The Judas Effect: How Evangelicals Betrayed Jesus for Power

by Amy Hawk

In 2016, Amy Hawk was a hyper-patriotic, Jesus-loving, white, evangelical, church-attending, and ministry-leading wife and mom living in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. She came into the election determined to vote Republican, but when she saw the video of Donald Trump mocking a disabled journalist, she hurled herself off the Trump train and never looked back. Shunned by some in her conservative evangelical community, her world was shattered and her faith tested as she was forced to reevaluate the Christian institutions she devoted her life to. Disoriented and confused by the church’s embrace of a man who is the antithesis of Jesus, Hawk turned to the Scriptures for answers.

Part Bible study and part personal faith journey, The Judas Effect is about the selling out of Christian values for political gain. It’s about how, buoyed by Trumpism, the message ringing from church bells across America has morphed from “goodwill toward men” to “it’s us against them.” By sharing her own faith crisis, Hawk casts a vision for the evangelical church that steers us away from Judas’s power lust, toward a Christ-centered mission of servitude, humility, compassion, and kindness.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics

172 pages, Paperback

Published June 20, 2024

Reviews

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biblical look at the Spiritual Battle happening now in the USA

If you’ve had a difficult time reconciling how so many rational intelligent Christians could vote for for a convicted felon, who lies constantly, bullies people, says vile things about women, makes fun of the disabled, and shows no love, empathy or compassion, then this is the book for you.
This book examines how Christians are specifically targeted by the “devil in a blue suit”. And how Christians are especially vulnerable to this kind of spiritual attack. This book tells us how a charismatic leader has hijacked the evangelical church, and sullied their witness and reputation. It examines the verses in the Bible that warn Christians of the temptation to put their faith in a person, instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to help them see the hold this deceitful man has on them and their church. Amy Hawk does a wonderful job walking through the symptoms of spiritual attack and how spiritual battle can distort perception. And how voting for policy and party, over looking at the character of the person representing policy and party, is aligning with evil. She also speaks to the similarities of the current anti immigration rhetoric and Hitler’s anti Jew propaganda. She writes about the kind of personality that is able to influence large a number of people to disregard their compassion and kindness. Both Trump and Hitler have this kind of personality.
I often wonder how Hitler was allowed to rise to power, and what the good people of Germany could have done to stop him before so much evil was unleashed in our world. I’m sure the good people of Germany were feeling the same angst, and anxiety I’m feeling as I watch friends and family members endorse a deceitful man with no moral compass. I’m able to see how this happens, as Amy walks us through the process. What she didn’t say was how we can help our family and friends who are mesmerized by Trump, without arguing and causing strife in the relationship. Is there a way out of the Trump cult? Is there anything Trump could say or do, to break the hold he has on them? The unconditional support for any politician, or any human is baffling. Thank you Amy for helping me be more compassionate toward the people who follow Trump, and how many good, rational, Christians are being deceived by evil, and are under spiritual attack, and cannot see clearly.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first heard of Amy Hawk when I started watching YouTube videos by Dr. Cliff DK Kelly. I have been trying to understand the Christian Church's fascination with Donald Trump for eight years now. This book is the best attempt so far (to me) that explains and exposes the insidious cancer running through the Christian Nationalism church.

A quote from PG 116:

"Our salt is heavily contaminated by a pursuit of power. It tastes and smells rancid, because we have devoted ourselves to following conservative podcasters and commentators, instead of following Christ. In many cases, we have absorbed their attitudes of snarkiness and antagonism instead of Christ's attitude of gentleness and humility. We've meditated in their strategies for "owning the libs", instead of meditating on the Sermon on the Mount. The deafening cacophony of political noise has drowned out the soft whisper of the Holy Spirit."

A solid 4.5 stars

[Rachel Chrestman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most relatable book I’ve read in a long time.

[Vicki Tillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This would be an excellent book for evangelicals to read, and for anyone trying to understand evangelicals in today's world.

[Kathi Roach · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️ I came across Amy on Instagram which led me to finding her book. Amy’s story parallels my own in many ways. Right down to the same time frame. In a day and age where I feel like an outsider in my own home “the American church” Amy feels like the friend I’ve been searching for. More so, she is intelligent and gentle with her words. Much like Amy, I’ve found myself at first dumbfounded, later horrified, and finally resolute on living my truth. Regardless of who leaves my life as a result. Jesus is love. As I drift from the church I once loved, I’ve discovered Jesus stands strong. He is unchanging. As is his message. Although, my church has never preached politics from the pulpit, many Christians sitting in the pews are ardent supporters of Trump.
Once again, as with Bob Woodward’s book Peril, I doubt the people who need to read this book will do so. I pray they will.

[Sophie Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a bold book and I loved the majority of the points made. However, some points may have been taken a tad too far and some scriptures (in my opinion) were taken slightly out of context. I also pay a lot of attention to my emotions when reading books, and this book made me feel anger and frustration towards Trump-loving Christians, which I don’t think is healthy. I want to be unified with and loving towards all my brothers and sisters in Christ! Overall grateful for the author’s willingness to be so brutally honest!

[Karen Rubican · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read.

[Maryann Jorissen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The premise of the book is to display and analyze how the evangelical church (mostly white) have hitched their collective wagon to Christian Nationalism, and how that compares to actual Biblical teachings. I could give a multitude of examples from my generous highlights among the pages. But I think a summary could best be given by saying this: Evangelicals, with their allegiance to Trump, are showing everything that Jesus’s teachings are not. More kindness and love today is being shown in the current secular world than in the evangelical world, and generations will turn away from the church for this reason. Can’t say as I blame them 🤷‍♀️.

[Cheryl Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have struggled to comprehend why some Christians choose to follow an individual I perceive as deeply flawed. This book aims to shed light on this issue and offers hope that more people will recognize the need to distance themselves from what feels like a cult-like evangelical church.

I would like to extend my gratitude to Amy Hawk for sharing her experiences, insights, and prayers. Your contributions have been incredibly beneficial to me.

[Shannon Schimke · Rating 5 out of 5]

All Christians who voted for and continue to support Donald Trump absolutely need to read this. He is a wolf in fake sheep's clothing. The evidence is all there.

[Jennifer Sweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent read, though difficult to get through in light of the fact that the enemy has won again. I live in an area surrounded by Christian Nationalism, which goes against everything I’ve been taught and come to know about Jesus as a lifelong follower. It was especially nice to hear the authors perspective was coming from a conservative Republican… I miss the days when we can belong to different parties and looks for our similarities more than our differences. Amy Hawk does an incredible job of making her point, packed with evidence and biblical support. Highly recommend this book to everyone and especially those who follow Jesus… I wish it would cause some who have traded Jesus for America to recognize how far they have strayed from His teachings… but it takes a lot for people to leave a cult.

[Margaret Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an extremely current read. It’s about current events. It’s about Donald Trump. It’s about white evangelical Christians who believe and follow Donald Trump. This is written by a white, evangelical Christian woman who found it necessary to leave the church because of what she calls, Trumpism. It’s an extremely interesting read, and it’s filled with facts. It speaks of Donald Trump from his presidency in 2016 to his pre-President elect status 2024. I followed her on TikTok, as she continued to speak out against this horrible man. I too left the church, but was lucky enough to find a new place to belong. A new church, who accepted the outcasts, or those who no longer fit (if they did at all) in the mainstreamed Americanized Christian Church.

[Joelle Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I loved getting to read a book where I kept agreeing with what she said. White evangelicals have the eyes of history watching them closely, and I want to be a part of the group that chose life for all, and love as Christ as loved me. His kingdom is for the lost and least of these; to be a leader in the Kingdom of God is to be a SERVANT!

[Tartan Collier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amy Hawk compares Donald Trump to the standard set forth in Scripture. He is not just found “falling short”; he is in fact the antithesis of what a Christian should be. And as one of the other reviewers said, it’s a shame that the people who really need this book the most will never read it.

[Fernanda Lima · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read!

[Betsy Brewster · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, having had a similar experience, it was preaching to the choir. Good message and written pretty well.

[Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

Review of The Judas Effect by Amy Hawk

I listened to Amy Hawk on The New Evangelicals podcast and read her book The Judas Effect—and I have serious concerns. First, neither Amy nor the podcast host Tim (who admits he has no theological education or degree) are qualified to make sweeping judgments about the evangelical church, let alone brand Trump supporters as blind or deceived. Yet that’s exactly what they do, speaking with an air of authority while lacking biblical depth and scholarly grounding.

Amy claims to speak for the “white evangelical church,” but how can she possibly speak on behalf of thousands of diverse congregations based on her personal experience in one or two churches? That’s not data—that’s anecdote. She projects her own disillusionment onto an entire movement, and then positions herself as some kind of spiritual whistleblower.

Worse, she accuses Trump of embodying “anti-Christ” traits, based on cherry-picked Scripture and emotional reactions. Yes, Trump is flawed—as are all leaders, past and present. But Christians are not supporting Trump as their pastor. They support him as a president who, unlike many before him, actually enacted policies aligned with biblical values: defending life, protecting religious liberty, and standing against globalist ideologies. These things matter.

It’s deeply ironic: Amy critiques evangelicals for allegedly idolizing Trump, while she and Tim build an entire platform—book, podcast, and all—on criticizing him. They’ve simply traded one perceived idol for another: their own deconstructionist narrative.

Let’s be honest. Books get written for many reasons. One of them is money. Another is platform building. Amy Hawk has found her niche—hurt and disillusionment packaged as prophetic critique—and she’s capitalizing on it. But emotion isn’t exegesis, and trauma isn’t theology.

Her book does not build up the Church—it tears it down. It does not offer deep biblical engagement—it relies on sweeping generalizations and popular anti-Trump sentiment. It is not a prophetic call to repentance—it’s a personal vent dressed in spiritual language.

I for one won’t stay silent while Scripture is misused and fellow believers are misrepresented. There is a better way to engage: biblically, with humility, and with truth. This book doesn’t do that.

[Mary T · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was drawn to this on my mother-in-law's end table. We have both been appalled at how many of our Christian brothers and sisters have rallied around Trump (and in this book, he is referred to as a "former president" but by now we all know that he made his way into office again). In many ways, this shed light on this whole phenomenon unfolding. I also appreciated reading about the author's experience in the church (I so can relate!). In some ways, this book is kind of preaching to the choir because the people who read it are probably the ones who already agree with her basic premise. I did have a hard time following the organization of the book. Seemed to jump around and circle back and follow no logical order. Some chapters were several pages long and some only a few.

In many ways, the book was kind of a downer with how bad things have become in America. But at the end, she did offer reason to hope for change in the evangelical church. "If we respond rightly to God, the church's greatest days are ahead of her. A broken church, a humble church, a church on her knees, casting down every idol of control and fear and quest for worldly dominance could be a glorious thing."

"With the casting down of idols and the return to God's actual presence and power, we really can be a light to the world. We are never going to agree on every issue, but we can agree, in our relationships with one another, to 'have the same mindset as Christ Jesus,' which is to choose humility, tenderness, and compassion...From sea to shining sea, a wave of nation-wide repentance sweeping across the evangelical church in America could actually lead to a real revival marked by humility."

Also, "sometimes we forget that it is his actual presence and power that transforms us. And it is his presence working through us that will change the world." Amen. May it be so.

[Cristiano · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was very hard for me to read this book, and by that I mean I almost gave up on it. Not because it’s bad, but precisely because it’s a raw denunciation of this unbelievable, promiscuous support Evangelicals give to Donald Trump: a “Judas way of being”.

Amy Hawk voices what I felt over the last few years: the feeling of betrayal, the rage, the sadness. She doesn’t consider herself part of the Evangelical fold anymore, and likewise I don’t either—not only because of Trump, but he’s a big part of the reason. In any case, both of us didn’t give up on holding to Christ as our strength in these mas times when things are upside down.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this time of political chaos and so many believing Trump was anointed by God this is a book that will compel Evangelicals to sit down with God’s Word and see the damage and danger he is to our faith. The things he says and does “ in the name of Jesus” are totally contradictory to the teachings of Jesus. White Evangelical Christians have fallen for a “power trip.” Christian nationalism, bigotry, hatred, vengeance, etc. are not pleasing to God. I believe we have lost our witness to the world and it will take great humility and repentance to regain any credibility with the world.

[Lori Franco · Rating 5 out of 5]

How I learned what changed in me.

This book helped me understand Christian Nationalism and why I felt so out of place more and more. As Trump continues to lie, belittle, name call, and remove financial programs that serve the poor, children and elderly, as he continues to fan the flames of violence and uses the National Guard to kidnap people and deport them, I now have the understanding of where we are today and why.

[Joan Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Awakening

I was led to this book by the Holy Spirit to clear away the fog and to help me understand why my Spirit was groaning under the weight of the fake, aka "Christian" movement. The light has turned on. This book is well written, and the references are all in place. Humble yourself and read it. Your thoughts, your heart, and your life will change. It will help you understand how the rest of the world sees our country and the pseudo christian movement.

[XOX · Rating 1 out of 5]

Falls short in getting in right. The whole bookclub is oppressing to everyone who is not men.
https://www.alternet.org/trump-evange...

[Dianne Radford · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not worth the $24 I paid for it on Amazon. And not worth donating it to a library, or gifting to a friend. I tossed it in the trash. It's just not a substantial book for the price. Not well written, too much personal information, i.e. dog being sick, etc. There may have been one good paragraph. I give Amy Hawk one star for approaching such an important subject.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exceptional dive into what I view as the ultimate betrayal of our time, the author has lived it and speaks from a place of still being engaged in organized religion, which I think is very unique. I plan to send this to family in hopes they’ll read and share amongst them to better understand my worries and frustrations over the past decade, better supported by scripture.

[Luis Perez · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up.

Nice read that hits really close to home. I was hoping this book would talk more about what Christ centered living could look like post church/party exodus, but that looks like that’s still the journey today for a lot of us.

[Amy B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve ever felt completely baffled by the acceptance of Trump’s behavior by Christians, this book is for you. He’s a despicable human, and his actions should not at all be condoned by Christians. This book validated my feelings.

[Norman Sieweke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truth be Told

Thought provoking and hard hitting. A book for all people who love Jesus and want to remain true to his teachings. Thank you Amy for your honest portrayal of the broken church in America. Your final words are encouraging. We all should hold fast to Him!

[Risha Ruano · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the integration of scripture and Christian principles throughout the book to be encouraging and affirming. Amy lays out her case fairly well but doesn’t really provide much guidance on how to combat “lust for power.” I think this maybe helpful to people who feel irked about our current state of politics/administration but do not know how to formulate their reason behind their disapproval.

[Elizabeth Madeira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is heartbreaking but an important read for Christians