On the Left: Are white evangelicals really Christians? Part 2
Jack Batson: On the Left
Let’s continue my understanding of white, conservative evangelical Christianity – well described by the book, “Jesus and John Wayne,” by Kristin DuMez.
Evangelicalism by the 1980s had become overtly political with Jerry Falwell and his Moral Majority, declaring, “Get saved, get baptized, get registered.” Falwell encouraged a fighting faith, saying we are “fighting a holy war” and that the church was an “army equipped for battle.” “Jesus was a man with muscles; Christ was a he-man,” he avowed.
Evangelical men by the 1990s were reacting badly to the woman’s movement and working spouses. A rash of books emerged to rectify what was seen as unbiblical trends. One group introduced the idea of “complementarianism,” that God made men for headship and wives should be submissive. The Southern Baptist Convention adopted that position. A whole cultural men’s movement began.
On the Left: Are white evangelicals really Christians? Part 1
Jack Batson: On the Left
Several weeks ago, as Donald Trump was ramping up his attempted coup d’état, the popular evangelical TV commentator Eric Metaxas cried in anguish, “I’d be happy to die in this fight. This fight is for everything. God is with us. Jesus is with us in this fight for liberty.”
God is with Trump and his assault on democracy? Supported by Christians? As a mainline Christian myself, I am confused. Democracy fits in well with my Christian worldview. Yet white evangelical Christians are at the heart of Trump’s fanatic “base” of support. How is this possible?
On the Left: ‘Goodbye, democracy,’ or, ‘Our little coup d’etat’
Jack Batson: On the Left
I had lunch with friends on two different days last week. It was a historic week in politics, but the conversation didn’t venture into that topic. No one was particularly aware of what was happening. Shocked, I realized that perhaps few were following the news. May I summarize in case you’re starved of outrage?
History books may well call December 2020 a turning point in American history. It will be recognized that December was the month when the Republican Party, long drifting from its commitment to democracy, became an authoritarian party.