Making Sense with Sam Harris - Subscriber Content

#401 - Christian Nationalism and the New Right

Feb 18, 2025

Katherine Stewart, an investigative journalist and award-winning author of "Money, Lies, and God," dives deep into the rising tide of Christian nationalism and its threat to American democracy. She explores Project 2025 and its authoritarian implications, the asymmetry in media accountability, and the backlash against 'wokeness' as a distraction from real socio-economic issues. Stewart also highlights how narratives around public education are being manipulated, and she emphasizes the importance of grassroots movements advocating for democratic values to counteract extremist ideologies.

01:12:28

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Episode guests

Katherine Stewart

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The coalition of Christian nationalists and wealthy oligarchs aims to undermine American democracy by instilling fear and promoting authoritarian governance.

Wealth concentration among influential individuals significantly fuels anti-democratic initiatives, shaping political agendas that support Christian nationalist narratives.

Christian nationalism fosters a divisive ideology that seeks to reshape American identity and reinforce exclusionary societal norms against non-conformists.

Deep dives

The Anti-Democratic Movement

The current political landscape reflects a significant anti-democratic movement, characterized by a coalition of diverse groups such as Christian nationalists, oligarchs, and reactionary factions. These groups, while not ideologically unified, share a common goal of dismantling democratic institutions, as highlighted by a notable op-ed. By exploiting religious nationalism and instilling fears among their ranks, they have garnered support for their agenda, which seeks to establish a more authoritarian governance structure. This coalition is diverse in belief, yet they all converge on the need to undermine liberalism and democratic principles, as evidenced by the actions of leaders and funders within this movement.

Intro

2min

The Rise of Christian Nationalism and Its Threat to Democracy

16min

Defensiveness and Distraction in Political Discourse

16min

The Rising Tide of Christian Nationalism

24min

The Misinterpretation of Literature and Its Consequences

2min

Examining the Narrative: Public Education Under Fire

6min

The Challenge of Countering Christian Nationalism

5min

Sam Harris speaks with Katherine Stewart about her new book, Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy. They discuss Project 2025, Christian nationalism, white supremacy, whether the backlash against wokeness has been overblown, the asymmetric standards between right-wing and left-wing media, Trump’s appeal to evangelicals, wealth inequality, political ideology in public schools, and other topics.

Katherine Stewart is the award-winning author of Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy (Bloomsbury, 2025). Her previous book, The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism, formed the basis of the documentary feature God & Country, produced by Rob Reiner. Stewart's work appears in The New York Times opinion section, The New Republic, Religion News Service, and other publications.

Website: katherinestewart.me

X: @kathsstewart

Bluesky: @katherinestewart.bsky.social

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