Have you noticed on social media how so many Christians are clearly more interested in talking about politics than they are the gospel or making disciples? I would also want to point out that the anxiety, anger, and despair that evangelicals express regarding politics shows that their hope is not in a God is who in control and has already won the day. There are so many indicators that this is the case.
Things I think Jesus and John Wayne got rightįirst of all, I believe with all of my heart that far too many evangelicals have allowed politics to become an idol in their lives. He was the reincarnation of John Wayne, sitting tall in the saddle, a man who wasn’t afraid to resort to violence to bring order, who protected those deemed worthy of protection, who wouldn’t let political correctness get in the way of saying what had to be said or the norms of democratic society keep him from doing what needed to be done. Donald Trump was the culmination of their half-century long pursuit of a militant Christian masculinity. “Evangelicals hadn’t betrayed their values. So, what changed? Du Mez goes to great lengths to highlight that over the past 50 years evangelicalism has done such a bad job of teaching what biblical manhood is all about that by the time we got to Donald Trump they were ready to cast their ballot for God’s man. Evangelicals used to be the ones who would talk about the importance of character. I believe what Du Mez is attempting to do in her book is to explain how evangelicals got to the point where they voted for Donald Trump in 2016. What is the main point of Jesus and John Wayne? What do all these people and ministries have in common according to Du Mez? They are white evangelicals who have contributed to an unhealthy patriarchy in the church and they have championed a vision of a godly man as someone who is domineering, militant, and just an all-around jerk.Īccording to Wikipedia: “Patriarchy is a social system in which men hold primary power and predominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege and control of property.” Eisenhower, Robert Jeffress, Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, Jerry Falwell, Jerry Falwell Jr, Jack Hyles, Marabel Morgan, Bill Gothard, James Dobson, Tim LaHaye, Hal Lindsey, Oliver North, Jimmy Swaggart, Jim and Tammy Baker, Wayne Grudem, Paige Patterson, Al Mohler, Charles Colson, Promise Keepers, CBMW, Josh Harris, John Eldredge, Douglas Wilson, Christian homeschooling, Mark Driscoll, CJ Mahaney, Eric Metaxes, Duck Dynasty, and of course, Donald Trump. Sproul, Theodore Roosevelt, Billy Sunday, fundamentalism, evangelicalism, Bill Graham, Christianity Today, Dwight D. Pat Robertson, John Piper, Joyce Meyer, Gospel Coalition, Lifeway, R.C. In the book here are some of the names of people/ministries/groups who are targeted: Kristin Kobes Du Mez is a professor of history at Calvin University. I also purchased “Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States” by Andrew Whitehead and Samuel Perry.ĭuring this time I began noticing a number of people that I follow on Twitter discussing a book called “Jesus And John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted A Faith And Fractured A Nation” by Kristin Kobes Du Mez. I recently started reading “Believe Me: The Evangelical Road to Donald Trump” by John Fea.
You could say that I have been keeping my eyes open for resources and books that discuss the danger of Christian nationalism. The marriage between patriotism and righteousness further blurs the line between the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of the world.” I am a patriotic man, but Christian nationalism goes way too far and it makes Christians sound more like a bunch angry conservatives than true followers of Jesus Christ. For instance, to speak of America as a “city on a hill” borrows from Jesus’ image for God’s kingdom. In the American context, it is often displayed by describing America through language reserved for the Kingdom of God.
Pastor and teacher Jeremie Beller defines Christian nationalism like this, “Christian nationalism is the intertwining of the Kingdom of God with the kingdoms of men. I have been troubled lately by the blatant Christian nationalism that I have seen displayed on social media (and in everyday life). Christian nationalism is a growing concern of mine