Of course this isn’t an exclusively Evangelical phenomenon-culture is at least as powerful as theology in shaping a number of groups of Americans. It’s a genius title, and it makes a compelling and challenging argument, especially after we watched a gang of mainly Christian insurrectionists storm the Capitol to save the presidency of Donald Trump.Īt the risk of oversimplifying her book, I’d summarize her argument as follows:įirst, culture (including political culture) is at least as important in defining Evangelicals as theology. It’s called Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation, by Calvin University history professor Kristin Kobes Du Mez. But one thing became clear to me that day-and it was clear to me year after year in the decades that followed-that lots and lots of folks were very intent on tying Jesus to the vision of manhood they loved the most.Įarlier this year, I read a book that’s ignited an enormous amount of argument and debate across the length and breadth of the Christian intelligentsia. I really wasn’t all that curious about how Jesus would play sports. “If Jesus played baseball,” he shouted, “he’d slide home hard, with his cleats up!” I was a teenager, and a Christian coach was talking to a group of young Christian athletes. I remember the first time I was exposed to Christian insecurity about masculinity.
(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images.)
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