Elizabeth R. (esjro) -
Helpful Score: 2
There are a number of books that dissect the transactional relationship between evangelical Christians and Donald Trump, but they are written by secular authors for a secular audience. Tim Alberta is the son of an evangelical pastor, so grew up in the church and remains a self-professed Christian and conservative.
The book opens with a story from the author's life that demonstrates how the Christian nationalist movement has fractured local chuches and caused congregants to treat each other in ways that are antithetical to the teachings of Jesus. Middle chapters are a directory of power players in the Christian nationalist universe: the author secures interviews with pastors of megachurches and even former Liberty University President Jerry Farwell, Jr. In each of these encounters the author challenges the views and behaviors of his subjects and the reader with passages from the Bible by essentially asking whether what they are doing and preaching is consistent with the teachings of Jesus. (Spoiler alert: no). Though congregants in Let's Go Brandon shirts are generally described as well-meaning but misguided, Alberta doesn't pull any punches when talking about failures of church leadership, such as the attemped cover up of sexual abuse within the church.
This book is long. Just when it becomes disheartening, the author introduces us to a handful of leaders within the church who are trying to refocus on witnessing to others by emulating Christ as opposed to storming the Capitol.
As a reader who grew up in the church but no longer attends I wish that I could buy a copy and give it to every Trump-supporting Christian I know. The author is so obviously sincere in his beliefs and so knowledgable about the scriptures that this book might just be able to change the hearts and minds of a few people, if they are not yet closed off to other opinions (and willing to read an almost 500 page book with small font).
This was one of the best non-fiction books I read this year.
The book opens with a story from the author's life that demonstrates how the Christian nationalist movement has fractured local chuches and caused congregants to treat each other in ways that are antithetical to the teachings of Jesus. Middle chapters are a directory of power players in the Christian nationalist universe: the author secures interviews with pastors of megachurches and even former Liberty University President Jerry Farwell, Jr. In each of these encounters the author challenges the views and behaviors of his subjects and the reader with passages from the Bible by essentially asking whether what they are doing and preaching is consistent with the teachings of Jesus. (Spoiler alert: no). Though congregants in Let's Go Brandon shirts are generally described as well-meaning but misguided, Alberta doesn't pull any punches when talking about failures of church leadership, such as the attemped cover up of sexual abuse within the church.
This book is long. Just when it becomes disheartening, the author introduces us to a handful of leaders within the church who are trying to refocus on witnessing to others by emulating Christ as opposed to storming the Capitol.
As a reader who grew up in the church but no longer attends I wish that I could buy a copy and give it to every Trump-supporting Christian I know. The author is so obviously sincere in his beliefs and so knowledgable about the scriptures that this book might just be able to change the hearts and minds of a few people, if they are not yet closed off to other opinions (and willing to read an almost 500 page book with small font).
This was one of the best non-fiction books I read this year.
