Republican Jesus with Dr. Anthony Keddie

SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE
Warning: This episode is political in nature. Depending where you are on the political spectrum you may find this upsetting. We don’t think that we are better than anyone else and we know that not all people share our political viewpoint. If you think that you can’t be a Christian unless you are socially and fiscally conservative, you may want to skip this one.

Have you wondered how so many evangelical Christians have come to support Donald Trump? Good question. Maybe, just maybe they are following a different Jesus.
Rector’s Cupboard gets political – kind of. Does the Jesus of the Republican Party look anything like the Jesus of the Bible, the Jesus of history? Turns out, not really. Our guest, Dr. Anthony Keddie outlines how “Republican Jesus” came to be. The origins of this particular Jesus are not quite biblical. Have you wondered how Jesus got to be a gun toting, tax averse, anti-gay crusader? Good question.

 

Articles, Books, and References:

Republican Jesus - Anthony Keddie

The Politics of Evangelical Identity – Lydia Bean

American Prophets – Jack Jenkins

Inspiration Cube Ad

 

 

Episode Terminology:

 

Tea Party - a populist political movement in the United States that gained momentum during the administration of Barack Obama. It included distrust of elites and experts and got its name from a sense of identifying with the original American protest against British rule. The Tea Party paved the way for much of the populism that finds voice many followers of Donald Trump.

 

Dominionism (Dominion Theology) - A particular theological (sometimes philosophical) understanding which holds the view that God’s work in the world is expressed through adherents exercising power and control (dominion) in a given culture. Current advocates of dominionism include large parts of Hillsong (music and teaching) and much of the Christian nationalist movement (Franklin Graham, etc.) Dominion theology tends to many problems and excesses. The assumption is that God will work his mission through the exercise of power held by the right people (the dominionists themselves). These people begin to think that it is their call and mission to gain power in the nation and in the world (not exactly reminiscent of the way of Jesus).

 

William Barber II – Poor People’s Campaign
A Pastor and political activist in the United States. Barber’s “Moral Monday” marches and much of his work focus on showing a more fulsome idea of the moral than the sometimes narrow view of right wing Christian understanding.

• Likes
• Download239
• Share