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Ministers of Propaganda: Truth, Power, and the Ideology of the Religious Right
Scott Coley exposes the inner workings of the religious right’s propaganda—and how Christians can resist it.
Good evangelical Christians are Republican. It seems like it’s always been this way. That means the propaganda is working. Scott Coley trains a critical eye on the fusion of evangelicalism and right-wing politics in Ministers of Propaganda. This timely volume unravels rhetoric and biblical prooftexting that support an ideology that presses Christian theology into the service of authoritarian politics. Coley’s historically informed argument unsettles evangelical orthodoxy on issues like creation science or female leadership—convictions not as unchanging as powerful religious leaders would have us believe. Coley explains that we buy into propaganda because of motivated reasoning, and when we are motivated by perceived self-interest, the Christian message is easily corrupted. But if we recover Jesus’s commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves, right-wing propaganda will lose its power. Any reader troubled by American evangelicals’ embrace of racism, misogyny, and other unchristian views will find answers and hope in these pages.
Good evangelical Christians are Republican. It seems like it’s always been this way. That means the propaganda is working. Scott Coley trains a critical eye on the fusion of evangelicalism and right-wing politics in Ministers of Propaganda. This timely volume unravels rhetoric and biblical prooftexting that support an ideology that presses Christian theology into the service of authoritarian politics. Coley’s historically informed argument unsettles evangelical orthodoxy on issues like creation science or female leadership—convictions not as unchanging as powerful religious leaders would have us believe. Coley explains that we buy into propaganda because of motivated reasoning, and when we are motivated by perceived self-interest, the Christian message is easily corrupted. But if we recover Jesus’s commandment to love our neighbors as ourselves, right-wing propaganda will lose its power. Any reader troubled by American evangelicals’ embrace of racism, misogyny, and other unchristian views will find answers and hope in these pages.
272 pages, Hardcover
Published June 4, 2024
44 people are currently reading
550 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
July 8, 2024
This one broke my brain a little bit. It gave me a lot to think about. I do wish it had been written at a more accessible level for the average lay person (that’s me) to fully grasp. But it will stick with me.
“It's commonly supposed that the problem with religious fundamentalism is that its moral commitments are too rigid. In fact the opposite is true: morality based on the hermeneutics of legitimization is infinitely flexible.
In the hands of ecclesial authorities who've insulated themselves from expert critique, sacred texts become a vehicle for legitimizing all manner of ungodliness, injustice, and abuse, in the name of an Authority that is transcendent and therefore unavailable for interrogation.“
“It's commonly supposed that the problem with religious fundamentalism is that its moral commitments are too rigid. In fact the opposite is true: morality based on the hermeneutics of legitimization is infinitely flexible.
In the hands of ecclesial authorities who've insulated themselves from expert critique, sacred texts become a vehicle for legitimizing all manner of ungodliness, injustice, and abuse, in the name of an Authority that is transcendent and therefore unavailable for interrogation.“
July 27, 2024
This book is very detailed making it a little bit dense to read, this a 4 rather than 5, but it is incredibly well sourced with excellent footnotes throughout. It portrays the danger of Christian ministers and theologians (and hucksters) using the Bible to grant themselves power, shutting down opposition by claiming the worldly power comes from God, not man.
The first few chapters bog down a bit but stick with it as its message is important and will make you question your own ideology.
The first few chapters bog down a bit but stick with it as its message is important and will make you question your own ideology.
August 3, 2024
It seems as if every time I turn on my computer and check my Facebook feed or Twitter (now X), someone is sharing something false. These are good people, friends I've known much of my life, but they have been conned (that's my feeling) by what Scott Coley calls the "Ministers of Propaganda." While I might want to respond with a fact check, that doesn't seem to work very well. One of the biggest contributors to the misinformation that gets shared are representatives of the Religious Right. Having an understanding of why people accept this message might prove helpful to those with ears to hear and eyes to see. Much of the problem is rooted in a corporate anti-intellectualism that Mark Noll pointed out years ago in his book The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, as well as social practices rooted in racism and sexism.
Scott Coley, a lecturer in philosophy at Mount St. Mary's University, focuses his studies on both the philosophy of religion and political philosophy, as well as moral epistemology. This book, his first, as far as I can tell, brings together all three of these scholarly interests.
In this book, Coley explores the anti-intellectualism that Noll had noted, which includes the growing presence of young earth creationism, along with social scandals that include white supremacy and patriarchalism. He points out that white evangelicals were among the last Americans to abandon racial segregation or acknowledge systemic racism. They have also opposed efforts to lift up women's rights and gender equality. He writes in his introduction that "American evangelicalism's social and intellectual infirmities are mutually reinforcing social practices shape beliefs about what others deserve and which authorities are legitimate; those beliefs, in turn, shape social practices" (p. 2). This feedback loop is, he writes, a form of ideology. This ideology is then "facilitated by propaganda that manipulates political, intellectual, or religious ideals in order to preempt dissent and silence perspectives that threaten an ideology's legitimacy" (p. 2). In this book he focuses on this propaganda and the "ministers" who utilize it for their own purposes. If you want to know why so many evangelicals have embraced Donald Trump despite his lack of morals, his vulgarity, and his divisiveness, Coley's book will help you better understand why.
In his "Ministers of Propaganda," Coley begins by laying out the relationship between ideology and propaganda by focusing on gender hierarchy. Central to this ideology is appeals to "common sense." We hear this all the time, from folks on Facebook or Twitter (I can't say X), that they are well equipped by common sense to make moral, intellectual, or scientific judgments. There is no need to consult experts, including when it comes to the way we read scripture. It is, in the view of many, clear and easily interpreted on its face. There is much to this discussion that Coley goes into that lies beyond what I can share in a review. However, this is an important point that needs to be understood, because it affects how people read and apply the Bible to many aspects of life, including gender and racial hierarchies. In this first chapter we hear about people like John McArthur and Albert Mohler, who embrace fundamentalist views of the Bible, and their reading of scripture informs gender relations that reflect an authoritarian mindset.
From Gender Hierarchy we move n Chapter 2, we move to racial hierarchy. Here is where we see white supremacy at play, even if it is not often acknowledged. Most white evangelicals disavow racism, and yet they embrace ideologies that reinforce it. We see this, Coley notes in the appeal to colorblindness and merit, which are in turn used to support the status quo. We see this currently in the backlash against DEI and the changes in history curriculums that downplay slavery, Jim Crow, and the civil rights movement. Again, the Bible is appealed to defend the past, such as the curse of Ham or Canaan in Genesis 9, a passage still appealed to to explain why whites are superior.
The next stop focuses on "Creationism and Theological Propaganda" (Chapter 3). I spent some time embracing this form of creationism before abandoning it. What Coley does here is not only describe the growth of this movement that has its roots in the visions of Ellen G. White, the founder of Seventh Day Adventism, and then propagated by her followers, before people like Henry Morris and Tim LaHaye got a hold of it. He shows how it has become a key component of evangelical theology, again propagated by people such as Al Mohler and John McArthur. This view of "science," which is essentially pseudoscience undergirds the responses to climate change and other policies. This is both a fascinating discussion and a scary one as well. There are important implications that emerge from this movement that help support the current culture wars. He writes that "the religious right's allergy to 'secular' expertise is thus a product of the tension between these fictional legitimizing narratives and facts that call those narratives into question." (p. 135).
There is a growing appreciation in many sectors of society for authoritarian leadership. We see this in Trump, Putin, and Victor Orban of Hungary. So, chapter 5, which is titled "Race, Reagan, and the Twilight of Democracy," explores the intersection of conservative views of race, Reagan's ascent, and the current challenges to democracy. Standing at the center of this reality is what he calls the conservative dilemma of recruiting enough popular support to win elections while serving the interests of a small portion of the electorate. The efforts include voter suppression and appeals to culture wars that distract from the economic elements of the movement. Here Coley discusses Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and the political developments that led to the current situation. We hear about Barry Goldwater, George Wallace, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and their descendants, which led to efforts to connect culture wars with economic austerity.
What is introduced in Chapter 5 is developed further in Chapter 6, titled "Christo-Authoritarianism." Here Coley discusses the connection of attempts to describe the founding of the nation as a Christian nation, developing an image of a mythic past where the founders were good evangelicals. This is combined with a sense of victimhood, such that white evangelicals embrace a politics of grievance, which Donald Trump has willingly embraced and fostered. The message is that elites and Progressives are standing against evangelicals. This vision is lifted up by folks like Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Dallas, and undergirded by David Barton (a pseudo-historian). It is sustained by international organizations like the Edmund Burke Foundation and Victor Orban's Danbury Institute. A growing number of American conservatives have embraced the authoritarian ideology of Orban, including people such as Rod Dreher and Tucker Carlson, who have become emissaries for Orban's version of Christo-authoritarianism.
The final chapter is titled "Resisting Christo-Authoritarianism" (Chapter 7), which seeks to offer an alternative to Christian nationalism and authoritarianism, with its anti-intellectualism and social hierarchicalism. He suggests that Christian morality is the key. That might sound odd because the message of the Religious Right is often couched in calls for morality, and yet as he demonstrates throughout the book, the movement's ideology and its propagandists, have little to do with morality, at least Christian morality. Now he doesn't believe that he is going to convert the mass of evangelicals to this alternative vision of morality, but he seeks to demonstrate how Christian faith can inform our sense of morality and our political understandings. He begins by again showing that many conservative evangelicals are moral relativists, even if they don't think they are. But he points out that "in the hands of ecclesial authorities who've insulated themselves from expert critique, sacred texts become a vehicle for legitimizing all manner of ungodliness, injustice, and abuse, in the name of an Authority that is transcendent and therefore unavailable for interrogation" (pp. 192-193). There is much to this response, but the key is, as he notes, "When we are no longer concerned with legitimizing the established order, we are free to abandon theological narratives that the religious right uses to legitimize that order---along with any antagonism toward expertise that poses a threat to those theological narratives. Thus the antidote to Christo-authoritarianism is the pursuit of justice over against the pursuit of social arrangements that reinforce my own power and privilege" (pp. 211-212).
This is another important resource that can help us better understand the current religious and political climate. Coley does so by uncovering the roots of the often-immoral dimensions of the Religious Right that has sustained gender and racial hierarchies and undermined our democracy. This is an important read that has depth but is accessible. That's important. Now, whether it will convert those who have embraced the Religious Right is unknown, but there is always hope!
. .
Scott Coley, a lecturer in philosophy at Mount St. Mary's University, focuses his studies on both the philosophy of religion and political philosophy, as well as moral epistemology. This book, his first, as far as I can tell, brings together all three of these scholarly interests.
In this book, Coley explores the anti-intellectualism that Noll had noted, which includes the growing presence of young earth creationism, along with social scandals that include white supremacy and patriarchalism. He points out that white evangelicals were among the last Americans to abandon racial segregation or acknowledge systemic racism. They have also opposed efforts to lift up women's rights and gender equality. He writes in his introduction that "American evangelicalism's social and intellectual infirmities are mutually reinforcing social practices shape beliefs about what others deserve and which authorities are legitimate; those beliefs, in turn, shape social practices" (p. 2). This feedback loop is, he writes, a form of ideology. This ideology is then "facilitated by propaganda that manipulates political, intellectual, or religious ideals in order to preempt dissent and silence perspectives that threaten an ideology's legitimacy" (p. 2). In this book he focuses on this propaganda and the "ministers" who utilize it for their own purposes. If you want to know why so many evangelicals have embraced Donald Trump despite his lack of morals, his vulgarity, and his divisiveness, Coley's book will help you better understand why.
In his "Ministers of Propaganda," Coley begins by laying out the relationship between ideology and propaganda by focusing on gender hierarchy. Central to this ideology is appeals to "common sense." We hear this all the time, from folks on Facebook or Twitter (I can't say X), that they are well equipped by common sense to make moral, intellectual, or scientific judgments. There is no need to consult experts, including when it comes to the way we read scripture. It is, in the view of many, clear and easily interpreted on its face. There is much to this discussion that Coley goes into that lies beyond what I can share in a review. However, this is an important point that needs to be understood, because it affects how people read and apply the Bible to many aspects of life, including gender and racial hierarchies. In this first chapter we hear about people like John McArthur and Albert Mohler, who embrace fundamentalist views of the Bible, and their reading of scripture informs gender relations that reflect an authoritarian mindset.
From Gender Hierarchy we move n Chapter 2, we move to racial hierarchy. Here is where we see white supremacy at play, even if it is not often acknowledged. Most white evangelicals disavow racism, and yet they embrace ideologies that reinforce it. We see this, Coley notes in the appeal to colorblindness and merit, which are in turn used to support the status quo. We see this currently in the backlash against DEI and the changes in history curriculums that downplay slavery, Jim Crow, and the civil rights movement. Again, the Bible is appealed to defend the past, such as the curse of Ham or Canaan in Genesis 9, a passage still appealed to to explain why whites are superior.
The next stop focuses on "Creationism and Theological Propaganda" (Chapter 3). I spent some time embracing this form of creationism before abandoning it. What Coley does here is not only describe the growth of this movement that has its roots in the visions of Ellen G. White, the founder of Seventh Day Adventism, and then propagated by her followers, before people like Henry Morris and Tim LaHaye got a hold of it. He shows how it has become a key component of evangelical theology, again propagated by people such as Al Mohler and John McArthur. This view of "science," which is essentially pseudoscience undergirds the responses to climate change and other policies. This is both a fascinating discussion and a scary one as well. There are important implications that emerge from this movement that help support the current culture wars. He writes that "the religious right's allergy to 'secular' expertise is thus a product of the tension between these fictional legitimizing narratives and facts that call those narratives into question." (p. 135).
There is a growing appreciation in many sectors of society for authoritarian leadership. We see this in Trump, Putin, and Victor Orban of Hungary. So, chapter 5, which is titled "Race, Reagan, and the Twilight of Democracy," explores the intersection of conservative views of race, Reagan's ascent, and the current challenges to democracy. Standing at the center of this reality is what he calls the conservative dilemma of recruiting enough popular support to win elections while serving the interests of a small portion of the electorate. The efforts include voter suppression and appeals to culture wars that distract from the economic elements of the movement. Here Coley discusses Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and the political developments that led to the current situation. We hear about Barry Goldwater, George Wallace, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and their descendants, which led to efforts to connect culture wars with economic austerity.
What is introduced in Chapter 5 is developed further in Chapter 6, titled "Christo-Authoritarianism." Here Coley discusses the connection of attempts to describe the founding of the nation as a Christian nation, developing an image of a mythic past where the founders were good evangelicals. This is combined with a sense of victimhood, such that white evangelicals embrace a politics of grievance, which Donald Trump has willingly embraced and fostered. The message is that elites and Progressives are standing against evangelicals. This vision is lifted up by folks like Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Dallas, and undergirded by David Barton (a pseudo-historian). It is sustained by international organizations like the Edmund Burke Foundation and Victor Orban's Danbury Institute. A growing number of American conservatives have embraced the authoritarian ideology of Orban, including people such as Rod Dreher and Tucker Carlson, who have become emissaries for Orban's version of Christo-authoritarianism.
The final chapter is titled "Resisting Christo-Authoritarianism" (Chapter 7), which seeks to offer an alternative to Christian nationalism and authoritarianism, with its anti-intellectualism and social hierarchicalism. He suggests that Christian morality is the key. That might sound odd because the message of the Religious Right is often couched in calls for morality, and yet as he demonstrates throughout the book, the movement's ideology and its propagandists, have little to do with morality, at least Christian morality. Now he doesn't believe that he is going to convert the mass of evangelicals to this alternative vision of morality, but he seeks to demonstrate how Christian faith can inform our sense of morality and our political understandings. He begins by again showing that many conservative evangelicals are moral relativists, even if they don't think they are. But he points out that "in the hands of ecclesial authorities who've insulated themselves from expert critique, sacred texts become a vehicle for legitimizing all manner of ungodliness, injustice, and abuse, in the name of an Authority that is transcendent and therefore unavailable for interrogation" (pp. 192-193). There is much to this response, but the key is, as he notes, "When we are no longer concerned with legitimizing the established order, we are free to abandon theological narratives that the religious right uses to legitimize that order---along with any antagonism toward expertise that poses a threat to those theological narratives. Thus the antidote to Christo-authoritarianism is the pursuit of justice over against the pursuit of social arrangements that reinforce my own power and privilege" (pp. 211-212).
This is another important resource that can help us better understand the current religious and political climate. Coley does so by uncovering the roots of the often-immoral dimensions of the Religious Right that has sustained gender and racial hierarchies and undermined our democracy. This is an important read that has depth but is accessible. That's important. Now, whether it will convert those who have embraced the Religious Right is unknown, but there is always hope!
. .
June 21, 2024
From the title I expected a much harsher critique than this book actually gave. Coley analyzes how white evangelicals have synthesized the concept of a “Christian nation” and how political strategies have been concocted and employed to achieve this. The tone is gracious and even conciliatory at times - and the book is written from an explicitly Christian perspective. The strengths of this book lie in the author’s lucid dissection of evangelical beliefs about the relationship of politics and religion. Fallacies and contradictions abound - and Coley finds them and points them out with great clarity. There’s far less discussion of specific Christian leaders and their motivations than we get in Jesus and John Wayne, although Falwell and MacArthur make multiple appearances. The author also makes a point to offer suggestions on ways to better integrate Christianity into political visions. Overall a very fair and readable book.
August 7, 2024
This was a tough book, not because it was hard to read but because it left me feeling so disconcerted about the status of the Religious Right in this country. Coley does an excellent job showing how so much of the Right's discourse on science, race, and so on are protectionist, designed to insulate white evangelicals against their own destructive views. For all their talk of morality, so many in evangelicalism are little more than moral relativists, willing to bend the rules or change them completely when they are on the losing end.
June 14, 2024
An interesting book detailing many of the issues facing the evangelical church in America today. As an evangelical Canadian I have been watching the situation in the evangelical churches in America, and seeing many of these issues come up over and over. The church in Canada is not quite as bad so I come at this as a bit more of a spectator than a participant, but there are definitely church that I am aware of and in some ways connected to where I see some of these same narratives playing out. I did find that the author seemed to be painting all evangelical churches with the same breath which I don't agree with. And I also wish the section on how he believes we can do better might have been longer, and offered some better and more concrete suggestions.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley; All opinions are my own
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley; All opinions are my own
February 16, 2025
85/100! Una excelente introducción a todo aspecto esencial de la derecha, desde ideología hasta su puesta en práctica, evolución, y discurso. Con una selección variada, bien detallada, y sólida de ejemplos. Me dieron ganas de adaptar los argumentos a un video en el que resuma los puntos más importantes, porque, como Comunicólogo (y persona interesada en política), creo que es fundamental que las personas sean capaces de analizar discurso político críticamente. Excelente lectura.
October 20, 2025
I’d recommend this book to anyone who:
1. Is frustrated with nationalists who have co-opted the Bible to justify prejudice,
2. Grew up in an evangelical Christian denomination,
3. Is looking for an exercise in philosophical logic,
AND/OR
4. Wants to engage in critical thinking and discussion.
In this book, Christian Philosopher Dr. Coley exposes the weakness in popular evangelical talking points and how ministers use these to propagate misogyny, racism, and anti-intellectualism. It’s well written and illuminating. If you read this, let’s chat!!
1. Is frustrated with nationalists who have co-opted the Bible to justify prejudice,
2. Grew up in an evangelical Christian denomination,
3. Is looking for an exercise in philosophical logic,
AND/OR
4. Wants to engage in critical thinking and discussion.
In this book, Christian Philosopher Dr. Coley exposes the weakness in popular evangelical talking points and how ministers use these to propagate misogyny, racism, and anti-intellectualism. It’s well written and illuminating. If you read this, let’s chat!!
June 26, 2024
A careful and practical critique of Christian Nationalism’s paradigm, practices, and impact.
Others may review Ministers of Propaganda: Truth, Power, and the Ideology of the Religious Right from a theoretical or philosophical position. My review comes from exposure to and experiences with what turned out to be Christo-authoritarian thought leaders, followers, and institutions—from the mid-1970s onward.
I have followed Christian professor of philosophy Scott Coley on social media for the past few years. There he regularly offers incisive analysis on the Christian Nationalism (CN) paradigm and how it affects our worldview and “world-do” on church and state. I’ve valued his insightful comments, and knew I’d want to read his book. It has deepened my discernment about these CN-adjacent involvements, and amplified my process to reconstruct a more genuinely biblical and balanced perspective on theology and politics.
Professor Coley has given us an intermediate-level, comprehensive “grand tour” for analyzing the myths, motivations, and methods so pervasive among promoters of Christian Nationalism paradigms, politics, and practices. I especially appreciate his systems approach, showing how choices inevitably interconnect our ideologies with actions and consequences. It reminds me of a phrase I first read in the late 1970s when I began studies on worldviews: “Ideas have legs”; they are not neutral, and this is key to evaluating CN.
Systems thinking gives us tools to identify the destructive impact that flawed assumptions and actions inflict on individuals and institutions. And Ministers of Propaganda offers superb application of those tools for understanding and countering core concepts typically found in Christian Nationalism:
• Strict racial and gender hierarchies.
• Hyper-skepticism of science.
• Promotion of a supposed economic-political-cultural meritocracy that actually results in sustaining an oligarchy/plutarchy.
• Political realism where laws get anchored in special-interest values and self-benefiting power.
I’m sure there could be an extensive book on each of those topics. But Coley goes into enough depth on each to create a convincing case for how the CN version falls short and turns toxic. And—perhaps surprisingly—he infuses his analysis with an undertone of hope, by contrasting the flawed, prooftexted versions with more consistent, whole-of-Scripture ones that promote personal freedom, institutional health, and systemic social justice.
Here are other features I give Coley high marks for:
• He offers clear and concise definitions of his terms, and puts them in frameworks that make for easier comparing and contrasting of Christian Nationalism with well-reasoned alternatives.
• I found his language accessible and his arguments logically laid out, which is a relief, given the understandable complexity of the material.
• His format provides methodical structures for examining specific planks of faulty theology and unsupportable mythology for each topic. He shows how these ideological elements meld together in the creation of propaganda which attempts to mask malignant realities behind a CN curtain of illusory benefits.
• He uses real-world examples effectively to highlight his analyses and critiques of CN ideology, hermeneutics, and propaganda. These illustrations include personal stories and quotations from well-known CN adherents—both historical and current—whose names I recognize from my own readings and observations, so I know he’s done his research well.
• He also uses true-to-life hypothetical stories that spark reasonable questions and show how to explore destructive impacts from dominionist overlording.
• Ministers of Propaganda also includes extensive endnotes—almost 35 pages of notes for 220 pages of regular text. These contain the rare kind of documentation and analyses that motivate me to re-read chapters while flipping to the back to absorb every endnote in context.
I’ve had longstanding interests—most for 40 to 50-plus years—in American politics, how worldviews get constructed, social transformation movements, economic systems, abuses of power, authoritarian systems, and recovery from spiritual abuse. Many of these got twisted early on by supposedly biblical perspectives (many which would be familiar to Christian Nationalists) that eventually proved to me to be more full of holes than holistic. Thankfully, Coley covers issues in Ministers of Propaganda that overlap with my long-time pursuits. As I’ve sought to bring them into better alignment with the whole of Scripture, I’ve never found a better book to process them with than his.
I highly recommend Ministers of Propaganda as a resource for religious abuse survivors and their advocates—whether they were formerly involved with Christian Nationalism views and groups or not, the key beliefs and values of CN parallel many found in other sectors of evangelicalism. Ministry and non-profit leaders, social entrepreneurs, and political activists will also find it a stellar resource for navigating a substantive and constructive analysis of Christian Nationalism concepts and consequences.
Others may review Ministers of Propaganda: Truth, Power, and the Ideology of the Religious Right from a theoretical or philosophical position. My review comes from exposure to and experiences with what turned out to be Christo-authoritarian thought leaders, followers, and institutions—from the mid-1970s onward.
I have followed Christian professor of philosophy Scott Coley on social media for the past few years. There he regularly offers incisive analysis on the Christian Nationalism (CN) paradigm and how it affects our worldview and “world-do” on church and state. I’ve valued his insightful comments, and knew I’d want to read his book. It has deepened my discernment about these CN-adjacent involvements, and amplified my process to reconstruct a more genuinely biblical and balanced perspective on theology and politics.
Professor Coley has given us an intermediate-level, comprehensive “grand tour” for analyzing the myths, motivations, and methods so pervasive among promoters of Christian Nationalism paradigms, politics, and practices. I especially appreciate his systems approach, showing how choices inevitably interconnect our ideologies with actions and consequences. It reminds me of a phrase I first read in the late 1970s when I began studies on worldviews: “Ideas have legs”; they are not neutral, and this is key to evaluating CN.
Systems thinking gives us tools to identify the destructive impact that flawed assumptions and actions inflict on individuals and institutions. And Ministers of Propaganda offers superb application of those tools for understanding and countering core concepts typically found in Christian Nationalism:
• Strict racial and gender hierarchies.
• Hyper-skepticism of science.
• Promotion of a supposed economic-political-cultural meritocracy that actually results in sustaining an oligarchy/plutarchy.
• Political realism where laws get anchored in special-interest values and self-benefiting power.
I’m sure there could be an extensive book on each of those topics. But Coley goes into enough depth on each to create a convincing case for how the CN version falls short and turns toxic. And—perhaps surprisingly—he infuses his analysis with an undertone of hope, by contrasting the flawed, prooftexted versions with more consistent, whole-of-Scripture ones that promote personal freedom, institutional health, and systemic social justice.
Here are other features I give Coley high marks for:
• He offers clear and concise definitions of his terms, and puts them in frameworks that make for easier comparing and contrasting of Christian Nationalism with well-reasoned alternatives.
• I found his language accessible and his arguments logically laid out, which is a relief, given the understandable complexity of the material.
• His format provides methodical structures for examining specific planks of faulty theology and unsupportable mythology for each topic. He shows how these ideological elements meld together in the creation of propaganda which attempts to mask malignant realities behind a CN curtain of illusory benefits.
• He uses real-world examples effectively to highlight his analyses and critiques of CN ideology, hermeneutics, and propaganda. These illustrations include personal stories and quotations from well-known CN adherents—both historical and current—whose names I recognize from my own readings and observations, so I know he’s done his research well.
• He also uses true-to-life hypothetical stories that spark reasonable questions and show how to explore destructive impacts from dominionist overlording.
• Ministers of Propaganda also includes extensive endnotes—almost 35 pages of notes for 220 pages of regular text. These contain the rare kind of documentation and analyses that motivate me to re-read chapters while flipping to the back to absorb every endnote in context.
I’ve had longstanding interests—most for 40 to 50-plus years—in American politics, how worldviews get constructed, social transformation movements, economic systems, abuses of power, authoritarian systems, and recovery from spiritual abuse. Many of these got twisted early on by supposedly biblical perspectives (many which would be familiar to Christian Nationalists) that eventually proved to me to be more full of holes than holistic. Thankfully, Coley covers issues in Ministers of Propaganda that overlap with my long-time pursuits. As I’ve sought to bring them into better alignment with the whole of Scripture, I’ve never found a better book to process them with than his.
I highly recommend Ministers of Propaganda as a resource for religious abuse survivors and their advocates—whether they were formerly involved with Christian Nationalism views and groups or not, the key beliefs and values of CN parallel many found in other sectors of evangelicalism. Ministry and non-profit leaders, social entrepreneurs, and political activists will also find it a stellar resource for navigating a substantive and constructive analysis of Christian Nationalism concepts and consequences.
June 20, 2024
Much has been argued and said regarding the Religious Right in America, but rarely are the mechanics and inner workings of the ideology brought to light. This is mostly because those who are the most well-versed in the Religious Right generally have little desire to expose said mechanics, and those who are more invested in the exposure are outsiders who do not well understand the movement.
In Ministers of Propaganda: Truth, Power, and the Ideology of the Religious Right, Scott Coley proved willing to critically examine the ideological frameworks and mechanisms which animate the Religious Right and the move toward a “Christo-authoritarian” form of Christian Nationalism.
Coley explored the scandals of (white American) Evangelical Christianity, both those to which (white American) Evangelicals admit and those they deny or resist, and laid out how the postures which are associated with conservative Christendom writ large in terms of gender and racial hierarchies developed and continue to prove active. He spends the most time demonstrating how the in-group fear-based thinking and appeal to authoritarianism expresses itself in the way young earth creationism is described and defended, how its advocates cast aspersions on those who would believe in an old earth creationism, and how that ideology is harnessed to advance all kinds of postures and positions in the culture war. Coley also explained in detail the shift toward active political participation among (white American) Evangelicals with Reagan and afterward have profoundly shaped (white American) Evangelical faith, political, social, and cultural conservatism, and their greater effects on American society. He describes the current posture of what he deemed “Christo-Authoritarianism” manifest in these movements and spaces, and provided some ways in which this turn might be resisted.
Thus the (white American) Evangelical resistance to the advancement and promotion of gender and racial equality are explained and made evident; thus their skepticism toward any kind of science which might upset the ideology they have accepted is manifest. Thus, unfortunately, one can perceive and understand how it could be (white American) Evangelicalism which props up and fuels DJT and the MAGA phenomena.
Sure: this is going to be one of those books regarding which you will find immediately interesting or repulsive. Anyone who is quite enamored with (white American) Evangelicalism and/or conservative Christendom will not appreciate much from this work. I would have wished he would have made it more explicit how the positions, postures, and attitudes described are not inherently Evangelical but specifically reflect white American Evangelicalism and those influenced by them.
While there can always be points of disagreement highlighted, the thrust of Coley’s presentation and concerns are worth considering. A lot of what many Christians hear, preach, and teach, and what they imagine to be “sound Gospel” is really highly influenced by a well-run and oiled propaganda campaign. There’s a lot of conspiracy minded thinking in the world of conservative Christendom writ large and a lot of skepticism and suspicion toward “the other side,” but the forces at work which influence them seem never to be subjected to the same kind of critique.
A big problem for white American Evangelicalism is how they are reaping what they have sown: society has changed, but all the consequences expected and promised in the propaganda campaign failed to materialize. It’s not marginal Christians who deconstruct: they tend to be the ones who were the most active, committed, and fervent Christians in their youth who do so. Yes, the propaganda was effective for its “audience”: (white American) Evangelicals are the most reliable base for the Republican party and reactionary politics. That has translated to disproportionate strength in power in American society and culture…but at what cost to Christian witness and the advancement of the Kingdom of God in Christ?
Time will tell how all of this will play out. But all of the ideologies and postures prevalent in (white American) Evangelicalism need not be the way to maintain and uphold apostolic Christianity. It was never a problem to be concerned about the potential for deception and false ideologies and teaching infiltrating the people of God; the problem was to only focus on how that would be possible from one angle without considering how it could also come from those with whom we might have imagined to share much in common in matters of faith.
In Ministers of Propaganda: Truth, Power, and the Ideology of the Religious Right, Scott Coley proved willing to critically examine the ideological frameworks and mechanisms which animate the Religious Right and the move toward a “Christo-authoritarian” form of Christian Nationalism.
Coley explored the scandals of (white American) Evangelical Christianity, both those to which (white American) Evangelicals admit and those they deny or resist, and laid out how the postures which are associated with conservative Christendom writ large in terms of gender and racial hierarchies developed and continue to prove active. He spends the most time demonstrating how the in-group fear-based thinking and appeal to authoritarianism expresses itself in the way young earth creationism is described and defended, how its advocates cast aspersions on those who would believe in an old earth creationism, and how that ideology is harnessed to advance all kinds of postures and positions in the culture war. Coley also explained in detail the shift toward active political participation among (white American) Evangelicals with Reagan and afterward have profoundly shaped (white American) Evangelical faith, political, social, and cultural conservatism, and their greater effects on American society. He describes the current posture of what he deemed “Christo-Authoritarianism” manifest in these movements and spaces, and provided some ways in which this turn might be resisted.
Thus the (white American) Evangelical resistance to the advancement and promotion of gender and racial equality are explained and made evident; thus their skepticism toward any kind of science which might upset the ideology they have accepted is manifest. Thus, unfortunately, one can perceive and understand how it could be (white American) Evangelicalism which props up and fuels DJT and the MAGA phenomena.
Sure: this is going to be one of those books regarding which you will find immediately interesting or repulsive. Anyone who is quite enamored with (white American) Evangelicalism and/or conservative Christendom will not appreciate much from this work. I would have wished he would have made it more explicit how the positions, postures, and attitudes described are not inherently Evangelical but specifically reflect white American Evangelicalism and those influenced by them.
While there can always be points of disagreement highlighted, the thrust of Coley’s presentation and concerns are worth considering. A lot of what many Christians hear, preach, and teach, and what they imagine to be “sound Gospel” is really highly influenced by a well-run and oiled propaganda campaign. There’s a lot of conspiracy minded thinking in the world of conservative Christendom writ large and a lot of skepticism and suspicion toward “the other side,” but the forces at work which influence them seem never to be subjected to the same kind of critique.
A big problem for white American Evangelicalism is how they are reaping what they have sown: society has changed, but all the consequences expected and promised in the propaganda campaign failed to materialize. It’s not marginal Christians who deconstruct: they tend to be the ones who were the most active, committed, and fervent Christians in their youth who do so. Yes, the propaganda was effective for its “audience”: (white American) Evangelicals are the most reliable base for the Republican party and reactionary politics. That has translated to disproportionate strength in power in American society and culture…but at what cost to Christian witness and the advancement of the Kingdom of God in Christ?
Time will tell how all of this will play out. But all of the ideologies and postures prevalent in (white American) Evangelicalism need not be the way to maintain and uphold apostolic Christianity. It was never a problem to be concerned about the potential for deception and false ideologies and teaching infiltrating the people of God; the problem was to only focus on how that would be possible from one angle without considering how it could also come from those with whom we might have imagined to share much in common in matters of faith.
June 17, 2024
"Ministers of Propaganda" packs a whirlwind amount into seven chapters - Historical-political analysis + sociology of religion + applied philosophy (& hint of suggested applied theology). In doing so, author Scott Coley presents readers with a thought-provoking analysis that will prompt robust discussion (this will make a great book club selection or course text)!
"Ministers of Propaganda" offers a powerful and compelling examination of how propaganda shows up in popular Christian teaching/practices, how it carries real life impact, and whom it benefits. While Coley's analysis is focused on white American evangelicalism, the elements he discusses have an uncanny ecumenical overlap that makes this book essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the current landscape of contemporary American Christianity as a whole.
Coley introduces readers to various ideological elements that plague contemporary evangelicalism, for instance: commonsense-ism, impoverished hermeneutical approaches, ecclesial authoritarianism, and what he calls the "nomadic culture war machine." These and other aptly named descriptors were not only satisfying to read but also helpful to organize a backdrop upon which to examine how these ideas play out in various contexts. Coley primarily focuses on gender and racial hierarchies, intellectual skepticism as evidenced in young-earth Creationism, and the political arena.
Each chapter thus becomes a practical exploration of the impact of propaganda and ideology and how it has been used to benefit powerful people and interests, to deceive others, and to oppress still others. I particularly appreciated Coley's creative and concrete analogies (sometimes with an edge of wry humor) that help make abstract concepts accessible to the ordinary reader and gave me the sensation of sitting in on a classroom discussion.
The book makes a thorough case that Christian theologies and ideologies have real-life impact while also showing how cultural goals & practices can be used to shape or manipulate claimed theologies. While most of the chapters offer a thoroughly cited descriptive analysis of how these impulses have been corrupted in various ways, Coley's final chapter offers a note of hope and prophetically invites Christian readers to consider an alternate way forward:
"When we, as Christians, enter into the political arena where rights are negotiated, we are called to use our influence to advocate for the rights of those who have no other advocate. We are not called to seek wealthy and powerful political allies who will help us defend our rights. God is our defender. And God calls us to defend the rights of orphans, widows, immigrants, and all who are poor and oppressed...we dishonor our calling and misrepresent Christ to the world when we advocate for political institutions that serve the interests of wealth and power at the expense of the poor, and then dispense charity as though it were a substitute for justice." -pg. 209
Well worth the read!
"Ministers of Propaganda" offers a powerful and compelling examination of how propaganda shows up in popular Christian teaching/practices, how it carries real life impact, and whom it benefits. While Coley's analysis is focused on white American evangelicalism, the elements he discusses have an uncanny ecumenical overlap that makes this book essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the current landscape of contemporary American Christianity as a whole.
Coley introduces readers to various ideological elements that plague contemporary evangelicalism, for instance: commonsense-ism, impoverished hermeneutical approaches, ecclesial authoritarianism, and what he calls the "nomadic culture war machine." These and other aptly named descriptors were not only satisfying to read but also helpful to organize a backdrop upon which to examine how these ideas play out in various contexts. Coley primarily focuses on gender and racial hierarchies, intellectual skepticism as evidenced in young-earth Creationism, and the political arena.
Each chapter thus becomes a practical exploration of the impact of propaganda and ideology and how it has been used to benefit powerful people and interests, to deceive others, and to oppress still others. I particularly appreciated Coley's creative and concrete analogies (sometimes with an edge of wry humor) that help make abstract concepts accessible to the ordinary reader and gave me the sensation of sitting in on a classroom discussion.
The book makes a thorough case that Christian theologies and ideologies have real-life impact while also showing how cultural goals & practices can be used to shape or manipulate claimed theologies. While most of the chapters offer a thoroughly cited descriptive analysis of how these impulses have been corrupted in various ways, Coley's final chapter offers a note of hope and prophetically invites Christian readers to consider an alternate way forward:
"When we, as Christians, enter into the political arena where rights are negotiated, we are called to use our influence to advocate for the rights of those who have no other advocate. We are not called to seek wealthy and powerful political allies who will help us defend our rights. God is our defender. And God calls us to defend the rights of orphans, widows, immigrants, and all who are poor and oppressed...we dishonor our calling and misrepresent Christ to the world when we advocate for political institutions that serve the interests of wealth and power at the expense of the poor, and then dispense charity as though it were a substitute for justice." -pg. 209
Well worth the read!
November 30, 2024
In this detailed, well-argued book, Coley shows how white evangelicals twist truth, build up their ideology and promote it through propaganda. Growing up in the evangelical world, most of what he says is quite obvious in retrospect.
For example, white evangelicals claim that only young earth creationism is biblical and any other view is in error. But rather than argue on what the text says, including wrestling with reasons within the text that one would reject creationism, they simply deem it so. They use the power of their position as seminary presidents or bible college professors to make these pronouncements, which is ironic in terms of their supposed commitment to scripture alone. Further, any who question those are deemed dangerous outsiders to be feared.
These are all the components of propaganda - an identity of us-vs-them, believing only approved authorities, not questioning, fear.
What’s wild is that these guys like Albert Mohler and Ken Ham say that rejecting creationism and believing in evolution is a path to rejecting Christianity altogether. Yet, the real reason people reject Christianity in America is these very men’s blatant hypocrisy, power-grabbing and anti-Christlike attitude. We all have seen these guys proclaim their care for family values and then turn around and support Trump. Once upon a time these guys said character matters…now it does not. These guys claim to want to protect kids, yet when it comes to the sex abuse of guys in Trump’s orbit, not to mention in their own churches…crickets. You end up with John MacArthur turning a blind eye to abusive men in his own churches all the while pointing a finger at others.
But yes, believing in evolution is the danger.
Coley is correct in calling these men moral relativists.
The white evangelical movement was super racist, with some of these racist guys still alive though most have died. Why did they change, and accept integration? Because they studied the Bible? No. It just became culturally unacceptable to be blatantly racist. It is no surprise these guys lift up confederate theologians who defended slavery. They would to if they were alive then and some like Doug Wilson still defend it.
Coley calls it “motivated literalism” - they take the Bible literally when it fits their ideology and supports their propaganda. Otherwise, they ignore it just like the wicked liberals they criticize.
The whole book is well-done and eye opening, even for those who grew up in this world. Hopefully one day our country can move past this. Unfortunately, they have been quite successful in their propaganda and convinced a lot of people to keep voting against their own interests.
For example, white evangelicals claim that only young earth creationism is biblical and any other view is in error. But rather than argue on what the text says, including wrestling with reasons within the text that one would reject creationism, they simply deem it so. They use the power of their position as seminary presidents or bible college professors to make these pronouncements, which is ironic in terms of their supposed commitment to scripture alone. Further, any who question those are deemed dangerous outsiders to be feared.
These are all the components of propaganda - an identity of us-vs-them, believing only approved authorities, not questioning, fear.
What’s wild is that these guys like Albert Mohler and Ken Ham say that rejecting creationism and believing in evolution is a path to rejecting Christianity altogether. Yet, the real reason people reject Christianity in America is these very men’s blatant hypocrisy, power-grabbing and anti-Christlike attitude. We all have seen these guys proclaim their care for family values and then turn around and support Trump. Once upon a time these guys said character matters…now it does not. These guys claim to want to protect kids, yet when it comes to the sex abuse of guys in Trump’s orbit, not to mention in their own churches…crickets. You end up with John MacArthur turning a blind eye to abusive men in his own churches all the while pointing a finger at others.
But yes, believing in evolution is the danger.
Coley is correct in calling these men moral relativists.
The white evangelical movement was super racist, with some of these racist guys still alive though most have died. Why did they change, and accept integration? Because they studied the Bible? No. It just became culturally unacceptable to be blatantly racist. It is no surprise these guys lift up confederate theologians who defended slavery. They would to if they were alive then and some like Doug Wilson still defend it.
Coley calls it “motivated literalism” - they take the Bible literally when it fits their ideology and supports their propaganda. Otherwise, they ignore it just like the wicked liberals they criticize.
The whole book is well-done and eye opening, even for those who grew up in this world. Hopefully one day our country can move past this. Unfortunately, they have been quite successful in their propaganda and convinced a lot of people to keep voting against their own interests.
August 3, 2024
This is an eye opening book. Coley opened my eyes to the motivational reasoning behind wanting to believe the Bible promotes something (e.g. slavery) because of the benefits (financial, psychological, for example). He looks at legitimizing concepts by drawing on religion, specifically American evangelical Christianity. He shows how the Bible has been interpreted to support practices and institutions benefiting ones self (often to the detriment of marginalized people).
He explores a number of topics including the belief in a six day creation and complimentarianism (and that it sounds so much nicer than patriarchy). My favorite topic was the theological justification for capitalism and how it was promoted. (I wondered how capitalism could come out of the New Testament). He is clear about the results of a free market economy in a morally degenerate (sinful) society. He also points out Regan's enduring economic legacy enriched the top 0.1 percent of Americans and eviscerated the middle class. (163)
“In the span of a few decades,” Coley writes, “conservative evangelicals who purport to embrace objective morality have claimed biblical sanction for totally contrary positions on such issues of moral salience as segregation and abortion... The arc of that moral evolution wasn't drawn by objective moral truth or God's word; it was shaped by white evangelicals who remitted their collective conscience to the care of religious authorities tasked with deciding what constitutes the 'biblical' view of gender, race, science culture, and politics – which views tend to coalesce around whatever serves the interests of the evangelical culture war machine at a given moment.” (193) He notes the southern evangelical change of view on segregation was not based on theology or moral principal but on the possibility of their churches losing tax exempt status. (193)
He asks some great questions. “So whose understanding of Scripture is definitive? Whose prooftexts carry the day?” (198) While I would like to think the Truth of Scripture is the same for all time, Christians have drawn contradictory truths from the Bible over time.
This book is going to irritate Christians who have accepted the current American evangelical message about history and current affairs. It is certainly worth reading to find objectivity and reality.
He explores a number of topics including the belief in a six day creation and complimentarianism (and that it sounds so much nicer than patriarchy). My favorite topic was the theological justification for capitalism and how it was promoted. (I wondered how capitalism could come out of the New Testament). He is clear about the results of a free market economy in a morally degenerate (sinful) society. He also points out Regan's enduring economic legacy enriched the top 0.1 percent of Americans and eviscerated the middle class. (163)
“In the span of a few decades,” Coley writes, “conservative evangelicals who purport to embrace objective morality have claimed biblical sanction for totally contrary positions on such issues of moral salience as segregation and abortion... The arc of that moral evolution wasn't drawn by objective moral truth or God's word; it was shaped by white evangelicals who remitted their collective conscience to the care of religious authorities tasked with deciding what constitutes the 'biblical' view of gender, race, science culture, and politics – which views tend to coalesce around whatever serves the interests of the evangelical culture war machine at a given moment.” (193) He notes the southern evangelical change of view on segregation was not based on theology or moral principal but on the possibility of their churches losing tax exempt status. (193)
He asks some great questions. “So whose understanding of Scripture is definitive? Whose prooftexts carry the day?” (198) While I would like to think the Truth of Scripture is the same for all time, Christians have drawn contradictory truths from the Bible over time.
This book is going to irritate Christians who have accepted the current American evangelical message about history and current affairs. It is certainly worth reading to find objectivity and reality.
June 18, 2024
This book came out less than two weeks ago, but overlaps with a considerable amount of my own interests, which means I read it rather quickly. It is very accessible and while Coley employs philosophical language he defines terms, and explains how he’s using them concisely and clearly. A lot of conversations about the religious right are typically more historical or sociological in nature, but Coley explores the Philosophical contours of the religious right in order to understand the intellectual scaffolding that upholds and frames their claims and appeals to authority (especially scripture). There are number of claims throughout the book, but focus on three intellectual moves Conservative Evangelicals make in order to push and maintain their “biblical worldview” claims. The three are ideology, propaganda, and legitimizing narratives. These epistemic spheres are intertwined within Conservative evangelical circles and are mutually reinforcing in ways that attempts to consolidate authority (and sources of authority) and cutoff any possible competing ideas/interpretations(or nuance) of scripture. This “biblical worldview” is absolute, “clear”/“self-evident”, and ultimately self-serving. Any dissent or push back is met with insults of ignoring or discarding the authority of scripture (and ultimately God) in favor of secular atheistic science and cultural agenda (this regardless of whether the dissenter claims to be a Christian or not).
Coley also explores how this intellectual paradigm shapes political and cultural claims of conservative evangelicals and how they’ve been implemented writ large over time and. All of this serves to explain the current fascination with and desire for authoritarian styles of governance.
This is necessary reading regardless of one’s religious and/or theological positions. Many who agree with and support many of the positions and ideas of religious and political conservatives are unaware of how we arrived where we are both historically and intellectually and Coley’s work serves to organize and explain how we got here.
Coley also explores how this intellectual paradigm shapes political and cultural claims of conservative evangelicals and how they’ve been implemented writ large over time and. All of this serves to explain the current fascination with and desire for authoritarian styles of governance.
This is necessary reading regardless of one’s religious and/or theological positions. Many who agree with and support many of the positions and ideas of religious and political conservatives are unaware of how we arrived where we are both historically and intellectually and Coley’s work serves to organize and explain how we got here.
July 14, 2024
This book has two parts. The first looks at how evangelical Christians in the US look at social issues, particularly related to race, gender, and science. The second looks at how these views have influenced politics over the past half century. The first part of the book is pretty good. Although much of the material is available elsewhere, and is based on secondary research, the author presents a number of novel theses. In particular, he looks at how "proof-texting" (ie making an argument about the Christian or biblical position on some social issue based on a plain reading of certain Scripture texts shorn of their context) leads to beliefs that can contradict the overall spirit of Scripture. He also looks at how evangelical leaders rarely have solid evidence or reasoning for these issues; they rely on assertions that they don't want to see challenged. According to the author, this constitutes propaganda. I think this is a very interesting argument, and wish he would have kept his focus on this throughout the book. Unfortunately, he contradicts himself, as he argues that evangelicals support a social system that benefits them (even while it hurts others), but when he looks at the history, he argues that most evangelicals benefited more from liberal economic policies that they opposed than from conservative economic policies that they espoused. I think the author had a good idea, but he should have focused on answering his research question, as opposed to retreading material that other scholars have already discussed. I also thought his analysis would have been stronger without his forays into advocacy. The book is at its best when he is explaining how many of the ideas that American evangelicals take for granted are actually relatively modern, although the evangelicals themselves argue that they are ancient practices.
November 7, 2024
I enjoyed Dr. Scott Coley’s Ministers of Propaganda. In place of a review, I will share a a few highlights.
Coley shows how motivated reasoning for self-interest turns into motivated literalism, often for self-interest. This is always important to identify.
Following the work of Mark Noll and others, Coley challenges the “common sense” rationale, and sometimes hermeneutic, often used by some evangelicals and many fundamentalists on the topics of slavery, abortion, science, and other topics. Coley writes, “If biblical interpretation were a matter of common sense, then Christians everywhere and all times would agree…” (p. 29). They don’t. Individuals within the “common sense” approach change their personal views over time, so the “common sense” hermeneutic has clear weaknesses.
I have written on the history of evangelicals and slavery and find Coley’s comments and analysis of evangelicals on the topics of racial hierarchy, systemic racism, and white supremacy important.
Every semester I teach students various approaches to understanding the creation accounts in Genesis 1-2. I found Coley’s insights on all the things that would have needed to happen within 24 hours on the sixth day fascinating (pp. 94-98).
A strength of the book is all of the interesting and provocative topics Coley tackles head-on; he is brave while also careful and fair. At times, I struggled a little to trace a consistent thread that runs throughout the book. This is likely my own failure. The theme is likely the way propaganda emerges in the religious right in different ways. With this said, a reader could pick up the book and read any chapter on its own merit and get a lot out of it.
Coley shows how motivated reasoning for self-interest turns into motivated literalism, often for self-interest. This is always important to identify.
Following the work of Mark Noll and others, Coley challenges the “common sense” rationale, and sometimes hermeneutic, often used by some evangelicals and many fundamentalists on the topics of slavery, abortion, science, and other topics. Coley writes, “If biblical interpretation were a matter of common sense, then Christians everywhere and all times would agree…” (p. 29). They don’t. Individuals within the “common sense” approach change their personal views over time, so the “common sense” hermeneutic has clear weaknesses.
I have written on the history of evangelicals and slavery and find Coley’s comments and analysis of evangelicals on the topics of racial hierarchy, systemic racism, and white supremacy important.
Every semester I teach students various approaches to understanding the creation accounts in Genesis 1-2. I found Coley’s insights on all the things that would have needed to happen within 24 hours on the sixth day fascinating (pp. 94-98).
A strength of the book is all of the interesting and provocative topics Coley tackles head-on; he is brave while also careful and fair. At times, I struggled a little to trace a consistent thread that runs throughout the book. This is likely my own failure. The theme is likely the way propaganda emerges in the religious right in different ways. With this said, a reader could pick up the book and read any chapter on its own merit and get a lot out of it.
October 29, 2024
I feel really upset because I read this book. It's upsetting. It is logical: it names ideas what they really are. It marches you right up to their consequences and describes them to you. It is relentless about saying what it means. It broke my brain some. But I respect it.
There are elements you can pick apart - e.g., the arguments for a Young Earth Creationist reading of the Bible he engages are not the strongest ones he could have interacted with. But man - the overall point about the sociological role the creation science industrial complex has played for the evangelical church is really well taken.
And upsetting.
There are elements you can pick apart - e.g., the arguments for a Young Earth Creationist reading of the Bible he engages are not the strongest ones he could have interacted with. But man - the overall point about the sociological role the creation science industrial complex has played for the evangelical church is really well taken.
And upsetting.
February 20, 2024
If you love logical fallacies, you will ADORE this book! Scott Coley runs through how to recognize all the different logical fallacies that Christian nationalists use to defend their power--and once you see it, you can't unsee it.
This book will make you feel smarter just having read it. Plus it's really funny in parts! Because you have to laugh or you would cry.
His call for justice as our answer is so clear, compelling, and right.
This book will make you feel smarter just having read it. Plus it's really funny in parts! Because you have to laugh or you would cry.
His call for justice as our answer is so clear, compelling, and right.
November 5, 2024
A book that was really on my wavelength. Scott M. Coley, given his background in philosopher thinking, breaks down a lot of the theological and political paradigms of the religious right and provides some other ways of thinking about justice and ordering society. He especially critiques young earth creationism and gendered hierarchies. A fascinating book that is inteilligent and engaging for the average reader. Highly recommended.
April 28, 2025
I'd really put it somewhere in between a 3 and 4... It was a good read, but focused quite a bit on creation science. I loved the analysis, but would've preferred that the critiques of creation science just be a separate book rather than taking up so much of this one. Scott did a great job of breaking down aspects of Evangelical culture and pointing out the flaws in the arguments. I was hoping to see more of that across a few more topics. :) Hope he comes out with a part two to this book!!
July 19, 2024
Really enjoyed this. This is the stuff I needed to hear [redacted] years ago when college had me questioning whether my Ken Ham books were worth keeping. (They weren’t.) I appreciated clear definitions of terms, easy-to-grasp examples, and admirably measured critiques of a movement that seems increasingly unmeasured.
January 3, 2025
Coley’s book is excellent, though not what I was expecting. It’s academic-level writing, with tightly-drawn philosophical arguments throughout. Coley is at his best explaining how political conservatism and the branch of evangelicalism it intertwines deny the very claims they purport to make. And, there’s a lot of his best herein.
June 10, 2025
Critiques on modern Christian conservatism often fall short without a thorough examination through a philosophical lens, which Scott does masterfully here. I really enjoyed this book and both the history and notable figures that brought us to our current moment of Christian nationalism. I highly recommend!
September 29, 2025
Coley not only writes about the danger and perversion of National Christianity, he goes deep into the their misuse and misinterpretation of the Bible. He shows how their want for power has caused them to ignore the virtuous part of Christianity.
Currently reading
January 9, 2025This is one I need to continue working my way through. It's a lot to digest, but often offers a helpful perspective on evangelicalism.
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