Started this book, and it's interesting so far. I've considered that Americans are increasingly less likely to claim a religious affiliation, and church attendance has been decreasing over the years. Yet I feel like I see even more religious language in our politics in recent years (even outside of hot-button issues such as abortion, where it'd be expected). Are evangelicals becoming more extreme, and if so, why? It will be interesting to read more to evaluate his theories. The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory Evangelical Christians are perhaps the most polarizing—and least understood—people living in America today. In his seminal new book, The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory, journalist Tim Alberta, himself a practicing Christian and the son of an evangelical pastor, paints an expansive and profoundly troubling portrait of the American evangelical movement. Through the eyes of televangelists and small-town preachers, celebrity revivalists and everyday churchgoers, Alberta tells the story of a faith cheapened by ephemeral fear, a promise corrupted by partisan subterfuge, and a reputation stained by perpetual scandal. For millions of conservative Christians, America is their kingdom—a land set apart, a nation uniquely blessed, a people in special covenant with God. This love of country, however, has given way to right-wing nationalist fervor, a reckless blood-and-soil idolatry that trivializes the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Alberta retraces the arc of the modern evangelical movement, placing political and cultural inflection points in the context of church teachings and traditions, explaining how Donald Trump's presidency and the COVID-19 pandemic only accelerated historical trends that long pointed toward disaster. Reporting from half-empty sanctuaries and standing-room-only convention halls across the country, the author documents a growing fracture inside American Christianity and journeys with readers through this strange new environment in which loving your enemies is "woke" and owning the libs is the answer to WWJD. Accessing the highest echelons of the American evangelical movement, Alberta investigates the ways in which conservative Christians have pursued, exercised, and often abused power in the name of securing this earthly kingdom. He highlights the battles evangelicals are fighting—and the weapons of their warfare—to demonstrate the disconnect from scripture: Contra the dictates of the New Testament, today's believers are struggling mightily against flesh and blood, eyes fixed on the here and now, desperate for a power that is frivolous and fleeting. Lingering at the intersection of real cultural displacement and perceived religious persecution, Alberta portrays a rapidly secularizing America that has come to distrust the evangelical church, and weaves together present-day narratives of individual pastors and their churches as they confront the twin challenges of lost status and diminished standing. Sifting through the wreckage—pastors broken, congregations battered, believers losing their religion because of sex scandals and political schemes—Alberta asks: If the American evangelical movement has ceased to glorify God, what is its purpose?
Christian schooling has separated a sizeable segment of the population from the whole. The nation has trended secular, but this influential segment has not moved with it.
Looks like a good read and might help me understand some of my own family members. They pray for me because I’m not a supporter of the previous president.
I'm sure there are exceptions, but I dont think this is true. If they are online at all, they are likely just as secular in their behavior as everyone else. They are probably mainlining porn, conspiracy theory you tube videos, Libs of Tiktok hate and the mainstream entertainment other people watch. Not sure you could tell the difference between a red-pilled right-winger who never attended church and another who goes to church every week in 2024.
Have a secret for everyone - For those that think the Evangelical Prosperity Christian set are leaking at the gaskets think again. This particular group is building secondary schools and colleges all over the United States, in one particular area I cover in construction: S Central, PA - (think Lancaster) the building of these institutions of non secular learning are, alarmingly, quite common and increasing in number. Just a thought: Why is the GOP so supportive of legislation that devalues secular public schools and places emphasis on school choice of a religous bent. For those that don't think these schools do not promote cultish mind control, I suggest you hang out a few hours at a place like Pensacola Christian School and see for yourself what is going on. I can speak from experience on that, I attended that absurd place my Sophmore year. While there is no question they can "teach" at such places, it's WHAT they are teaching that is the problem.
Thanks for posting. Character is for me the defining measure of a person. Trump's total lack of it, e.g., the absence of integrity and humility, is why I utterly despise him....and can't comprehend how anyone would want him to be president.
In the late winter of 2022 I spent a silent half hour listening to a couple of mothers of elementary age children discuss what they mistakenly understood about the unisex restroom policy in effect in Denver area schools. Two years earlier, in January 2020 the Denver school area school board mandated every school in the Denver district have at least one gender neutral / unisex restroom. In certain MAGAtite circles this was perceived and erroneously - perhaps deliberately - passed along as Governor Polis mandating all restooms in all Colorado public school be unisex. In agreement these mothers declared they would pull their children from public schools and either home school them or send them to a Christian private school if and when school authorities tried to "pull that stunt" in this county. The topic of furries was also raised and it was evident they also subscribed to those wild tales frequently repeated at the time. Though I would love to have asked questions like - where did you hear or read this? Have you received notice from your child's school this policy would be carried out in schools on the Western Slope of Colorado? - Keep in mind this area is in Lauren Boebert's current legislative district (#3). I stayed silent thinking to learn more. The 5 member school board in this county is currently chaired by 4 MAGA types, three of whom were elected under the banner of a PAC similar to the one organized by Sarasota's swinging hypocrite, bi-sexual Briget Zeigler. These PACs are dedicated to placing 'Christian' conservatives on school boards nationwide. The 4th gained her seat in a special election held after one of the 2 previously elected non partisan members resigned from the board in frustration and disgust. The special election held to replace her resulted in the 4th like minded conservative. In the last 2 years the MAGA majority owned Board made a number of questionable and unethical changes in policy and school planning. A popular and successful middle school was closed erroneously citing a reduced number of students in that zone. The student body was divided and assigned to two other middle schools that are now overcrowded. Proper protocols and releases of information owed to parents were ignored and the closure was bulldozed through on a Saturday morning when notice of the meeting was given only Friday afternoon, the day before the meeting. At the same time this same board had no objection to the opening of Ascent Classical Academy, a charter school associated or operated with a curriculum established by Hillsdale College. The school purchased a closed gun club with an indoor shooting range, where unsafe levels of lead were discovered. Classes are being held in portable modulars while the lead levels are remediated. Grand Junction built a new high school that included a clinic in plans voted on and approved by a previous board several years ago. As the opening approached the school board chair, Andrea Haitz, announced the clinic would not be included as the grant funding it would not buckle to restrictions being required by the new board. She said "some parents" questioned the need for a medical facility in the school. If the clinic agreed to the restrictions it would lose its funding making it imposssible to open and provide medical services to the students. It's shenanigans like these that spur parents to pull their children out of public school and find alternatives more acceptable to them. A group of parents and concerned citizens organized a petition for Haitz's recall that would necessitate a special election to elect a new board member to replace her. When the number of signers quickly approached the total required for a recall she announced the decision to allow the clinic to open and operate as originally planned and the petition drive was dropped. Haitz's husband, a chiropracter here in the Junction ran for a seat on the city council and was soundly defeated. Grand Junction residents are beginning to wake up to what is going on and rectify the partisan actions taken by this Board. With Boebert reassessing her chances for re-election in the 3rd, and looking to run for Congress in District 4 things are looking up.
Thank you Lacuna, solid example of my concern. I HATE posting what many will consider anti christian ramblings but this is happening EVERYWHERE maga can get it's evil doers in the community door. Couple of things: Obviously the Boebert "Movie" controversey. I "thought" the liberal press may have overblown that thing. I thought she was just loud and vaping. I saw a podcast that offered more graphic detail of what actually happened. Even for me I was shocked. Unless what I saw was doctered her and her "man" were openly fondling each other, repeatedly. For someone pumping maga / christian values, well, the proof lies in what you see. What a hypocrite. The other deal are those two bizzaro women than apparantly got from the bible the need to torture their own kids. Looks like they went down the James Jones / David Koresh worm hole. I know there are millions of good christians, I wish the good ones would say, enough is enough, and wrest control from some very bad actors whom believe it's the 10th century again.
This is a GREAT book. Extremely hard to summarize or get out of your head. I thought he would not stick the landing. He was writing for years about movements within Evangelicals to rededicate the movement to faith rather than political power, rejecting Trump. I think he was surprised and disappointed as it became clear DT was still so popular and that the idolatry towards the nation persists. But in the end he showed that there are still reform movements, and that they are strong, but remain in the minority
Very good book. About 2/3rds the way through it. Alberta may have been the perfect author to write this.
some of mine have told my daughter I wasn't part of the family anymore. truly a cult splitting families
I had intended to order this book earlier but it slipped my mind. Glad I waited. Just now ordered a hard copy from Amazon for $15.17. Thanks for the recommendations.
