Gravity Commons Podcast

Jon Ward: How the Evangelical Movement Failed a Generation

Feb 6, 2024

Jon Ward recounts his evangelical upbringing and its evolution, exposing the movement's political entanglements. He discusses the appeal of evangelical figures, challenges they face, and navigating beliefs within these communities. Insights into politics from a White House reporter and reflections on Trump's impact.

01:02:15

Creator website

Episode guests

Jon Ward

AI Summary

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Evangelical circles often overlook power dynamics, attributing all actions to God without recognizing human power.

Lack of understanding of institutional power within evangelical communities leads to personalized perspectives on actions affecting relationships.

Acknowledging power dynamics in evangelical spaces is crucial for informed faith experiences and balanced community interactions.

Deep dives

Recognizing the Power Dynamics in Evangelical Environments

In the podcast episode, John Ward discusses the tendency within evangelical circles to ignore power dynamics, emphasizing a viewpoint where all actions are attributed to God without acknowledging the presence of human power. He reflects on the challenges of navigating a space where power is hidden or disregarded.

Introduction

3min

Navigating the Complexities of Evangelical Upbringing and Political Influence

17min

Exploring the Appeal of Evangelical Figures and the Challenges They Face

5min

Navigating Beliefs and Actions in Evangelical and Charismatic Communities

10min

Insights into the Intricacies of Politics from a White House Reporter

6min

Reflections on Trump, Politics, and Family Traditions

22min

Closing Remarks and Community Engagement

2min

Jon Ward's life is divided in half: two decades inside the evangelical Christian bubble and two decades outside of it.

In his book Testimony: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Failed a Generation, Ward tells the engaging story of his upbringing in, and eventual break from, an influential evangelical church in the 1980s and 1990s. Ward sheds light on the evangelical movement's troubling political and cultural dimensions, tracing the ways in which the Jesus People movement was seduced by materialism and other factors to become politically captive rather than prophetic.

Jon Ward is the chief national correspondent for Yahoo News. He has covered American politics and culture for two decades, including as a white House correspondent traveling aboard Air Force One and as a national affairs correspondent writing about two presidential campaigns. He is the author of Camelot's End: Kennedy vs. Carter and the Fight that Broke the Democratic Party and hosts The Long Game podcast. Ward has written for the Washington Post, the New Republic, Politico, Vanity Fair, HuffPost, and the Washington Times, and lives in D.C.

Connect with Gravity:

Leave us a message or ask a question about this or any other episode and we'll answer it on a future episode.
Join the Gravity Community to interact with other listeners, and get our list of curated links each week to all things edifying and interesting.
Are you interested in advertising on the Gravity Podcast? Contact us at podcast@gravitycommons.com.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/gravity-leadership-podcast/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy