The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism

by Tim Alberta

modern evangelical culture that punishes uncertainty—where weakness is wokeness, where indecision is the wrong decision—

This was a throwback to pre-Enlightenment casus belli.

This was a throwback to pre-Enlightenment casus belli.

This is the believer’s pluralistic destiny, a heavenly melting pot where descendants of every nation, ethnicity, and race are unified, forevermore, in the body of Christ.

(Those who believe that their struggle is not against flesh and blood, I had learned, were the least likely to struggle against flesh and blood.)

“Just as it’s very difficult to talk to your neighbors who disagree on political grounds, so also it’s difficult to have theological discussions at all.”

evangelical leaders are “drunk on fame.”

Christianity requires a constant reassessing of one’s beliefs and biases; deconstruction is something that should be done every single day, not in response to some black swan event.

Nazism. If the Church is to practice the teachings of Christ, Barth wrote, it must be “an unreliable ally” to every social, political, and government order of this world.

Moltmann’s reflections on the atrocities of Auschwitz—and his teachings on the benevolence of a sovereign God, one who took the form of man in order to bleed and grieve alongside us—did as much to shatter the spell of Nazism as any B-17 bomber.

Posobiec, a protégé of Trump henchman Roger Stone, distinguished himself—even

Posobiec, a protégé of Trump henchman Roger Stone, distinguished himself—

The right prayer

$87 for his “Supernatural Living Bundle”—Wallneau

She said that “we are in the last of the last days.” She prayed out loud for Biden’s death. She said Jesus didn’t have enough AR-15 assault rifles to stop the Roman government from killing Him.

Hobert She said that “we are in the last of the last days.” She prayed out loud for Biden’s death. She said Jesus didn’t have enough AR-15 assault rifles to stop the Roman government from killing Him.

The Messiah Himself—who physically runs and hides from the people who desire to make Him king—dismisses the Pharisees by telling them, “Give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s,”

“Put on the full armor of God,” DeSantis would say, “and take a stand against the left’s schemes.” In substituting “the left” for “the devil,” DeSantis wasn’t just counting on the biblical illiteracy of his listeners. He was banking on a nationalist fervor that rendered scriptural restraint irrelevant.

There was no rhetoric too appalling, no alliance too shady, no biblical application too sacrilegious.

Flynn shared a video showing him taking an oath associated with QAnon, and soon after, he began organizing what would become the ReAwaken America Tour.

Irony of fears and beliefs

“JESUS IS A BADASS” shirts cheering expletive-laden calls for violence against political opponents, but something told me that devotion to the Reformation-era creed of Soli Deo Gloria—“to God alone be glory”— Eric Trump talks at this rally with Overstocks chief

“let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Paul instructed us to “let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt,” so that we can draw outsiders to Him.——-Methods biblical, not fight fight fight

The collective integrity of the Christian witness had no bearing on the individual’s desire for a relationship with Jesus. This struck me as a pivotal battle within the war for American evangelicalism.

Blame gaming —-Russell Moore stressed the diminished reliability of the Church as directly proportional to the declining numbers of church attendees and professing believers, others such as Jeffress and Strang dismissed such theorizing as the lazy finger-pointing of Christians who don’t have the stomach for preaching the hard truths of eternal condemnation.

politically passive churchgoer as fraudulent in their faith— the argument

“stuck in this cul-de-sac of charismatic Christianity, where everyone reads the same stuff and it’s very insular.”

“the patristics,”

The 9/11 attacks had amplified nationalistic sentiments inside the church.

Because when you’re stuck in that left-right paradigm,

Postcards from Babylon: The Church in American Exile, authored 2019

Beauty Will Save the World, as a repudiation of materialism and political striving. Zahnd same author

glory, can seem vague in certain biblical contexts. But typically, derived from the Hebrew kavod, it implies weight, importance, heaviness—something of substantial value.

glory, can seem vague in certain biblical contexts. But typically, derived from the Hebrew kavod, it implies weight, importance, heaviness—something of substantial value.

American evangelicals, themselves born into the bosom of imperial might, can’t quite relate to Paul and his pleas for humility, or Peter and his enthusiasm for suffering, never mind that poor vagrant preacher from Nazareth and his egalitarian rhetoric. The last shall be first? What kind of socialist indoctrination is that?

American evangelicals, themselves born into the bosom of imperial might, can’t quite relate to Paul and his pleas for humility, or Peter and his enthusiasm for suffering, never mind that poor vagrant preacher from Nazareth and his egalitarian rhetoric. The last shall be first? What kind of socialist indoctrination is that?

We’re called to be the world already changed by Christ. That’s how we’re salt; that’s how we’re light.”

We’re called to be the world already changed by Christ. That’s how we’re salt; that’s how we’re light.” Not to CHANGE the world, but to BE the Church

“Freedom Night in America,” Kirk began hosting his own pastor’s conferences in 2022.

“Freedom Night in America,” Kirk began hosting his own pastor’s conferences in 2022.

AMERICAN EVANGELICALISM HAS LONG BEEN PLAGUED BY A CERTAIN pedagogical insecurity.

AMERICAN EVANGELICALISM HAS LONG BEEN PLAGUED BY A CERTAIN pedagogical insecurity.

evangelicals hate feeling like outcasts, and are quick to uncritically follow those who make them feel accepted, relevant, enlightened.

evangelicals hate feeling like outcasts, and are quick to uncritically follow those who make them feel accepted, relevant, enlightened.

Metaxas branched into secular society. He began hosting live events in Manhattan, known as “Socrates in the City,”

Metaxas branched into secular society. He began hosting live events in Manhattan, known as “Socrates in the City,”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German preacher who was martyred for his opposition to Hitler.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German preacher who was martyred for his opposition to Hitler.

livestreamed debate with David French—a fellow evangelical intellectual who opposed Trump’s reelection—Metaxas left their Christian college hosts slack-jawed when he responded to French’s opening argument by quipping an old Saturday Night Live joke: “Jane, you ignorant slut!”

livestreamed debate with David French—a fellow evangelical intellectual who opposed Trump’s reelection—Metaxas left their Christian college hosts slack-jawed when he responded to French’s opening argument by quipping an old Saturday Night Live joke: “Jane, you ignorant slut!”

“The next January 6 should be open carry.”

“The next January 6 should be open carry.” Author Metaxas

God was using the turmoil of recent years to test American believers.

Metaxas: echoed the argument made by Kirk: God was using the turmoil of recent years to test American believers.

“Only about twenty percent of the people who even go to church have a biblical worldview,” he told Kirk. Now the people around me shifted in their seats. “It’s hard to imagine, but if you see in any given church a row of ten people, two of them are there to figure out what God has to say and apply it to their lives. The other eight are asking, ‘Well, does the pastor’s story inspire me? Does his truth somehow match up with my truth?’” Myers said.

An example of a biblical world view

Pence was unconscionable

Trump’s brand was broken with moderates and independent voters.

Trump’s brand was broken with moderates and independents in 2020 and 2022

The forty-fifth president had foundationally altered the expectations and incentive structures within American Christendom.

it was better to win with vice than to lose with virtue.

was better to win with vice than to lose with virtue-the cry of evangelicals whose expectations and incentive structures had been brought round by Trump and DeSantis

Charlie Kirk.

Charlie Kirk. Exemplifies the ends justifies the means

Kirk and Eric Metaxas and John Zmirak convince evangelicals to distrust any believer who dares stray from their absolutist ideology.

Kirk and Eric Metaxas and John Zmirak convince evangelicals to distrust any believer who dares stray from their absolutist ideology.

This is how Metaxas justifies portraying Tim Keller, the widely admired New York theologian, and Rick Warren, the author and leader of Saddleback Church in California, as “Hitler’s favorite kind of pastors.” This is how John Zmirak gets away with likening David French, a staunch defender of social conservatism and of religious liberty, to Nazi collaborators. This is how Tucker Carlson blasts Russell Moore and his aforementioned friends as cowards who don’t have the guts to defend their faith against a secular onslaught.

This is how Metaxas justifies portraying Tim Keller & Rick Warren, the author as “Hitler’s favorite kind of pastors.” John Zmirak to David French, to Nazi collaborators. This is how Tucker Carlson blasts Russell Moore and his aforementioned friends as cowards who don’t have the guts to defend their faith against a secular onslaught.

Pastors had walked away from the ministry.

Nashville—that