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Hostile Environment: Understanding and Responding to Anti-Christian Bias
"The only good Christian is a dead Christian." In our heated cultural environment, comments like this are increasingly common. Sometimes Christians are too quick to claim that they are being persecuted. But Christians aren't just being paranoid or alarmist. Anti-Christian hostility is real. Sociologist George Yancey explores the phenomenon of Christianophobia, an intense animosity against Christians and the Christian faith. Among some circles, opposition to Christianity manifests much like other historic prejudices like anti-Semitism or racial discrimination. While Christianophobia in the United States does not typically rise to the violent levels of religious persecution in other parts of the world, Christians are often still treated in ways that perpetuate negative stereotypes and contribute to culture war acrimony. Yancey unpacks the underlying perspectives and root causes of Christianophobia, and he considers to what extent Christians have themselves contributed to anti-Christian hostility. At times, criticisms of Christians are justified, but Christians can confront untruths without capitulation. In this truthful yet hope-filled treatise, Yancey shows how Christians can respond more constructively, defusing tensions and working toward the common good.
193 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 29, 2015
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June 23, 2015
American Christians are oft too quick to cry persecution. The hot anger and violence that Christians across the world face is far more serious than anything suffered in this nation; however as sociologist George Yancey demonstrates,there is a growing anti-Christian bias. Yancey explores this anti-Christian bias in Hostile Environment. He calls this Christianophobia and identifies it as a very real phenomenon that Christians need to contend with. Christians with a traditional, conservative bent will wrestle more directly with this.
Yancey is a Christian academic at a secular university (University of North Texas). When he was an adjunct professor he taught classes on the sociology of race and the sociology of religion. Some collegues questioned his ability to teach on the sociology of religion given his Christian commitments; however no one questioned his credentials to teach about race, even though he was African American (12). This and other experiences and observation of hostility towards Christians led Yancey to study hostility towards Christians. In So Many Christians, So Few Lions: Is there Christianophobia in the United States? he unfolds the results of his qualitative studies on the anti-Christian bias in American culture (his Appendix in this volume gives a brief explanation of his research methodology).
Yancey finds two big errors in Christian approaches to Christianophobia. The first is to exaggerate it and claim that Christians are being persecuted (24). Christians on the far conservative side of the spectrum tend to this sort of overstatement. The other error is to minimize and ignore Christophobia altogether. (25). This is done especially by more progressive Christians. Yancey advocates a third way. He demonstrates that anti-Christian bias exists, that it is real and measurable, through his research. He wants Christians to respond when and where they are discriminated against and their convictions are maligned; yet he isn't pushing us to dig a trench and prepare for battle. He isn't commending a renewed culture war but a place at the table for respectful dialogue between Christians and non-Christians.
The seven chapters of Hostile Environment catalog and describe the reality of Christianophobia and the response that Yancey advocates. Chapter one forms an introduction. Chapter two describes the roots of Christianophobia (i.e. those who desire change and see Christianity as an enemy, those who feel threatened by Christianity, those who think Christianity poses a threat to religious neutrality). In chapter three, Yancey describes some of the specific grievances his research reveals about people's problem with Christians (i.e. seperation of Church and State, proselytizing, etc). Chapters four and five explore how much Christians are to blame for Christianophobia. Yancey shares the responses of those surveyed who were personally jaded by their interaction with Christians (97) and those who are at loggerheads with Christian 'political' goals (98). He also acknowledges that some of the anti-Christian sentiment is driven by stereotypes from social institutes and the media (101) and the reality of Christian failure to live up to their ideals (106-110). Yancey doesn't absolve Christians of the blame for Christianophobia even if the reality of it exceeds the impact of Christian faiilure to love their neighbors well. Chapters six and seven impart advice on how the church ought to stand up against Christianophobia.
I appreciated the balance that Yancey brought. Christianity is not universally loved by American culture, art, politics or academia, There is animosity and Yancey names it and quantifies it through his research; yet he is careful to not overstate his case. I appreciated his call for a rational, measured and respectful response to anit-Christian bias. I think this makes this a very good book. Nowhere does Yancey tell conservative Christians to abandon their convictions; nevertheless he does help us to have a more magnanimous and courageous response to the wider culture. I give this five stars.
Notice of material connection: I received this book from InterVarsity Press in exchange for my honest review.
Yancey is a Christian academic at a secular university (University of North Texas). When he was an adjunct professor he taught classes on the sociology of race and the sociology of religion. Some collegues questioned his ability to teach on the sociology of religion given his Christian commitments; however no one questioned his credentials to teach about race, even though he was African American (12). This and other experiences and observation of hostility towards Christians led Yancey to study hostility towards Christians. In So Many Christians, So Few Lions: Is there Christianophobia in the United States? he unfolds the results of his qualitative studies on the anti-Christian bias in American culture (his Appendix in this volume gives a brief explanation of his research methodology).
Yancey finds two big errors in Christian approaches to Christianophobia. The first is to exaggerate it and claim that Christians are being persecuted (24). Christians on the far conservative side of the spectrum tend to this sort of overstatement. The other error is to minimize and ignore Christophobia altogether. (25). This is done especially by more progressive Christians. Yancey advocates a third way. He demonstrates that anti-Christian bias exists, that it is real and measurable, through his research. He wants Christians to respond when and where they are discriminated against and their convictions are maligned; yet he isn't pushing us to dig a trench and prepare for battle. He isn't commending a renewed culture war but a place at the table for respectful dialogue between Christians and non-Christians.
The seven chapters of Hostile Environment catalog and describe the reality of Christianophobia and the response that Yancey advocates. Chapter one forms an introduction. Chapter two describes the roots of Christianophobia (i.e. those who desire change and see Christianity as an enemy, those who feel threatened by Christianity, those who think Christianity poses a threat to religious neutrality). In chapter three, Yancey describes some of the specific grievances his research reveals about people's problem with Christians (i.e. seperation of Church and State, proselytizing, etc). Chapters four and five explore how much Christians are to blame for Christianophobia. Yancey shares the responses of those surveyed who were personally jaded by their interaction with Christians (97) and those who are at loggerheads with Christian 'political' goals (98). He also acknowledges that some of the anti-Christian sentiment is driven by stereotypes from social institutes and the media (101) and the reality of Christian failure to live up to their ideals (106-110). Yancey doesn't absolve Christians of the blame for Christianophobia even if the reality of it exceeds the impact of Christian faiilure to love their neighbors well. Chapters six and seven impart advice on how the church ought to stand up against Christianophobia.
I appreciated the balance that Yancey brought. Christianity is not universally loved by American culture, art, politics or academia, There is animosity and Yancey names it and quantifies it through his research; yet he is careful to not overstate his case. I appreciated his call for a rational, measured and respectful response to anit-Christian bias. I think this makes this a very good book. Nowhere does Yancey tell conservative Christians to abandon their convictions; nevertheless he does help us to have a more magnanimous and courageous response to the wider culture. I give this five stars.
Notice of material connection: I received this book from InterVarsity Press in exchange for my honest review.
June 19, 2015
George Yancey, Hostile Environment: Understanding and Responding to Anti-Christian Bias (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books, 2015). Paperback | Kindle
Christianophobia can be defined as “an irrational animosity towards or hatred of Christians, or Christianity in general.” Rupert Shortt used the term to describe the persecution of Christians around the world.[1] In his new book, George Yancey uses it to describe animus against Christians in the United States.
Yancey is professor of sociology at the University of North Texas. In Hostile Environment, he draws on research about Christianophobia published in So Many Christians, So Few Lions: Is There Christianophobia in America , a book he coauthored with David A. Williamson. Using a quantitative approach that measured affection for religious groups, Yancey and Williams determined that only atheists were disliked more than conservative Christians. Using a qualitative approach, they asked “cultural progressive activists” to describe their feelings about conservative Christians, which were typically negative.
Yancey explains the negative feelings these people hold against Christians in terms of “group interest” and “group threat” theories. He writes: “[Cultural progressives] want to shape society in the ways that serve their social and political interest, and see conservative Christians as interfering with their ability to do so.” In the words of one of the activists Yancey and Williamson surveyed, “I wish [conservative Christians] would keep their noses out of science education, sexual health education, abortion clinics, etc…. Let’s discuss reality, not your favorite Sky-Daddy’s personal preferences.”
American Christianophobes do not want to outlaw Christianity or persecute Christians, as happens in varying degrees to Christians around the world. They do want to confine the social influence of conservative Christianity, however. As one activist put it: “Keep your beliefs out of the public arena; they have no place in government. Celebrate your religious choices in your unrestricted houses of worship and let others do the same.” Christianophobes “fear the loss of their rights if Christianity is allowed to flourish.”
Yancey—who is an evangelical Christian—writes candidly that conservative Christians have earned a degree of opprobrium through bad actions. He identifies two “dysfunctions” in particular: (1) “when we clearly violate norms we say we value” and (2) “when Christians try to live out their beliefs but do so in harmful ways.”
But even this concession does not explain the totality of Christianophobia. Yancey notes that many Christianophobes derive their impression of conservative Christians not from personal relationships with them but from media reports about them. “Have never personally met a member of the Christian Right,” one survey respondent wrote. “All my exposure to them and their beliefs has come from television, newspapers, magazines and the Internet. All my exposure to the Christian Right through the media only served to reinforce my negative views of them.” If you dislike a person’s politics and view media that reinforces that dislike, your dislike is based on an echo chamber rather than reality.
Yancey concludes his book with suggestions about how to deal with Christianophobes. “As Christians, we have to confront sins against our fellow brothers and sisters as aggressively as we confront sins against non-Christians,” he writes. “But we have to do so in a way that does not dehumanize even those seeking to silence Christians.” This means loving our enemies, as Jesus taught us to do (Matt. 5:44). “If we get the opportunity, we must act in ways that benefit them, whether by providing resources, advice on issues they will listen to us on, or time and attention, or by any other way we might serve them.” Such service may secure good will toward Christians, but whether it does or not, it is the right thing to do.
Do some Americans hold an irrational animosity toward Christians? Yes. Based on Yancey’s research, Christianophobia cannot be denied. Yet neither should it be exaggerated. American Christians are not persecuted, as they are in other countries. Nor is their experience of hatred as extreme or consequential as the racism directed toward African Americans. Even so, it exists.
Where Christians have given others cause to hate them, they should repent. Where they experience undeserved animus, they should speak the truth in love. And in all things, they should follow the Golden Rule, treating others as they wish others to treat them (Matt. 7:17).
_____
P.S. If you found my review helpful, please vote “Yes” on my Amazon.com review page.
[1] I reviewed Shortt’s book here.
Christianophobia can be defined as “an irrational animosity towards or hatred of Christians, or Christianity in general.” Rupert Shortt used the term to describe the persecution of Christians around the world.[1] In his new book, George Yancey uses it to describe animus against Christians in the United States.
Yancey is professor of sociology at the University of North Texas. In Hostile Environment, he draws on research about Christianophobia published in So Many Christians, So Few Lions: Is There Christianophobia in America , a book he coauthored with David A. Williamson. Using a quantitative approach that measured affection for religious groups, Yancey and Williams determined that only atheists were disliked more than conservative Christians. Using a qualitative approach, they asked “cultural progressive activists” to describe their feelings about conservative Christians, which were typically negative.
Yancey explains the negative feelings these people hold against Christians in terms of “group interest” and “group threat” theories. He writes: “[Cultural progressives] want to shape society in the ways that serve their social and political interest, and see conservative Christians as interfering with their ability to do so.” In the words of one of the activists Yancey and Williamson surveyed, “I wish [conservative Christians] would keep their noses out of science education, sexual health education, abortion clinics, etc…. Let’s discuss reality, not your favorite Sky-Daddy’s personal preferences.”
American Christianophobes do not want to outlaw Christianity or persecute Christians, as happens in varying degrees to Christians around the world. They do want to confine the social influence of conservative Christianity, however. As one activist put it: “Keep your beliefs out of the public arena; they have no place in government. Celebrate your religious choices in your unrestricted houses of worship and let others do the same.” Christianophobes “fear the loss of their rights if Christianity is allowed to flourish.”
Yancey—who is an evangelical Christian—writes candidly that conservative Christians have earned a degree of opprobrium through bad actions. He identifies two “dysfunctions” in particular: (1) “when we clearly violate norms we say we value” and (2) “when Christians try to live out their beliefs but do so in harmful ways.”
But even this concession does not explain the totality of Christianophobia. Yancey notes that many Christianophobes derive their impression of conservative Christians not from personal relationships with them but from media reports about them. “Have never personally met a member of the Christian Right,” one survey respondent wrote. “All my exposure to them and their beliefs has come from television, newspapers, magazines and the Internet. All my exposure to the Christian Right through the media only served to reinforce my negative views of them.” If you dislike a person’s politics and view media that reinforces that dislike, your dislike is based on an echo chamber rather than reality.
Yancey concludes his book with suggestions about how to deal with Christianophobes. “As Christians, we have to confront sins against our fellow brothers and sisters as aggressively as we confront sins against non-Christians,” he writes. “But we have to do so in a way that does not dehumanize even those seeking to silence Christians.” This means loving our enemies, as Jesus taught us to do (Matt. 5:44). “If we get the opportunity, we must act in ways that benefit them, whether by providing resources, advice on issues they will listen to us on, or time and attention, or by any other way we might serve them.” Such service may secure good will toward Christians, but whether it does or not, it is the right thing to do.
Do some Americans hold an irrational animosity toward Christians? Yes. Based on Yancey’s research, Christianophobia cannot be denied. Yet neither should it be exaggerated. American Christians are not persecuted, as they are in other countries. Nor is their experience of hatred as extreme or consequential as the racism directed toward African Americans. Even so, it exists.
Where Christians have given others cause to hate them, they should repent. Where they experience undeserved animus, they should speak the truth in love. And in all things, they should follow the Golden Rule, treating others as they wish others to treat them (Matt. 7:17).
_____
P.S. If you found my review helpful, please vote “Yes” on my Amazon.com review page.
[1] I reviewed Shortt’s book here.
January 16, 2018
Review of George A. Yancey’s Hostile environment: understanding and responding to anti-Christian bias. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2015. ISBN: 978-0-8308-4422-7
George Yancey’s Hostile Environment: understanding and responding to anti-Christian bias is a treasure trove of factual information on the Christianophobia world today. The discrimination and bias which Christians face in real world issues and the relation to their faith. Yancey’s expertise within the subject abounds and is readily found in the book through his use of many different respondents weighing in on the topics he is breeching in the book.
George Yancey begins his book with a brief introduction then dives into “The Roots of Christianophobia”; following this with chapters titled “Can’t Please All the people”, “Are Christians Responsible for Christianophobia”, “Trouble Within”, “Hate Me Not”, and “How to Deal with Christianophobia”. Throughout these chapters Yancey shows theories that hatred may come from of the “right-wing authoritarianism” or authority figures instructing people to hate certain groups. Explaining that studies show “The more we feel threatened by other people the more we hate them.” The Anti-Christian bias is commonly held by a “politically progressive, well-educated, irreligious, largely white and largely male” group within society. To make things worse; people with “higher levels of education are more likely to have hostile feelings toward Christian fundamentalists.”
Christians must be rational with our arguments between those who are within the body of Christ and also people with Christianophobia. If one engages in kind and respectful debates instead of becoming up in arms we might change the opinions of those with anti-Christian on what a Christian looks like; show compassion, love, and most importantly, grace to them. You may not end up agreeing on any political field yet, you will show them an extraordinary side to Christianity.
George Yancey’s book is a brilliant and smooth flowing read into the Anti-Christian bias of the world; an anti bias that is unfortunately here to stay. It shows a clear and focused way to respond to Christianophobia and an effective method to minimize the bias Christians experience.
George Yancey’s Hostile Environment: understanding and responding to anti-Christian bias is a treasure trove of factual information on the Christianophobia world today. The discrimination and bias which Christians face in real world issues and the relation to their faith. Yancey’s expertise within the subject abounds and is readily found in the book through his use of many different respondents weighing in on the topics he is breeching in the book.
George Yancey begins his book with a brief introduction then dives into “The Roots of Christianophobia”; following this with chapters titled “Can’t Please All the people”, “Are Christians Responsible for Christianophobia”, “Trouble Within”, “Hate Me Not”, and “How to Deal with Christianophobia”. Throughout these chapters Yancey shows theories that hatred may come from of the “right-wing authoritarianism” or authority figures instructing people to hate certain groups. Explaining that studies show “The more we feel threatened by other people the more we hate them.” The Anti-Christian bias is commonly held by a “politically progressive, well-educated, irreligious, largely white and largely male” group within society. To make things worse; people with “higher levels of education are more likely to have hostile feelings toward Christian fundamentalists.”
Christians must be rational with our arguments between those who are within the body of Christ and also people with Christianophobia. If one engages in kind and respectful debates instead of becoming up in arms we might change the opinions of those with anti-Christian on what a Christian looks like; show compassion, love, and most importantly, grace to them. You may not end up agreeing on any political field yet, you will show them an extraordinary side to Christianity.
George Yancey’s book is a brilliant and smooth flowing read into the Anti-Christian bias of the world; an anti bias that is unfortunately here to stay. It shows a clear and focused way to respond to Christianophobia and an effective method to minimize the bias Christians experience.
Read
January 8, 2025A popular sociology monograph that is itself a simplified distillation of Yancey's findings and arguments from other scholarly books on the subject of "Christianophobia." As a time-capsule to when religious/political debates were, ironically, less "hostile," Yancey's book is fascinating: the amount of ink spilled on a long-forgotten Vanderbilt University student organization policy is shocking. Indeed, much of Yancey's argument assumes, obviously, the social, political, and religious context of early-2010s America: when atheists and liberals were getting louder, and Christians were claiming (on CBN, Facebook, or the local paper's opinion section) that they were undergoing persecution for having to explain why it was morally righteous to eat a Chick-fil-A sandwich. Yancey asks Christians (which, explicitly, are conservative Christians) to moderate their tone but also fight back against the forces of irrational Christianophobia that seek to limit religious worship purely to the home and church. Indeed, Yancey knows Christianity is not the predominant faith of the nation and thus argues that members of the faith deserve a place at the multicultural table to freely express their views on why gays should not marry and woman denied access to life-saving procedures. What about other areas of Christian social concern? Pacificism or non-violence, environmentalism, anti-slavery action, global democratization? Yancey implicitly recognizes that the "Christianophobes" would have no problem with groups advocating for such noble causes, and thus this book is, at its core, an attempt to allow Christians to exhibit their worst theological impulses (except in a "kindler, gentler" tone).
Because Yancey's focus is dated, his suggestions for conversing and engaging "Christianophobes" (a group I do not deny exist: I have acquaintances who view even ultra-progressive UCC congregations as manifestations of Christian Right malevolence) are an assemblage of uninspiring and unhelpful platitudes, his discussion on the sources/origins of Christianophobia weak, and his dichotomy because moral/social issues and political ones myopic (and just wrong!), I cannot recommend "Hostile Environment" beyond a recent historical curio. Indeed, as conservative Christians became more adamant about breaking down the last vestiges of the separation of church and state (see the Oklahoma Secretary of Education), engaging in dehumanizing rhetoric against LGBT persons with impunity on Twitter/X, et al., and write large, systematic tomes on "Christian Nationalism," much of Yancey's discourse that conservative Christians are not as stereotypically domineering or offensive as its opponents claim has become sorely, and sadly, obsolete. I know good, kind evangelical Christians who affirm "traditional" biblical values, but since the ascent of Trump, and the gradual, but always unending, erosion of the moderating influence of older, mainline Christians over the past 10-15 years, soon, if not now, the main face of Christianity (without the help of the sclerotic mainstream media) is the vile, vicious, manosphere, neo-muscular Christianity hocked by podcasters, pundits, and social media influencers, wherein the Nicene Creed is substituted for "The Art of the Deal."
Because Yancey's focus is dated, his suggestions for conversing and engaging "Christianophobes" (a group I do not deny exist: I have acquaintances who view even ultra-progressive UCC congregations as manifestations of Christian Right malevolence) are an assemblage of uninspiring and unhelpful platitudes, his discussion on the sources/origins of Christianophobia weak, and his dichotomy because moral/social issues and political ones myopic (and just wrong!), I cannot recommend "Hostile Environment" beyond a recent historical curio. Indeed, as conservative Christians became more adamant about breaking down the last vestiges of the separation of church and state (see the Oklahoma Secretary of Education), engaging in dehumanizing rhetoric against LGBT persons with impunity on Twitter/X, et al., and write large, systematic tomes on "Christian Nationalism," much of Yancey's discourse that conservative Christians are not as stereotypically domineering or offensive as its opponents claim has become sorely, and sadly, obsolete. I know good, kind evangelical Christians who affirm "traditional" biblical values, but since the ascent of Trump, and the gradual, but always unending, erosion of the moderating influence of older, mainline Christians over the past 10-15 years, soon, if not now, the main face of Christianity (without the help of the sclerotic mainstream media) is the vile, vicious, manosphere, neo-muscular Christianity hocked by podcasters, pundits, and social media influencers, wherein the Nicene Creed is substituted for "The Art of the Deal."
August 13, 2015
My initial expectation was that this was going to report on the data from the research indicating significant Christianophobia in America. Turns out that is in another book,"So many Christians, So few lions." However, enough is offered in this book to justify its assertions, and the book then gives very practical insight into how to deal constructively with the hostility.
The deeper I got into the book, the more I came to appreciate the author's rich experience in dealing with racism and multi-cultured relationships. I found this very credible and practical; however, as he notes, it is hard to move from theory to practice.
I was reminded of Marvin Mayers' "prior question of trust" and the goal of establishing mutual respect among disagreeing parties. Yancy did a great job of showing positive ways to approach hostility with constructive respect for differences and with wise integrity and Christian authenticity.
The deeper I got into the book, the more I came to appreciate the author's rich experience in dealing with racism and multi-cultured relationships. I found this very credible and practical; however, as he notes, it is hard to move from theory to practice.
I was reminded of Marvin Mayers' "prior question of trust" and the goal of establishing mutual respect among disagreeing parties. Yancy did a great job of showing positive ways to approach hostility with constructive respect for differences and with wise integrity and Christian authenticity.
September 15, 2016
Book is an interesting read and gives an interesting perspective on the subject matter. It is well written from an academic perspective.
September 20, 2016
How should Christians react to hostility? What about our prejudices? An important book in and about this age of cultural clashes.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews