Democracy’s Christian Enemies — Part 2

Are there tendencies within Christian tradition that put some versions of the faith in tension with core principles of democracy?

What is “Authoritarian Reactionary Christianity?”

How can a pluralistic society guard against the rise of political figures—including Donald Trump—aiming to weaponize this phenomenon?

In this two-part conversation, we dive into these provocative questions with the Rev. Prof. David Gushee (Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics at Mercer University) and discuss his book Defending Democracy From Its Christian Enemies.

Segments to look forward to in part 2:

(02:12) Christianity in the reactionary politics of France and Germany in the 20th century  

(07:54) The allure of authoritarian leaders who promise to fix cultural issues 

(13:06) The idealization of a past Christian nation and the ubiquitous use of anti-LGBT rhetoric in policial mobilization

(18:20) The difficulty of appealing to authoritarian-leaning Christians and the influence of leaders in those communities

(32:30 ) “Covenantal democracy” rooted in the Baptist tradition

(35:18) The importance of civic literacy and political ethics education among Christians to inoculate against authoritarian tendencies

(40:00) The importance of long-term cultural and interpersonal work to build stronger democratic norms.

For more of David’s work visit his website: https://www.davidpgushee.com/

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