Kristin Kobes Du Mez

A scholar of American Christianity presents a seventy-five-year history of evangelicalism that identifies the forces that have turned Donald Trump into a hero of the Religious Right.

How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation

Jesus and John Wayne

Lizzy Jensen

Trump's confidence in the loyalty of his followers seemed like bluster at the time, but it soon took on a prophetic ring. His evangelical supporters stuck by his side even as he mocked opponents, incited violence at his rallies, and boasted of his "manhood" on national television. Then there were Trump's sexual indiscretions. Divorce was one ching, rumors of sexual escapades another, but the release of the Access Hollywood tape furnished irrefutable evidence of the candidae speaking in lewd terms about seducing and assaulting women.

Having grown up in this movement, this book perfectly explains the history, proving that what we see today is not an anomaly - it is the blueprint.

Kaylee Weaver

Lives up to the hype. As an historian, DuMez make sense of the relationships between masculinity, patriotism, individualism, conservative politics, and Christianity. As a writer, she skillfully underlines points without belaboring them.

elizabeth

This book was EYE OPENING!! Like did you know “In God We Trust” wasn’t put on the US Dollar until 1957 when the president was approached by Evangelical leaders on his strategic approach to making America more Christian???????? A long read but damn did I learn a lot about how Evangelical leaders have permeated just about every space in the US and convoluted so many ideas of what’s “right v wrong”?? 🥲🤡

Kyra Cracchiola

An absolutely incredible, thoroughly researched, compelling and terrifying look at white Christian nationalism in the US. A must read for anyone who grew up in American evangelicalism. 

Abby

Sarah Schumacher

Very slow and dry, packing in a lot of detail to lay the foundation for why Trump is a culmination of evangelical priorities, not an outlier. It reads like a standard history book. I think what bothered me about this book is that it felt so clinical in describing issues that have such an incredible, daily impact on people’s daily lives. It felt like a 1000 ft view, mostly due to the writing style. Still an enlightening read, but purely informational.

Jonathan Tysick

This book was an emotional ride. I found it to be angering, saddening, disorientating, engaging and coherent. I'm so glad that I have had other examples of evangelical manhood to look to from the likes of Shane Claiborne, Greg Boyd, Ron Sider, Dallas Willard, Rene Padilla, John Perkins and John Stott. 

Du Mez makes the fascinating case that evangelicalism is a (sub)-culture produced more by a shared marketplace than theological convictions, and that the marketplace of militant masculinity led to the election of Trump by the vast majority of people in this evangelical culture.

I wish she would have added a little more hope or corrective reflections than she did and took more aims at showing that not all of those within evangelicalism bought into the militant masculinity and right wing culture wars. But an excellent and engaging historical survey of recent history.

James Eaton

I have had this on my shelf for a while, but did not have time to get to it. 
I've been reading mostly fiction this fall, but decided it was time to finish this book. 

If you have ever thought, "hey, why did so many evangelical Christians offer such loyal support for Donald Trump in 2016?" then this book should offer some insight on the history of American Christianity in politics. The rise of the Christian celebrity is nothing new and this book gave a thorough insight to the history of groups of people who took ideas and used them for their own gain. 

I was familiar with a good deal of stories from 2000 and beyond, but the sections on politics and religion in the 1960's, 70's, 80's, and 90's were a helpful foundation to understand how we got to this place.

Emelie 

This is one of the books that gets recommended a LOT in the progressive space- as it should be. Du Mez lays out the harrowing history of white evangelicalism, with precision and clarity that can be hard to find in a history book. Du Mez is not a theologian (she has said so herself) so this is more history based, not theology, but the book doesn't suffer for it. In fact, most of the time you're glued to the page in horror as she lays out this history- this is the perfect primer for anyone who wants to see how we got the The Orange Guy in Office and the abuse allegations in prominent evangelical spaces. I remember hearing Du Mez say in an interview her editor asked for a piece of hope in the conclusion because the book was rough - but I wish she didn't have to add it. I found the book more comforting because you could see the threads that got us where we are today. I found this an easy (technically, not emotionally) read. CW for mentions of child abuse and martial abuse, if you are interested in this book!

"A scholar of American Christianity answers perhaps the most bewildering question of our time: Why are evangelicals "the Donald's" most fervent supporters? Donald Trump is a libertine who lacks even basic knowledge of the Christian faith. Yet in 2016 he won 81 percent of the white evangelical vote, and continues to rely on white evangelicals as his base of support. While we assume the religious right has pragmatic reasons for backing Trump, in truth he represents the fulfillment of evangelicals' most deeply held values. As historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez demonstrates, American evangelicals have worked for decades to replace the Jesus of the Gospels with an idol of rugged masculinity and Christian nationalism-or, in the words of one modern chaplain, with "a spiritual badass." Trump is hardly the first flashy celebrity to capture evangelicals' hearts and minds, having followed the path blazed by, among others, John Wayne, Oliver North, and Mel Gibson. A revelatory account of a uniquely influential subculture, Jesus and John Wayne incisively reveals why evangelicals have rallied behind patriarchal power and the least- Christian president in American history"--

Sarah Vaughan

I wish I could buy a copy of this book for every single person I know, because understanding the heartbreaking and gut-wrenching way in which patriarchal machismo and Christian nationalism and Zionism has warped the good news of Christ cannot be talked about enough. Especially if we’re to understand how our country arrived in a place where honest conversations about abuse, authority, and social justice are unwilling to be had by many in the church. This is probably the most important book on evangelism anyone could ever read.

Deborah Kerr

Ooph.

Jesus, just when you think you know how deeply horrifying things are you read this book and are reminded you only know the tip of the iceberg.

Jeni Enjaian

I expected a lot more out of this book than I got. I got a lot from the introduction and expected that to continue through the course of the book. Instead, I felt like the author beat the same concept repeatedly through the approximately forty year time frame she surveyed. The narrative did not really go anywhere; it did not have any direction.
I think many people in my circles need to come to grips with the main concepts the author presents. However, I do not think that this book is the right book for someone like myself who has already come to the realization the author describes.

Kevin S Perrine

A very difficult read for me. I've been influenced by and involved with many of these ministries and books. I agree with most of her conclusions, but give it 4 stars because she doesn't clearly make a case for "fractured a nation". The nation is somewhat fractured, but I do not think Evangelicalism is solely responsible for it. 

It is a must read book for Evangelicals. It's hard to face your own history. What if the assumptions we operate on aren't correct? I think Kristin Kobes Du Mez does a great job of laying out the history of a overly power driven and patriarchal culture, and now we need to wrestle with it. That is not an easy task.

Jesus and John Wayne How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation

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