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Revolution of Values: Reclaiming Public Faith for the Common Good
The religious Right taught America to misread the Bible. Christians have misused Scripture to consolidate power, stoke fears, and defend against enemies. But people who have been hurt by the attacks of Christian nationalism can help us rediscover God's vision for faith in public life.
Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove explores how religious culture wars have misrepresented Christianity at the expense of the poor, and how listening to marginalized communities can help us hear God's call to love and justice in the world. He highlights people on the frontlines of issues ranging from immigration policy and voting rights to women's rights and environmental stewardship. Through these narratives, we encounter a recovery of values that upholds the dignity of all people.
Rediscover hope for faithful public witness that serves the common good. Join the revolution.
Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove explores how religious culture wars have misrepresented Christianity at the expense of the poor, and how listening to marginalized communities can help us hear God's call to love and justice in the world. He highlights people on the frontlines of issues ranging from immigration policy and voting rights to women's rights and environmental stewardship. Through these narratives, we encounter a recovery of values that upholds the dignity of all people.
Rediscover hope for faithful public witness that serves the common good. Join the revolution.
204 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 3, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
December 3, 2019
This book is exceptional, and exceptionally timely.
The title comes from Martin Luther King, Jr's Riverside Speech, in which he said, "We as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin the shift from a “thing-oriented” society to a “person-oriented” society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered...."
In this book, Wilson-Hartgrove argues that right now in America we need another revolution of values. There was a time—not that long ago—when religious leaders viewed voting rights, equal protection under the law, economic justice, peace, and the environment as moral issues. But those once-esteemed values have been the victims, not the beneficiaries, of the religious right's culture war. In this book Wilson-Hartgrove seeks to shed light on the history of how we got to where we are as a culture right now, and how we might together make a better future.
I'm tempted to quote his entire introduction here, but I'll limit myself to this:
"The culture warriors who challenged me to practice my faith in public life were not wrong to suggest that the gospel of Jesus is political. Their error was in believing that the enemy of morality was progressive values and not the genocidal white supremacy and patriarchy that have compromised Christian witness throughout US history. This was not an innocent miscalculation. As this book shows, people of considerable means invested an incredible amount of resources in encouraging this particular lie.... If a multiethnic democracy is possible in twenty-first century America, it will depend on a moral movement that resists the false gods of Christian nationalism and rediscovers a biblical vision for justice and mercy in our common life."
Something I especially appreciated about this book was that while Wilson-Hartgrove writes from the perspective of a religious leader, he explicitly includes a broad range of voices in this work, both Christian and non-Christian, and draws on wisdom from black, native, Latinx, and Asian communities.
Highly, highly recommended.
The title comes from Martin Luther King, Jr's Riverside Speech, in which he said, "We as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin the shift from a “thing-oriented” society to a “person-oriented” society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered...."
In this book, Wilson-Hartgrove argues that right now in America we need another revolution of values. There was a time—not that long ago—when religious leaders viewed voting rights, equal protection under the law, economic justice, peace, and the environment as moral issues. But those once-esteemed values have been the victims, not the beneficiaries, of the religious right's culture war. In this book Wilson-Hartgrove seeks to shed light on the history of how we got to where we are as a culture right now, and how we might together make a better future.
I'm tempted to quote his entire introduction here, but I'll limit myself to this:
"The culture warriors who challenged me to practice my faith in public life were not wrong to suggest that the gospel of Jesus is political. Their error was in believing that the enemy of morality was progressive values and not the genocidal white supremacy and patriarchy that have compromised Christian witness throughout US history. This was not an innocent miscalculation. As this book shows, people of considerable means invested an incredible amount of resources in encouraging this particular lie.... If a multiethnic democracy is possible in twenty-first century America, it will depend on a moral movement that resists the false gods of Christian nationalism and rediscovers a biblical vision for justice and mercy in our common life."
Something I especially appreciated about this book was that while Wilson-Hartgrove writes from the perspective of a religious leader, he explicitly includes a broad range of voices in this work, both Christian and non-Christian, and draws on wisdom from black, native, Latinx, and Asian communities.
Highly, highly recommended.
November 8, 2019
Ultimately, there are five other books I would suggest you read instead of this one. The topic is relevant, pressing, and compelling. However, by the time the author attempts to claim some degree of political neutrality in the last chapter, the die has long since been cast and his disparaging opinion of more conservative Christians (the "religious Right" in the text) who do not ascribe to liberal or progressive Christianity is clear.
There are interesting and horrific stories that to some degree explain the position of the religious (political) Right. There may be a great many conclusions with which I agree with Wilson-Hartgrove on, but I nearly could not grant the spaces of agreement for his condescension, subtle snark, and lack of charity.
Perhaps it was my misunderstanding going into the book that there would be space held for conservative believers. I found in this book that "we encounter a recovery of values that upholds the dignity of all people" -- except the religious Right.
I'm not saying hold the punches or dignify what is unbecoming of Christ-followers.
I'm saying this book seems to be looking for a place among other works calling Christians to be better, but it fails to distinguish in any meaningful way the possibility that there could exist conservative Christians either outside the religious Right or within who have less nefarious reasons for believing the Bible supports x, y or z. This book will appeal to those in Wilson-Hartgrove's camp and only further the entrenchment those outside feel. In a day when I believe we so desperately need to find common ground, I only see this book dividing.
A free copy was received from NetGalley.
There are interesting and horrific stories that to some degree explain the position of the religious (political) Right. There may be a great many conclusions with which I agree with Wilson-Hartgrove on, but I nearly could not grant the spaces of agreement for his condescension, subtle snark, and lack of charity.
Perhaps it was my misunderstanding going into the book that there would be space held for conservative believers. I found in this book that "we encounter a recovery of values that upholds the dignity of all people" -- except the religious Right.
I'm not saying hold the punches or dignify what is unbecoming of Christ-followers.
I'm saying this book seems to be looking for a place among other works calling Christians to be better, but it fails to distinguish in any meaningful way the possibility that there could exist conservative Christians either outside the religious Right or within who have less nefarious reasons for believing the Bible supports x, y or z. This book will appeal to those in Wilson-Hartgrove's camp and only further the entrenchment those outside feel. In a day when I believe we so desperately need to find common ground, I only see this book dividing.
A free copy was received from NetGalley.
November 23, 2019
During primary season in 2008, my pastor challenged the congregation to “Vote the Bible.” I took his exhortation seriously and scoured the pages of scripture over the next five months, with the result that for the first time in 30 years, I voted for a Democrat for president.
No doubt the pastor thought abortion and gay marriage would point me to the Republican candidate. But when I examined the Iraq war, the financial collapse, healthcare, the environment, immigration and criminal justice reform, I found the Democratic platform to be more in line with biblical teaching.
In Revolution of Values, Wilson-Hartgrove shows how conservative white Christians have been defining the moral issues in public life rather narrowly (namely abortion and gay marriage – but interestingly not #metoo) and that it is time to reclaim a broader definition of morality. Quoting Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the author asserts that a “revolution of values” is needed to change our nation.
Wilson-Hartgrove grew up in the conservative evangelical subculture, serving as a Senate page to Strom Thurmond. He spells out the way Christian nationalists, such as David Barton, have misused scripture to promote a political agenda. (E.g. Deuteronomy 32:8--where God “set[s] up boundaries for the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel”--is support for a border wall.) Or how Dr. James Fifield joined Christianity and capitalism with the help of the National Association of Manufacturers in the 1940s. And sadly, the link between racism and the Christian right, with many Christian schools launched in the south as a way to avoid integration. In the aftermath of George Wallace, the author contends, the Christian right swapped “culture” for “race” when describing their ongoing war with the larger American society.
It would be easy to dismiss this book as a screed—and no doubt some will. However, 15% of the book consists of endnotes supporting the author’s contentions. Clearly, he has done his research. At the same time, Wilson-Hartgrove holds the reader’s attention by skillfully weaving human interest stories into the didactic portions of his argument … much like a well-placed sermon illustration in the hands of a captivating preacher. Among the topics covered are: immigration, poverty, voting rights, criminal justice, women’s rights, science, and war. (Chapter 6 is my personal favorite.)
Every now and then, it is a good practice to read a book outside your comfort zone; one that will challenge your presumptions and make you think. C.S. Lewis coined the term “chronological snobbery” to define “the uncritical acceptance of the intellectual climate common to our own age and the assumption that whatever has gone out of date is on that account discredited.” I would like to apply Lewis’s tenet to a common practice today of reading only within our preferred bubble and discounting anything from the other side, whatever that may be. For those, who like me, have spent their lives in the evangelical wing of Christianity, Revolution of Values is a great place to start.
No doubt the pastor thought abortion and gay marriage would point me to the Republican candidate. But when I examined the Iraq war, the financial collapse, healthcare, the environment, immigration and criminal justice reform, I found the Democratic platform to be more in line with biblical teaching.
In Revolution of Values, Wilson-Hartgrove shows how conservative white Christians have been defining the moral issues in public life rather narrowly (namely abortion and gay marriage – but interestingly not #metoo) and that it is time to reclaim a broader definition of morality. Quoting Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the author asserts that a “revolution of values” is needed to change our nation.
Wilson-Hartgrove grew up in the conservative evangelical subculture, serving as a Senate page to Strom Thurmond. He spells out the way Christian nationalists, such as David Barton, have misused scripture to promote a political agenda. (E.g. Deuteronomy 32:8--where God “set[s] up boundaries for the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel”--is support for a border wall.) Or how Dr. James Fifield joined Christianity and capitalism with the help of the National Association of Manufacturers in the 1940s. And sadly, the link between racism and the Christian right, with many Christian schools launched in the south as a way to avoid integration. In the aftermath of George Wallace, the author contends, the Christian right swapped “culture” for “race” when describing their ongoing war with the larger American society.
It would be easy to dismiss this book as a screed—and no doubt some will. However, 15% of the book consists of endnotes supporting the author’s contentions. Clearly, he has done his research. At the same time, Wilson-Hartgrove holds the reader’s attention by skillfully weaving human interest stories into the didactic portions of his argument … much like a well-placed sermon illustration in the hands of a captivating preacher. Among the topics covered are: immigration, poverty, voting rights, criminal justice, women’s rights, science, and war. (Chapter 6 is my personal favorite.)
Every now and then, it is a good practice to read a book outside your comfort zone; one that will challenge your presumptions and make you think. C.S. Lewis coined the term “chronological snobbery” to define “the uncritical acceptance of the intellectual climate common to our own age and the assumption that whatever has gone out of date is on that account discredited.” I would like to apply Lewis’s tenet to a common practice today of reading only within our preferred bubble and discounting anything from the other side, whatever that may be. For those, who like me, have spent their lives in the evangelical wing of Christianity, Revolution of Values is a great place to start.
December 30, 2019
Summary: Argues that the religious right has taught its constituency to misread the Bible, portray those advocating for the marginalized as anti-biblical, and the need to listen to these communities as part of recovering a biblical commitment to the pursuit of justice for all for the common good.
Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove was a child of the culture wars. He grew up in a white, Southern Baptist culture that saw "biblical and traditional values" under attack from progressives concerned to advocate for the marginalized and the vulnerable. Then he met some of those people, also believers, and saw them read the same Bible very differently. As he dug deeper, he discovered a strategy of reading the Bible going back to the slavery era and the religious resistance to abolition that characterized abolitionist opponents as "anti-biblical."
He began to recognize that the dark side of advocating for a pro-life stance, for the traditional marriage and family, and for religious liberty, was that this became associated with efforts to maintain white ascendancy, the use of "law and order" and voting procedures to limit the growing number of people of color from fully participating in society, the raising of barriers to immigration, including refugees (despite the abundance of biblical references to welcoming the stranger), the subordination of women, the exploitation of the environment, and militarism.
Wilson-Hartgrove elaborates both how the Bible has been appropriated by the religious right and in subsequent chapters both offers historical and sociological background and personal narratives showing how other communities have been marginalized. He also shows how scripture has shaped the self-understanding, resistance, and engagement of believers in these communities. Perhaps one of the most striking personal narratives was that of Alicia Wilson Baker, a pro-life evangelical Christian who was abstinent before marriage. She learned on the eve of her wedding that her insurer would not cover birth control, leaving her with a $1200 medical bill. She subsequently testified at the hearings of a supreme court nominee who indicated he would uphold such exemptions for insurers. She told the author, "I'm still for life...but my understanding of what that means has expanded. As Christians, we should work for policies that protect life from womb to the tomb."
That spoke deeply to me. I'm tired of the rhetoric that brands me anti-biblical if I signal that I care for refugees whose lives are in danger, if I express concern for the unwise ways we are using God's creation that may threaten all life on the planet, at very least the most vulnerable, if I express concern that life expectancy shouldn't be a function of our zip code and our ability to afford health care. I'm tired of the partisan binaries that force me to choose between religious liberty and the liberties of all when scripture teaches me about justice, especially for those most vulnerable to be treated unjustly, of love for neighbor, no matter who my neighbor is, and, yes, for the sanctity of life from conception to death for all people.
At the same time, there were things that troubled me about this book. Foremost was the lack of acknowledgement of the rhetorical strategies used by those Wilson-Hartgrove would term "progressive." Wilson-Hartgrove does not equally critique the rhetoric of the left that has made "intolerance" the worst form of sin, and "inclusion" the highest form of virtue, the use of public shaming for violations of speech codes, or the statist pretensions often concealed in progressive policies. He does not acknowledge the intolerance of tolerance experienced by religious people. Furthermore, I don't see Wilson-Hartgrove disavowing culture wars, but just changing sides. This book feels partisan to me, speaking against the policies of the current administration, while mute about the previous one.
I'm troubled by the failure of this book to transcend the partisan binaries that have so divided us into progressive and conservative camps. It does helpfully deconstruct the religious right's reading of the Bible. Years ago, Os Guinness described Christians as "third way" people. Mary Poplin called my attention to the numerous warnings in scripture to veer neither to the left nor the right. While Wilson-Hartgrove rightly calls out the white nationalism that runs as an undercurrent through our national narrative and helpfully listens to and amplifies voices often lost in our political debates, it feels like all I'm left with is a posture of progressive resistance when I had hoped for a call to reclaim our public square from the extremes of left and right, to offer a third way that doesn't set fetuses against refugees, entrepreneurship against the environment, ethnicities against each other, or religious liberty against liberty for all. That would be a revolution.
________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove was a child of the culture wars. He grew up in a white, Southern Baptist culture that saw "biblical and traditional values" under attack from progressives concerned to advocate for the marginalized and the vulnerable. Then he met some of those people, also believers, and saw them read the same Bible very differently. As he dug deeper, he discovered a strategy of reading the Bible going back to the slavery era and the religious resistance to abolition that characterized abolitionist opponents as "anti-biblical."
He began to recognize that the dark side of advocating for a pro-life stance, for the traditional marriage and family, and for religious liberty, was that this became associated with efforts to maintain white ascendancy, the use of "law and order" and voting procedures to limit the growing number of people of color from fully participating in society, the raising of barriers to immigration, including refugees (despite the abundance of biblical references to welcoming the stranger), the subordination of women, the exploitation of the environment, and militarism.
Wilson-Hartgrove elaborates both how the Bible has been appropriated by the religious right and in subsequent chapters both offers historical and sociological background and personal narratives showing how other communities have been marginalized. He also shows how scripture has shaped the self-understanding, resistance, and engagement of believers in these communities. Perhaps one of the most striking personal narratives was that of Alicia Wilson Baker, a pro-life evangelical Christian who was abstinent before marriage. She learned on the eve of her wedding that her insurer would not cover birth control, leaving her with a $1200 medical bill. She subsequently testified at the hearings of a supreme court nominee who indicated he would uphold such exemptions for insurers. She told the author, "I'm still for life...but my understanding of what that means has expanded. As Christians, we should work for policies that protect life from womb to the tomb."
That spoke deeply to me. I'm tired of the rhetoric that brands me anti-biblical if I signal that I care for refugees whose lives are in danger, if I express concern for the unwise ways we are using God's creation that may threaten all life on the planet, at very least the most vulnerable, if I express concern that life expectancy shouldn't be a function of our zip code and our ability to afford health care. I'm tired of the partisan binaries that force me to choose between religious liberty and the liberties of all when scripture teaches me about justice, especially for those most vulnerable to be treated unjustly, of love for neighbor, no matter who my neighbor is, and, yes, for the sanctity of life from conception to death for all people.
At the same time, there were things that troubled me about this book. Foremost was the lack of acknowledgement of the rhetorical strategies used by those Wilson-Hartgrove would term "progressive." Wilson-Hartgrove does not equally critique the rhetoric of the left that has made "intolerance" the worst form of sin, and "inclusion" the highest form of virtue, the use of public shaming for violations of speech codes, or the statist pretensions often concealed in progressive policies. He does not acknowledge the intolerance of tolerance experienced by religious people. Furthermore, I don't see Wilson-Hartgrove disavowing culture wars, but just changing sides. This book feels partisan to me, speaking against the policies of the current administration, while mute about the previous one.
I'm troubled by the failure of this book to transcend the partisan binaries that have so divided us into progressive and conservative camps. It does helpfully deconstruct the religious right's reading of the Bible. Years ago, Os Guinness described Christians as "third way" people. Mary Poplin called my attention to the numerous warnings in scripture to veer neither to the left nor the right. While Wilson-Hartgrove rightly calls out the white nationalism that runs as an undercurrent through our national narrative and helpfully listens to and amplifies voices often lost in our political debates, it feels like all I'm left with is a posture of progressive resistance when I had hoped for a call to reclaim our public square from the extremes of left and right, to offer a third way that doesn't set fetuses against refugees, entrepreneurship against the environment, ethnicities against each other, or religious liberty against liberty for all. That would be a revolution.
________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
January 23, 2020
This book is a personal challenge for me because many of my thoughts about my dad’s experience as he navigated the Southern Baptist Convention have led me to be cynical about the voice of Christianity in modern politics. The loudest political “Christian” voices during my lifetime seem to have traded the servant ethic of Jimmy Carter for an near-unrecognizable opportunism concerned more with profit and power than the ideals of the Sermon on the Mount. This book resonates with my experiences, hopes, and misgivings about the current state of public “morality.” I hope we can right this ship.
September 24, 2025
“But to read America biblically is to know that the extreme inequality of America’s economy, where an elite fraction of 1% owns half of America’s wealth while nearly half of Americans don’t earn a living wage, isn’t a manifestation of God’s will but an affront to the Bible’s concern for the poor” (Wilson-Hartgrove, 2018, p. 40).
Although I’m not religious, this book’s rebuttal of the white evangelical Christian nationalist movement was refreshing. Written by a pastor with former ties to the movement, this book offers a fresh perspective on the Bible, highlighting themes like “love thy neighbor” and what that really means in today’s world.
Jesus wouldn’t be pro-Genocide or anti-trans. He wouldn’t be condemning people for getting abortions or being queer. He wouldn’t condone police violence or ICE raids. Jesus wouldn’t want billionaires to exist while other people live in poverty.
Although I’m not religious, this book’s rebuttal of the white evangelical Christian nationalist movement was refreshing. Written by a pastor with former ties to the movement, this book offers a fresh perspective on the Bible, highlighting themes like “love thy neighbor” and what that really means in today’s world.
Jesus wouldn’t be pro-Genocide or anti-trans. He wouldn’t be condemning people for getting abortions or being queer. He wouldn’t condone police violence or ICE raids. Jesus wouldn’t want billionaires to exist while other people live in poverty.
September 25, 2019
I have read Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove's book Reconstructing the Gospel: Finding Freedom from Slaveholder Religion (excellent book) and was really looking forward to reading this book. I was not disappointed and found it to be a stimulating and challenging book.
This book offers a detailed look at how American slaveholder religion has a menacing grip on the church and poltics in the United States. In reading this we are being asked is the God we claim to serve greater than racism? The answer to this question will require a transformation of slaveholder religious values to the values of the God we serve.
This was an excellent read and will be a book I will recommend to friends, churches, and the broader public.
This book offers a detailed look at how American slaveholder religion has a menacing grip on the church and poltics in the United States. In reading this we are being asked is the God we claim to serve greater than racism? The answer to this question will require a transformation of slaveholder religious values to the values of the God we serve.
This was an excellent read and will be a book I will recommend to friends, churches, and the broader public.
July 9, 2019
This book is 🔥🔥🔥
Jonathan adeptly lays out the problems Christianity has with its enmeshed relationship with the political Right—and how that power-hungry entanglement has made us misread the Bible. Specifically, how the Religious Right used the word of God for its own political gain, to the detriment of women, people of color, the poor, sexual minorities, and others. He doesn’t pull any punches with this one, and we need it now more than ever.
Jonathan adeptly lays out the problems Christianity has with its enmeshed relationship with the political Right—and how that power-hungry entanglement has made us misread the Bible. Specifically, how the Religious Right used the word of God for its own political gain, to the detriment of women, people of color, the poor, sexual minorities, and others. He doesn’t pull any punches with this one, and we need it now more than ever.
Read
February 17, 2020This is a good book for understanding the building of the Moral Majority and religious right as a cover for racist ideals. It’s a needed and very revealing history lesson.
There are a few theological differences I still hold with the author, but this book is very much worth the reader’s time and meditation during this election year.
There are a few theological differences I still hold with the author, but this book is very much worth the reader’s time and meditation during this election year.
May 30, 2020
Book 74 of 2020. When Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called for a “revolution of values,” he was discussing the face that Americans needed a revolution that put people ahead of things. The areas of revolution needed to included poverty, race relations and American militarism.
Fifty years later, guided by King’s work, Wilson-Hartgrove claims that Americans still need a revolution of values in these areas, especially as the target morality areas that are typical to white evangelicals often neglect or exacerbate these problems.
Hargrove examines immigration, poverty, women’s rights, race relations, voter rights and even evangelical relationships to science to show that morality is not clearly defined by any one political party of movement.
The stories he tells along the way are moving, and I, as a fairly sensitive person, found myself reading this book in small doses as reading too much at once was emotionally overwhelming. When there’s so much that needs change, it’s quite hard to know where to even start working.
This is a deeply moving and compelling book. The only drawback to be noted is that, at times, Hartgrove crosses a line into a criticism of conservatism and conservative Christianity that risks alienating a large part of the people who he is trying to reach. It would be easy to pick up this book and be repelled by his criticism of the establishment However, given the lives and souls at stake, Hartgrove’s passionate criticism of the establishment is warranted.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
#books #booklover #bookstagram #currentlyreading #theunreadshelfproject2020 #revolutionofvalues
Fifty years later, guided by King’s work, Wilson-Hartgrove claims that Americans still need a revolution of values in these areas, especially as the target morality areas that are typical to white evangelicals often neglect or exacerbate these problems.
Hargrove examines immigration, poverty, women’s rights, race relations, voter rights and even evangelical relationships to science to show that morality is not clearly defined by any one political party of movement.
The stories he tells along the way are moving, and I, as a fairly sensitive person, found myself reading this book in small doses as reading too much at once was emotionally overwhelming. When there’s so much that needs change, it’s quite hard to know where to even start working.
This is a deeply moving and compelling book. The only drawback to be noted is that, at times, Hartgrove crosses a line into a criticism of conservatism and conservative Christianity that risks alienating a large part of the people who he is trying to reach. It would be easy to pick up this book and be repelled by his criticism of the establishment However, given the lives and souls at stake, Hartgrove’s passionate criticism of the establishment is warranted.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
#books #booklover #bookstagram #currentlyreading #theunreadshelfproject2020 #revolutionofvalues
August 27, 2020
Pretty fascinating read that seems to answer the question “how did we get here?” re: evangelicalism being enmeshed in conservativism and having many problems in either contributing to various social, environmental, and global, injustices or lacking a moral voice to combat them. You should know ahead of time that he largely centers the analysis and critique on how the Religious Right led American Christians to misread and misapply the Bible in these areas. This will probably be most satisfying for those who either are historically more progressive or who became disillusioned with the conservative ethos of Christianity they grew up with. I’m the latter. Those reading who lean conservative should expect some gut punches and try to lower defenses. Those reading who are more progressive can expect some helpful throughlines and insights to be drawn, but maybe shouldn’t let it go to our head =). I think this could be a bit more approachable to more conservative people and not sure if they will pick this up or power through without becoming too defensive.
In the final pages, he does say that the opposite problem of the religious right (the religious left?) is a risk as well, though it is not really explored in this book. Some other reviewers pointed out that a critique of liberal politics/Democratic Party in misalignment or misapplication with kingdom values (such as culturally how shaming and dehumanizing can still be utilitized), which is a fair critique, though I don’t think it would be fair to expect a 50/50 here since the Religious Right (over identifying with conservative/republican, and using bible to further political agendas) is what happened with white christian America especially. It can be just as easy though, as some of my christian friends of color have pointed out, for the Democratic Party or progressives to form a different kind of empire, which is very easy to fall into as white progressives, and which christian leaders like Navajo Mark Charles points out regularly (like that both parties still favor white land owning men and fail to acknowledge our country’s racist foundations and genocidal history). Maybe those things could be explored in other books.
In the final pages, he does say that the opposite problem of the religious right (the religious left?) is a risk as well, though it is not really explored in this book. Some other reviewers pointed out that a critique of liberal politics/Democratic Party in misalignment or misapplication with kingdom values (such as culturally how shaming and dehumanizing can still be utilitized), which is a fair critique, though I don’t think it would be fair to expect a 50/50 here since the Religious Right (over identifying with conservative/republican, and using bible to further political agendas) is what happened with white christian America especially. It can be just as easy though, as some of my christian friends of color have pointed out, for the Democratic Party or progressives to form a different kind of empire, which is very easy to fall into as white progressives, and which christian leaders like Navajo Mark Charles points out regularly (like that both parties still favor white land owning men and fail to acknowledge our country’s racist foundations and genocidal history). Maybe those things could be explored in other books.
September 25, 2019
This is a launch version of the book from NetGalley.com
I have read Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove's book Reconstructing the Gospel: Finding Freedom from Slaveholder Religion (excellent book) and was really looking forward to reading this book. I was not disappointed and found it to be a stimulating and challenging book.
This book offers a detailed look at how American slaveholder religion has a menacing grip on the church and poltics in the United States. In reading this we are being asked is the God we claim to serve greater than racism? The answer to this question will require a transformation of slaveholder religious values to the values of the God we serve.
This was an excellent read and will be a book I will recommend to friends, churches, and the broader public.
I have read Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove's book Reconstructing the Gospel: Finding Freedom from Slaveholder Religion (excellent book) and was really looking forward to reading this book. I was not disappointed and found it to be a stimulating and challenging book.
This book offers a detailed look at how American slaveholder religion has a menacing grip on the church and poltics in the United States. In reading this we are being asked is the God we claim to serve greater than racism? The answer to this question will require a transformation of slaveholder religious values to the values of the God we serve.
This was an excellent read and will be a book I will recommend to friends, churches, and the broader public.
December 17, 2019
I just finished reading Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove’s latest book - his best yet. Jonathan makes a clear, concise and compelling case for Christian revolution and public values realignment. His clarion call to collective action in wresting the moral narrative away from the self-righteous and self-appointed Christian nationalists is well documented. He describes in expansive ways how far right evangelicals for decades have misread and distorted Christ’s true Gospel message of love, inclusion, compassion, justice and mercy for power and personal gain. The insidious methods the (Im)Moral Majority has used are exposed for the vainglory they represent. A must read for those who wish to understand the true nature of the culture wars unleashed on the US and world following WWII.
February 9, 2020
I got this book from goodreads first reads. It is not at all what I thought I signed up for (although I am pleased to see the goodreads summary now reflects the religious centric nature of this work). It was well argued and well thought out. It did not pull its punches but that also meant each chapter topic felt like a treadmill of woe which can leave the reader exhausted from it all. There are many people I know that would greatly benefit from this book being thrown at their heads. There were times when the book didn’t define it’s terms well (more-or-less outsider looking in so the religious/Christian minded lens everything is presented with here was largely unfamiliar to me at times).
March 30, 2020
“We have not run out of resources, but of imagination.”
In a cultural and political climate where every topic is forced to split along partisan lines, which also translates to moral lines, Wilson-Hartgrove intelligently and compassionately illuminates how Christian nationalism has distilled the Bible down to justifications for buzz word topics like abortion, family values, feminism, and climate change. This work thoughtfully illuminates how translating the Bible into “American” loses so much of what Jesus wants to share. This is a wonderful and thought provoking work of how the unseen remain so, as the Church remains distracted by what has been crafted as “American” Christianity.
In a cultural and political climate where every topic is forced to split along partisan lines, which also translates to moral lines, Wilson-Hartgrove intelligently and compassionately illuminates how Christian nationalism has distilled the Bible down to justifications for buzz word topics like abortion, family values, feminism, and climate change. This work thoughtfully illuminates how translating the Bible into “American” loses so much of what Jesus wants to share. This is a wonderful and thought provoking work of how the unseen remain so, as the Church remains distracted by what has been crafted as “American” Christianity.
February 25, 2020
I feel like I live every day with an underlying anxiety about the country I love and the God I love. I struggle with how to separate, yet combine, the two. I long to live Christlike in a country that no longer looks like my Christ. Scripture is constantly being used to prop up laws that condemn, separate people, and reinforce hurtful ways. "When there is injustice in public life, those who follow Jesus have no choice but to stand with the downtrodden"... now that will preach and give life to the gospel!
January 2, 2020
Wilson-Hartgrove lays out a compelling historical narrative of how we have gotten to the political/cultural climate of today. Understanding the roots are the only way of reclamation. Having grown up the in religious cultural machine that has helped produced our current President and other political leaders his insights may help reach across the breach.
If you shy from calling yourself Christian because of the reputation that it brings today in the US this book is for you.
If you shy from calling yourself Christian because of the reputation that it brings today in the US this book is for you.
February 11, 2020
Excellent book for Christians who are uncomfortable with the current state of the Republican party and who feel that they Christianity they were raised in would not be comfortable with what "mainstream Christianity" seems to be supporting today. The book gives historical context to where we are today and hope for how we can move towards a better tomorrow.
February 19, 2020
I enjoyed this book and the author's exploration of the connection of politics and religion in the United States. It is a great read for anyone interested in either subject, and also a great read in terms of explaining how people who identify as Christians have unfortunately tied themselves to very unchristian like politics and political figures.
March 16, 2020
This book is a detailed look at how American slaveholder religion has a menacing grip on the church and politics in the United States. You have to want to be open and read. Worth it!
February 1, 2021
2020 is going to be a pivotal year in human history. In the United States, disparities were magnified as a global pandemic swept the country simultaneously with social unrest ignited by the visual of eight minutes and forty-six seconds of callous murder by law enforcement. As these forces escalated, candidates jockeyed to challenge the incumbent leader whose focus was on the stock market instead of the growing lines at food banks, and signaled his intention to remain in power no matter what.
This resource discusses pertinent trends and historical origins of some of the events playing out in contemporary society. Although much of the research cites cases in North Carolina, it applies to anyone searching for justice in society and challenges in particular those who profess a spiritual inspiration. The tenet of "one person, one vote" for a democracy to work is contrasted with over a century of voter disenfranchisement, suppression, and obstacles - best exemplified by the case of Rosanell Eaton. Native American rights, immigration, evangelical activity in political arenas, and so much more are discussed, with a guide at the end of the book for group interaction.
This book will educate and confront and ultimately inspire.
This resource discusses pertinent trends and historical origins of some of the events playing out in contemporary society. Although much of the research cites cases in North Carolina, it applies to anyone searching for justice in society and challenges in particular those who profess a spiritual inspiration. The tenet of "one person, one vote" for a democracy to work is contrasted with over a century of voter disenfranchisement, suppression, and obstacles - best exemplified by the case of Rosanell Eaton. Native American rights, immigration, evangelical activity in political arenas, and so much more are discussed, with a guide at the end of the book for group interaction.
This book will educate and confront and ultimately inspire.
May 24, 2021
More tolerable if you enter thinking it is a series of op ed articles than a true revolution of values. Can be argued the author did the exact thing he was criticizing the right wing conservatives of from a liberal view point. He should have made a clearer distinction between white nationalists and evangelicals. There is clearly a difference he didn’t address and instead lumped them together. Good book if you never thought about certain political topics from a biblical perspective. But his viewpoint is definitely skewed one direction without clear, solid biblical support that makes you think.
October 17, 2020
A thoughtful, well-researched, full-of-anecdotes look at how living Biblically means fighting racism and standing up for the poor and oppressed. It provides a counterweight to the arguments of the Biblical worldview so often espoused in the evangelical world and which in the current political environment feel sadly lacking.
April 14, 2025
Advocating for love, justice, humility, and peace should not be controversial in the church. this book outlines places where a political allegiance has blinded us to the poor, the needy, and the outcast in our midst, and caused us to forget our calling as Christians. A quality read that will motivate you to action.
September 20, 2020
Overall, a good read. But I was hoping for a little bit more theology and non-partisan action to be identified and expounded upon. Definitely wouldn’t be my first recommendation for people on this topic, but it’s on the list. For sure.
February 4, 2021
This was obviously deeply biased, but an interesting historical perspective of evangelical Christianity's influence on right-wing politics. I think there are some really good takeaways from this read that I hope people on both sides of the aisle will start talking about again someday.
March 25, 2020
Very high level writing. A bit over my head but I really appreciated the research he has done and ideas presented in this work.
April 24, 2020
Great premise.
July 3, 2020
Eh. Wasn't impressed.
September 8, 2020
The answer to right wing dogmatism is not left wing dogmatism
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