The Patriarchal Christian Right (w/ Kristin Kobes Du Mez)
The Patriarchal Christian Right (w/ Kristin Kobes Du Mez)
A conversation about "Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation."
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White evangelicals overwhelmingly supported Donald Trump in his campaigns and presidency. White Christian nationalism was a driving force in efforts to overturn the 2020 election. And many of the worst reactionary movements in the country, powering the growth of the far right’s influence, have their source in evangelical America.
This is all, frankly, a little perplexing, given the peaceful, love thy neighbor core of Jesus’s moral teachings. But it’s nothing new. In her fascinating and troubling book Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation, Kristin Kobes Du Mez traces the emergence of the Christian radical right, particularly its patriarchal and toxically masculine forms, from its origins in the middle of the 20th century through to Trump. It’s a story that’s often appalling, but also helps us to understand much of our contemporary political scene.
ReImagining Liberty is a project of The UnPopulist, and is produced by Landry Ayres. Podcast art by Sergio R. M. Duarte. Music by Kevin MacLeod.
The Patriarchal Christian Right (w/ Kristin Kobes Du Mez)
Great episode! I had been meaning to read this book, but haven't had time yet, so it was great to get a bit of a taste of it!
I thought the conversation about women in evangelicism despite the patriarchal power in the religion was interesting. I agree that genuine belief and fear are part of it, but I think there is more to it than that.
My husband's older sister is Catholic in a way that has these same sort of evangelical undertones and patriarchy. She has always struggled in life and has some mental health issues. When my MiL talks about her other kids it's usually with pride, but for the oldest it's usually with worry. She was raised Catholic, but chose to join and marry into a much more patriarchal and conservative interpretation of it.
We went to the baptism of one of her kids, and there was a part of the ceremony where the priest had everyone clap for her for providing so many children for the Lord, and I think it was one of very few times where she has had so much attention and open celebration of something she did.
It's not a life I would ever want for myself or for my daughters, or even for my SiL, to be honest, but it does provide a straight forward and specific way to find meaning and do what you're supposed to.
Have babies and endure and your in group will celebrate you for being a good woman. No worrying if you made the right choice, balancing tradeoffs, spending your 20s adrift, trying to figure out wtf you're supposed to do with yourself...