The Wasting of the Evangelical Mind
“The peculiarities of how American Christianity took shape help explain believers’ vulnerability to conspiratorial thinking and misinformation.” - New Yorker
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Author gets a lot wrong (e.g., that dispensationalism’s ‘literal reading’ is about ignoring the historical and cultural context of Scripture). He’s got some things right, though. There really is an anti-intellectual streak. I’m persuaded that, on the whole, the fundamentalist reaction to “neo-evangelicalism” wasn’t much better than what it opposed. It just made different errors. In many ways, equal and opposite errors.
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
first sentence is about the Capitol riot. What was evangelical about a bunch of knuckleheads planning to raid the capitol with tactical gear? Were you there? Was any seminary endorsers of it? Was any pastor of relevance? Did they since out of the hymnal? Pray? So what was evangelical other than the media and anti-Trumpers can attack the event goers and evangleicals at the same time for convenience?
to not trust the CBS nightly news anymore. It is not anti-intellectual to doubt the veracity of ANYTHING said on CNN or MSNBC. Or written in the NYT or Newsweek or Vox. Journalism is dead for all intents and purposes. Almost everyone is so biased the news is spin and not facts.
[Mark_Smith]first sentence is about the Capitol riot. What was evangelical about a bunch of knuckleheads planning to raid the capitol with tactical gear? Were you there? Was any seminary endorsers of it? Was any pastor of relevance? Did they since out of the hymnal? Pray? So what was evangelical other than the media and anti-Trumpers can attack the event goers and evangleicals at the same time for convenience?
They were “evangelical” because one of their most prominent characters is a New Age, syncretistic shaman in a buffalo headdress and face paint who eats only organic food.
If that doesn’t say “evangelical,” I don’t know what does.
You must have missed the crosses, Bibles, and Christian flags that were flying during the rally riot. Oh, and the flags that read “Jesus is my Savior; Trump is my president.”
Mark_Smith…
first sentence is about the Capitol riot. What was evangelical about a bunch of knuckleheads planning to raid the capitol with tactical gear? Were you there? Was any seminary endorsers of it? Was any pastor of relevance? Did they since out of the hymnal? Pray? So what was evangelical other than the media and anti-Trumpers can attack the event goers and evangleicals at the same time for convenience?
Suggest reading the article to see the relationship between the rally and evangelicalism. But if that’s too much work…
There are many more where those came from.
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
A lot of smart people are only now trying to understand the nexus between evangelicalism, the GOP and American Nationalism. Of course, many people have known about it for some time, but for others (perhaps this Atlantic writer) it’s a new thing which has burst forth onto the scene. They don’t yet understand it. It is true that a startlingly homogenous ethnic group of professing Christians are all in for Trumpism. For some good resources along this line, I’ve found the following helpful:
- The Evangelicals by Frances Fitzgerald. A long survey of the entire movement. Her discussion of how the movement became a creature of the GOP is particularly eye-opening.
- One Nation Under God: How Corporate Christianity Invented Christian America by Kevin Kruse. The most troubling book I’ve read about Christian-ish ceremonial deism as civil religion.
- Believe Me: The Evangelical Road to Donald Trump by evangelical historian John Fea.
- Who is an Evangelical? The History of a Movement in Crisis by Thomas Kidd. A short history with some great analysis from this Baptist historian who teaches at Baylor.
For some larger context to understand Christianity’s role in society from the 19th century, I recommend:
- The Civil War as a Theological Crisis by Mark Noll. Explores the divide over slavery before the Civil War, and also the role of Christianity in American public life.
- A Holy Baptism of Fire and Blood: The Bible and the American Civil War by James Byrd. Along similar lines as Noll’s book.
- Moral Reconstruction by Gaines Foster. A chronicle of moral reformation efforts by Christians in the 19th century. It has implications for considering whether America is a “Christian nation,” and the extent to which religious morals ought to inform legislation.
I also recommend Rick Perlstein’s now four-volume history series on the conservative movement from Goldwater thru Reagan. Evangelicals obviously intersect that story at various points.
Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.
I didn’t find Fitzgerald all that compelling. Kidd is always good though
Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3
Why do you assume these people are evangelical? Could be Catholic? Could be Nut Job? Could be Seventh Day Advent? Could be Mainline Protestant?
A cross and a Bible does not make you an evangelical! And I’m pretty sure saying Trump is your Savior excludes you from being evangelical by definition!
Are YOU responsible for the Jan 6 riot just because some guy brought a Bible, another brought a “Jesus Saves” sign, and another brought that silly “Christian” flag?
My beloved brother (real brother) wouldn’t know Jesus from a hippie, but he goes around saying God made America, we need to save America from the libs, etc… Is he evangelical?
[TylerR]A lot of smart people are only now trying to understand the nexus between evangelicalism, the GOP and American Nationalism. Of course, many people have known about it for some time, but for others (perhaps this Atlantic writer) it’s a new thing which has burst forth onto the scene. They don’t yet understand it. It is true that a startlingly homogenous ethnic group of professing Christians are all in for Trumpism. For some good resources along this line, I’ve found the following helpful:
- The Evangelicals by Frances Fitzgerald. A long survey of the entire movement. Her discussion of how the movement became a creature of the GOP is particularly eye-opening.
- One Nation Under God: How Corporate Christianity Invented Christian America by Kevin Kruse. The most troubling book I’ve read about Christian-ish ceremonial deism as civil religion.
- Believe Me: The Evangelical Road to Donald Trump by evangelical historian John Fea.
- Who is an Evangelical? The History of a Movement in Crisis by Thomas Kidd. A short history with some great analysis from this Baptist historian who teaches at Baylor.
For some larger context to understand Christianity’s role in society from the 19th century, I recommend:
- The Civil War as a Theological Crisis by Mark Noll. Explores the divide over slavery before the Civil War, and also the role of Christianity in American public life.
- A Holy Baptism of Fire and Blood: The Bible and the American Civil War by James Byrd. Along similar lines as Noll’s book.
- Moral Reconstruction by Gaines Foster. A chronicle of moral reformation efforts by Christians in the 19th century. It has implications for considering whether America is a “Christian nation,” and the extent to which religious morals ought to inform legislation.
I also recommend Rick Perlstein’s now four-volume history series on the conservative movement from Goldwater thru Reagan. Evangelicals obviously intersect that story at various points.
Seems to me these authors are taking a VERY BROAD use of the term evangelical. That is to mean anyone who isn’t Catholic. Seems to me they can even be including Catholics. They use evangelical to mean Christian and conservative politically. And by Christian it could be “pseudo-Christian”.
It is one thing to support Trump. It is one thing to support the Republican party. NONE OF THAT means you got dressed up in tactical gear, bought some bear repellant, hooked up your ladder, and broke in to the Capitol with cable ties looking for Nancy and the VP!
Stop the group association.
One thing Kidd notes is that, in pop culture, “evangelical” is often used as a code word for “conservative WHITE Christian.” Black conservative Christians, for example, are rarely referred to as evangelicals. He spends significant time discussing other groups who, by all rights, should be considered “evangelical” but are not so labeled.
It is difficult to see how you can make the claims you do without having read the books. Fea and Kidd, in particular, are very careful evangelical scholars who are not given to the sloppiness you decry.
Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.
White… pseudo-Christian Conservative Fox News Watching Bible Believing Rioters…
Sorry I can’t get the picture to post. The link above is good.
I have no idea what you’re talking about. I shall bow out of this conversation.
For those who are interested, the books I noted above are helpful context to understand what’s happening today.
Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.
Discussion