Dr. Robert P. Jones on What White Christians Have Wrought in American Politics

Dec 14, 2024

Robert P. Jones, president of the Public Religion Research Institute and a leading scholar on religion and politics, discusses the profound impact of white Christian nationalism on American democracy. He highlights how white Christians shifted allegiances from the Democratic to Republican Party and their overwhelming support for Trump. The conversation delves into the historical roots of these political dynamics, revealing how faith intertwines with racial identity and voting patterns, and stresses the need for greater moral accountability in the Christian community.

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INSIGHT

White Christian Support for Trump

White Christian voters' consistent support enabled Trump's 2024 relevance.
Their unwavering support since 2016 has been crucial for him.

INSIGHT

Party Sorting by Race and Religion

The two major U.S. political parties have largely sorted themselves by race and religion, not just ideology.
This sorting significantly impacts political divides.

ANECDOTE

Carter and the Christian Right

Jimmy Carter's lack of evangelical support stemmed from his pluralism, not his stance on abortion.
The Christian right's birth originated from defending Bob Jones University's racist policies.

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This episode of Faithful Politics takes a deep dive into the impact of white Christian nationalism on American democracy with Robert P. Jones, president of PRRI (Public Religion Research Institute). Host Will Wright and Jones analyze the pivotal role white Christians played in the 2024 election, drawing from Jones’s Time Magazine article, “What White Christians Have Wrought,” and his latest book, The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy and the Path to a Shared American Future. The conversation traces the historical and cultural forces that have shaped white Christian political allegiance, explores the divide between religious and racial groups in voting behavior, and examines how Trump’s continued support reflects deeper systemic challenges. This episode provides a candid look at the intersection of faith, politics, and social identity, highlighting what’s at stake for the future of pluralistic democracy.

What White Christians Have Wrought: https://time.com/7174260/white-christianity-trump-election-essay/
Why Christian Democrats Are Seen as the “Wrong Kind” of Christian: https://open.substack.com/pub/faithfulpolitics/p/why-christian-democrats-are-seen?r=1bt7sx&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy: and the Path to a Shared American Future: https://a.co/d/3jLsPfQ

Robert P. Jones is the president and founder of Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI). He is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy and the Path to a Shared American Future (published September 5, 2023), as well as White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity, which won a 2021 American Book Award. He is also the author of

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