podcast to discuss his book and the shift in attitude among evangelicals toward accepting extreme political viewpoints, as well as how their faith has influenced their politics.

Alberta shares his experience and research as he explores the historical and contemporary landscape of American evangelicalism, its intersection with politics, and the challenges it faces today.

Along with Dr. Jim Denison and Dr. Mark Turman, the conversation offers insights into where evangelicalism is today and its continuing effect on national politics.

Topics

00:05 Introduction and Guest Presentation

00:35 The Intersection of Politics and Religion

01:36 Introducing Tim Alberta and His Work

02:54 Discussion on Sports and Personal Experiences

04:02 Tim Alberta's Journey and Motivation for His Book

12:43 The Evolution of Evangelical Christians in Politics

22:49 The Concept of Good vs Evil in Politics

32:19 The Art of Fundraising and Political Strategy

33:06 The Power of Speaking Biblical Truth

33:47 The Importance of Loving Our Neighbors

34:35 The Role of Evangelicals in Politics

37:10 The Influence of Abortion on Political Alignment

43:17 The Danger of Stereotyping Evangelicals

45:42 The Challenge of Making Decisions as Christians

50:21 The Impact of Personal Morality on Leadership

55:24 The Dilemma of Choosing Between Two Evils

01:02:13 The Importance of Viewing Politics Through Faith

Resources

• The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism by Tim Alberta
• In The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, Tim Alberta recounts the infiltration of political extremism into American Christianity
• 🎧 American Idolatry: How Christian Nationalism Betrays the Gospel and Threatens the Church: A conversation with Andrew L. Whitehead
• 🎧 What does it mean to be a Christian patriot?
• What the controversial God & Country documentary gets right and wrong: Should you watch?
• Do Americans have to be Christians? An excerpt from “The Religion of American Greatness” by Paul D. Miller
• Episode transcript (PDF)

About Tim Alberta

Tim Alberta is an award-winning journalist, best-selling author, and staff writer for The Atlantic magazine. He formerly served as chief political correspondent for POLITICO. His most recent book is The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism.

About Dr. Jim Denison

Jim Denison, PhD, is a cultural theologian and the founder and CEO of Denison Ministries. He speaks biblically into significant cultural issues at Denison Forum. He is the chief author of The Daily Article and has written more than 30 books, including The Coming Tsunami, the Biblical Insight to Tough Questions series, and The Fifth Great Awakening.

About Dr. Mark Turman

Dr. Mark Turman is the Executive Director of Denison Forum and Vice President of Denison Ministries. Among his many duties, Turman is most notably the host of The Denison Forum Podcast. He is also the chief strategist for DF Pastors, which equips pastors and church leaders to understand and transform today’s culture.

About Denison Forum

Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, The Denison Forum Podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.