Podcasts about cross white christian nationalism

Is America a nation Chosen by God? A New Jerusalem and Shining City on a Hill? What is the shape of Christian Nationalism today?Now 4 years past Jan 6, 2021 and anticipating the next term of presidential office, Yale professors Eliyahu Stern and Philip Gorski join Evan Rosa for a conversation about religion, politics, and the shape of Christian nationalism now.Together they discuss what religion really means in sociological and historical terms; the difference between religions of power and religions of law or morality; the American syncretism of pagan Christianity (perhaps captured in the Qnon Shaman with the horns and facepaint); the connection between nationalism and the desire to be a Chosen People; the supersessionism at the root of seeing the Christian conquest of America as a New Jerusalem; and how ordinary citizens come to adopt the tenets of Christian Nationalism.Eliyahu Stern is Professor of Modern Jewish Intellectual and Cultural History in the Departments of Religious Studies and History and his current project is entitled No Where Left to Go: Jews and the Global Right from 1977 to October 7.Philip Gorski is Frederick and Laura Goff Professor of Sociology at Yale University and is author of The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy (with Samuel Perry) as well as American Covenant: A History of Civil Religion from the Puritans to the Present.Special thanks to our production assistant Zoë Halaban for pitching this conversation.About Eliyahu SternEliyahu Stern is Professor of Modern Jewish Intellectual and Cultural History in the Departments of Religious Studies and History. Previously, he was Junior William Golding Fellow in the Humanities at Brasenose College and the Oriental Institute, University of Oxford. He is the author of the award-winning, The Genius: Elijah of Vilna and the Making of Modern Judaism (Yale University Press in 2012). His second monograph Jewish Materialism: The Intellectual Revolution of the 1870s (Yale University Press, 2018) details the ideological background to Jews' involvement in Zionism, Capitalism, and Communism. His courses include The Global Right: From the French Revolution to the American Insurrection, Secularism: From the Enlightenment to the Present, Modern Jewish Intellectual History, The Holocaust in Culture and Politics. He has served as a term member on the Council on Foreign Relations and a consultant to the Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw, Poland. Currently, he is a member of the Academic Advisory Board of the Center of Jewish History.His latest project is entitled No Where Left to Go: Jews and the Global Right from 1977 to October 7.About Philip GorskiPhilip S. Gorski is a comparative-historical sociologist with strong interests in theory and methods and in modern and early modern Europe. He is Frederick and Laura Goff Professor of Sociology at Yale University. His empirical work focuses on topics such as state-formation, nationalism, revolution, economic development and secularization with particular attention to the interaction of religion and politics. Other current interests include the philosophy and methodology of the social sciences and the nature and role of rationality in social life. He's author with Samuel L. Perry of The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy, as well as American Covenant: A History of Civil Religion from the Puritans to the Present.Show NotesTrump: “I'm a nationalist.”Increased ownership and proud identification as Christian NationalismEliyahu Stern, No Where Left to Go: Jews and the Global Right from 1977 to October 7The human practice of religion“ The way one person will invoke Christianity will be something very different than say the way a church or the way another person or another religious figure is going to invoke that term.”Humility and a leap“ The History of the Sacred from Babylon to Beyoncé”Religion vs “The Sacred””Western nationalism itself is, the offspring of a Christian supersessionist appropriation of Judaism.”“A new chosen people”The Deep Story Philip Gorski tells in The Flag and the CrossPagan understandings of nationalism“The Deep Story runs something like this. America was founded as a Christian nation. The founders were Orthodox Christians. The founding documents were based on quote, biblical principles or perhaps even divinely inspired. The United States has a special role to play. In history as an exceptional or chosen nation in order to carry out that mission, it's been blessed with unique power and prosperity. But the project, the mission, and also the prosperity and the power are all increasingly endangered by the presence of non-whites, non-native born people, non-Christians on American soil.”Covenantal logicThe tendency to see oneself as “Chosen”England, Netherlands claiming the mantle of Chosenness for political purposes“Jews are sitting around the world and they're trying to figure out how to unchosen themselves.”Supersessionism and the interpretation of the Old TestamentThe Promised Land Story: American ConquestThe Exemplary Story: A Shining City on a HillHow do we gather and absorb political narratives like Christian Nationalism?How is Christian Nationalism passed on?Larger network of international Christian NationalismsThe Arms Race or Game of Thrones that Nationalisms assumeRussian Christian Nationalism and recovering a “Christian Civilization”Christian Nationalism is a political strategy“ I don't think anybody … believes for a second that Donald Trump, or Vladimir Putin, or for that matter, Viktor Orban are serious Christians by any reasonable definition of that term.”“White-supremicism in more acceptable garb.”Losers of free market economicsFree Market Capitalism and erosion of social bonds and relationshipsStrong borders, blood and soilFear of immigrantsTrustWhat is the deeply felt need of someone who comes to identify as a Christian Nationalist?Human needs threatened by social instability and inequalityLip service for the sake of powerWhat “Christian” does next to “Nationalism”Trump embraces Nationalism for himselfGlobalism vs NationalismSecond Iraq War as a mistake“Proponents are not religious in the conventional sense”“ When we're talking about Christian nationalism, we have to first and foremost recognize that we're talking about a different understanding of Christianity than what Americans are accustomed to seeing as the dominant understanding of what that term signifies.”The crucial distinction between Religions of Power and Religions of MoralityPowerful protector“Modern-day Cyrus”—The comparison between Trump and the biblical figure of CyrusWhat is religion? What kind of religion is operative in Christian Nationalism?”It is not just centered in evangelicalism anymore.”First Things and Catholic IntegralismNew Apostolic ReformationDominion Theology“This is about occupying institutions, seizing power, and using the state to impose a particular vision and a particular hierarchy.”Jan 6, 2021Rising paganism in America“How could Christians embrace Trump?”Merging of Shamanism and Christianity on Jan 6Trancendental versus immanent versions of ChristianityNeo-paganism and magical understandings of the worldConcerns and hope as Trump takes office in January 2025Further toward the politics of grievance and victimization“Trump as a backstop”Israel's relianceCan Trump negotiate international peace?“The cynical side of me says  my greatest hope lies in Trump's failures.”Hope for more careful, nuanced conversations about Christian NationalismProduction NotesThis podcast featured Eliyahu Stern and Philip GorskiEdited and Produced by Evan RosaHosted by Evan RosaProduction Assistance by Zoë Halaban, Macie Bridge, Alexa Rollow, and Emily BrookfieldA Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/aboutSupport For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give

The Christian nationalist "Project 2025" and the Ten Commandments are the focus of this week's show. We hear Dan Barker's song "We, The People," challenging the notion that we are "one nation, under God." Then sociologist and author Samuel L. Perry, author The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy, describes the clear and present danger of mixing religion and government.

Recorded on March 23, 2023, this talk featured Phil Gorski, Frederick and Laura Goff Professor of Sociology and Religious Studies at Yale University, discussing his new book (co-authored with Samuel Perry), The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to Democracy. The respondent was David Hollinger, Preston Hotchkis Professor Emeritus of History at UC Berkeley. Carolyn Chen, Co-Director of the Berkeley Center for the Study of Religion and Professor of Ethnic Studies, moderated. The talk was jointly sponsored by the Berkeley Center for the Study of Religion (BCSR), the Center for Right-Wing Studies, and Social Science Matrix. The event was part of the BCSR Public Forum on Race, Religion, Democracy and the American Dream. About the Speaker Philip S. Gorski, Frederick and Laura Goff Professor of Sociology and Religious Studies at Yale University, is a comparative-historical sociologist with strong interests in theory and methods and in modern and early modern Europe. His empirical work focuses on topics such as state-formation, nationalism, revolution, economic development and secularization with particular attention to the interaction of religion and politics. His other current interests include the philosophy and methodology of the social sciences and the nature and role of rationality in social life. Among his recent publications are The Disciplinary Revolution: Calvinism and the Growth of State Power in Early Modern Europe (Chicago, 2003); Max Weber's Economy and Society: A Critical Companion (Stanford, 2004); and “The Poverty of Deductivism: A Constructive Realist Model of Sociological Explanation,” Sociological Methodology, 2004. Gorski is Co-Director (with Julia Adams) of Yale's Center for Comparative Research (CCR), and co-runs the Religion and Politics Colloquium at the Yale MacMillan Center. About the Book Most Americans were shocked by the violence they witnessed at the nation's Capital on January 6th, 2021. And many were bewildered by the images displayed by the insurrectionists: a wooden cross and wooden gallows; “Jesus saves” and “Don't Tread on Me;” Christian flags and Confederate Flags; even a prayer in Jesus' name after storming the Senate chamber. Where some saw a confusing jumble, Philip S. Gorski and Samuel L. Perry saw a familiar ideology: white Christian nationalism. In this short primer, Gorski and Perry explain what white Christian nationalism is and is not; when it first emerged and how it has changed; where it's headed and why it threatens democracy. Tracing the development of this ideology over the course of three centuries—and especially its influence over the last three decades—they show how, throughout American history, white Christian nationalism has animated the oppression, exclusion, and even extermination of minority groups while securing privilege for white Protestants. It enables white Christian Americans to demand “sacrifice” from others in the name of religion and nation, while defending their “rights” in the names of “liberty” and “property.” White Christian nationalism motivates the anti-democratic, authoritarian, and violent impulses on display in our current political moment. The future of American democracy, Gorski and Perry argue, will depend on whether a broad spectrum of Americans—stretching from democratic socialists to classical liberals—can unite in a popular front to combat the threat to liberal democracy posed by white Christian nationalism.

Today's episode is the second of a three-part series that seeks to understand what underpins the Trumpism movement in the United States – who these voters are and what motivates them, and then how that fits into a broader global shift we're seeing - away from liberal democracy. Last week I spoke to Dr. Arlie Hochschild about her book Strangers in Their Own Land  to understand the paradox of conservative folks and their support for policies that do tangible harm to them.Today I'm talking to Dr. Philip Gorski, professor and sociologist at Yale University, and the co-author of the book The Flag and the Cross. Together, we discuss another seeming paradox – why self-identified Christians align so closely with Trump who, for all intents and purposes, is not a true Christian. He certainly hasn't lived his life in accordance to scripture. I want to know how Christians square this alliance and this allegiance, how we got here, and if there is any chance that this relationship could be short-circuited – and, if so, how. Mentioned: Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right - Arlie HochschildThe Religion of American Greatness: What's Wrong with Christian Nationalism - Paul D. MillerJesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation - Kristin Kobes Du MezRecommended:The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy - Philip S. Gorski and Samuel L. Perry-------------------------Follow Deep Dive:InstagramPost.newsYouTube Email: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com **Artwork: Dovi Design **Music: Joystock

Join us for a holiday replay of one of our favorite episodes.Attention Mentions:Chris: The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy by Philip S. Gorski and Samuel L. PerryClaire: Dopesick on HuluNichole: The Bachelorette on ABC and Huluhttp://christackettnow.com/Chris Tackett shares how he got his start in public life by serving on the school board for Granbury ISD and how what was meant to be a nonpartisan race became partisan despite the wishes of him or his opponent. That experience led him to follow the money trail in Texas politics and what he found was enlightening and frightening. Chris discusses the influence of money in politics and how it can make a few voices sound like many. He talks about the need for free and fair elections and how being consistent in his message lights the way for how he moves forward. This episode is a can't-miss for anyone who wants a greater understanding of the relationship between money and politics in Texas elections today.

A weekly podcast exploring stories at the intersection of faith and culture through an inclusive Christian lens. This week: Missy and Mitch celebrate the escape from Tik Tok jail, and Mitch bemoans Christmas music in November. Guest: Professor Samuel Perry, co-author of the new book "The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy." "Good Faith Weekly" is produced out of Norman, Oklahoma. Music is by Pond5. Learn more at www.GoodFaithMedia.org and @GFMediaOrg Links: Samuel Perry ~ https://www.ou.edu/cas/soc/people/faculty/samuel-perry "The Flag and the Cross" ~ https://www.amazon.com/dp/0197618685/ Samuel Perry on Twitter ~ @profsamperry

Just in time for Election Day, Dr. Steve Simmons gives us a crash course in Christian Nationalism - what it is, why it's dangerous, and how we should respond. Below are some helpful resources Steve offers to help us is in our journey.    Katherine Stewart, The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism (New York: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2019)  Beth Allison Barr, The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth (Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2021)  Jim Wallis, Christ in Crisis? Reclaiming Jesus in a Time of Fear, Hate, and Violence (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 2020)  Philip S. Gorski and Samuel Perry, The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to Democracy (New York: Oxford University Press, 2022) Family Research Council https://www.frcblog.com/2022/01/religious-freedom-day-biden-administration-failing-uphold-our-first-freedom/ Uncivil Religion:https://christiancentury.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4857105f0936d1dde6abbfa19&id=4eda13f68e&e=b58fb7ee03 (Particularly about the civil insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6) Religion Dispatches https://religiondispatches.org/  Christians Against Christian Nationalism https://www.christiansagainstchristiannationalism.org/endorsers  “Honest Patriotism” (approved by the 223d General Assembly, 2018) https://www.presbyterianmission.org/wp-content/uploads/Honest-Patriotism.pdf The “Jericho March” https://religiondispatches.org/the-freedom-convoy-is-inspired-by-a-biblical-account-of-divine-massacre-welcome-to-the-jericho-march/  Faithful America https://faithfulamerica.org/  Reclaiming Jesus http://www.reclaimingjesus.org/  Vote Common Good  https://www.votecommongood.com/ 

It's been three years since the launch of the Christians Against Christian Nationalism initiative. In this episode, Amanda and Holly discuss what we've learned since convening that project and how the conversation is changing today. They share about accusations we've heard over the project's lifetime, why we are seeing this topic in the media more often, and the odd ways the public discourse is shifting.      SHOW NOTES: Segment one (starting at 00:47): A brief history of Christians Against Christian Nationalism  Prior episodes of this podcast series discussing Christian nationalism include: S3, Ep. 19: Gun culture and Christian nationalism in America (June 16, 2022) S3, Ep. 18: Christian nationalism and election season 2022 (June 2, 2022) S3, Ep. 12: Christian nationalism and January 6 (Feb. 17, 2022) S1, Ep. 11: Christian nationalism during the coronavirus pandemic (April 30, 2020) Read and sign the Christians Against Christian Nationalism statement at ChristiansAgainstChristianNationalism.org. Visit this link for the Christians Against Christian Nationalism library of resources including: Our 2019 podcast series on the dangers of Christian nationalism and corresponding discussion guide One-page explainer on Christian nationalism Frequently Asked Questions   Visit BJC's YouTube channel for a playlist of videos addressing frequently asked questions, including: What is Christian Nationalism, and how is it different from Christianity?  Is the United States a “Christian nation”?  Read the joint report from BJC and the Freedom From Religion Foundation on Christian nationalism and the January 6 insurrection at this link. Visit BJC's library of resources at BJConline.org/christian-nationalism   Segment two (starting at 11:40): Where are we now in the battle against Christian nationalism?  We played two clips from members of Congress: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in a panel discussion at CPAC Texas 2022 Rep. Lauren Boebert speaking at Cornerstone Christian Center in Basalt, Colorado The joint AP / PBS Frontline investigation on the rise of Gen. Michael Flynn and the ReAwaken America tour includes this article by Michelle Smith and Richard Lardner: “Michael Flynn's ReAwaken road show recruits ‘Army of God'” The PBS Frontline Special titled “Michael Flynn's Holy War” is available at this link. Read Amanda's op-ed for CNN.com: Marjorie Taylor Greene's words on Christian nationalism are a wake-up call As mentioned, Amanda has been on several programs recently discussing Christian nationalism. Here are a few: Up Front, a program on Al Jazeera English Ayman, a program on MSNBC on Peacock Reality Check with John Avlon, a program on CNN  Segment three (starting at 27:04): Lessons learned as we continue the cause Amanda was interviewed for this article in Texas Monthly by Bekah McNeel: Decoding the Christian Language of Texas GOP Officials You're invited! Join us October 26 at 7 p.m. Eastern Time in-person at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. or online for a special event: “How White Christian Nationalism Threatens Our Democracy”. Amanda will be alongside The Most Rev. Michael Curry (Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church) and Dr. Samuel Perry (the co-author of The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy). The conversation will be moderated by the Rev. Jim Wallis, who is director of the Georgetown University Center on Faith and Justice. Visit this Eventbrite link for registration and livestream details.

Attention Mentions:Chris: The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy by Philip S. Gorski and Samuel L. PerryClaire: Dopesick on HuluNichole: The Bachelorette on ABC and Huluhttp://christackettnow.com/There's big money behind the Texas Far Right, and it was Chris Tackett who exposed it. In this conversation with Claire and Nichole, Chris shares how he got his start in public life by serving on the school board for Granbury ISD and how what was meant to be a nonpartisan race became partisan despite the wishes of him or his opponent. That experience led him to follow the money trail in Texas politics and what he found was enlightening and frightening. Chris discusses the influence of money in politics and how it can make a few voices sound like many. He talks about the need for free and fair elections and how being consistent in his message lights the way for how he moves forward. This episode is a can't-miss for anyone who wants a greater understanding of the relationship between money and politics in Texas elections today.

In this episode, Paul D. Miller of Georgetown University and Samuel L. Perry of the University of Oklahoma sit down for an insightful, timely conversation about Christian nationalism. Highlighting themes from Paul's newly-released book, The Religion of American Greatness: What's Wrong with Christian Nationalism, both guests offer a historically-rooted definition of Christian nationalism, analyze journalists' coverage of this rapidly-spreading ideology, and explore key differences between Christian nationalism and generative patriotism that bears faithful witness in the public square.   Guests: Paul D. Miller Samuel L. Perry   Additional Resources:  The Religion of American Greatness: What's Wrong with Christian Nationalism?, by Paul D. Miller The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy, by Samuel Perry and Philip Gorski Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States, by Samuel Perry and Andrew Whitehead

The topic of Christian nationalism has been much in the news recently. Republican politicians like Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Marjorie Taylor Green of Georgia both have claimed the term as their own, and Boebert in particular has loudly proclaimed that she does not believe in the separation of church and state. “I'm tired of this separation of church and state junk,” she said. “The church is supposed to direct the government; the government is not supposed to direct the church.”Perhaps the most aggressive Christian nationalist, despite his protestations about the term, is Pennsylvania's Doug Mastriano, a state senator who is the Republican nominee for governor in that state. Listen to Mastriano's comments in a 2021 zoom call a week before the January 6 insurrection, in which he baptizes conspiracy theories and his political will to power in the language of spiritual righteousness.That call was organized by a man named Jim Garlow, who is reportedly influential in something called the New Apostolic Reformation, which is a loosely connected network of men and women who call themselves apostles and prophets. These self-proclaimed divine emissaries claim that God speaks to them uniquely, and they claim authority over other people based on these grounds.Here's another example of the growing fusion throughout the country between religion and politics, in a way that confuses the two as one and the same rather than understanding them as separate but enhanced by one another if cross-pollinated in healthy ways. This is audio of an event this past July 1 in Atlanta, Georgia, in which two major figures in the NAR -- Lance Wallnau and Dutch Sheets, along with two other men, Mario Murillo and Hank Kunnemman, according to Jennifer Cohn of the Bucks County Beacon -- lead an audience in a vow to take over the U.S. government and impose a theocracy.Philip S. Gorski is an expert on Christian nationalism. He is the author of "The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy," along with Samuel L. Perry, a professor at Oklahoma University. Gorski is a sociology professor at Yale University and is the author of American Babylon: Christianity and Democracy Before and After Trump and American Covenant: A History of Civil Religion from the Puritans to the Present.Gorski has written this of Christian nationalism: it is "political idolatry dressed as religious orthodoxy."We talk about the ways that sometimes the term is used imprecisely to condemn anyone who is a Christian, and I ask him to help us explain the ways that political extremism, especially the growing willingness to discard democracy and pursue authoritarianism, can be motivated by this belief system.You can also check out David French's interview with Paul D. Miller about this topic here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's episode is the final part of my three-part miniseries – my pursuit of understanding the far right nationalist movement that motivates Trump supporters, contemporary Republican voters. But, this phenomenon is not limited to the United States. There are companion movements, arguably more deeply rooted and historical, gaining traction in other countries – like Australia, South Korea, South Africa, and also across Europe, in places like Italy, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, and the UK. And, so today, I'm talking to Dr. Sasha Polakow-Suransky – Deputy Editor of Foreign Policy magazine and author of the 2017 book – Go Back to Where You Came From: The Backlash Against Immigration and the Fate of Western Democracy. We talk about the origins of nationalist movements, what has contributed to their rise, how politicians and activists have preyed upon and exploited very real concerns, twisting them into something violent and destructive for, not only the folks that exist outside of the in-group narrative, but of liberal democracy, maybe just democracy, itself. We also discuss why this matters and how to bring these people back into some sensible realm of policymaking that doesn't lay waste to the very values and principles that form the bedrock of our democratic systems. Mentioned: Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right - Arlie HochschildThe Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy - Philip S. Gorski and Samuel L. PerryForeign Policy MagazineRecommended:Go Back to Where You Came From: The Backlash Against Immigration and the Fate of Western Democracy - Sasha Polakow-Suranksy-------------------------Follow the Podcast:Instagram Twitter Email with any thoughts, comments, questions: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com **Artwork by Dovi Design **Music by Joystock

Today's episode is the second of a three-part series that seeks to understand what underpins the Trumpism movement in the United States – who these voters are and what motivates them, and then how that fits into a broader global shift we're seeing - away from liberal democracy. Last week I spoke to Dr. Arlie Hochschild about her book Strangers in Their Own Land  to understand the paradox of conservative folks and their support for environmental policy that does tangible harm to them, their families and their communities.Today I'm talking to Dr. Philip Gorski, professor and sociologist at Yale University, and the co-author of the book The Flag and the Cross, which is the focus of our conversation. Together, we discuss another seeming paradox – why self-identified Christians align so closely with Trump who, for all intents and purposes, is not a true Christian. He certainly hasn't lived his life in accordance to scripture. And, so I wanna know how Christians square this alliance and this allegiance, how we got here, and if there is any chance that this relationship could be short-circuited – and, if so, how. Mentioned: Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right - Arlie HochschildThe Religion of American Greatness: What's Wrong with Christian Nationalism - Paul D. MillerJesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation - Kristin Kobes Du MezRecommended:The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy - Philip S. Gorski and Samuel L. Perry-------------------------Follow the Podcast:Instagram Twitter Email with any thoughts, comments, questions: deepdivewithshawn@gmail.com **Artwork by Dovi Design **Music by Jo

Guest: Philip S. Gorski. This week we listen to the moving testimony before the National Capital Memorial Advisory Committee in favor of a new monument to honor America's "forgotten founder" Thomas Paine — testimony by Rep. Jamie Raskin, Margaret Downey (president of the Thomas Paine Memorial Association), military veteran Greg Jones and Black Nonbelievers President Mandisa Thomas. Then we talk with Philip S. Gorski, co-author of The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy.

My guest today is Philip Gorski. Phil is a Professor of Sociology at Yale University, where he is currently also Chair of the Department of Sociology, and Co-Director of Yale's Center for Comparative Research. He is a comparative-historical sociologist with strong interests in theory and methods and in modern and early modern Europe. Much of his work has been on the sociology of religion, including in the US, which includes his new book, co-authored with Samuel Perry of the University of Oklahoma, entitled The Flag and The Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy, published by Oxford University Press earlier this year. It is an excellent yet terrifying short read and will be the main topic of our conversation. You can follow Phil Gorski on Twitter at @GorskiPhilip. 

The past few weeks have been full of unsettling indicators of the fragile state of our democracy. The January 6th committee has assembled a frightening account of how near the 2020 election came to being violently overturned. The Supreme Court has lurched rightward, striking down the constitutional right to abortion and issuing a series of momentous decisions on guns, environmental regulation, and the separation of church and state. Researchers have begun to view these  disparate political currents as part of a broader cultural, religious, and political phenomenon—one that is rooted in a specific reading of American history and, in particular, Christianity's role in it. They call this concept “white Christian nationalism.” Samuel Perry, an associate professor at the University of Oklahoma and the co-author of “The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy,” joins the guest host Michael Luo to discuss the contours of this belief system, and the roles that guns and voting restrictions play in its implementation in U.S. politics 

In this episode, Caleb talks with Philip Gorski and Samuel Perry about their book, The Flag and the Cross and more.Links MentionedPhilip GorskiSamuel PerryThe Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracyby Philip Gorski and Samuel PerryHow Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt

The United States has a distinctive and increasingly destructive gun culture. In this episode, Amanda and Holly look at how embracing Christian nationalism correlates to opinions on gun control and why conversations about gun reform become more difficult when “God-given rights” are invoked and government-sponsored prayer is advanced as a policy solution after violence. Dive into this nuanced, complicated and emotional issue as our country reels from recent mass shootings and searches for policy solutions. SHOW NOTES Segment 1: What is it about Christian nationalism that drives such strong opposition to gun reform? (starting at 00:43) You can contact Amanda and Holly with your thoughts on the show by writing to RespectingReligion@BJConline.org. We've discussed manifestations of Christian nationalism this season in several episodes, including episode 6, episode 12, and episode 18.  Visit ChristiansAgainstChristianNationalism.org for a statement to sign and additional resources on Christian nationalism.  Amanda and Holly mentioned our 10-part podcast series on the dangers of Christian nationalism and corresponding discussion guide. You can listen to each episode individually at ChristiansAgainstChristianNationalism.org/podcasts, or you can visit our “BJC Podcast” feed and scroll back to episodes from 2019. The podcast discussion guide is also available at this link. Amanda mentioned Dr. Samuel Perry and Dr. Andrew Whitehead's book Taking America Back for God: Christian Nationalism in the United States, which uses a model to identify and explain Chrisitan nationalism and its impact on a variety of public policy issues and debates. You can see a quick overview in this one-page document. Dr. Samuel Perry and Dr. Philip Gorski have a new book out titled The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy.  Dr. Perry's recent article for TIME magazine is School Shootings Confirm That Guns Are the Religion of the Right Amanda mentioned this article by David French: Against Gun Idolatry. She also referred to this episode of the Good Faith podcast, with David French and Curtis Chang: Gun Violence, Gun Rights & Gun Idolatry.   Segment 2: How do we see Christian nationalism impacting the debate on guns? (starting at 18:00) Amanda and Holly mentioned this article from Australia by Nicola Heath: Where do religious groups in the US stand on gun control?   Segment #3: Clergy in action (starting at 35:28) Amanda and Holly mentioned these two articles: A profile of Peter Cook by Edward Helmore in The Guardian: The Christian leader trying to break America's link between faith and guns An opinion piece by Charlie Dates for Christianity Today: White Churches, It's Time to Go Pro-Life on Guns   Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. You can support these conversations with a gift to BJC. 

In today's Show Notes minisode Max and 99 sort out some beef (tofu? #PlantF*cker), chat about our coffee partners on the Poospatuck Reservation, and somehow touch on every hot button issue under the sun. Listen to Convention of States. Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Emails: 00:05:06 Facebook Shout Outs: 01:10:47 Twitter Shout Outs: 01:117:50 Buy Me A Coffee Donations + Memberships: 01:16:59 Reviews: 01:19:17 Outro: 01:19:40 Resources The David McWilliams Podcast: Scandinavian Models Opening Arguments Podcast: Constitutional Conventions & the “Proud Boys” News Beat Podcast: The Truth About Puerto Rico: A U.S. Colony The New York Times: How Tucker Carlson Stoked White Fear to Conquer Cable Salon: Kathryn Joyce Philip S. Gorski + Samuel L. Perry: The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy Deconstructed Podcast: The Lab-Leak Theory Is Looking Stornger by the Day. Here's What We Know. UNFTR Episode Resources Priorities: War, Wealth and Welfare. Dear Rebekkkah Mercer: A Love Letter To the Alt-Right's Sugar Mama. Fuck Milton Friedman: The Chicago School of Economics. The Economics of Racism: Bootstraps, Black Banks and Redlining. The Washington Consensus: Consensus is not consent. The Itsfuckedforsure Bill: And the Ghosts of Spending Bills Past. Pirates of the Caribbean: Debt, Diplomacy and Destruction. Fox in the Outhouse: Invasion, Immigration & Inflation. -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic on Substack at unftr.substack.com to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Congress ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest: Samuel L. Perry. We announce two victories in federal lawsuits this week stopping city council prayer and religious instruction in West Virginia schools. We talk about Alito's leaked abortion decision. The popular actor Jon Huertas tells us why he is a nontheist. In light of the tragic massacre in Buffalo, we speak with Professor Samuel L. Perry about his new book (with co-author Philip Gorski), The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy.

The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy by Philip S. Gorski, Samuel L. Perry A bracing examination of a force that imperils American democracy Most Americans were shocked by the violence they witnessed at the nation's Capital on January 6th, 2021. And many were bewildered by the images displayed by the insurrectionists: a wooden cross and wooden gallows; "Jesus saves" and "Don't Tread on Me;" Christian flags and Confederate Flags; even a prayer in Jesus' name after storming the Senate chamber. Where some saw a confusing jumble, Philip S. Gorski and Samuel L. Perry saw a familiar ideology: white Christian nationalism. In this short primer, Gorski and Perry explain what white Christian nationalism is and is not; when it first emerged and how it has changed; where it's headed and why it threatens democracy. Tracing the development of this ideology over the course of three centuries―and especially its influence over the last three decades―they show how, throughout American history, white Christian nationalism has animated the oppression, exclusion, and even extermination of minority groups while securing privilege for white Protestants. It enables white Christian Americans to demand "sacrifice" from others in the name of religion and nation, while defending their "rights" in the names of "liberty" and "property." White Christian nationalism motivates the anti-democratic, authoritarian, and violent impulses on display in our current political moment. The future of American democracy, Gorski and Perry argue, will depend on whether a broad spectrum of Americans―stretching from democratic socialists to classical liberals―can unite in a popular front to combat the threat to liberal democracy posed by white Christian nationalism.

In Part 2 of a two-part interview, Brad speaks with Philip Gorski (Yale) and Sam Perry (Oklahoma University) about their new book, the Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-flag-and-the-cross-9780197618684?cc=us&lang=en&#. Gorski and Perry explain what white Christian nationalism is and is not; when it first emerged and how it has changed; where it's headed and why it threatens democracy. Tracing the development of this ideology over the course of three centuries—and especially its influence over the last three decades—they show how, throughout American history, white Christian nationalism has animated the oppression, exclusion, and even extermination of minority groups while securing privilege for white Protestants. It enables white Christian Americans to demand "sacrifice" from others in the name of religion and nation, while defending their "rights" in the names of "liberty" and "property."To Donate: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BradleyOnishi For an ad-free experience and to support SWAJ: https://irreverent.supportingcast.fm/straight-white-american-jesus-premium To become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/straightwhiteamericanjesus Produced by Brad Onishi Edited by Shannon Sassone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://swaj.supportingcast.fm

In Part 1 of a two-part interview, Brad speaks with Philip Gorski (Yale) and Sam Perry (Oklahoma University) about their new book, the Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-flag-and-the-cross-9780197618684?cc=us&lang=en&#. Gorski and Perry explain what white Christian nationalism is and is not; when it first emerged and how it has changed; where it's headed and why it threatens democracy. Tracing the development of this ideology over the course of three centuries—and especially its influence over the last three decades—they show how, throughout American history, white Christian nationalism has animated the oppression, exclusion, and even extermination of minority groups while securing privilege for white Protestants. It enables white Christian Americans to demand "sacrifice" from others in the name of religion and nation, while defending their "rights" in the names of "liberty" and "property." To Donate: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BradleyOnishi For an ad-free experience and to support SWAJ: https://irreverent.supportingcast.fm/straight-white-american-jesus-premium To become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/straightwhiteamericanjesus Produced by Brad Onishi Edited by Shannon Sassone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://swaj.supportingcast.fm

Brad interviews Phil Gorski, Professor of Sociology at Yale, and the author of the new co-authored book with Sam Perry, The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to Democracy. Gorski breaks down how the rioters thought about the Insurrection–it was not about right or wrong. It was about us vs them. This explains how the various spiritualities on display at J6 worked to form a coalition of forces even if they don't all have the same worldview. It also explains the function of religious symbols, rituals, and dress on display that day. They all worked to tell a story of one team trying to overtake another.  The discussion finishes with Gorski explaining how the Reformation and the wars that followed it are a good comparison point for our current situation. The breakdown of authority, the transmission of information, and the individualism of our time resonate with the Reformation period and portend difficult days ahead. To Donate: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/BradleyOnishi For an ad-free experience and to support SWAJ: https://irreverent.supportingcast.fm/straight-white-american-jesus-premium To become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/straightwhiteamericanjesus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://swaj.supportingcast.fm

Sam Goldman talks to Samuel Perry, associate professor of sociology at the University of Oklahoma, about his research into the American Christian Nationalist movement. Follow him on Twitter at @socofthesacred. Read his two recent articles in Time magazine: January 6th May Have Been Only the First Wave of Christian Nationalist Violence and How Trump Stole Christmas—And Why Evangelicals Rally to Their Savior. Order his new book The Flag and the Cross: White Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy. From the Refuse Fascism Statement on First Anniversary of January 6 Fascist Coup Attempt: The January 6 coup attempt demonstrated that fascism is not just the worst of a pendulum swing. It is an all-out assault on the rule of law aiming to strip democratic rights from whole groups of people they see as sub-human. Trump and his fascist movement have torn up the norms and thrown out the rule book, yet the outrage and hopes of people on the side of justice keep getting diverted into the very channels that are being eviscerated, and away from the kind of deep, mass, society-wide struggle that is needed. Continue reading.... --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/refuse-fascism/message