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Evangelicals and Political Extremism
New Book Looks at Split Over Political Power Among Evangelicals
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The 2016 election of Donald Trump exposed a rift among evangelicals.
At its core, this rift is mostly based upon different views of political power. One one side, there are evangelicals who view political power as something to be gained and wielded to defeat or disempower their perceived political opponents. On the other side, there are evangelicals who view politics as a place were diverse voices come together to find common ground and work together for the common good.
A new book by journalist Tim Alberta takes a deep dive into this rift. The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism* will be released on December 5. Alberta sent me a preview copy and I'm working my way through it, so I may write about it more in a future newsletter.
In the meantime, check out Alberta's Sunday interview with CBS Morning News:
The story Alberta shares of being hounded about his political views at his father's funeral is infuriating, but also familiar. We've heard similar stories over and over at AVC events and meetings.
If you're concerned about a mean-spiritedness and hyper-polarization infecting your own faith group, here are some resources that can help.
1) Our next two pastor conferences will be in Phoenix on January 29 and Orlando on February 15.
In Phoenix, our featured speakers will be Elizabeth Neumann, Curtis Chang, and Russell Moore.
In Orlando, our featured speakers will be Carmen LaBerge, David Ritchie, and Russell Moore.
The conferences are for Christian pastors and ministry leaders. Russell Moore's evening keynote address at both conferences will be open to the public.
2) Mending Division Academy is a set of six courses for small groups and individuals that deals with some of the major drivers of division in churches, families, and communities. For the month of December, use the code "30OFF" to get 30% off any of the courses.
3) Join this monthly virtual prayer gathering where we, along with others organizations, will come together the first Wednesday of each month until the 2024 election to pray for our nation.
4) Check out the AVC bookstore, which has lots of books we recommend to help with the division in our communities.
What We're Reading
Chris Martin: "Instagram Addicted Your Teenager Because She's Worth $270 to Them"
Late on the night before Thanksgiving, Facebook/Instagram (Meta) unsealed almost all of the redacted lines from the recent lawsuit in which 40+ states alleged Meta knowingly harmed teenage mental health by addicting them to their platforms for profit.
I have been banging the drum on this issue for years—that Facebook is actively, not passively, choosing profits over users’ well-being—often with people giving me the side-eye like I’m peddling some wacky conspiracy theory. Well, now we have it straight from Meta’s mouth: they knew they were harming teenagers, and they ignored this harm because of the immense profits.
WaPo: "Elon Musk boosts Pizzagate conspiracy theory that led to D.C. gunfire"
Elon Musk voiced support Tuesday for Pizzagate, the long-debunked conspiracy theory that led a man to fire a rifle inside a Washington, D.C., restaurant in 2016.
The far-right theory, a predecessor to QAnon, alleged that the Clintons and Democratic Party leaders ran a secret satanic child sex ring in a D.C. pizzeria known as Comet Ping Pong.
The theory, a mainstay of fringe Donald Trump supporters during the 2016 presidential campaign, was labeled “fictitious” by D.C. police investigators.
San Antonio Express News Editorial Board: "Ted Cruz is the Senate's master of misinformation"
In the late morning of Nov. 22, a married New York couple died after their Bentley, traveling at a high rate of speed, went airborne, crashed and exploded on the U.S. side of the border.
With no evidence, Fox News reported it was a terrorist attack. Less than two hours after the accident, in retweeting an equally uninformed post by a right-wing commentator, Cruz wrote: “This confirms our worst fear: the explosion at Rainbow Bridge was a terrorist attack. Both attackers are dead, and one law enforcement officer was injured. I am praying that officer makes a full recovery and is able to spend Thanksgiving surrounded by family and loved ones.”
By that evening, law enforcement authorities were saying the explosion was not a terrorist attack. Still, it took several days for Cruz to delete the post, giving credence to misinformation.
(*Affiliate links support the work of AVC.)
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