Dr. Holly Berkley Fletcher From Kenya to Washington DC: Lessons from Missionary Kids on History, Identity, and Evangelical America

Ever wondered how growing up between worlds can actually make you see your own culture more clearly? This conversation with Dr. Holly Berkley Fletcher flips the script on what it means to be a missionary kid—not just as someone with wild stories or an identity crisis, but as a kind of secret decoder for understanding white evangelicalism’s grip on American politics. There’s a moment here where a single high school banquet in Kenya, complete with a Confederate flag, opens up a whole hidden history most of us never learned in Sunday school. What if the very things you thought were just “normal” missionary experiences are actually the missing puzzle pieces for understanding the rise of Christian nationalism today? Stick around, because the connections Holly draws between global childhoods and the current culture wars in the U.S. will surprise you—and might even change how you see your own story.

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Explore how white evangelicalism shapes political landscapes and influences key decisions that affect society.

• Discover the unique role missionary kids play in decoding the complexities of evangelical culture worldwide.

• Understand the challenges third culture kids face as they navigate identity, belonging, and faith across different worlds.

• Trace the historical roots of Christian nationalism to see how it impacts modern cultural and political conversations.

My special guest is Dr. Holly Berkley Fletcher

Holly Berkley Fletcher is an author and historian who really knows what it means to live between worlds. Raised in Kenya as the daughter of Southern Baptist missionaries, Holly attended Rift Valley Academy and grew up balancing both her American roots and the culture around her. Her background extends far beyond childhood, though—she earned a PhD in American Studies, taught at the university level, and later worked as a CIA analyst specializing in Africa. Holly’s life as a third culture kid gives her a distinctive lens on white evangelicalism and Christian nationalism, while her research dives into how missionary kids navigate the complicated push and pull of belonging and identity. She brings a clear-eyed, honest perspective that connects personal experience with bigger questions about faith, power, and the impact of evangelical culture around the globe.

The key moments in this episode are:
00:11:00 - The Emotional Challenges of MKs: Privilege, Grief, and Sacrifice
00:13:30 - Impact of Missions on White Evangelicalism’s Global Narrative
00:14:05 - The American Influence on Global Evangelicalism and Missions
00:17:00 - Navigating the Complexities of Missionary Identity and Cultural Systems
00:19:01 - Missionaries’ Political Complicity and Moral Accountability
00:23:18 - Practical Ways Missionaries Can Advocate for Justice Amid Political Pressures
00:26:43 - The Disconnect Between American Evangelical Consumers and Missionary Realities
00:27:56 - Origins and Evolution of Christian Nationalism in White Evangelicalism
00:29:06 - Growing Up as a Missionary Kid Abroad and Its Impact
00:33:14 - The Authoritarian Culture of Evangelicalism and Biblical Inerrancy
00:36:40 - Favorite Books and Writers on Missions and Analysis
00:39:19 - Resilience of Missionary Kids and Comparing History Writing to Intelligence Analysis
00:41:07 - Common Stereotypes and Misconceptions About Missionary Kids
00:42:00 - Navigating Trauma and the Danger of Simplistic Narratives
00:43:44 - Complicity and Accountability Within Missionary Communities

• Order the book The Missionary Kids: Unmasking the Myths of White Evangelicalism by Dr. Holly Berkley Fletcher

• Join the Patreon community for exclusive content at https://patreon.com/aworldofdifference.

• Read A Just Mission by Mekdes Haddis for a non-white American perspective on missions.

• Subscribe to The Bulwark newsletter for insightful commentary (paid subscription recommended for Jonathan V. Last’s Triad newsletter).

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