How did America’s white evangelicals from often progressive history come to right-wing populism? Addressing populism requires understanding how its historico-cultural roots ground present politics. How have the very qualities that contributed much to American vibrancy-an anti-authoritarian government-wariness and energetic community-building-turned under conditions of distress to defensive us-them worldviews? Readers will gain an understanding of populism and of the socio-political and religious history from which populism draws its us-them policies and worldview. The book ponders the tragic cast of the white evangelical story: (i) the distorting effects of economic and way-of-life duress on the understanding of history and present circumstances and (ii) the tragedy of choosing us-them solutions to duress that won’t relieve it leaving the duress in place. Readers will trace the trajectory from economic status loss and way-of-life duresses to solutions in populist us-them binaries. They will explore the robust white evangelical contribution to civil society but also to racism xenophobia and sexism. White evangelicals not in the ranks of the right-their worldview and activism-are discussed in a final chapter. This book is valuable reading for students of political and social sciences as well as anyone interested in US politics. |White Evangelicals and Right-Wing Populism How Did We Get Here? | Religion
