Thy Kingdom Come: How the Religious Right Distorts the Faith and Threatens America: An Evangelical's Lament

by Randall Balmer

For much of American history, evangelicalism was aligned with progressive political causes. Nineteenth-century evangelicals fought for the abolition of slavery, universal suffrage, and public education. But contemporary conservative activists have defaulted on this majestic legacy, embracing instead an agenda virtually indistinguishable from the Republican Party platform. Abortion, gay marriage, intelligent design--the Religious Right is fighting, and winning, some of the most important political battles of the twentyfirst century. How has evangelical Christianity become so entrenched in partisan politics? Randall Balmer is both an evangelical Christian and a historian of American religion. Struggling to reconcile the contemporary state of evangelical faith in America with its proud tradition of progressivism, Balmer has headed to the frontlines of some of the most powerful and controversial organizations tied to the Religious Right. With a skillful combination of grassroots organization, ideological conviction, and media savvy, the leaders of the movement have mobilized millions of American evangelical Christians behind George W. Bush's hard-right political agenda. Deftly combining ethnographic research, theological reflections, and historical context, Balmer laments the trivialization of Christianity--and offers a rallying cry for liberal Christians to reclaim the noble traditions of their faith.

Genres: Religion, Politics, Nonfiction, Christianity, History, Theology, Spirituality

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Randall Herbert Balmer, Ph.D. (Princeton University, 1985), is an ordained Episcopal Priest and historian of American religion, and holds the John Phillips Chair in Religion at Dartmouth College. He also has taught at Barnard College; Columbia, Rutgers, Princeton, Drew, Emory, Yale and Northwestern universities; and at Union Theological Seminary. Balmer was nominated for an Emmy Award for the PBS documentary "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory," based on his book of the same title.

Reviews

[JC · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't what I was expecting. I thought the book would deal more with the dangers that come from mixing politics & religion. Also much has changed in the 10 years since this book was published so a lot of the attitudes Balmer is railing against don't seem to be as prevalent today. I learned quite a bit about the history of the Religious Right, but the tone Balmer used really turned me off. He seemed to toss out unnecessary insults on a regular basis. I was also surprised that there wasn't more written about economic issues. I wish Balmer had written something that could lead to more dialogue between folks with differing views instead of something that comes across to me as red meat for those who already agree with him.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you an evangelical Christian? Read this book! You might be surprised to find that the history of your beliefs aren't what they seem!

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why are evangelical Christians often so politically conservative? Does Christianity/Scripture require them to be conservative? Or do they have conservative personalities, first, then adapt Christianity to fit their political position? In this book, a liberal evangelical, Randall Balmer, argues for the latter.

Balmer points out that there are three characteristics to being an "evangelical" (pages xviii-xix): 1) The importance of a "conversion experience" (see John 3:3). 2) The obligation to share the Gospel ("good news") with others (see Matthew 28:19). 3) The importance of taking the Bible "seriously" (see 2 Timothy 3:16).

In Balmer's view, the above three conditions need not entail one's becoming a political conservative. (After all, American politician William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925) was an evangelical--but also supported progressive causes and pacifism.) Rather, Balmer observes that a right-wing ideology only flows from what he describes as a self-serving "slavishly...selective literalism" when it comes to Biblical interpretation (page xviii). (Why, for instance, do conservative Christians focus so harshly on contraception and abortion, about which Scripture says little or nothing, but don't march against, say, liberalized no-fault divorce laws--especially when the Gospels present Jesus as condemning divorce? [see the Sermon on the Mount, at Matthew 5:31-32, for instance]. Why block abortion clinics and not divorce courts? Why oppose gay marriage so loudly but remain so silent concerning straight divorce? (chapter 1))

Balmer then goes on to explain how a more careful, holistic reading of the Christian scriptures engenders progressive attitudes toward poverty (see Matthew 25:40), the environment (chapter 5), public schools (chapter 3), Darwin's theory of evolution (chapter 4), and the separation of Church and State (chapter 2).

Balmer's book is a rich and thought-provoking book. He, of course, realizes that his "progressive evangelicalism" is a minority viewpoint; nonetheless, it's refreshing to see a committed Christian explain how Scripture admits of a more open ideological stance. I'd definitely read this book again--and I'm tempted to check out his book, Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: A Journey Into the Evangelical Subculture in America, for more background on evangelicalism and American politics.

[Eric_W · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is refreshing to see an historically accurate recounting of the evangelical movement, rightly pointing out some of its achievements and shining light on its political hijacking by a few cynical folks who wanted to take it away from its social liberal roots and use it for its own purposes.

Balmer is an historian and evangelical who decries the distortion of the movement's roots and its hijacking by a small group of cynical (that's got to be the only word for it) group of people anxious to improve their own political power and standing. The issue of abortion was not even on the right's radar screen until several years after Roe v Wade. As Balmer points out, abortion is barely mentioned in the Bible appearing -- and even then only very loosely -- in Psalms, Deuteronomy and Luke. Divorce had been the evil of choice until around 1979, but with the election of Ronald Reagan, darling of the right, they couldn't very well pick on divorce, (of course, Reagan had supported pro-abortion bills earlier in his political career.)

It remains ironic -- and a symbol of their political callousness -- that the number one issue for the religious right is tax cuts. Tax cuts, for heaven's sake. Balmer has every reason to be dismayed.

A list of his concerns posted on Amazon:

"Other issues championed by the Religious Right strike Balmer as equally disingenuous and/or misguided:

"Prayer in schools -- Jesus criticized those who made prayer into a spectator sport - "go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father."

"Creationism -- Until the intelligent design creationists "can devise experiments consistent with the scientific method to test their claims, they should stop parading as scientists." "Intelligent design is religion, not science and the proper venue for the propagation of faith is the home or the church, not the university."

"Home schooling -- "For much of the twentieth century, evangelicals found comfort within their subculture as a place of refuge from the outside world, which they came increasingly to regard as both corrupt and corrupting. The homeschool movement and the impulse to send children to religious schools merely represent an extension of that fortress mentality."

"Anti-environmentalism - "for decades, evangelicals have neglected the environment because it seemed to them unimportant in their grander scheme of biblical interpretation." Now groups such as the Interfaith Council for Environmental Stewardship which is a coalition of Religious Right leaders aiming to counteract the environmental movement, with support from James Dobson, Charles Colson among other high profile of the Religious Right, simply "echo the pro-business and antiregulatory sentiments of political conservatives."

"Torture - unconscionable silence. [Who Would Jesus Torture?:]

"Perhaps most disturbing of all is how "Leaders of the Religious Right [Dobson and others:] have expressed their disdain for toleration and for pluralism itself." "Their ideology, laced as it is with the rhetoric of militarism, represents a betrayal of the faith. The shameless pursuit of affluence and power and political influence has led the Religious Right into shady alliances and has brought dishonor to the gospel."

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is dated but the sentiment behind it is more relevant now than it ever has been.

I enjoyed the preface, but I'm not as far left as Mr. Balmer, so a lot of this was a frustrating slog through views I almost agreed with but not quite. For those interested in the topic, I'd say reading the preface and chapter 2 (a discussion of baptists vs. separation of church and state) is enough.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard Balmer interviewed on NPR before I read the book. As a former evangelical, I was interested in what he had to say. I also attended Trinity College, an evangelical school the same time Balmer did, in fact he tried to teach me how to rappel. In the book he recounts his experience at Trinity and the beginnings of his disenchantment with conservative Christianity. In this book he shows how until the early 90's conservatives had no problem with abortion. It was the possibility of Bob Jones University losing federal funds because they disallowed interracial dating that brought together the evangelical leaders together in a political movement. He recounts much of the hypocrisy of the evangelical right. A good book!!

[Michael Burch · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author presents a mostly fair assessment of the truly lamentable state of evangelical involvement in US politics. While I don’t fully agree, I share the lament when our brothers and sisters in Christ try to usher in a kingdom that’s not of this world by relying on a power that is.

[Maggie Boyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very few evangelicals have had the courage to question how the Religious Right and Republican party have usurped the Christian faith in America, turning it into something far from that presented by our Lord. Balmer does that exceedingly well in this short book which is at times uncomfortable, often disturbing and frequently infuriating. It wasn't an easy read but I would consider it an important one. Chapter 1: The Abortion myth, homosexuality, and the rules of selective literalism discusses the disparity of a church which takes no issue with divorce but targets the marginalized communities in America. He also talks about the racist laws which were camouflaged by a sudden embracing of anti-abortion doctrine. It's a good look at what happens behind the scenes when people try to fatten coffers but are trying to hide unpopular actions. Chapter 2 Where have all the Baptists gone? Questions how baptist doctrine has changed as the Republican party's ideals have changed. It does an excellent job of tracing the history of the separation of church and state though I felt that this portion could have been expanded a bit. The myth of a Christian nation has been used to great effect by the Religious Right but is largely based on a lie supported by folks who don't know American history. Chapter 3 which discussed school vouchers really helps you to see the problem with the system while Chapter 4 tackles the issue of creationism. I felt that was another chapter which would have benefited from a more thorough discussion, although I appreciated what was there. The author's points about why creationism doesn't qualify as science were definitely informative for me and made me look at the situation in a new way. Chapter 5 about environmentalism was a bit of a yawn for me and showed, I thought, a chink in the author's armor (IMO). He seemed to think that this issue might urge religious voters from the right but I think it is naive to think that anything would drawn out the Pavlovian response many of these folks have to abortion. Until that sacred cow is somehow slaughtered many will grit their teeth and vote Republican no matter what, as this latest election proved.

I did feel the author missed expounding on two key important points.Number one is money and the church. How much churches compromise to keep cash flow and how they twist the gospel to make it okay for their followers to worship the almighty dollar was something that really needed discussion. The second was the biblical ignorance of a vast majority of "believers" who would struggle to understand what Jesus taught on pretty much any subject.

The author did at times veer off into rant territory but I understand his high emotionalism as he has faced persecution from fellow believers who are more interested in keeping political power or popularity over doing the will of God. A good starting point for those who wonder how we got from Matthew 25 to Donald Trump.

[Todd Wilhelm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can identify with much of what Balmer says, beginning with:

"Although I identify with evangelicalism, however, I'm not always comfortable with all the trappings of the evangelical subculture. I sometimes designate myself a "lover's-quarrel evangelical." in an effort to distance myself from the narrowness, the legalism, the censoriousness, and the misogyny that too often rears its ugly head among evangelicals. I also want to call evangelicals to their better selves - or, more accurately, to remind them of the teachings of Jesus, as well as the exemplary work of nineteenth-century evangelicals."

The Conclusion is where Balmer really calls a spade a spade; I appreciated his honesty and found much in the chapter quoteworthy.

[Jodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was like an older but expanded version of Mr. Balmer's 2021 publication, "Bad Faith". I learned much more detail about how the religious right actually undermines religious liberty and freedoms in general as well as how their partnerships with the wealthy and powerful inexplicably go against everything they purport to believe. I think I was just overwhelmed for most of the book, as I grew up in a very right-wing evangelical context and my realization of the mismatch between the message and methods of evangelicalism only began within the last 15 years. I am trying to live in line with what I believe, but I am also still trying to understand what I accepted as fact simply because it was presented to me that way and what is truly important for me as a person who wants to follow Jesus.
My dad was and is a huge fan of Roy Moore, so the clear disdain the author holds for him is really something. The Senate campaign Judge Moore attempted in Alabama was one of the things that really caused me to start seeing how the Religious Right's marriage with the republican party is based on power and not principle and how people in the state I live in (Alabama) are often "ends justify the means" so-called conservatives, despite the evidence that people like Moore and Trump are awful. I'm so disheartened at how far the religious right agenda has gotten and how blind white evangelicals are to it.

[Fraser Sherman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only three stars because much of what Balmer says I'm already familiar with. That's not a flaw in the book.
Balmer looks at the history of evangelical Christians in America. Traditionally they were on the front lines of liberal causes; since 1980, they've taken a sharp turn to the right (abortion! Gay marriage! Trump!). As Balmer shows, the turning point wasn't outrage over Roe v. Wade but over civil rights and integration. Once started down that path, though, evangelicals embraced opposition to abortion, absolute support for right-wing Republicans, teaching creationism in schools, rewriting history and pushing to re-establish a state religion (Baptists used to be about as anti-theocracy as you can get).
While I don't agree with some of Balmer's political views or his solutions, I think his history is solid work.

[Jasonlylescampbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Balmer asks a lot of excellent challenging questions from the perspective of someone who was once an evangelical, still loves/misses that time and those people, but thinks they have gone away from Jesus in specific ways - I got this book largely from reading his Abortion Myth article in politico, but here also addresses the first amendment, schools and public schools, evolution and creationism, the environment and politics.

[Isaac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Provoking. An evangelical poking holes in the Religious Right and other evangelicals. Found it harsh but forgiving. Rich vocabulary and deep in historical thought. Even if you disagree with all of his points, you still learn about the history of religion in America and the court cases that have sparked such divides.

[Amydee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written by a Evangelical for Evangelicals-and to be clear I am not but was raised in it- if I had to pick one informative book to recommend on this topic, this is it. Well done, informative and factual, verifiable, unbiased. If you are Evangelical, and you want to know why your word feels a little off, that’s because it is. A lot. This book is enlightening. Read it .

[Derek Kreider · Rating 3 out of 5]

I preferred his book "Bad Faith" a lot better. It was much more focused on the facts and more succinct. This book is fine, but delves into more issues and has more of the author's personal views infused into it. That's not necessarily a bad thing, just not what I'm looking for.

[Julie Harding · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Those of us who number ourselves in the community of faith must resist the blandishments of the culture. The lesson of the Protestant Reformation, and perhaps the New Testament itself, is the treachery of institutions as guarantors of faith.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important and insightful read.

[Stephen Sumrall · Rating 4 out of 5]

The precursor (2006) to Jesus and John Wayne, a critical look at the religious right in a less polarized, pre-Trump era.

[olivia c]

I wish more people read this when it was first published bc we wouldn’t be where we are today if they did 😭

[Jacob · Rating 1 out of 5]

If this were a different book, I think I might have liked it. There is a genuine concern in the unholy alliance of many professing evangelicals with the Republican Party, and a good case can be made that the Republican Party has not served as much of a standard bearer for the values that conservative, biblically-minded evangelicals hold (or should hold) dear. A thoughtful discussion of these issues would be welcome. Likewise, a substantive treatment of major public policy issues (in particular, those that often divide left and right) from a distinctly Christian perspective is beneficial and would help move the conversation forward. This book is neither of those things.

As the title says, this is Balmer’s lament at the hijacking of Christianity by the Religious Right to do their political bidding (which he sees as generally coinciding with that of the Republican Party). According to Balmer, the Religious Right, defined as “politically conservative evangelicals who, since the late 1970’s, have sought to exert their influence in political, cultural, and legal matters,” does not represent the views of biblical Christianity and even those of earlier generations of Christians. He regrets the fact that among most outsiders, the term evangelical carries with it connotations of “right-wing,” “Republican,” and this group known as “the Religious Right.” This is indeed true, and regrettable. In mainstream thought, the idea of a bible-believing Christian almost necessitates wholesale approval of George W. Bush and a daily recitation of the pledge of allegiance. This is not true to reality, as Balmer rightly argues, since there are many evangelicals who hold liberal political views and do not find themselves represented by the Religious Right.

While Balmer’s characterization in the book suggests that the stereotype is true to reality for those within the Religious Right (as defined above), I would contend that even here it is incorrect. “Politically conservative evangelical” no more equates to “Republican Party” than “evangelical” equates to “Religious Right.” In fact, as a politically conservative evangelical, I found myself agreeing with Balmer in lamenting the treatment of “evangelical” and “Republican” as synonymous. Balmer makes the book a broad assault on “politically conservative evangelicals” which he equates to the “Religious Right,” but the only punches he ever lands are on those closely aligned with the Republican Party establishment.

Semantics aside, this book is not Balmer’s version of “Why I am a liberal,” or an evangelical defense of liberal political thought. Neither is it a substantive critique of conservative political thought. Rather, it is an attempt to debunk the conservative evangelical viewpoint in six key areas, mainly through anecdotal accounts and ad hominem attacks. Where there is an argument presented on an issue, it rarely diverges from the standard Democratic Party line of reasoning, although there is usually an appeal to Christian belief as the basis. The six key areas are:

1. Abortion
2. Homosexuality
3. Separation of Church and State
4. Public Education
5. Intelligent Design/Creationism
6. The Environment

The book does a great job of pointing out much hypocrisy and even more inconsistent application of professed principles by leaders in the conservative movement. It also demonstrates ways that the Republican establishment has done a good job talking the talk on many issues which conservative evangelicals are genuinely concerned about, but have used those issues to gain votes and advance a different agenda. However, it does little to move the discussion forward with regards to evangelicals and their political positions. After reading the book, I got the impression that Balmer was not really lamenting that most of evangelicalism was aligned with a political party and had used the Bible and Christian values to promote a political agenda, but that it was aligned with the Republican party (as opposed to the Democratic party) and was promoting the wrong agenda. In other words, if the Evangelical Right became the Evangelical Left, there wouldn’t really be an issue.

Read my full review...

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

AN EVANGELICAL CRITIQUES THE "RELIGIOUS RIGHT"

Randall Herbert Balmer (born 1954) is an Episcopalian priest, professor of American religious history at Barnard College, and an editor for Christianity Today; he has written a number of books, such as 'Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: A Journey into the Evangelical Subculture in America,' 'The Making of Evangelicalism: From Revivalism to Politics and Beyond,' etc.

He wrote in the Preface to this 2006 book, "Although I identify with evangelicalism, however, I'm not always comfortable with all the trappings of the evangelical subculture. I sometimes designate myself a 'lover's-quarrel- evangelical' in an effort to distance myself from the narrowness, the legalism, the censoriousness, and the misogyny that too often rears its ugly head among evangelicals. I also want to ... remind (evangelicals) of the teachings of Jesus, as well as the more exemplary work of nineteenth-century evangelicals. That is the task of this book."

He asks early in the book, why did the Religious Right choose abortion as its defining issue? "It seems an odd choice, especially for people who pride themselves on biblical literalism, given the paucity of biblical references to the issue." (Pg. 5) Later, he states, "I have no interest in making abortion illegal; I would like to make it unthinkable." (Pg. 188) He was struck by an admission by conservative activist Paul M. Weyrich, who said that the Religious Right did not come together as a result of the Roe v. Wade decision, but rather "the attempt on the part of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to rescind the tax-exempt status of Bob Jones University because of its racially discriminatory policies." (Pg. 13-14)

He suggests that the "insurgency" by "evangelicals with an environmental conscience" may potentially disrupt the alliance between evangelicals and the Republican Party, and "Many evangelicals are beginning to recognize, almost intuitively, that the wanton abuse of natural resources is fundamentally incompatible with a view of creation as God's handiwork." (Pg. 144)

He wryly suggests that "I must have been absent (from Sunday school) the day they told us that followers of Jesus were obliged to secure even greater economic advantages for the affluent... I missed the lesson telling me that I should turn a blind eye to the suffering of others, even those designated as my enemies." (Pg. 175)

Although some evangelicals may deem Balmer "not a TRUE evangelical," his position is certainly one that deserves consideration and study by all persons interested in "Christianity and politics" issues.

[James West · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following up "American Fascists" I went straight into this book. Balmer is also a Christian writing critically of the current Religious Right movement. In his case, he even self-identifies as an Evangelical. But he aligns himself firmly with an older Evangelical tradition which includes a staunch, vigorous defense of our First Amendment rights and the implicit Separation of Church and State made famous by Thomas Jefferson's letter.

Where Chris Hedges's book takes you into various peoples' stories and teases out their motivations and intentions, this book is more of a personal appeal against what the author believes is a hijacking of the faith by a dangerous band of zealots who are doing a lot of harm. And I agree. They are dangerous zealots doing a lot of harm.

A memorable moment was his examination of a Christian school near Washington DC where they basically train people to go into politics with the overt mission of making this a Christian Nation, something Evangelicals of a bygone age would have found appalling. Balmer points out that the students of this school are nearly 100% culturally homogeneous, having been raised in Christian families and home-schooled. Under those conditions they have never actually been challenged by coming face-to-face, under normal and polite conditions, with people who hold different views and come from different places. These are people who are taught, for example, that evolution is a lie and yet they have never actually encountered a genuine argument for evolution nor any genuine presentation of evidence.

Like "American Fascists", this book sounds an alarm. The Religious Right, a movement largely informed by Dominionism, controls the lion's share of religious and Conservative speech in this country. They own a media empire and are building an alternate school system to stand as a shoddy reflection of the real academic world in order to lend themselves an aura of legitimacy. They are, in short, trying their damnedest to take over.

Intellectual vigilance and dedication to the defense of speech is the way to fight such a monster, in my opinion.

[SarahEmily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Balmer, who comes from a very traditional evangelical background, but grew disillusioned with the trappings of it (but not God),makes points both good and bad. Good: the church flourishes away from it's identification with politics and government, in the tradition of Roger Williams. Good: abortion should be made "unthinkable" but not illegal; it's counterproductive to change laws and not hearts. Bad: A refutation of the dominion theology that gives humans precedence over animals/nature, evidenced in his belief that evangelicals "reified" human life and that it is hypocritical of evangelicals to hear "fetal screams" from abortion but ignore the suffering of animals. While I am no cheerleader for animal suffering and am in fact against it, I don't believe animals or the earth are equal to humans.

Good quote:
"Evangelicals need once again to learn to be a counterculture, much as they were before 1980, before they succumbed to the seductions of power...A counterculture identifies itself with those on the margins. Jesus felt more comfortable with lepers and prostitutes and tax collectors than he did the with rulers of society. This is the posture of a counterculture, and it is a posture more becoming to those who number themselves among the followers of Jesus than hankering after worldly influence." (190)

[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Offers excellent insight into how the Religious Right has created one quite ugly face to represent a religion that in fact has a diversity of permutations and practitioners. Balmer writes as a passionate insider with an invested heart and simultaneously as a knowledgeable, critical professor of religious history. He addresses freedom of religion and separation of church and state; public education vs. homeschooling and school vouchers; the ongoing attempt to teach creationism as science; environmentalism vs. world domination; and how G-d's number one abominations conveniently shift depending on current political alliances. A good book for Christians who should know more about the history of religion in this country and what's currently being put forth as representative of their beliefs; also recommended as an aid for those with an often rightly jaundiced view of American Christianity to gain a more nuanced understanding of its origins and followers.

[Samuel Lubell]

Thy Kingdom Come: An Evangelical’s Lament by Randall Balmer. Nonfiction-religion/politics. 206 pages. Library. This book is subtitled How the Religious Right Distorts the Faith and Threatens America. It describes the relationship between the religious right and the Republican party including evidence that the evangelicals were not involved in the abortion fight immediately after Roe v Wade and how the Evangelicals are ignoring what the Bible shows as Jesus’ main concern, helping the poor and less fortunate, and focusing on issues of homosexuality and abortion that are hardly mentioned. A very interesting read.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent history of evangelical Christianity in America. Documents the transformation of evangelism from a kinder, ministering movement, to the somewhat intolerant form that evangelism sometimes takes on today. The author's take on Roe vs Wade and why it has not been overturned is very thought provoking. Also - the origins of today's religious right as a financial based movement having to do with religious schools is very interesting.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent survey of the Religious Right and exactly how to define them. A key reference point in any dialogue involving these issues.

2025 - listened to full audiobook once again. Reminds one that the separation of church and state is a good thing. However, it becomes evident that the leftist agenda is, in itself, a form of religion. So, though liberals do not want Christianity inserted into the government agendas, they want free rein to influence policy.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and fascinating read on the history of the religious right. He asserts that when the Religious Right commandeered the evangelical faith's role in politics in the 1980's, it steered the movement away from its historical support for tenets such as individual privacy, separation of church and state, and public schools.

[Chantee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a pretty fast read and it does a good job of unmasking the religious right for what it really is. As a person of faith, I strongly recommend this book to anyone who has time since it truly separates the proverbial wheat from the chaff.

[Erin Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of confusing language and could get dull at times, but gave a great perspective on the tangle of politics and religion from an author who is also an evangelical. Helped someone who is religious to see beyond the sway of the religious right.