All articles tagged with #evangelicalism
The article explores Charlie Kirk's spiritual journey and his role in merging conservative Christianity with American politics, culminating in his memorial service that celebrated his influence on the Christian right and its alignment with Republican politics during the Trump era.
NPR political correspondent Sarah McCammon, who grew up in an evangelical Christian community, discusses her personal journey of leaving the evangelical church and her observations on the culture of Christianity. Her new book, "The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church," explores the social movement of young people disillusioned with the church. McCammon reflects on the difficulty of defining "evangelical," her upbringing with a Christian worldview, her community's beliefs about pregnancy and abortion, and the challenge of filling in the gaps left from her upbringing as she distanced herself from the church.
A pinup calendar featuring conservative influencers and aspiring politicians has sparked a heated debate within the Christian conservative community, highlighting a shift in public morality and cultural norms. The calendar, published by a "woke-free beer" company, has prompted discussions on the intersection of Christian and secular conservatism, as well as the influence of Donald Trump on evangelical mores. The embrace of vulgarity and raunchy behavior within conservative power circles reflects a changing landscape in evangelical America, challenging traditional norms against profanity and sexual exhibitionism.
NPR correspondent Sarah McCammon reflects on her evangelical upbringing and decision to leave it behind, citing the 2016 embrace of Donald Trump by white evangelicals as a turning point. Her book, The Exvangelicals, explores the growing movement of younger Americans leaving evangelical churches, drawing from her own experiences and those of others. McCammon hopes the book will resonate with exvangelicals, provide insight for those unfamiliar with evangelicalism, and encourage empathy and understanding from those still entrenched in the movement.
Conservative Christians are excited about Representative Mike Johnson, the new speaker of the House, due to his strong ties to evangelical beliefs and priorities. Johnson has a long history of working against abortion and gay rights, and his ascent to power is seen as a triumph for conservative evangelicalism. He is deeply involved in institutions like the Southern Baptist Convention and has associations with conservative evangelical organizations. While some view his rise as concerning, others see it as a representation of a sizable constituency that shares his views and language.
Texas billionaire brothers Farris and Dan Wilks, who made their fortunes from oil and gas fracking, have funneled millions of dollars into rightwing media outlets that promote climate-crisis denialism and support conservative politicians and evangelical projects. Through their foundations, the Wilks brothers have donated to organizations such as PragerU and the Daily Wire, which disseminate conservative agendas, including climate crisis denialism. They have also financially backed conservative Texas politicians, including Senator Ted Cruz. The Wilks brothers' deep ties to evangelicalism and their literal interpretation of the Bible inform their views on issues such as homosexuality and the climate crisis. Scholars argue that their significant financial contributions have played a significant role in shaping the conservative and evangelical right in Texas and beyond.
The Southern Baptist Convention's move to bar women from church leadership reflects growing anxieties among evangelicals about changing norms around gender and sexuality in America. The ultraconservative faction within the denomination is seizing power and making allegiances with theological and political allies outside the denomination. The crackdown on women is about biblical interpretation, but it also reveals the power of the insurgent right and its increasing intertwining with mainstream evangelicalism. The move to oust women will force a greater reshuffling of power within the denomination, which is already fracturing.
The Southern Baptist Convention has expelled five churches this year over their appointment of women as pastors, and ultraconservatives are moving to amend the S.B.C. constitution to further restrict the role of women in leadership. The denomination has historically allowed individual churches to lead as they like, but some evangelicals fear a liberal drift in their congregations and a departure from Scripture. The changes to the constitution would not take effect until next year at the earliest, and the delegates are expected to hold a vote on Wednesday.
Pat Robertson, the founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network and the Christian Coalition, died at the age of 93. Robertson was a prominent figure in the conservative evangelical movement and a controversial political commentator. He ran for president in 1988 and was a key figure in mobilizing conservative Christians into a political bloc. Robertson's legacy includes his media empire and his influence on the modern Republican Party.
Timothy Keller, a best-selling author and founder of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, has died at the age of 72. Keller, who moved to New York in 1987, established a theologically orthodox church that attracted thousands of young professional followers. His ministry was unlike that of many better-known figures in evangelicalism, lacking a regular television platform and avoiding being identified with a single political view. Keller's dozens of books have been translated into 25 languages and sold an estimated 25 million copies.
Charles Stanley, an influential Baptist pastor who preached a conservative message from his Atlanta megachurch, through an extensive network of television and radio stations, and in many books, died on Tuesday at his home in Atlanta at the age of 90. He helped lead a conservative takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention and was known as one of the leading American preachers of his time. He built a significant national profile through his church and his television ministry, and in 1984 he was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination.