From Texas and Iowa to Arkansas, faith leaders are wading into politics to counter the rise of Christian nationalism
“But I also think the stereotypes of Republicans being pro-faith are bullshit too. We’re seeing a current administration bastardise faith almost every day. They used the Lord’s Prayer in a propaganda video for what they’re now calling the Department of War. That should have had every single evangelical’s bells and whistles and alarms going off in their head: this is sacrilegious.”
White clergy are deciding to run for office, Ryerse believes, in part as a response to the rise of Christian nationalism and the reality that, according to a Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) survey, Trump won 85% of the white evangelical vote in last year’s presidential election.
Ryerse said: “We realise, hey, our churches and the people in our churches have been duped by this guy and so rather than hope someone else will clean up the problem, what we’ve seen is a lot of pastors respond with, you know what, I’m going to jump in and I’m going to be a part of the solution.
Please don’t cost me my rights
Like ultimately I can stand with them if they worship the Jesus who welcomed eunuchs and prostitutes, and there’s something positive if they can see the good in socially progressive issues. Otherwise, if they’re just going to say “fuck the queers and women, but not the poor and immigrants” I’d rather they change the republican party.