In Guns We Trust: The Unholy Trinity of White Evangelicals, Politics, and Firearms

by William J. Kole

In this unsettling investigation into white evangelicals' fusion of the gospel and guns, veteran journalist William J. Kole exposes how some Christians are standing in the way of reasonable restrictions on firearms--and how it makes us all less safe.

On the evening that the bass player on his worship team casually showed him his handgun, the author's world shifted. In that moment, Kole--who was the AP's New England bureau chief when a gunman massacred twenty-six people at Sandy Hook Elementary--knew he had to figure out what was going on.

Why were white evangelicals more likely than other Americans to own a weapon? What made them treat the Second Amendment as if it were God-breathed? And how did his own faith, rooted in Jesus's call to turn the other cheek, get hijacked?

In the pages of In Guns We Trust, Kole looks at the unholy alliance between white evangelicals, guns, and politics. Writing in the tradition of Tim Alberta and Kristin Kobes du Mez, he takes us into sanctuaries where worshippers raise hands and pack heat; to a rural church that does outreach through target practice with assault rifles; and into the lucrative gun-making industry, in which evangelicals play an outsized role. He introduces us to global Christians who can't imagine owning firearms and dissidents in the US who are working for change--including activists beating guns into garden tools, and nuns who bought company stock so they could sue a gun manufacturer.

Our nation is awash in more guns than citizens. With meticulous research, humanizing interviews, and immersive narrative, Kole pulls back the curtain on the locked-and-loaded Christianity that got us here. Ignoring gun-toting believers, Kole argues, means the violence will continue. But when intentional conversation and faithful resistance bear fruit, peace may yet prevail.

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion, Politics, Crime

288 pages, Hardcover

Published October 14, 2025

About the author

William J. Kole is an editor for Axios and an award-winning veteran journalist who has reported from North America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. He has served as Vienna bureau chief for The Associated Press and also as New England bureau chief. A former lay missionary for the Assemblies of God and worship leader at evangelical churches in Europe and around New England, he served as board president of Dorcas USA, an international Christian relief and development agency. Kole is the author of The Big 100, which Jane Goodall called "stimulating and inspiring."

William J. Kole, the grandson of a woman who lived a few months shy of 104, has been writing about extreme longevity since the 1990s, when he was based in Paris and told the world the extraordinary story of Jeanne Calment, who lived to 122. His many awards include one from the Society of American Business Editors & Writers for an investigation into the exploitation of undocumented immigrants by the Walmart retail chain. He speaks French, Dutch, and German, and resides in Warwick, Rhode Island.

Reviews

[Clif Hostetler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book examines the subject of guns in America with particular emphasis focused on the segment of American citizens who self identify as white evangelicals and who also have the highest rate of gun ownership of any other segment of American society. They are also the most loyal supporters of politicians who resist “common sense” gun laws. This book explores the history of many of these evangelical groups and tries to see why and how these believers "traded pacifism for pistols" and came to view the Second Amendment as "God-breathed.”

The author reports on his various visits to churches on both sides of the issue of gun ownership. Some of the churches he visits consider gun ownership as integral to their faith and are using shooting ranges to share their beliefs and grow their churches. One church even had a shooting range on their property. There was also a visit to a manufactures of AR-15 style assault rifles that publicly advertise themselves to be a Christian-owned company.

He also tells how other countries have responded to instances of mass shootings by passing laws to restrict gun availability to the public and subsequently their instances of gun violence have been greatly reduced. It is interesting to note that evangelical Christian communities in other countries have generally supported stricter gun laws unlike their American compatriots.

The author also reports on what others in the United States are doing to get firearms off the streets and suggests specific steps that can be taken toward treating gun availability as more of a public health challenge than a public safety crisis.

While reading this book I kept hoping to find a succinct explanation as to why a group that identifies as "Christian" would adopt gun culture as part of their self-identity. There are scattered comments throughout the book that sort of hint at an answer, but not as succinctly as I would have wished. I have pulled out the following excerpts from Chapter 7 to give part of an answer.

Evangelicalism has become a political monoculture, …
... ... ...
In an elaborately constructed echo chamber of their own making, pro-gun evangelicals and the Christian nationalist policymakers they keep electing repeat spiritual and political narratives that are virtually indistinguishable.

My interpretation based on these excerpts and other comments in the book is that generally speaking American evangelicals have allowed secular cultural associations to infiltrate their religion. It has become a mono-culture that has incorporated a mixture of American nationalism, racial fears, and conservative politics into their self-identity. Gun culture for some strange psychological and sociological reason has become part of that combination of influences and evangelicals have made their religion fit this view of life.

The book impressed me as containing well written coverage of the subject, and it's coming from an author who in the past has been a member of the white evangelical community and is able to speak their language and question their apparent ability to ignore certain portions of the teachings of Jesus (e.g. The Sermon on the Mount).

I had access to a prepublication ebook edition of this book using the NetGalley Reader.

Postscript Sept. 16, 2025:
I've just noticed this Time Magazine Article titled "The Deadly Paradox of American Gun Violence" which contains the following excerpt:

On one hand, the country is safer from violent crime than at any point in the last 50 years. On the other, America is more vulnerable to spectacular, devastating acts of mass violence ...

[Scott Rhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever I get into an argument about guns with a gun-nut (I live in Ohio, so this scenario is fairly common), I like to drop in a hypothetical question that tends to, more often than not, drive them nuts: "If it was scientifically proven that we could save about 100,000 lives a year if you, personally, would hand in all of the weapons you own, would you do it?" It's kind of funny (and a bit sad) how awkward and uncomfortable the question makes them. Equally sad is the bevy of non-answers and ridiculous responses they give. Seriously, try it at work or a party sometime, if you ever meet a gun-nut espousing their gun-jollies.

The truly sad thing is, the question isn't even that hypothetical. According to 2023 statistics, 46,728 died from gun violence that year, over half (58%) were gun suicides. (https://www.pewresearch.org/short-rea...) So, hypothetically, if even a majority of gun-owners willingly gave up their arsenals, literally thousands of lives might be saved.



But U.S. gun-owners are fanatical about their guns. It's an unhealthy and addictive obsession, according to many mental health experts, and it all stems from irrational fears of a (completely baseless) potential confiscation of weapons by the government, a (completely baseless) rise in violent crime, and a racist belief that an influx of minority immigrants are flooding this country to do God-knows-what to you and your family.



While not that surprising (especially if you, like me, live in a red state), data shows that a vast majority of gun-owners and gun-lovers in this country are white and Evangelical Christians. (https://prri.org/spotlight/the-gun-ow...)



William J. Kole's "In Guns We Trust" is a well-researched and objective look at a major problem with a growing percentage of white Christians: an idolatrous worship of guns and gun culture. These are people who view the Second Amendment in the same worshipful way that they view the Bible.

It is this disturbing aspect that led Kole---still a devout Christian---to no longer consider himself an evangelical, and it's also part of the reason so many Christians are leaving the church and/or repudiating their faith.



There are a lot of powerful statistics throughout Kole's book, but the most impactful parts of his book are the many interviews he has with pastors and congregants of churches where "packing heat" is not only acceptable but almost mandatory at church services. These are, to Kole, good and decent people who have this incredibly skewed and disturbing belief that worshipping guns is something that Jesus himself would be okay with, contradictory scriptural evidence notwithstanding.

This book is highly recommended to anyone who feels that gun violence is a serious problem in this country, and that we need to fight for common sense gun laws, which means voting NRA-backed politicians out who are adding to the problem.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published October 14, 2025.

4.5 stars

This book is singular because the author himself was an evangelical Christian (I’m not sure whether he still classifies himself as such anymore, though I get the sense he may, at least to some degree, in spite of the gun divide.) While evangelicals are more likely than other Americans to have a gun, isn’t this at odds with their pro-Jesus, do-no-harm stance? Kole argues that it is and examines the ways in which the movement turned to guns and the insidious ways they are marketed to the group. The book is filled with good statistics and even, dare I say it, a smidgen of hope for the future.

[ADruidReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Your Piece or your Peace? Can you have both? This book is exactly what you think it is when you look at the title: how can evangelicals, especially in the US, entrenched in gun culture; how did this happen; and why is it seemingly impossible to change? I urge you to give it a chance. If you are an Evangelical Christian perhaps this can strengthen your cause or perhaps, the author hopes, it may lead you to some soul searching that could change your view--even if it for something like universal background checks or something "seemingly minor." If you are a Progressive Christian, you may find yourself feeling more sure and empowered as to not being able to reconcile Christianity and gun culture. If you are neither of these things, I think this gives you a great lens to examine this and better understand the world around you--maybe even giving you the tools to go forth and do more for change. I love the perspective of this author given he was an Evangelical, is a Christian (how that changed over time) AND he is a journalist with a strong and skillful background. The tone of this book is that of a journalist in that there is a conversational tone, facts and figures easy to digest, and many conversations on both sides of the topic: gun loving evangelicals, progressive Christians and just people who are scratching their heads from the outside. I highlighted more in this book than I have in many books before because the facts and figures were extremely meaningful to me. I kind of don't want to even share a sampling here because I hope you'll read this whole book and take it all in versus a little snippet. You learn about other countries actions around gun control, their perspectives and, most interestingly to me, people who are out there turning guns that may take lives into tools that sustain lives. I wasn't sure I wanted to read this because I feel a bit numb in today's world with all the news coming at us, but what could a world be like with less mass shootings, less school shootings, less violence? Does this give you all the answers? No, but it paves a path forward looking at beliefs, power structures and avenues for change. Happy I delved in.

[Elizabeth Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. The blurb describes this book as writing in the tradition of Kristin Kobes du Mez and Tim Alberta, and I couldn't agree more. A great addition to the literature on the connection between white evangelicals and political extremism.

In "In Guns We Trust," Kole describes the connections between the "unholy trinity" of white evangelicals, politics, and firearms. Kole served as the AP New England bureau chief at the time of the Sandy Hook shooting and attended a church where carrying was common, so he is familiar with all sides of the issue. In researching this book, he traveled to rural Southern churches with shooting ranges on their property, interviewed firearms manufacturers, and talked with members of a ministry transforming guns into garden tools. I really appreciated Kole's depth of research and willingness to sit down and have a conversation even with those he vehemently disagrees with. I did walk away from this book with some hope in our country's ability to end gun violence and the potential role the church could play in making that happen.

My only critique (if you could even call it that), is that the people who I think need to read this book most probably won't pick it up. I knew I would agree with the message before I even picked it up, but I don't know how best to get other people to pick it up. Kole's approach is great and a lot can be learned if one is just willing to listen.

Thank you to Broadleaf Books for an advanced copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

I didn't expect this book to be such a timely read (I started it the day after the Kirk assassination and Evergreen shooting), but perhaps I should have, given how often mass shootings happen in the US. This is precisely the problem that gave rise to Kole's book, which explores how and why guns have become so intertwined with white evangelical Christianity.

Kole is an exvangelical Christian and a former AP reporter, which makes him perhaps the perfect person to investigate this topic. The book centers around interviews with a variety of figures, from evangelical gun owners and manufacturers to gun reform advocates, and is backed up with plenty of sources.

This was a tough read for me, as I think it would be for most anyone. As Kole points out, a majority of American adults have been, or know someone who has been, affected by gun violence. I'm no exception: I grew up in Colorado, which meant Columbine was mentioned frequently both in church and at school; there was also a shooting at my university the year before I arrived, when my cousin was still a student there.

On an even deeper level, this book helped me to understand why, exactly, the people at my old evangelical church (and even, unfortunately, at my current Catholic parish) are so enamored of firearms. I remember greeting a friend at church the Sunday after Obama was elected, only to be told that he was going to "take all our guns!" I was eleven, my friend was several years younger, but even at that age the adults had instilled this fear in many of my peers.

And this is Kole's thesis: that evangelical support for guns is rooted in more than just the Second Amendment--it's rooted in fear. The cycle self-perpetuates as the number of guns and the number of shootings in America grow year by year. I felt hopeless at times while reading, but Kole also provides reasons for hope: that through dialogue and activism, we can eventually be a nation with common-sense gun laws, where Christians are known for their love rather than their fear. It's hard to cling to this hope right now, especially in the face of the current administration, but the stories of Christians across denominations and political parties who are now working for gun reform is inspiring.

Thank you to Broadleaf Books and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachel Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know what to tell you, this is important. Having the unique perspective of someone who has lived among the community of Evangelical gun-owning Christians, makes it more valuable, I think.

[always reading ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars
"Violence, not Christianity, is the real religion of America."

This was an absolutely fascinating read that is well written and thoroughly researched. It was packed with facts and information while also being extremely entertaining. There are perspectives not only from different sides of the argument in America but also from different countries, which offers an extremely wide variety of opinions. I found it even more interesting because even though I'm an atheist, I grew up in an evangelical church. Overall I thought this was an excellent book.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well researched and written, this book authored by a former Evangelical is so insightful into the reverence and worship Evangelicals give to guns. As a non-gun owner or Evangelical, I have long been mystified by these two groups’ belief in the sanctity of guns. This book helps unlock what’s behind this and offers ways people can fight against some of it. And the tone is not angry, rather it points out how people in this ethos perhaps misinterpret the message of the Bible. Highly recommend. I would like to thank the publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishers, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Jill Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fascinating! I was drawn to the cover with its fabulous imagery, and the compelling nature of the blurb drew me further in. Kole's writing style is engaging and conversational and his perplexity is apparent on every page. I found the idea of a lapsed-evangelical exploring the relationship between extreme versions of Christianity and gun possession (obsession?) to be both timely and fascinating to explore.

I enjoyed the presentation of facts and perspectives, and particularly enjoyed reading about international responses to gun ownership, control, and violence. At times, the book did feel a little repetitive - each chapter addresses a distinctive issue but his overwhelming confusion as to how Christianity, with its focus on non-violence, and Second Amendment/gun advocacy are so often melded together is a pervasive theme in each section as well. On the whole though, this was a thoughtful presentation that I found compelling and informative.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.

[Cheryl R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a disturbing, deeply insightful exploration of the alignment of Christian churches, particularly the evangelical ones, with the ride or die pro-gun platform. Kole, an evangelical himself, is not dismissive of all those Americans who possess guns out of fear; whether that fear is of becoming victims themselves, a perception of the vulnerability of their families, or their fear of the government. He makes very convincing arguments that Christians should be putting their faith in the Beatitudes rather than in the Second Amendment.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought long and hard before picking up this book. Sun Tzu wrote in the Art of War that it is important to “Know the enemy and know yourself.” Tzu’s work is another that is not in my wheelhouse but his sentiment is applicable to much more than war.

To put my review into context; I am a vegetarian, a pacifist, and an atheist. I have never even touched a gun. Despite that, I understand that there are those who are not in the military yet feel they want and need to have guns in their lives. Camping in remote places, hunting food for your family, and target shooting are some that come to my mind. But the majority of gun deaths in this country are not due to these people. The ones I worry about are those who stockpile guns, that sleep with them under their pillows, and that cannot leave their home without a gun strapped to their side.

While William Kole returns to the issue of the second amendment several times in this book, his main focus is the issue of highly religious christians who worship guns. Coming from an evangelical background and clearly being an individual who deeply believes in a Christian god, Kole is the right author to take on this topic. As he puts it, how can those who state they are believers in “the god of peace” carry guns into their churches.

Kole goes deep into his subject interviewing a wide range of believers with guns. He travels around the United States meeting with individuals, groups, church leaders, and more trying to understand their logic. Underlying so many of these interviews is a deep fear, the belief that you must always be armed in order to protect yourself and your family from the constant dangers in this country. Of course, statistically it has been clearly shown that having a gun, particularly in your house, makes you less safe, by a very large margin.

Other countries, after mass shootings, have managed to regulate guns. In fact, every other country that has enacted gun legislation after a mass shooting has nearly eradicated such tragic events. But, every effort to do so in the USA runs headlong into the second amendment.

I hated reading nearly every page in this book. The exception was the section about the groups who have taken a page from the Book of Isaiah and are, literally, beating guns into farm tools. The rest of this book made me angry, confused, frustrated, and depressed. Despite that, I am glad I read it. I believe, as I said in the beginning, Cole has done an excellent job of helping me to better know the enemy and know myself.

[Mariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Canadian and a former church attendee- I read this with both an understanding of church idolization, and arms-length confusion. The number of times I had to take a step back from the writing to think - what the actual f–? And what are you protecting yourself from?

William J. Kole has a compelling way of writing that was on the one hand essayist, and neutral, and yet had a way of drawing out the facts that made some of my initial note-taking a rant (a tactical backpack for teachers, concealed carry in Bible cases, I can see Jesus tossing the tables in the market place now).

While Kole notes that Christian nationalists refuse to recognize that anything is wrong with America, statistics show that gun violence is the highest in the United States (especially southern states); guns are predominantly manufactured in the states and illegally shipped into other countries; and people keep buying guns to “protect” themselves - the author also notes that the snake is eating its own head. This self-inflicted cycle of gun violence can only be stopped by those perpetrating the act, but can’t because white evangelicals lack any sense of existential distress because - in their minds - they’re saved, regardless of their actions. Corruption can continue as long as they show up on Sundays. I can’t stop.

I commend the author for writing such a piece to elicit this emotion. It pissed me off. It educated me. This book is highly relevant and informative; providing reflective and detailed interviews with varied individuals across political spectrums. I appreciate the insight and neutrality of Kole and the willingness of the author to approach such an intense subject.

Thank you to NetGalley and Broadleaf Books for this well-written, high quality and frustrating book.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author has an evangelical background and investigates evangelicals for their strong affinity for guns which along with capital punishment, etc. seems at odds with their pro-life, life is sacred stance.

Politically, the evangelicals among whom I used to find a home are a force to be reckoned with. Multiple surveys show 80 percent of evangelicals faithfully vote, making them far and away the most dependable electoral bloc in the nation. Their numbers and their turnout have cemented their status as influencers and kingmakers in presidential elections and congressional midterms alike. It's difficult to win the White House without the blessing of the religious right, and in red states, it's practically impossible to gain or defend a US House or Senate seat without their backing.

There are Christians bucking the trend and one such activist is highlighted in "Guns made me leave the evangelical church. When will the church leave guns?" behing a paywall at The Boston Globe.

Just look at Jesus, she finds herself pleading: "Everything the Prince of Peace says about violence, about how we respond to violence-how, when somebody brings out a sword, he says, 'No, don't do that' is turn the other cheek. But once again, these people are more concerned about unborn babies than they are about living children. I would put the American flag, Donald Trump, and guns as a shibboleth of evangelical American Christianity that has absolutely nothing to do with the gospel. And yet guns have just become so interwoven."

While the stance of the evangelicals and the existence of staunch opposers to easy access to AR-15s does not surprise me, probably the most interesting parts here are how interviewed people outside this nation, including evangelicals, on multiple continents are appalled at American gun culture and the frequency of mass shootings, especially of children.

[Patricia Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have long thought at thoughts and prayers are not the way to solve gun violence. there should be one way to start thinking about solving this. I do think that no one, other than military and police, need an assault weapon. what is the purpose of having this in a private home? Also, can there be at least a waiting period before you can take your weapon home? what can happen in a two week period that would necessitate you having a gun. How many children are we willing to be killed so that the gun owner can operate under the Second Admentment of protection of self and family? the book makes a point that with all the weapons America should be the safest place to live. However, that is not the case.

[Abigail Henrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an important book. There has been much written about the gun crisis in America, but as far as I know as a progressive Christian minister nothing has been written about the connection between guns and white evangelicals. This is a dirty and important secret that must be addressed. And Kole does it clearly in this book. Perhaps best of all, he does not just uncover the unholy trinity of guns, white evangelicals, and politics, but ALSO offers hope and stories of religious folks doing really good work to address the gun crisis in our country.

[Deni Deyonker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well researched and fair presentation not only of gun use in America, but more specifically, the relationship of white, Evangelical Christians and their relationship to God and Guns. It's thought provoking and worth reading. William Kole takes us to different parts of the world including various parts of the US and talks to real people as he grapples with his fellow Christians continued use of firearms. He begs the question, is gun ownership and use truly compatible with their relationship to Jesus and Christian values? Check it out.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate that he wrote this book, and it was readable but somewhat repetitive. I wish there had been more ideas about how things could change.

[Peter Z. · Rating 1 out of 5]

🚮

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

genuinely incredibly interesting

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

reading this was unbelievably depressing esp as i was reading it the mass shootings at brown university and in australia occurred